Customer Reviews

SunMark 1387-803 1.2 Gallon Warm Steam Vaporizer

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

 

 

I bought this humidifer about three years ago at Walgreens, which carries the identical Sunbeam unit labeled with their store brand. This humidifier is very inexpensive, requires no filter, and I've had great results with it. It will literally blow a cloud of steam four feet into the air, which is much better than other humidifers I've tried. That said, it is important to note that these units are a little finicky. They will often require a pinch of salt be added to the water in order to produce steam for the first couple uses. Also, the unit will require five minutes worth of cleaning now and then to operate well. The vaporizer has metal plates that extend into the water tank and heat up to literally boil water into steam. The plates must be cleaned occasionally. The cleaning is easily done, but without it the unit can and will stop working. I think the fact that people neglect the cleaning is the source of many of the negative reviews on this humidifier. If you can deal with these caveats, this steam humidifer works great. I love mine, especially compared to others out there I've tried, and for such a minimal price.

As a long time sufferer from sinus and other respiratory problems, I depend on a steam vaporizer in the wintertime to breath comfortably at night. Unfortunately, the major brand marketed at most stores just doesn't produce adequate steam regardless of how much salt I add to the water. The SunMark vaporizer(actually manufactured by Sunbeam) is terrific. It produced a cloud of steam without adding a grain of salt. Also, the top of the steam assembly comes off for easy cleaning of the electrodes. (Mineral deposits neccessitate cleaning the electrodes of all steam vaporizers periodically.) My only complaint is why doesn't Amazon market this directly with SuperSaver Shipping.

This unit is simple, cheap, and it does the job. More steam is produced with a dash of salt. They should tell you however that in the box you will find a disconcerting warning:

"This vaporizer may have an electrical defect.... do not operate unattended."

That's quite a thing not to mention here.

I bought this warm mist vaporizer at Walgreen's. It produces only the tiniest trickle of steam. You literally have to put your head about 5 inches above it to feel any steam. I used it 3 nights and took it back. Also there is no on/off switch which means you have to plug it in and unplug it which seems somewhat dangerous. And the unit that heats the water is supposed to click in when you turn it counter clockwise. But it really never seats itself into the container of water which makes it a bit unstable. I would not use this in a child's room. And it isn't worth the steam it doesn't produce so don't waste your money. I actually would give it no stars but they don't have a category for that.