Humidifiers / Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier vs Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)
Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier
$54.95
VSPure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)
$39.99
Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier vs Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)
Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier
Genuinely sterile boiled steam for $55, and a scalding chamber to go with it.
Wins overall by 1.0 points
Quick Verdict
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier is the stronger all-round pick, ahead by 1.0 points. Genuinely sterile boiled steam for $55, and a scalding chamber to go with it.
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier and Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) are both closely matched humidifier models, and the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) is $15 cheaper than the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier ($39.99 vs $54.95). On Freedom From White Dust, the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier leads (10.0 vs 4.0/10) — the thing marketing never mentions. Ultrasonic humidifiers aerosolise whatever is dissolved in the water and deposit it as white dust on furniture — the EPA notes they are 'very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air', along with microorganisms from the tank. Evaporative and boiled-steam units do not do this at all. A high score means the technology cannot produce dust; a low score means you are buying distilled water for the life of the machine.. On Safety Around Children, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) leads (8.5 vs 3.5/10) — burn and scald risk from boiled or heated water, tipping hazard, and whether the hygiene story holds up in a nursery. On Output, the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier leads (6.5 vs 3.0/10) — actual moisture put into the room per day in gallons or mL/hr, judged against the coverage the manufacturer claims — not the square-footage number on the box. Overall, the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier scores 6.4/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 5.4/10 for the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF). Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier | Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $54.95 | $39.99 |
| Release Year | 2018 | 2015 |
| Humidification Technology | Warm mist — Honeywell's manual: "The tank feeds water into the boiling chamber where it is heated to a steam vapor". A resistive element does the boiling; there is no fan and no wick | Ultrasonic cool mist — a piezo disc atomises water into a visible plume |
| White Dust & Mineral Aerosol | None. Boiling leaves minerals behind as scale in the chamber rather than aerosolising them, which is the whole reason warm-mist and steam units are dust-free — and also why the chamber needs descaling | Yes, and Pure Enrichment says so in its own catalogue: the MistAire Decalcification Cartridge Filter is described as reducing "white dust from minerals in tap water". It is a $12.99 accessory, not included, and Pure Enrichment recommends changing it every six months. the EPA's "Use and Care of Home Humidifiers" states that ultrasonic and impeller humidifiers "are very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air" and that they "can disperse materials, such as microorganisms and minerals, from their water tanks into indoor air" |
| Tank Capacity | 1 gal / 3.7 L | 1.7 L / 0.45 gal — the smallest tank here after the Canopy |
| Rated Output per Day | Not published by the manufacturer — neither Honeywell's manual nor its store page gives a gallons-per-day or mL/hr figure for the HWM845 | Published: 120 mL/hr on high and 60 mL/hr on low, i.e. 2.9 L/day and 1.4 L/day. That is a desk-scale output and Pure Enrichment is honest about it |
| Quoted Runtime (and at which setting) | "Up to 24 hours" — Honeywell's store page attaches this to the LOW of two comfort settings. On high, a 1-gallon tank boiled away goes very much faster | Up to 25 hours on LOW, up to 12 hours on HIGH — Pure Enrichment publishes both, which almost nobody else in this set does |
| Rated Room Coverage | Sources conflict: Walmart's listing for the HWM845B says 400 ft², office-supply listings for the identical SKU say 520 ft², and Honeywell's own store page says only "medium" room | Up to 250 ft² (Pure Enrichment) — the smallest claim here, and the only one that is consistent with the published output |
| Humidistat | None. Two fixed comfort settings on a knob, no humidity sensor, no auto mode. There is an auto shut-off for an empty tank, which is a safety cut-out and not humidity control | None. Two mist settings on a dial and an auto shut-off for a dry tank. No humidity sensor, no auto mode, no readout |
| Noise | Not published as a decibel figure. There is no fan, so the only noise is the boil itself — genuinely among the quietest ways to humidify a bedroom, at the cost of the heat | Not published as a decibel figure — Pure Enrichment says "whisper quiet". At 12W with no fan the noise is the ultrasonic hum and the water |
| Filters & Cartridges (Annual Cost) | Nothing is required — it is filter-free. Honeywell offers the optional Protec PC2V1 antimicrobial cleaning cartridge on a 30-day cycle (roughly $20-30/yr if you use it), but the unit runs without it | Optional decalcification cartridge at $12.99, changed every six months — about $26/yr if you use it. Nothing is required for the unit to run, but running it on tap water without the cartridge is what generates the dust |
