Shopping for a Crane Humidifier?Check out our top picks.
When the air starts getting drier, we all rely on humidifiers to keep us comfortable. However, not all humidifiers are the same, neither do they offer the same performance or features.
Despite the similarities in looks and functionalities, some devices actually surpass all others with their durability, specs and performance.
A great example of such devices is Crane humidifiers.
Initially starting with a handful of designs in 2005, the company now has a comprehensive range of humidifiers to cater to all its customers’ needs.
And its range is not just limited to humidifiers. Crane also manufactures air purifiers, dehumidifiers, fans, and a separate Crane baby line for your little ones. All their products are targeted to create a comfortable and healthy indoor home environment.
Our Top 3 Picks
- Top-fill design
- 1.2-gallon tank
- Suitable for areas as large as 500 square feet
- Functions as a humidifier and an inhaler
- The detachable, bottom-fill water tank holds 0.5 gallons of water
- Heats up to 131 degrees to produce warm mist
- Easy-to-fill, detachable, 1-gallon water tank
- Effectively humidifies medium to large rooms
- 3 different fan speeds
What’s In This Buying Guide
Table of Contents
In this guide, we review some of the best Crane humidifiers and list their pros, cons, and features.
We also include a detailed shopping guide that discusses the different types of Crane humidifiers and what to look for when choosing between the different models.
In the end, we also answer some common FAQs related to Crane humidifiers.
Best Crane humidifiers
- Best Cool Mist Humidifier: Crane EE-6909
- Best Warm Mist Humidifier: Crane EE-5202
- Best Evaporative Humidifier: Crane EE-7002
Unlike other ultrasonic humidifiers, the Crane EE-6909 is relatively easy to fill and clean. It is a top-fill humidifier with a 1.2-gallon tank and 2-speed settings. It is powerful enough to humidify rooms of up to 500 square feet and lasts for about 24 hours on a full tank.
PROS
- Easy to fill, operate, and clean. The included lid prevents water from spilling
- The large capacity tank requires fewer refills
- Operates with very little noise
- Comes with a built-in night light
CONS
- Does not have a carrying handle
- Turning off the operational lights is not possible
Features
- Top-fill design
- 1.2-gallon tank
- Suitable for areas as large as 500 square feet
- Runs for over 24 hours on the low setting
- 2-speed settings
- It doubles up as an essential oil diffuser
Our Review
The Crane EE-6909 is an ideal solution for problems caused by dry air.
Whether you suffer from a dry nose and throat, are allergic, or suffer from cough and flu, this humidifier can easily relieve the symptoms. The moisture it adds to the air allows you to breathe more easily and moistens the dry nasal pathway for fast relief.
This cool-mist humidifier features a large top-fill tank. Although the tank is not detachable, filling it up is not difficult. It has a huge 1.2-gallon capacity, so it doesn’t require frequent refills.
The Crane EE-6909 is opaque, so it is difficult to determine the water level just by looking at the tank. But it has an auto shut-off safety feature, so you can rest assured that it will turn off as soon as the tank is empty. This feature is especially useful for nighttime use.
In addition, since it is an ultrasonic humidifier, it makes very little noise. You can put it on your bedstand and sleep through the night without being disturbed.
However, Crane strongly suggests that you use it with distilled water as the mineral content in tap water can leave behind white, dust-like residue in your machine. Sometimes, this dust also makes its way outside and settles on every surface of the room.
This Crane warm mist humidifier is exceptionally easy to clean. All its removable parts are dishwasher-safe, and the interior is wide enough to stick your hand and wipe it clean with a soft towel.
The Crane EE-5202 is a 2-in-1 warm mist humidifier that doubles up as a personal inhaler too. It is easy to set up and fill and features a detachable 0.5-gallon tank. It also has an auto-shutoff feature to turn the unit off if it runs out of water, overheats, or is not assembled correctly.
PROS
- Small, lightweight, and highly portable
- Very easy to set up and operate
- Effective for treating congestion
- It fits over your mouth and nose for instant effect
- Equipped with a medicine cup to hold Crane Vapor Pads
CONS
- It takes some time to produce mist
- Since it gets hot, you have to be careful while handling it
Features
- Functions as a humidifier and an inhaler
- The detachable, bottom-fill water tank holds 0.5 gallons of water
- Heats up to 131 degrees to produce warm mist
- Anti-microbial construction
- Run time of up to 8 hours
Our Review
In addition to being an effective warm mist humidifier, the EE-5202 also comes with an inhaler attachment. The device itself is very useful for people who fall ill with every seasonal change and is also great for treating cough and cold symptoms.
