Customer Reviews

Bionaire BWM0400-U Warm Mist Humidifier with Galileo Wireless Climate Center

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

We live in a very dry climate (Calgary, Alberta) and we have purchased many different warm mist humidifiers. It's always the same problem (the mineral build up on the heating element is hard to clean no matter what you do!). However, with this one, the heating element just wipes off and I only have to soak it in some vinegar once a week for a few minutes to remove a bit of build up that sticks to the element. I *do* like this heating element since it's extremely easy to clean.

We had the same "reset" problem as described above by other customers, and what we found is that when you plug it in (with a full tank of water), just start it on the LOW setting first, until the steam starts to come out, then you can put it on the HIGH setting (or leave it on LOW if you wish).

We figured out that if you go straight to HIGH to get it started, the machine shuts off (reset light comes on). It seems to get too hot too fast or something is too sensitive inside the machine. If you start on LOW, let it start steaming, then increase it to HIGH, we don't seem to have the reset problem.

We've only had the unit for a week... Let's hope it will hold up ok!

I've had this humidifier for about a week and use it at night in my bedroom. The remote is a very nice feature and will maintain the pre-set humidity level but there have been nights were it could not reach the setpoint and therefore stayed on all night. The only other drawback is that it makes this burping, churping noise while it boils the water. This can take some getting use to especially if you're use to sleeping dead quiet nights.

Otherwise trustworthy Bionaire has produced a defective model. I've been through two of them now, both with similar problems. They tend to shut off despite enough water being in the tank, and no other visible problem. First one never worked right, the second lasted for two months before it continually flashed the reset light. Customer service could offer no solutions. Stay away!

I have owned Bionaire humidifiers for decades. After the last one gave out, I bought this one. The others were whisper quiet, this one is noisy - especially when set to high. When the others needed refill, you refilled it and turned it back on. With this one one has to wait 5 minutes while unplugged before restarting, and half the time the orange refill light turns on shortly thereafter and you have to start the 5 minute process all over again. Lately it constantly stops, orange refill light on, although the tank is almost full. By the way, the water tank is IMPOSSIBLE to clean because the hole is not big enough to get your hand in there.

Really awful design, very surprising for Bionaire. Only good thing: the heating element is covered with teflon which makes it easier to clean - only problem is that half of it is so close to the wall of the encasement that that half of it is unreachable. Obviously, whoever designed this humidifier never tried it out - definitely never had to clean it!

Too bad I didn't come here first, at epinions nobody had the reset problem but I sure did. It's too bad too because this thing is a technological marval... except it's defective from the very start.

My water is somewhere between hard and soft but more to the soft side. I read that using distilled or water with no mineral content will allow the boiler to boil less and therefore not trip the automatic shutoff.

I now quote from the review of a Sunbeam on this site:

"A vaporizer only works well if the mineral content in your water is "ideal", so you may have to make simple adjustments if the water doesn't boil (add salt), or if it boils too rapidly (add distilled water). This will prevent "spurting", boiling over and overheated reservoirs."


The problem is it is ridiculous to buy a water distiller for a unit that already has a good filter in it already! The unit boils like the bejesus on low, putting it on high pushes it over the edge and it shuts off with the red blinking "reset/refill" light. I tried 4 times and even called tech support (they were pretty clueless, are you listening Bionaire?).

It's really a pity too because the humidistat can be placed away from the unit and it wirelessly communicates to make sure the room is evenly humidified.

I think the problem is that the water does not go high enough in the tray and you can't tilt it to fix the problem (most warm mist are designed that way for some reason.

I've had other humidifiers, but this is my favorite. The digital hygrometer prevents over-humidifying (I've ruined the paint on my bedroom wall several times when other humidifiers over-humidified the room overnight). Also like the easy to clean heating element. Finally, I had the reset problem that other reviewers discussed, but when I read the owner's manual more closely, I realized that the reason for my problem was that I was not waiting for the water to filter through the system before starting it (the owner's manual recommends waiting 5 minutes between filling and running the machine). Don't know if the problem other reviewers had was different than this; if so I haven't had the problem they've had. I love that I can leave this humidifier running "unattended" and not worry that I'm going to have to get out the paint rollers again!

