A plant’s water needs are equal to the amount of water lost by evapotranspiration. Different types of indoor plants have different water requirements.
You can avoid evapotranspiration of your indoor plants by increasing the humidity of your grow tent. Misting the air ensures that your plants preserve moisture.
A high-quality humidifier is a convenient and relatively inexpensive way of misting your grow room. Just set the dial on a specific humidity.
The humidity changes to the desired level as soon as the humidifier is able to mist enough water into the air.
Choosing the best humidifier for grow room plants or your indoor garden doesn’t have to be a difficult proposition. Here is how you might consider finding the best option for your set-up.
| PRODUCT | CAPACITY | LASTS UP | COVERAGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| TaoTronics Cool Mist Humidifier | 1.06 Gal. | Up to 30 hrs | 100 – 320 sq. ft |
| Homasy Cool Mist Humidifier | 5L | Up to 40 hrs | Up to 550 sq. ft |
| iTvanila Ultrasonic Humidifier | 4L | Up to 42 hrs | 270 – 320 sq. ft |
| Pure Enrichment MistAire Humidifier | 1 Gal. | 10 – 24 hrs | Up to 500 sq. ft |
| Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic Humidifier | 6L | Up to 50 hrs | Up to 400 sq. ft |
Choosing Humidifiers for Grow Rooms
TaoTronics Cool Mist Humidifier
The first humidifier that will help your plants conserve moisture is the TaoTronics Cool Mist Humidifier. It comes highly recommended by most users.
It comes in two pieces: the base and the tank. You also get an instruction manual for operating the unit and a warranty card.
The unit is made of plastic with a shiny white finish and a clear blue tank that allows you to see the water level. Underneath the tank, there is an included cleaning brush.
The tank has a one-gallon capacity. The level of water varies, depending on the settings that you have it on.
There are three fan speeds for controlling the amount of mist that is added into your grow room at once.
When you turn the unit on, it will start up on the lowest setting. Press the mist control (+/-) button to increase the mist.
You can control the direction of the mist by turning the nozzle. To turn on the night light, press the nightlight sleep button.
When running at a high humidity setting, you will be able to humidify your grow tent by 5% in just thirty minutes or so.
Things We Like:
- Incredibly silent operation of fewer than thirty-eight decibels
- Large tank capacity that may last up to thirty hours
- Three fan settings allow you to choose your ideal humidification levels
- Night light LED display features the water level
- The unit shuts off automatically when the tank is empty
Things We Don’t Like:
- You may notice a strong plastic smell during unboxing
Homasy Cool Mist Humidifier
If you are looking for a high-capacity humidifier that will keep your grow tent humidified for longer, look no further than the Homasy Cool Mist Humidifier.
It has a large tank that can hold up to five liters of water and has a run time of approximately forty hours.
It has a sturdy design with a white base and a colorless tank that makes it easy for you to observe the water level.
This unit has a remarkable mist output rate of 350 milliliters per hour, which can cover an indoor gardening space of up to 550 square feet.
Unlike most noisy conventional units, the Homasy runs at twenty-five decibels, which is exceptionally quiet.
The humidifier has an activated charcoal filter, which can single out impurities, ensuring that the dispersed mist is ultra-clean.
What we liked most about this humidifier is the easy to refill top design. You don’t need to take the unit apart in order to refill water.
Things We Like:
- Large capacity tank that can last up to forty hours
- Has lower operating noise levels
- High mist output of up to 350 milliliters per hour
- Activated charcoal filter eliminates impurities from the air
- Shuts off automatically when it runs out of water
Things We Don’t Like:
- May be difficult to clean
- May leak water on the non-waterproof surface
iTvanila Ultrasonic Humidifier
This is one of the finest ultrasonic humidifiers that you can use in your grow tent. It is equipped with a large capacity tank of 4 liters.
Unlike standard units, this model is quite powerful and quiet-running when dispersing mist in your grow tent. You can also program the unit to shut itself down automatically.
It has an adjustable mist knob, which allows you to adjust the moisture in your grow room. It has a nozzle that rotates 360° to deliver a mist to all corners of your grow tent.
The operation is relatively quiet because the unit generates noise that is less than thirty-six decibels.
The unit is also well-made. In fact, you can place it on a carpet or on a board. You just have to make sure that it is properly assembled.
Things We Like:
- Large water tank capacity of 4 liters
- Low noise operation that will not bother you
- Has a high output rate of 350ml per hour
- Will hardly condense or leak on your floor
- Auto shut off when low water levels are detected
Things We Don’t Like:
- May be difficult refilling the tank
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Keep the air in your grow room moisturized with this Cool Mist Humidifier from Pure Enrichment. It is a premium product that will reduce evapotranspiration of your plants.
This powerful and highly performing humidifier comes with a number of smart technologies that makes it the ideal solution for improving the air quality of your grow room.
Featuring a large one-gallon tank as well as an adjustable steam knob, this unit is suitable for large areas, such as your indoor garden.
This model will safely moisturize the air for up to twenty-four hours, ensuring your plants are able to retain all the moisture.
Allow your plants to enjoy a comfortable environment with the included single and dual mist nozzles that dispense the exact amount of moisture.