This warm mist humidifier is very small and quite portable and weighs just 2.2 pounds. You can easily take it out for use and store it away when not needed.
It features a detachable, bottom-fill water tank design. Although its 0.5-gallon water tank is smaller than what other units on this list offer, it still gives 8 hours of run time on a full tank.
To use it as an inhaler, you simply need to connect the inhaler attachment. You also have 3 different settings to choose from: high speed, low speed, and inhaler mode.
At high speed, it produces an intense jet of steam. On the low setting, the intensity of steam drops is more soothing. While on inhaler mode, it produces enough mist that you can tolerate easily.
You can also insert Crane vapor pads in the medicine cup of the inhaler attachment for better relief.
Since the device relies on a heating element to produce warm mist, it also heats up in the process. So you should be very careful while handling it.
It features a filter-free design and a 0.5-gallon tank that delivers germ-free warm mist to relieve symptoms of cough, cold, and flu, sinus irritation, nasal congestion, nose bleeds, dry cough, and dry skin and hair.
If you want to defend your home against winter’s dry air, the Crane EE-7002 is a good choice. It is well-made, user-friendly, and has impressive performance.
This 1-gallon humidifier can cover up to 500 square feet. You can set it to run on 3 mist levels: 1, 2, or 3. It is a low-maintenance device, primarily because of the anti-microbial materials used in its construction and the easy-to-clean tank.
PROS
- Equipped with a handle for easy carrying
- Detachable tank is easy to fill in a sink
- 1-gallon tank offers a decent run time
- Comes apart for easy cleaning
- The centralized fan releases more moisture into the air
CONS
- The water spout is a bit narrow
- Not suitable for use with essential oils
Features
- Easy-to-fill, detachable, 1-gallon water tank
- Effectively humidifies medium to large rooms
- 3 different fan speeds
- 24-hour run time
- LED controls allow you to adjust the unit easily
Our Review
The EE-7002 evaporative humidifier is quite cute, featuring an eye-pleasing color combination of white and lilac, which is quite soothing in itself.
The device functions much like any Crane cool mist humidifier. However, instead of a vibrating diaphragm, it uses a fan to evaporate water. The fan offers variable speed adjustment, so you can run it according to your preference.
At the lowest speed, it can run for more than 24 hours. Its water level drops faster at the highest speed, but it also adds more moisture into the air.
And while evaporative units are known for being noisy, that is not the case with this Crane evaporative humidifier.
You can’t hear anything on speeds 1 and 2, but on 3, you may notice a slight hum of the fan, but that’s about it. The noise it makes is undoubtedly not irritating; instead, it is more like background white noise that some people find comforting.
The entire top part of the machine is the water tank. You can detach it from the device to fill it up quickly. It has a water-holding capacity of 1 gallon, which means it also has a long run time of over 24 hours on a single fill.
Lastly, an auto shut-off feature turns off the machine when the water runs out and makes a sound to let you know that it is empty.
Crane Humidifier Buying Guide
About the Crane Brand
Crane is a relatively new player in the humidifier industry. It goes by the slogan “Design for Better Living.” The company lays great stress on manufacturing premium-quality humidifiers with innovative techniques and ground-breaking ideas.
The company is headquartered just outside Chicago in Itasca, IL, with an office in Hong Kong as well. Their complete product line-up includes space heaters, air purifiers, fans, and humidifiers and focuses on improving the indoor atmosphere of your house.
Whether you want to add humidity, create a cool breeze, eliminate dust, pollen, pet dander, and smoke, or want to make any room in your house warm and cozy, Crane has just the right product for each of these tasks.
Crane humidifiers help you solve everyday air indoor-related problems, such as dust, allergens, and respiratory irritants.
Where other brands intensely focus on the quality and performance of their humidifiers, Crane also pays close attention to their design.
The company first started in 2005 with only a handful of designs under its banner. However, as the years passed, it continued to grow and develop until it became a common household name for air quality products.
The company uses its flair for creativity and plays around with different designs and colors to manufacture excellent products that bring comfort to your homes.
Crane has always been dedicated to the betterment of the environment both inside and outside the home and produces efficient products that consume fewer resources and produce fewer emissions.
It also teaches consumers how to clean, maintain, and troubleshoot their unit for longevity via various channels. You can also purchase replacement parts separately, so there is no need to replace the entire unit.