I had just purchased the humidifier and followed all instructions to set up the system. After running for 15 seconds, the machine's reset button started to blink, which by the way should only be blinking if it runs out of water. Staring dumfoundadly at a full water resevoir, I followed their reset procedure only to have the same thing happen again...and again...and again. When I called customer service, they explained that the only time the reset light will come on is if there's no water left in the resevoir or if there is a mineral build up on the heating element. I explained that I had just bought the system less than an hour ago so there's no chance that there is a build up of any kind and that the tank is full. Their response was to return it and bring home another system and try that one. I am definately returning it, but will not be purchasing another bionaire system, or anything that has the bionaire name printed on it.

I had problems with this unit right out of the box. I experienced the reset problem, but there are two reset problems you should know about.

1. On the initial run of the unit, you need to ensure that the reservoir where the heating elelment sits has enough water in it. Bionaire tells you to fill the actual water tank, seat the water tank and wait five minutes. If you simply pour water into the small internal reservoir, you can bypass the initial continual reset problem.

2. The other type of reset problem is the one that the reviewer named "Workout Queen" (from Canada) experienced. That is when the unit runs perfectly fine for about a month or so but then the unit will continually reset when you initially set the unit to "high". Yes, turning the unit on low will work and it will run, however, I have not been able to get the unit to engage into the "high" setting. Like the Queen said, the element gets too hot and then resets.

It appears that it's a quality control issue because Bionaire is simply sending me another unit without any fuss at all.

This unit used to be the recommended humidifier for musical instruments (like harpsichords and other string instruments) but you need to get the darn thing to work first.

It bubbles and boils irregularly so I probably wouldn't want this in my bedroom. Better to have a constant drone in the background, but I suppose that is probably an individual preference.

Also, you must realize that it boils the water to get the vapor/moisture out. So it will use up much more electricity than a cold mist unit (Kaz, Holmes etc.). Also, since it heats up, you might not want to leave this running if you're out of the house. Yes, it is supposed to shut off when the water is empty, but with these other quality issues is this a feature that you would really trust?

On the plus side, the unit is wicked easy to clean and fill. And the digital humidistat is nice (if it is indeed acurate). There is only one filter to replace and it's supposed to last quite a while. The one issue that gets me nervous is the warning notice for handling the filter:

"Keep out of reach of children. Avoid contact with eyes and skin. Hands should be cleaned immediately after handing the filter. If contact with the contents of the filter is made with skin, rinse with water. This product is not intended for human consumption. If ingested, do not induce vomiting and seek immediate medical attention."

Great day in the morning! What the heck is that thing made out of and what planet did they get it from? The best part is the "if ingested" part. Ha! Have you LOOKED at that thing? It's big solid plastic donut looking thing with plastic bars around the filter area. It's HUGE! Who, in their right mind would want to wrap it up in puff pastry and bake and eat it? Maybe someone might accidentally put it in the candy dish on the coffee table, but even then... it's HUGE!

In my opinion the reset problem and occasional burbling are not problems. My main beef is it's too hard to clean. A few weeks after replacing the filter the deposits start adding up. It has to be cleaned basically every time you refill the tank. Soaking in vinegar doesn't do much and requires a lot of vinegar as the entire bottom reservoir must be filled. The (phosporic-acid based) cleaner sold on the website is slightly better but in the final analysis you have to resort to hand scrubbing. And there's the hitch! You can't reach parts of the element, not even with a toothbrush. Why they couldn't center it just a little further away from the edge of the "wall" is beyond my comprehension. I spent more time last winter with the thing taken apart & trying various methods of cleaning than with it running. I wouldn't buy it again.

This "nifty" piece of machinery was the one choice at my local store and so, I got it. I really wanted to get the Air-O-Swiss one but alas, it cannot be found or shipped to Canada... weirdly.

So far, I am less than impressed. Took me forever to even get it working. The constant resetting is tiring. I did find a solution (initial anyway) - you fill the tank but also fill the inside reservoir (where the round filter is) and then it works.

The noise it makes is NOT easy to get used to, no matter how tired you are.

I am trying it for one night, then if I can't sleep I will return it. It's not worth the money. My advice? Save up and get the Air-O-Swiss.