Buying Guides

Your acoustic guitar is basically a wooden box under tension. When the air in your room drops below 45% relative humidity, that wood starts to shrink. Fret ends pop out. Cracks form along the grain. The bridge can lift. After watching a prized Martin develop a hairline crack during a dry winter, I started taking … Read more

After testing 14 cool mist humidifiers over 45 days in our lab and home environments, I can tell you that not all units are created equal. The best cool mist humidifier for your bedroom might be a disaster in your living room. In , indoor air quality matters more than ever. Central heating strips moisture … Read more

I spent three winters in a drafty apartment where the humidity dropped to 17 percent. My skin cracked, my sinuses burned, and every morning felt like I had swallowed sand. That is when I started testing warm mist humidifiers, and I have since run more than a dozen models through over 200 hours of real-world … Read more

When dry winter air hits, I reach for a humidifier before I reach for medicine. After testing more than a dozen units over the past three seasons, I keep coming back to one brand. The best Vicks humidifier delivers relief that actually lasts through the night, and brings more options than ever. Our team spent … Read more

When winter temperatures drop and you want the warmth of a real fire without the hassle of hauling wood, a direct vent gas fireplace becomes the obvious choice. These sealed combustion units draw outside air for burning and exhaust gases directly outdoors, which means they are safe for bedrooms, bathrooms, and modern tightly-built homes. Unlike … Read more