Earlier, its product packaging was made out of recycled cardboard. But since 2015, the company has started using the molded pulp to replace Styrofoam to package their products.
It also publishes user manuals with recycled materials and advises its customers on the proper disposal of non-operating units. Hence, as the slogan says, it is doing its bit for better living.
Types Of Crane Humidifiers
Within just a decade, Crane has made a good name for itself, primarily because of its focus on improving the quality of the air you breathe in.
Crane humidifiers can be categorized into 3 different types: Ultrasonic, Evaporative, and Warm Mist Humidifiers.
Let’s look at each one in detail.
Ultrasonic Humidifiers
Also known as cool mist humidifiers, ultrasonic humidifiers are the most common and readily available Crane humidifiers. They are very simple devices consisting of a water reservoir and a diaphragm.
The diaphragm vibrates at a very high ultrasonic frequency and causes microscopic water droplets to form and propel into the air, coming out as fine mist from the top of the unit.
Since ultrasonic frequency is inaudible to human ears, these devices are very quiet. Their silent operation is the top reason most buyers prefer ultrasonic humidifiers over other types.
Crane ultrasonic humidifiers are small, but they can produce an incredible amount of vapor. This is very convenient, especially when you live in a dry region and don’t have much space to set up a large humidifier.
Evaporative Humidifiers
Evaporative humidifiers feature a reservoir that you fill with water, and a fan runs to evaporate this water, adding it as moisture into the air. They work on the same principle as an ultrasonic humidifier – the only difference is the presence of a fan for evaporation.
Evaporative humidifiers are not as popular as they used to be earlier. The main reason is the amount of noise they produce. While most people may not like it, others prefer these humidifiers for their white noise.
That’s why Crane’s range of humidifiers still contains some amazing evaporative humidifiers.
Warm Mist
Warm mist humidifiers feature a water reservoir and a heating element. When powered on, the device uses the heating element to boil water and make steam, which is released into the air after being slightly warmed up.
Because they involve hot water and heat, people are not that inclined to purchase them.
However, their health benefits are undeniable. For example, bacteria cannot survive when exposed to intense heat. So if you have a dry nose and throat or have fallen sick, a Crane warm mist humidifier can surely help you manage your symptoms.
Although Crane doesn’t have that many warm mist humidifiers, the available options are carefully designed to be easy and safe to use.
Why Crane humidifiers over other brands?
The reason for Crane’s immense popularity lies in the quality, affordability, and versatility of the humidifiers it manufactures. Crane humidifiers come in a vast range, and some of them are very popular.
Here’s why Crane humidifiers take the lead over other options:
Attention to Detail
One thing that sets Crane humidifiers apart from competitors is their attention to detail.
Like other manufacturers, it does focus on improving the quality and performance of its units, but it also pays special attention to the design.
While other brands may compromise on design for performance, Crane never does so, providing its consumers with only the best humidifiers both in appearance and functionality.
Durability
Even when it started with only a few designs in 2015, Crane humidifiers gained immense fame because of their durable build.
With proper cleaning and maintenance, Crane humidifiers last double the time of its competitor brand units.
The team at Crane pays special attention to the build quality, uses only the highest quality components, and puts them together with expert craftsmanship.
This is something you do not commonly see in many brands.
Eco-Friendliness
Crane puts tremendous stress on making the earth a better place to live. This is clearly evident in their range of products. Each unit is carefully designed to be energy efficient and is supplied in eco-friendly molded pulp packaging instead of Styrofoam.
The replacement parts are also readily available, so the units can operate for longer. Even the user manuals are made out of recycled materials without any dyes or harmful finishes.
No filter
Crane cool mist humidifiers don’t require a filter.
While most other brands rely on filters to regulate air quality, Crane uses antimicrobial materials for constructing humidifiers. This prevents the growth of mold and bacteria, so you keep getting clean, virus-free mist.
Versatile Range
Crane humidifiers are available in a vast range. From large ones to small, ultrasonic, evaporative, or warm mist, essential oil diffuser, fixed or portable, even cute ones for kids – you name it, and Crane has it.
Hardly any other brand has such a vast range that addresses the needs of every consumer.
Affordable Price
Many buyers also prefer Crane humidifiers because of their affordable price.
Even if you are on a limited budget, you can find a good Crane humidifier within the range.
What to look for in Crane humidifiers
Although most humidifiers offer the same basic features, there are essential things to consider. To choose from the various Crane humidifiers, make sure you look for:
Size
The size of a humidifier usually refers to the size of its water tank reservoir and determines its capacity. The bigger the tank, the less frequently you will have to refill it.