This unit can be rotated 360° and it has the auto shut off technology that prevents the system from burning out when the water level drops below the minimum.
Things We Like:
- Has a reliable continuous operation time of around 24 hours
- Variable humidity control mist dial allows you to adjust the moisture level
- Easy to customize moisture output with the single and dual mist settings
- Whisper quiet operation
- Turns off automatically when the water level drops
Things We Don’t Like:
- It may leak, soaking wooden floors
- May suffer from condensation
Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Your grow room humidifier should keep your banks fresh on autopilot. That’s why it’s a great choice to go with the Everlasting Comfort Ultrasonic Humidifier. The rate of evapotranspiration of your indoor plants will decrease significantly with this unit.
This large capacity unit is engineered for indoor gardens of up to 400 square feet. It has a great mist output of around 270 milliliters per hour, and the tank may last up to 50 hours.
The humidifier works steadily, generating an almost silent frequency. This unit reduces airborne bacteria by retaining the relative humidity above 43%.
You don’t need to check the water level frequently because the humidifier will turn off automatically when it detects low water levels.
You don’t need expensive filters for this humidifier to operate optimally. The design is filter-free and works perfectly with tap water.
It has an easy to use analog control knob. You have to turn the knob clockwise for minimum mist setting, and anticlockwise for maximum mist setting.
Things We Like:
- Large capacity tank that can last fifty straight hours
- High mist output rate of up to 270 milliliters per hour
- Filter-free design eliminates filter replacement costs
- Shuts off automatically when low water levels are detected
- Built-in handle allows for easy removal of the tank
Things We Don’t Like:
- Doesn’t have a clear water tank
- May leak water on the surface
Things to consider
The type of humidifier you choose should have the capacity to suit your grow room. Usually, the size of the nozzle is a major capacity factor among other things.
You cannot conclude whether or not a humidifier is suitable for your indoor garden by its price. Here is what you need to know to find a high performing humidifier for your plants.
Type of Mist Produced
Your first consideration is whether you want a cool or warm mist unit. Both units provide similar advantages, but there’re some important differences.
- Cool Mist Humidifiers
Cool mist units can cool the air in your grow room in warmer drier climates. There are two major forms of cool mist units: ultrasonic and evaporative.
Evaporative units normally use a fan to push dry air through a filter, and the water disperses into the atmosphere of the room.
According to our findings, evaporative humidifiers consume little electricity and they do not release bacterial emission into the air.
However, there are a number of drawbacks associated with these models. They are generally noisy and require frequent replacement of the filter.
Ultrasonic types produce a mist through mechanical action on the water. But, in this case, the water is agitated through ultrasonic vibration.
The water moves from the reservoir through a valve to a small chamber containing a transducer. In the chamber, water is vibrated endlessly.
The high-speed vibration causes the water to break down into very fine droplets, which are then dispersed into the air via the nozzle.
- Warm Mist Humidifiers
On the hand, warm mist units, heat water to boiling temperatures and then mix the water vapor with air. The warm mist they produce is ideal for cooler climates.
Warm mist units do not use any filters, but some humidifiers may feature absorption pads (require frequent replacement) for collecting mineral deposits.
Humidifiers that generate warm mist are not recommended for use near children. Also, they tend to consume a lot of electricity, which can be costly.
Grow Room Size
You have to be certain that the best humidifier you buy can fill the grow room sufficiently. A unit that is too big for the indoor garden may lead to condensation on the sides.
Most portable humidifiers you will come across on the market have coverage of one hundred to five hundred square feet.
According to our findings, most grow rooms are usually small or medium in size. Therefore, small humidifiers (under 300 square feet) or medium sizes (300 to 500 square feet) are ideal for small spaces. Large humidifiers may over-humidify the room and ruin your plants.
The size of the humidifier you choose will determine the level of humidity your grow room gets. The optimum level should range between 30 and 50 percent.
Therefore, humidity that exceeds 50 percent may develop a breeding zone for bacteria, dust mites, mold, mildew as well as other pests. In these situations, it’s also helpful to have a dehumidifier on hand to manually control the different levels if things get out of hand.
You also have to consider the tank capacity. The most ideal tank size should be at least 1 liter, which can keep your grow room humidified for about 24 hours.
Ease of Use and Maintenance
You need to invest in a humidifier that is easy to refill. Therefore, choose a model with an easy to remove the water tank.
It is also very important to keep your unit clean because this is the only way you will keep bacteria, mold, and pests away from your indoor plants.
Choose a humidifier that is easy to disassemble, clean, and dry. You should remember to disinfect the water tank. Check the instruction manual if you don’t know how.
Some brands may claim that their humidifiers have antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, but such claims are not reliable.
If you are allergic or asthmatic, buy a model that will not interfere with your health, since you will be breathing the air in the grow room when you’re checking up on the unit or your plants.
Final Words
You want your grow room humid, but not wet because standing water should never be in your grow. Therefore, choose a good quality humidifier that will disperse a fine misty spray. But, there are other humidifier features you have to consider.
We found out that it is extremely important to match the size of the humidifier to the size of your room.
There is no doubt that a bigger humidifier may instill excess humidity in your grow room, causing condensation as well as bacterial growth. Overall, choose a unit that is easy to operate and maintain.