In this article, I will be looking into and researching the best radiator humidifiers, which are also often referred to as hang on radiator humidifiers. You’ve probably heard of a humidifier before, but you might not know a radiator humidifier, as they’re a slightly older fashioned technique compared to their electrical counterparts.
Don’t write them off though, radiator humidifiers are fantastic and highly effective at circulating moisture into the air.
Dry air is a common problem that can damage your health and other items in your house, and many people seek traditional humidifiers, but these radiator options are far cheaper, easier to use and effective, so they provide a great alternative option.
You can read all about the radiator humidifiers and my top choices below, but it’s a rather large article, so you can use the navigation below to find the section that best answers your query:
- How do I know if I need a humidifier?
- What is a radiator humidifier (hang-on humidifier)
- How does a radiator humidifier work?
- What are the benefits of a radiator humidifier?
- What are the negatives of a radiator humidifier?
- Should I choose a radiator humidifier over a standard one?
- Can I DIY humdify my house without buying a product?
- 3 Best radiator humidifiers
- Current best-selling radiator humidifiers
How do I know if I need a humidifier?
Before I go through what exactly a humidifier is and dive into the full buying guide, you should first try and determine whether you actually need one. There are several telltale signs that you should be aware of which can often be resolved by getting a humidifier. Here is a list of some of the most common ones:
- Static shocks: I know this sounds a bit silly, but if you are walking around the house and you seem to always be getting static shocks, this can be a sign.
- Nose bleeds: Slightly more serious health concern is that you are regularly getting nose bleeds when in your home.
- Chapped / cracking lips: If you’re lips get dry all the time and are constantly cracking and hurting when you’re in your home, this can be another sign of low humidity.
- Dry and itchy skin: Constantly itching, with your skin cracking and hurting? This is another sign.
- Coughing persistently: If you’re constantly coughing, low humidity can cause issues with your lungs, so this could be a sign.
- Wooden flooring gaps: If there are small gaps appearing in your open wooden flooring this can be the air drying out over time.
- Wooden furniture cracking: Are small cracks and gaps appearing in your wooden furniture? This could be because a lack of moisture getting to the wood causing it to shrink.
- Mould on furniture: Another sign of having low humidity is the occurrence of mould, particularly in places that you wouldn’t expect.
These, of course, aren’t the only signs, and they also could be caused by other things such as you generally being ill. As getting radiator humidifiers is generally a cheap option, it might be worth doing anyway if you see any of the telltale signs detailed above.
What is a radiator humidifier (hang-on humidifier)
The very simplistic humidifier device that you may not have heard of. Often overlooked, radiator humidifiers are a fantastic product which are extremely effective at adding moisture to the air.
Radiators are one of the main causes reasons you might need a humidifier, they dry out the air, which indoors can cause a lot of problems. Dry air can not only damage wallpaper, flooring and other furnishings, it can also have a significant negative impact on your health.
These simple devices just need you to add a bit of water, which when the radiator is on, will steam. No electrics are required to operate, meaning they are often much cheaper, and also considered to be friendlier for the environment. Another benefit, with not having any electrics there is less to go wrong, so they are much more reliable.
These devices as the name indicates, are hung from your radiators often with a clip or plastic hanger.
How does a radiator humidifier work?
Remember when I said that this was an old fashioned method? Well, it is, but hear me out, because it’s just as effective as the more expensive, electrical methods you see today.
These products are essentially a container you just fill with water. They hang on the side of the radiator, and when the radiator is turned on, it heats the water and creates steam which will add moisture into the air that radiators often dry out.
That’s literally it. Being as simple and easy to use as I’ve just described comes with its benefits which I will dig into in the next section.
What are the benefits of a radiator humidifier?
I’ve eluded to several of the benefits of radiator humidifiers in this article, but what are the main ones & why should you consider buying one (or a few).
Here are the main benefits:
- There cheap – electric humidifiers can range into £100s, but not traditional radiator hang-on humidifiers, there usually only £3-10 per one, although they tend to come in sets.
- There much more reliable, there are no electronics to go wrong, it’s just ceramic or plastic and water.
- You can get them in a variety of different designs to match your decor
- There easy to fit, you just hang them on your radiator with hooks.
- They don’t need to be plugged in, they’re more environmentally friendly than their counterparts.
What are the negatives of a radiator humidifier?
Like with everything, despite the many positives, there are a few negatives which you have to consider when trying to decide whether a radiator humidifier is for you.