You’ll find that Crane humidifiers come in 0.5, 1, and 1.2-gallon tank sizes that cover about 100 to 500 square feet and run continuously for 12 to 24 hours on the lowest setting before needing a refill. Some portable models have a small capacity of around a few ounces and last only for a few hours.
When choosing a Crane humidifier, consider your indoor atmosphere, the size of the room you are planning to use it in, and the run time that is sufficient for your use, then choose the model which serves your needs.
Run Time
The run time of a Crane humidifier depends upon its tank capacity as well as the speed you run it on. A 1-gallon Crane humidifier can run for up to 24 hours on the low setting. But you will have to refill a smaller one every 6 hours or so.
The run time will decrease substantially if you operate the device at high speed or if the air is quite dry. The packaging on every humidifier will tell you about its run time, so be sure to choose a model that suits your humidifier needs.
Controls
Some Crane devices have simple controls with a button or a dial for low, medium, and high speed. These are very easy to control and often come with remote controls for better operation.
Other, more premium ones have a built-in digital hygrometer and a humidistat. These humidifiers evaluate the air quality to indicate the moisture level in the room. You can then adjust the humidistat for the unit to cycle on and off to maintain a precise moisture level.
Humidifiers with electronic controls are much better and easier to use than their mechanical analog counterparts.
Timer Settings
Like the auto shut-off safety feature, a timer function is also a staple in every Crane humidifier. Whether you are planning to step out or going to sleep, the timer function lets you set the number of hours you want it to run before automatically turning off.
Since this feature is pretty much present in every Crane humidifier, you really won’t be hard-pressed to find it.
Filter
Another unique aspect of Crane humidifiers is their filter-less operation. Instead of filters, their anti-microbial construction keeps germs and bacteria at bay.
When there is no filter to change, it does not just make your life easier but also substantially decreases your maintenance costs.
Noise Levels
The noise level of a Crane humidifier varies from model to model.
Crane’s ultrasonic humidifiers are, by far, the quietest, while evaporative humidifiers are the noisiest. Crane’s evaporative units are also whisper quiet in function and add only a small amount of white noise in your background.
So, if you are sensitive to noise, it’s better to purchase an ultrasonic Crane humidifier. But if your noise threshold is somewhat higher, you won’t mind the slightly noisy operation of an evaporative humidifier.
Humidistat
A humidistat allows you to set a target humidity level. With this feature, a humidifier evaluates the relative humidity levels and regulates them until they reach the target level.
When that happens, the unit cycles off. Once the humidity level starts to drop again, the device automatically turns back on and starts regulating the humidity level again.
Currently, only premium Crane humidifiers come with a humidistat, so we suggest you look into one of these only if you need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Crane Humidifiers make a lot of noise?
Ultrasonic humidifiers from Crane are very quiet.
Meanwhile, warm mist and evaporative models are a bit noisier, but they are quieter than most similar units from competitors. The faint white noise of these Crane humidifiers creates a soothing background noise that drowns out other household sounds.
Why is there condensation on the windows?
When the water vapors in the air come in contact with a cool surface, they convert into liquid form and appear as condensation. As the air warms up, it expands, collecting more moisture. As it cools, it contracts, leaving the moisture behind.
As the hot and humid air inside your home meets the cold glass surface, it contracts, and the airborne moisture becomes liquid and sticks to the windows as condensation.
Can I use tap water in a Crane humidifier?
Crane strongly advises against this because tap water has high mineral content. When it converts into mist, the minerals are left behind as white residual dust inside the machine.
Sometimes, this white dust is also propelled out along with the mist and settles all over the room. Hence, if you want to make the most out of your Crane humidifier, always use it with purified water.
Final Verdict: What is the best Crane humidifier sold today?
Since Crane humidifiers are all quite similar, choosing one particular model as the best product is quite difficult.
However, after carefully reviewing all their popular products, we believethat the Crane EE-7002 is probably the best Crane humidifier. It is easy to use, produces a good quantity of mist, and is extremely easy to maintain.
The Crane EE-6909 is also another great option. It has a large capacity and comes with an inhaler.
But, if you want a warm mist humidifier to treat health-related issues, we would suggest you check out the Crane EE-5202.
I’m a degreed ME (mechanical engineer) who is passionate about machines of all kinds. I created MachineWonders.com as a way to connect with others who love machines like me – or need help choosing one for their needs, application, or situation.
