Customer Reviews

Honeywell HCM-6012i QuietCare 11-Gallon Console Humidifier with Air Washing Technology

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

I have 2 older Holmes humidifiers that are designed almost identical to the 6012i. The problem is, the humidistat is so sensitive that they cycle on and off frequently. The 6012i does not do that. Also, the Holmes does not have caster wheels, so they are a pain to move out of the way to clean. The Honeywell rolls out of the way using your foot. And no, it doesn't fall apart in a pile. You have to use a little judgment where you push from. Push from the base, not from the control unit or the water containers.

As far as the other bad review, I don't know what to say. I've got one 6012i and one 6011i. They are both on carpet. They do not leak. However, I'm sure that an accident could happen that could cause a leak, which in turn could cause some minor water damage. However, I've had the Holmes humidifiers for about 4 years and never had an accident.

The Honeywell is much quieter than the Holmes unit and easier to fill. I have the 2 units running in a 3000 square foot home. In the dead of winter when the furnace is running a lot, I have to fill them about every 36 hours. I keep the humidity at about 35%.

As far as having to re-wet the filters each time, that's only if you run it completely dry and the filter becomes dry. You don't 'have' to re-wet the filter, but it will make it begin humidifying much quicker. I check mine every day or so. That way they never run dry.

Also, the replacement filters are about half the price compared to the Holmes filters.

One last comment. I do like the 6012i over the 6011i because it has a digital humidistat. You can set it at the exact humidity you want. It will show where your house humidity is, plus where you are set. The 6011i has a knob that you turn to run more or less often. If you buy this unit, you need to have a humidistat in your house so you can see just where the humidity level is. They cost $25-$40. So, just get the 6012i and forget having to buy the humidistat.

All in all, it's a great unit. Far better than anything else I ever used.

A tedious chore that comes with owning a humidifier is REFILLING THE WATER TANK. It's almost as bad as taking out the garbage. If you agree, then this humidifier was made for you.

People keep complaining that this product is not sturdy and the 3 components (2 water tanks plus main unit)are prone to tipping over. Well, of course if you bump into it often it will! But most of us keep humidifiers in a static place. But the 2 easily removable tanks are made so that us lightweights can lift and fill them in your sink without grunting and strain. Ever try filling a large water tank (which has to be filled in a tub), and then carrying it back, slippery and dangerous? I've had 2 Air-o-Swiss units that were a nightmare to fill and carry, it was a pain and once i even dropped the water tank on my foot - ouch. These 2 smaller tanks make life so much easier, as i refill this every night (i power it on high). The humidistat is accurate (unlike Air-O-Swiss Tower which BROKE on me, and by the way, don't let the name fool you---the Air-O-Swiss is made in Korea, not Switzerland. The rolling casters also make for ease of space, movement, and vacuuming(unlike heavy air-o-swiss). I do wish it was warm mist instead of cool mist, but it still humidifies my small studio apartment in nyc better than my previous 2 units. It's not perfect, but...

I am finally happy with this humidifier as it

1) actually works, and

2) makes my life easier.

Isn't that what we're all looking for in a humidifier?

Prompted by occasional respiratory irritations associated with dry summer air in southern California I poked aroung the internet and settled on this product. We have a large bedroom (need large output capacity), and a small office (need speed control), quiet was a big issue (hate noise), and portability was a concern (some days I need it more than others, so it may need to travel with me throughout the house).

We got lucky. This is a largish machine and it has enough output that it can be run on low or medium speed where fan noise is not a problem. It is easy to fill, which is important because it gets though water at a good pace (that means it is really doing its job). For cleaning all of the "electronics" lift off and the rest can be hosed off in the garden, rinsed in the shower, or wiped with a damp cloth. The wheeled base makes it easy to move to different rooms.

No comment on the electronic humidity controls; they seem to work, but I only care that I am comfortable.

It's too early to comment on how long the filter, etc. will last. No problems with smells in the first month, cleaned it twice (not dirty, though).

All purchases of this kind are a bit of a gamble. This product was a pleasant surprise.

UPDATE: It is now Nov. 28, and my opinion is unchanged. It is simple to clean (doesn't really get dirty), it pumps lots of water into the air, it is only necessary to run it on high speed when starting from "dry" in the room, mostly it runs on medium or low (all night). The water containers are easy to fill, carry and to reinstall. It is easlily rolled around the house, and doesn't drip or spill on our hardwood floors - a real no-no. Comments by others about fragility (only if you are going to sit on it) and assembly difficulties are puzzling. Wetting the humidifier pad is simple: put it in and let it soak a minute or so, then turn it over and put the cover back on. No need to carry a dripping wet pad from the sink. No smells, no "growing things". Happy camper so far.

What prompted this commentary was an advertisement for a Venta-Airwasher - price about $400. We have a big house and was thinking of a second unit. Checked it out, and I cannot imagine what could possibly make it cost so much except, perhaps, the universal profit motive. If we decide to get another unit, it will probably be another of the same.

SECOND UPDATE: Nov. 30,2009. After two years I have not changed my opinion. The plastic control panel is now inclined to "buzz" when it is on high - which is annoying - but a bit of pushing on it can stop it. Or put something on top of it. It rarely is used on high, so not a big deal. All in all, a good design.