Here are the main negative points:
- Your radiators need to be on for these to be effective, so they are only typically useful in the winter.
- Despite the many designs, there not the prettiest of things and they protrude from the radiator which may put people off.
- They might not cover the house – with an electrical option, you can move it around to different areas
Should I choose a radiator humidifier over a standard one?
Well, when it boils down to it, the main reason is the price. Modern electric humidifiers are more expensive, sure they have their upsides in the fact you can move them around and perhaps hide them a little bit better than radiator hang-on options, but the positives of the cheaper traditional design outweigh those points and they, of course, the fact they are a fraction of the price.
The price also means that you can buy several more of these hang-on devices which will mean better coverage across the home.
If you are economically conscious, then it’s worth considering that being electrical, modern equivalents are also a lot less economic than their traditional counterparts that are ceramic or plastic with water added.
Can I DIY humidify my house without buying a product?
There are several things you can do around the house, aside from buying a humidifier, that will add humidity to the air. Adding moisture in the air yourself doesn’t have to be hard, and there are several DIY methods you can employ that might fix your issue:
- Add some indoor plants that you regularly water
- You can simply add water to sponges around the house and let them dry out
- Leave a fell glasses of water in the window to evaporate as the sun hits them
- Boil water on the stove
- Dry your clothes indoors, using an airer or radiator
- When you’re showering, close the window and leave the bathroom door open
- Spray some water on your curtains and let them dry out
- Pour a bath and leave it to cool
- Leave small bowls of water on a radiator
You need to be careful with these methods, you don’t want to take it too far, have too much moisture in the air and need a dehumidifier! Having too much water in the air can cause mould, which is why you often see mould in the bathroom.
3 Best radiator humidifiers
Now you know what a radiator humidifier is, how it works, the benefits and why you should choose one, so now you’re ready to look into the products. I’ve done a lot of the research for you and picked out what I believe to be the top 5 products based on their description, sales, price, reviews and selling points.
So, without further ado, here are my best radiator humidifier choices:
Product Description
These cream white humidifiers for hanging on your radiator are made of ceramic, with various floral designs and they heat the water which evaporates. They offer a great solution if you think that you are getting ill due to the room being too dry.
The natural water evaporation will add moisture in the air and create a pleasant indoor climate. They’re also suitable for any room, including a child’s room as they are safe.
It’s very easy to install, they have S-shaped hooks that will have no issue attaching to all common radiators. It’s completely natural, and all you have to do is fill the evaporator with water, attach it to your heater and add a few fragrance oils if you wish, this will add enough moisture into the air in the room.
The size of it is 19.5 x 9.8 x 4cm.
Main Features
Are you interested in these fancy looking ceramic floral radiator humidifier? Here are some of it’s main features:
- Currently an Amazon Choice product
- Very easy to use, just add water & fragrance oil if you want to create a nice smell
- Completely economical
- Will fit to most common radiators with it’s S-shaped hook
- Pack of 3x radiator humidifiers
Product Description
This is a cheap, no-frills product, that will do exactly what it says on the tin. Developed by Kontrol, this ceramic humidifier is a great choice for revitalising stale air and replace any lost moisture.
This product hangs to the radiator quite neatly and is fairly heavy so it is quite hard to just knock off. These are in a pale grey finish meaning they suit the majority of traditional radiator finishes.
They’re quite plain, but they do the job & are cost-effective in doing so. You can always make them appear better by painting them or adding stickers.
Main Features
If you’re interested in these humidifiers by Kontrol, then here are some of the main features:
- Heavy so won’t knock loose and easy to hang on radiators
- Ceramic finish
- Pack of 3
- Light grey colouring
- Cost effective & efficient with no frills
Product Description
This product is by com-four, another one of theirs to make the list. It’s very similar to the first product on the list but has a slightly different heart-shaped design.
As a quick recap, they are ceramic finished natural water evaporation product which not only adds a pleasant look to your radiator but are very efficient in adding moisture to the air.
They work the same as their other products with an S-shaped hook that can cling to most common radiators.
As a guide, this product is sized as: 21 x 8.5 x 3.7 cm
Main Features
As you can imagine, with only the design that differs, they are very similar in features to the product we have listed first in our list, but for reference:
- Heart design
- Very easy to use, just add water & fragrance oil if you want to create a nice smell
- Completely economical
- Will fit to most common radiators with it’s S-shaped hook
- Pack of 3x radiator humidifiers