| Cleaning Burden & Dishwasher-Safe Parts | Honeywell's manual says "Weekly cleaning is recommended" and prescribes two cups of distilled white vinegar in the reservoir for 20 minutes to strip scale, plus a separate bleach disinfection. The tank opening is wide; nothing is dishwasher-safe. Skip the descaling and the element fouls and output collapses | Small, so it is quick, but the 1.7L tank neck is narrow and the supplied disk brush exists precisely because you cannot get a hand round the transducer. Nothing is dishwasher-safe. At 1.7L you are handling it daily anyway |
| UV / Antimicrobial Claim | Boiling is the kill stage — no UV lamp and no antimicrobial wick. The optional Protec cartridge is a tank-side cleaning aid, not a certified disinfection claim | None claimed. No UV, no antimicrobial coating, no bacteriostatic additive supported |
| Mist Temperature & Burn Risk | Boiled. Honeywell's manual is explicit: "DO NOT touch the steam vapor. Steam can cause burns" and the unit "produces hot steam". The output is genuinely sterile; the trade-off is a reservoir of near-boiling water in the room | Cool mist at room temperature — no burn risk, and no thermal kill step on the water |
| Warranty | 36 months | 60 months |
| Colors | Black | White, Gray |
Category Scores
Freedom From White Dust
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier leads clearly here, 10.0 against 4.0 — a 6.0-point margin on the thing marketing never mentions. Ultrasonic humidifiers aerosolise whatever is dissolved in the water and deposit it as white dust on furniture — the EPA notes they are 'very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air', along with microorganisms from the tank. Evaporative and boiled-steam units do not do this at all. A high score means the technology cannot produce dust; a low score means you are buying distilled water for the life of the machine.. If that is what you are buying for, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Output
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier leads clearly here, 6.5 against 3.0 — a 3.5-point margin on actual moisture put into the room per day in gallons or mL/hr, judged against the coverage the manufacturer claims — not the square-footage number on the box. If that is what you are buying for, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Runtime & Refill Interval
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier leads clearly here, 6.0 against 3.5 — a 2.5-point margin on how long a full tank really lasts at a useful output setting, rather than at the lowest setting the runtime is quoted for, and how painful the refill is. If that is what you are buying for, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Cleaning & Access
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier and Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) are level here, at 6.0/10 each. whether the tank opening takes an adult hand, whether any part is dishwasher-safe or boilable, and how realistic the manufacturer's stated cleaning interval is to actually keep to is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Running Cost
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier and Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) are level here, at 8.0/10 each. wicks, demineralisation cartridges, antimicrobial additives, distilled water and electricity — everything you keep paying after the purchase is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Quietness
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier leads clearly here, 9.0 against 8.0 — a 1.0-point margin on noise at the setting people actually run it overnight, weighted toward independently measured figures over manufacturer claims. If that is what you are buying for, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Humidity Control
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier leads clearly here, 2.5 against 2.0 — a 0.5-point margin on whether there is a genuine closed-loop humidistat holding a setpoint, or just fixed output steps and a timer with a humidity label on it. If that is what you are buying for, the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Safety Around Children
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 3.5 — a 5.0-point margin on burn and scald risk from boiled or heated water, tipping hazard, and whether the hygiene story holds up in a nursery. If that is what you are buying for, the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier if…
- • Freedom From White Dust matters most to you — the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier scores 10.0/10 here (the thing marketing never mentions. Ultrasonic humidifiers aerosolise whatever is dissolved in the water and deposit it as white dust on furniture — the EPA notes they are 'very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air', along with microorganisms from the tank. Evaporative and boiled-steam units do not do this at all. A high score means the technology cannot produce dust; a low score means you are buying distilled water for the life of the machine.).
- • Output matters most to you — the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier scores 6.5/10 here (actual moisture put into the room per day in gallons or mL/hr, judged against the coverage the manufacturer claims — not the square-footage number on the box).
- • Runtime & Refill Interval matters most to you — the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier scores 6.0/10 here (how long a full tank really lasts at a useful output setting, rather than at the lowest setting the runtime is quoted for, and how painful the refill is).