Very good product, but it could be a bit better.

I own 3 console humidifiers, so I have something to compare this unit with. All are about the same size; Lasko 9 gallon, Kenmore 12 gallon, and this Honeywell 11 gal. Of the three, the Lasko is easily the worst. It's annoyingly loud (even on the lowest setting) and I suspect that the container used to fill the tank will break on me very soon. It's just bad.

The Kenmore is my favorite. It's silent, has digital controls, and the water container is easy to fill. The water container is also extremely well-built, as is the rest of the unit. It is the most expensive of the bunch (130 at Sears), but worth the extra $10.

This Honeywell is significantly better than the Lasko, but not quite as good as the Kenmore. The timer function is a very cool feature - something that the other two don't have! Because I use this in the bedroom, the fact that the fan is whisper quiet on the low setting is appreciated. That said, there are two things that annoy me about it.

1) The containers used to fill it are a pain to work with. Expect to drop them in your bathtub a time or two after filling and attempting to screw the lid back on. It's a balancing act. Really. Not the best design. Also, there are 2 tanks and they look identical - you will get them confused with one another and attempt to put them on the wrong side of the humdifier. Not a big deal, but still annoying.

2) The base doesn't hold much water. It seems as though the water tanks are constantly dumping wanter into the main tank. It's a big deal when trying to sleep because it's not silent!

Other than that, the unit rocks! I do recommended the unit but, again, check out the 12g Kenmore first.

This is an excellent humidifier. The tanks hold enough water to put humidity in the air quickly. The fan is not loud; it only makes a very slight droning sound in the background. The only problem I could foresee with the sound of the fan would be having it right next to TV or bed. The humidifier does not vibrate nor drown out sounds. In addition, the filter has done well- for over two months now. I have not experienced any musty odors coming from the machine.

The one complaint I have, and this seems to apply to all Honeywell humidifiers, is that the tank will not sit flat in the sink/tub for filling. For some reason, Honeywell has missed the concept of recessing the handle into the tank to give it a flat surface. When adding water to the tanks, it is necessary to hold the tank, so that it does not lean over too much. (This is the reason for four out of five stars.) Otherwise, an excellent product!

I'm returning this Honeywell humidifier after checking out and purchasing the Kenmore 12-gallon humidifier at Sears. The Honeywell is not bad, but the Kenmore model is better in some important areas.

Honeywell Pros:

* Does the job and has high enough output to have a shot at humidifying even a fairly large house.

* Reasonably quiet on low setting.

* Can run 24 hours on low setting between refills.

* Attractive design (for what its worth)

* Seems well made / high quality materials (if you can count plastic as high quality)

* Easy to take apart for cleaning, filter changes and so on.

Honewell Cons:

* Does not accurately measure room humidity while running. When the humidifier is operating, it reads an artificially high humidity level. So, you have to second guess where it should be set to reach your desired humidity level. When it is not running, the reading is more accurate.

* Better than some others, but still difficult to fill. The water containers will not rest on a flat surface while you are filling them or screwing on the cap. This makes filling a bit of a wrestling act. In case you've forgotten, water is heavy. I'd guess that each of the containers holds over 1.5 gallons, putting the full weight at over 12 pounds - not something you really want to be fumbling with.

* Gurgles frequently when operating as water tanks drain into base. This is not nearly as loud and noticeable as another model I tried, but still something to keep in mind especially if you will be using it in a quiet area like a bedroom.

* Blows air out rather than up. This is not a huge problem, but it does limit where you can place the humidifier. Also, the air coming out can be cool so you don't want to put it where it will be blowing on your bare feet in winter time.

* The "ionizer" light on the top is a bright blue that can really light up a dark room. It can be turned off. Also, I'm not clear on what - if anything - this feature actually does. The instructions don't say much about it. Kind of seems like a gimmick.

So, why do I like the Kenmore model better?

* Much easier to fill. The container rests flat while you fill from a standard kitchen sink and screw on the cap.

* The Kenmore's "whisper" setting is quieter than the Honeywell's "low".

* Blows air up rather than out. This makes placement more flexible and doesn't give you a chill as you walk by.

* Holds 4 gallons of water as opposed to the Honeywell's 3.5. Makes for a longer time between fills.

So, to sum up, this Honeywell model works and is not bad. But it does have some weak points, especially when it comes to filling it up. So far I haven't found anything to criticize about the Kenmore 12 gallon. So, I'd recommend skipping the Honeywell and paying $10 more for the Kenmore at Sears.

If you decide to try the Kenmore, don't assume your local Sears doesn't stock it. Even though the Sears web site did not allow store pick-up for the Kenmore humidifier, my local store had several on the shelf. They also had replacement filters in stock at the store.

It is so quiet, that you cannot hear it. It evaporated so much water on medium setting that I had to turn it to the low setting. Best humidifier that I ever bought.

We got this humidifier because we recently bought a grand piano which wants some humidity and you can probably guess that we're lacking that in Tucson. It seems to be a good unit. We leave it on full time. It cycles on and off as needed to maintain the humidity level that we set. We leave the fan on the low setting. It's very quiet on low. The high fan setting is a bit noisier but I don't think it's unreasonable.

