Posted By Laura in In the Home, Review | 4 comments

Katy has been badgering me into getting a humidifier for a while. Every time one of the boys gets a cold I can guarantee I’ll get a mail with a link to a humidifier in it, saying ‘buy buy buy!’.

But I’ve always resisted, not really seeing the need to go and splash out on one just for the few times a year it might be handy.

But then Bionaire asked if we’d like to review their Compact Ultrasonic Humidifier … well, it would have been churlish to say no, wouldn’t it?

So I agreed, smug in the knowledge that I could now poke a tongue at Katy’s next mail, and say ‘already HAVE one, bossy person’.

When any of the children are ill with colds etc in the winter months I have always laid wet towels over the radiators to make sure the room doesn’t dry out and exacerbate the breathing issues. But it’s not exactly high tec is it? Or even vaguely efficient, actually. And you just know those towels will still be there, dry and crusty, a day later.

So, rather conveniently, a week or so after the humidifier landed the husband went down with a really seriously horrible dose of ‘flu. I took advantage of his weakened condition to merrily inform him he was helping out on the reviewing front, and filled up the humidifier.

Turning it on there’s a small pause, and then an oddly sweet little puff of steam starts to waft out. The steam is incredibly fine, and the nozzle can be directed in any direction. It’s ever so quiet to run, and really didn’t disturb us at night. But what a fabulous difference it made. Gone was the harsh rattling wheeze – his breathing was much more measured and relaxed, and he was far less ‘stuffy’.

The second night I added a few drops of Eucalyptus oil to the water (it steams for most of the night, and has an auto-shut-off when it runs dry), and the husband had a really great nights sleep.

Of course, the children have also had their fair share of colds while we’ve had the humidifier, and without fail it has helped them sleep more easily. The room feels and smells fresher in the morning, and the nightlight function is definitely a bonus when looking after a sick child.

So as Cold Season starts to roll around again, I have to say this is totally a must-have for any family; it’s one item I would always want in the back of a cupboard to pull out when I needed it. Because on those few occasions, it’s worth its weight in balm-coated tissues, honestly.

And if I hear one ‘I told you so’ from Katy I may just bop her on the nose.