When kids have colds or congestion, parents may have to look at humidifier and vaporizer machines to figure out which one is best. Boosting humidity in the air can help relieve some congestion and keep the nasal passages from drying out. Additional humidity (or moisture in the air) may also be effective for kids suffering from attacks of croup. The humidifier and vaporizer each have advantages, and each suffer from disadvantages, too.

Both types of machines disperse moisture into the air by the way they act on water. When people speak of vaporizers they are typically referring to steam vaporizers. These have a water tank that heats up until the water is boiling. The boiling action converts water to gaseous form or steam that is then gently released through the air.

When considering differences between a humidifier and vaporizer, this is typically the main one. Most vaporizers boil water and deliver heated steam into a room. Humidifiers use other methods to break up water into particles and disperse mist into a room. To make matters confusing though, you can buy cool mist vaporizers, which do not heat the water to produce steam. If you’re trying to choose between a humidifier and vaporizer, you should consider cool mist vaporizers as belonging more to the class of humidifiers than of vaporizers.

Like the cool mist vaporizer, humidifiers use a variety of methods to add more humidity to the air. Most do not heat water. This can be viewed as an advantage if you are using the humidifier in a room with a young child. Steam vaporizers can get extremely hot and there is risk of burns if a child comes into contact with the steam or with the hot reservoir. Doctors often suggest that humidifiers are a better choice because the cool moist air may provide more relief, especially to kids with severe bronchial congestion or croup.

On the other hand, methods that create humidity without boiling water run the risk of developing significant bacteria from sitting water. Moreover both the humidifier and vaporizer may increase likelihood of development of mold in the house, and higher humidity homes are perfect breeding grounds for dust mites. It’s important to turn off either machine if the windows start to glaze over with moisture, unless a doctor recommends overnight use.

Though opinions differ on the humidifier and vaporizer in terms of which is superior, most agree that the key to keeping these machines running well and hopefully free of bacteria is to clean them frequently. Don’t use leftover water in the reservoir from the night before. Instead, replace it with new water each night. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations for either machine to make sure that you are using it properly and keeping it clean.