I think it's a nice looking unit as far as humidifiers go. It's also easy to fill the tanks and carry them.

The reason I mark it down one star is that the hygrometer doesn't seem to be quite accurate. Our piano tuner brought his hand held hygrometer and it measured about 10% different than this unit. I plan to buy a separate hygrometer and use it to calibrate this unit.

Other than that, I like it.

Overall I dont have any major complaints - seems to be a great unit and does what I want it to do - humidify my house. I plan on running it 24/7 during the winter in addition to my furnace humidifier which isnt quite cutting it. This should help reduce filter problems since I wont have standing water in the unit.

Assembled quickly - wheels are not just gravity based like the one review - they have little rims that make them stay on the bottom.

I wouldn't recommend rolling it around like a roller coaster but it gets the job done.

Based upon everything I read about humidifiers some cleaning etc comes with the territory which I can handle no problem. Very simple filling of the water containers - you do need a deeper sink or a tub to fill them. I like the fact it has two so I can run it on low fan and just fill one and they are easier(lighter) to carry. Top removes easily for replacement of the filters/cleaning the unit which was one of the nice selling points for me(cheaper filters)

I consider it to run pretty quiet on low and medium fan settings - high is noticable but if you want to pump moisture into the air over a large area..you have to do it somehow. It does blow cool air so keep that in mind .

Digital reading/setting for humidity is nice and seems to be accurate as long as you dont crowd the humidifier.

Not sure what I think about the ionizer feature - not like I can measure air content to see if it works but I have it on anyway.

It does make semi frequent gurgling noise as it dispenses water into the base as it runs which is one minor complaint and it seems like the unit could be more "snug" when you put the tanks in but these are very minor observations.

I'm happy for now - good luck.

I was so confused by all the information you can get on humidifiers I bought four and tried them all. I also have an AprilAire Central humidifier and spoke to our HVAC company as part of this. Here's the net:

When the humidity is right (40%-60%) it eliminates dry skin and stuffy noses. My dog also quit scratching. Guitar makers recommend it.

Honeywell QuietCare - This unit will definitely humidify a room. It has a built in hygrometer. So you can set it to get to a certain level and stop. The two big tanks make the job of filling it less frequent, and the two-tank design is a good idea since it would be hard for most people to handle a single tank with 11 gallons of water. On the downside, it's a bit loud on high and it needs to run on high when it's cold outside and the humidity inside is low. The tanks often don't work, as they have to be positioned just right and I've never mastered getting them on 100% right 100% of the time. It has a filter, so it's cleaning the air - but the instructions tell you to remove the (rather large) filter and re-wet it every time you fill it. That's such a pain I doubt anyone would do it. Another reviewer suggested just flipping it over each time - good idea! After a while it begins to smell a bit moldy, so you have to clean it and change the filter.

Honeywell Quick Steam - This unit also definitely quickly and noticeably humidifies a room. Since it's the hot steam type you can actually see the steam and you feel it more in the air. It has a smaller tank - needs refilled more often. Also has a filter, but only for the water, so it never has a bad smell. It gurgles and my wife can't sleep in a room with it. After a couple months of use, the heater element was caked with mineral deposits and it was very hard to clean. Some people have noted in these reviews that they just buy a new one every year.

The Venta LW 44 is my favorite unit. It has no filter at all. It cleans the air using the water. It's easy to fill, and requires less attention in terms of filling and cleaning. Overall it's a simpler design. Visually it's the least obtrusive unit - the only one my daughter would allow in her room. It's also the quietest. It also cleans the air so it eliminates an air cleaning device. In some reviews it is criticized for not humidifying. Unlike the others it doesn't have a built-in hygrometer. The moisture it puts into the air is not as noticeable as the others. However, I got a separate hygrometer and it works as well as the others. The humidity can be the same level in a room, and it will feel more humid with one unit than another. The steam units make you feel the moisture the most. The feeling of moisture - by-the-way - is not good. The less it feels moist the better. Venta allows you to use scented oils, if you like that option. Others do not. Amazon has several hygrometers. I got the Honeywell TM005X Wireless Thermo-Hygrometer.

Central Unit - The central unit will not do the job alone. We have a two-story house and it really has no impact on the upper level, where the bedrooms are and where you most need it.

Air-O-Swiss U7142 Ultrasonic humidifier. I saw it at a Bed, Bath and Beyond while shopping and it looked so slick I got it. It's not obvious until you get it home, but the instructions require you to place it up 3 feet off the ground, even though it looks like a floor unit. This is going to be a problem in most rooms because it limits where you can put it and it becomes the visual focus of the room. It worked for one day, though it produced a lot of white powder that covered the unit itself and would have become a problem for every object in the room. It only got the room to 29% humididty. On the second day the red light was on, so I refilled it and could never get it to work again. After hours of effort and troubleshooting with the customer support line, I could never make it work. The good news is that Bed, Bath and Beyond was super easy to deal with on the return and had the Venta model I discovered when troubleshooting the Air-O-Swiss.