Honeywell HWM-500 UV Warm Moisture Humidifier
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Honeywell HWM-500 UV Warm Moisture Humidifier
Customer Review: Reliable and efficient
Summary: 5 Stars
***Approximate measurement***
Entire unit: 14x11x7 (inches)
Tank: 14x7x7 (inches)
***10/31/2007***
This is my first humidifier, but I am extremely satisfied with it.
The instruction is very clear and easy to follow.
It is easy to put together, simply attach the tank to the bottom.
All suggest to me that this is a very efficient machine for a warm mist humidifier(well, at least to me):
1. Within 30 minutes of use, it works and I can feel the difference.
2. No leaking.
3. No noise (slight bubbling sound is actually soothing to me, not noisy.)
4. Sturdy construction.
5. Humidity adjustable (many options, not just 2).
6. Large tank and easy to refill.
7. Low maintenance. (No filter required if you have regular tap/city water.)
8. Easy to clean. (With ultraviolet lights, cleaning isn't required on a weekly basis.)
9. For cats owners: My cats don't get scared of or hurt by it.
I don't think I could ask for more.
***Well...11/5/2007***
It's still great, although I did notice some issues:
1. A bit too much work and too heavy when refill:
For men, this might NOT be an issue, but for women like me, it might be.
To refill, the tank needs to be turned upside down because the tank cap is at the bottom of it. When I am to flip a full tank of water over and put it back onto the base, I do worry. It's quite heavy, and it gets a bit tiring since I do need to refill it every day. There is no easy access!
2. Frequency of refill:
Quote: "It requires no messy filters to replace and runs up to 24 hours each filling." I do need to refill it every 12 hours every day when I:
(1) have it on the highest humidity level
(2) have it on most of the time (12 hours)
So I do refill it every day I get up and every night before I go to bed. I assume it would last up to 24 hours like it says only if the humidity level is set at the lowest, which probably wouldn't cause an obvious difference to the room's humidity.
In all, it's still a good buy. It does help! I notice that I don't wake up with the driest skin in the morning anymore.
**A little tip**
A teaspoon of salt helps it evaporate more moisture, although it makes the water run out faster.
**I attached a picture of mine with my Treo next to it. The ratio should give a brief idea of how big the machine is.
Customer Review: Steer Clear
Summary: 1 Stars
Steer clear of this piece of junk. After one month of use, the 2 gallon water tank completely drained onto the floor and water poured into the basement below. The bottom of the water tank that fits onto the base unit had melted. I called the manufacturer who sent a replacement water tank. When I installed the new tank, the same thing immediately happened although this time I caught it before the water tank melted. Obviously the problem is in the base unit. I cannot receive a refund and am waiting for the manufacturer to send a replacement base unit. Not sure if I will trust the new one. Both leaks occurred with no warning and I am worried about the possibility of a fire since the base unit was filled with water.Customer Review: The Honeywell HWM-500 Humidier
Summary: 3 Stars
First of all, in absolutely none of the documentation nor on the manufacturer's website does it indicate how many gallons this humidifier holds, so I had to do my own experiment. I personally filled this humidifier with water from a 1 gallon empty water jug with the result being the tank has exactly a 2 gallon capacity. The reservoir probably takes 1/5 to 1/4 of a gallon of water but nothing to boast about. This leads me to believe that when most specifications are displayed about the water capacity for humidifiers, the amounts are not as accurate as they make it seem. Many manufacturers, when listing the gallon capacity, are merely referring to how much water the unit will handle when operating constantly for a 24 hour period, not how many gallons the tank will actually hold in one filling.
My main issue with this humidifier is that it's rather noisy, even on medium. I am a light sleeper and it sounds like someone is boiling water on the highest setting as the sound of bubbling is not as "soothing" as others would have you believe. However, I did find a way to eliminate the noise problem completely but it involves disabling the Germ-Free capabilities of this product. Remove the mineral absorption pad and you are on your way to many noise-free nights of nocturnal slumber.
Maintenance appears to be more than average for a warm mist humidifier as it includes the ultraviolet light bulb along with the mineral absorption pad to eliminate germs and bacteria in the resulting steamed air that escapes the unit. In my estimation, if you find that you've used all of the supplied pads and the UV bulb expires, you would have no problem operating this unit without the prescribed germ-eliminating accoutrements. It would then be a normal warm mist humidifier with the same susceptibility to mineral deposits, mold and other contaminants. If this doesn't bother you, then I would recommend it. However, because of the loud bubbling noise, I cannot recommend this unit to those whose sleep is as light as my own, especially since you have to remove the supplied mineral absorption pads just to eliminate it. If this is not an issue for you and your nocturnal rest is not easily interrupted by rather loud sounds, or if you don't mind removing the mineral pad, it will provide ideal humidity for particularly arid indoor climates wherever you may reside.
In conclusion, I will answer the queries posted by another about this item.
HOW LARGE OR SMALL IS IT?
14" x 7" x 11.25" (Length x Width x Height). It is a good size unit and the measurements I'm providing are not precise but I did place a 16" ruler next to it to gather my data.
DOES IT SIT ON THE FLOOR OR FIT ON A TABLE?
Either way is fine depending on where you want to place it. It is not crucial that it be on either but it is not recommended to place it near heated areas like stoves, heaters or in direct sunlight. The important point mentioned in the manual is to always place the unit on a firm, flat, level, water resistant surface. Mine resides on the carpet like all my previous humidifiers with no leakage or any residue left behind.
HOW MANY GALLONS OF WATER DOES IT TAKE TO FILL IT UP?
The tank takes exactly 2 gallons of water to fill it up. The reservoir only uses from 1/5 to 1/4 of a gallon.
Customer Review: Two units in a row....LEAKED!
Summary: 1 Stars
I owned the slant fin version of this model for five years and was very happy with it until it sputtered out this season. I have now had two of the honeywell hwm-500 models and they have both randomly overflowed and leaked everywhere. Back to the drawing board.Customer Review: Would buy again
Summary: 4 Stars
A little on the noisy side but this thing chugs out some water. It has a main tank (i.e. the refillable tank) and a smaller tank built into the base. When refilling, water from the smaller tank drips from the bottom of the main tank so a waterproof surface is required. Main tank is filled upside down (and is a pain to open/close since it has to be pretty tight to avoid spilling). The red light to indicate low water flashes on occassion while the main tank is full. Apparently the flow from the main tank to the smaller tank isn't constant and when the smaller tank dries, the light flashes (and switches off in a few seconds when water finally flows from the main tank). At max setting, you will need to refill every day.