- • Quietness matters most to you — the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier scores 9.0/10 here (noise at the setting people actually run it overnight, weighted toward independently measured figures over manufacturer claims).
- • Your main use case is warm-mist or no-white-dust.
Choose the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) if…
- • Safety Around Children matters most to you — the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) scores 8.5/10 here (burn and scald risk from boiled or heated water, tipping hazard, and whether the hygiene story holds up in a nursery).
- • You want to spend less — it's $15 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is nursery.
Pros & Cons
Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier
Pros
- +The vapour is genuinely sterilised by boiling — no white dust and no aerosolised tank bacteria, unlike any ultrasonic here
- +No fan means no fan noise; for a light sleeper this is quieter than any wick or ultrasonic unit in this set
- +Truly filter-free — there is no consumable you are required to buy, which over three years undercuts the evaporative units badly
- +Three-year Honeywell warranty at $54.95, and a wide tank opening you can get a hand into
Cons
- −It boils water in a child's bedroom; Honeywell's own manual warns the steam "can cause burns" and to keep it away from children
- −No humidistat whatsoever — two knob positions and nothing that senses the room
- −Weekly vinegar descaling is not optional: mineral scale on the heating element is what kills these units, and Honeywell's manual prescribes the routine
- −Retail listings disagree on coverage — 400 ft² at Walmart versus 520 ft² on office-supply listings for the same SKU — and Honeywell publishes no number at all
- −No published output figure, so the only throughput data point is a 1-gallon tank over 24 hours on low
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)
Pros
- +A five-year warranty at $39.99, which no other humidifier in this comparison comes close to
- +Publishes both output (120/60 mL/hr) and runtimes for both settings — rare honesty at this price
- +Pure Enrichment openly sells a cartridge described as reducing "white dust from minerals in tap water", so the problem is at least acknowledged
- +12W and auto shut-off; small enough to sit on a desk without dominating it
Cons
- −1.7L and 120 mL/hr is a desk humidifier, not a bedroom one — a full tank on high lasts twelve hours and covers 250 ft² at best
- −Ultrasonic, so it makes white dust; the demineralisation cartridge that reduces it is a $12.99 accessory sold separately on a six-month cycle
- −No humidistat of any kind — two settings on a dial and nothing that senses the room
- −Narrow tank neck means you clean the transducer with the supplied brush rather than your hand
- −No antimicrobial or UV stage, and Pure Enrichment publishes no noise figure
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier or Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Freedom From White Dust, the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier or the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)?+
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier scores higher on Freedom From White Dust (10.0/10 vs 4.0/10) — the thing marketing never mentions. Ultrasonic humidifiers aerosolise whatever is dissolved in the water and deposit it as white dust on furniture — the EPA notes they are 'very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air', along with microorganisms from the tank. Evaporative and boiled-steam units do not do this at all. A high score means the technology cannot produce dust; a low score means you are buying distilled water for the life of the machine..
Which is better for Safety Around Children, the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier or the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)?+
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) scores higher on Safety Around Children (8.5/10 vs 3.5/10) — burn and scald risk from boiled or heated water, tipping hazard, and whether the hygiene story holds up in a nursery.
Which is better for Output, the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier or the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)?+
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier scores higher on Output (6.5/10 vs 3.0/10) — actual moisture put into the room per day in gallons or mL/hr, judged against the coverage the manufacturer claims — not the square-footage number on the box.
Which is better for Runtime & Refill Interval, the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier or the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)?+
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier scores higher on Runtime & Refill Interval (6.0/10 vs 3.5/10) — how long a full tank really lasts at a useful output setting, rather than at the lowest setting the runtime is quoted for, and how painful the refill is.
Is the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier worth the price difference over the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)?+
The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) is the cheaper option at $39.99 versus $54.95. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Freedom From White Dust.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier is the better fit if you mainly care about warm-mist or no-white-dust. The Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) is the better fit for nursery.
What's the warranty on the Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier vs the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF)?+
The Honeywell HWM845B Filter Free Warm Mist Humidifier ships with a 36-month warranty; the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (PEHUMIDIF) ships with a 60-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Vicks Warm Steam Vaporizer V150 (V150SGN / V150RY series) — $19.79
Premium Option
Honeywell HCM350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier (HCM350W / HCM350B) — $89.95
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.