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We bought the Honeywell HCM-6013i cool mist humidifier to replace a GermGuardin humidifier that stopped working after 90 days of use. So far, this unit is performing quite well.
According to the specification in the owner's manual, this unit is capable of outputting 11 gallons per day (I'm assuming per 24 hours). Do not confuse this with the unit's water holding capacity. In two separate tanks, the humidifier holds about a total of 3.5 gallons of water. And you will not notice any humidifying mist as you might with other types of humidifier. This humidifier works by the same principle as a swamp cooler.
I usually have the fan speed on low and the humidity level set on auto at 35%. At these settings, I have to fill the water tanks every one and a half day or so. The HCM-6013i built-in hygrometer (humidity sensor) is no where near accurate. Although I have the unit set on 35%, actual humidity measured by a separate and more accurate hygrometer, measures 45%. I recommend buying a separate hygrometer so that you can find the right humidity level. If you're not as picky as I am, you can always go by feel and adjust the humidity control up or down until you find your comfort level, to where the unit turn on or off based on the setting.
This unit fits together from essentially four pieces; the base, the motor housing, and the two water tanks. The pieces do not exactly fit together that well. The design of this unit reminds me of something that was made from the former USSR. It's clunky...but it works. It has no problem keeping up the desired humidity level when the AC is on and the outside relative humidity is 10% 15%. It draws water from one of the two tanks at a time. When either one of the water tank is drained the unit makes a buzzing noise from the empty lighter tank. It's a little annoying, but a little tab or jolt usually resolves this buzzing noise.
I recommend buying a spare HC-14 replacement filter for this unit. I already notice that within a day if not hours of use the water-wicking filter mentioned was turning a little brown on the top. I don't know if the browning of the filter is due to using tap water for the humidifier or the air in my condo is that dirty. I hope it's the former rather than the latter.
The manual states that using tap water is OK because the water-wicking filter will absorb and retain the minerals in tap water, while the Protec water cleaning cartridge will help fight bacteria and other microbes in the water.
As mentioned above. This humidifier works about the same way as a swamp cooler. In a dry and warm environment, this humidifier does put out a noticeably cool breeze.
This product also boasts of having an "Air Washing Technology", and an independently controlled air ionizer. I can't comment too much about these features because I can't attest to how well they work. Again some swamp coolers can also claim of being able to wash the air as they cool...right? My gut feeling tells me that these features are a bit gimmicky. Does it really "clean" the air in my condo? Maybe. Does the air in my condo really need cleaning? Sometimes.
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The unit seems to do a reasonable job at humidifying a 1300 square feet apartment. The tanks are easy to fill, and the controls are easy to operate.
As another reviewer noted, the parts were not designed to fit snuggly, so the unit will occasionally start rattling very loudly. Shifting one of the tanks will usually solve that for a few hours or more, but it's no fun when it wakes you up at night to do that. Otherwise, the device is reasonably quiet, especially on the lower fan settings.
The most surprising thing about this humidifier is the lack of a tank-empty indicator. This unit has a total of 10 LED indicators on the top, including five just to show the selected humidity level. It does have a float which cuts power to the fan when the tanks are empty, but no indication of that is given. The only way to figure out when you need to refill it is if you use the ionizer function: if you do that, you'll notice the blue indicator for the ionizer is lit but the fan is silent; that only happens when the tanks are empty. Yes, figuring out when to fill the tanks requires subtle detective work.
Considering most humidifiers costing half as much have a tank-empty indicator, it amazes me the manufacturer chose to save a few cents by eliminating this critical feature.
January 2010 update: Due to the poor fit of the parts, one of the two tanks doesn't latch into the water valve, and so it doesn't empty unless the other tank is removed. This makes the unit effectively an oversized 5.5 gallon one, instead of 11 gallon.
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I just put the unit in service 12 hrs ago and it performs as advertised. I have had other humidifiers so using this one and setting it up was not an issue for me, nor did I have any expectations outside of an improved comfort level in the treated area. The design is simple and some may say somewhat crude but it simply is not a highly designed piece of technology---it's a humidifier and effectively raises the moisture level in the air. My home was so dry 19% RH with an outside temp of 12 F. It has been so cold and dry the last few days that my skin has actually been itching. On a high fan speed the unit went through both tanks of water in about 8-9 hrs which is consistant with the advertised spec of 11 gals/ 24 hrs. Again, the air was very dry and before running out of water I achieved a RH of 38% up from 19%. It will take a few days to get the area (1700 sq ft) to a comfortable RH of 45%. I would expect at that point the water usage and or need to refill the tanks will decrease as the humidity level increases--(moisture output should slow down regardless of fan speed as the moisture/humidity in the room air increases--I think). On the high fan speed the unit is a bit noisy and you probably would not want it in a bedroom at night--med and low fan speeds provide a reduction in the air noise--on low the unit will /can be tolerated in a bedroom and should not disturb sleep. The only other sound of note is an occasional water gurgle as the water leaves the tank and enters the reservoir. I haven't noticed any rattles that other reviews have mentioned though there could have been some rubber cushions placed in a couple of areas during production which would have eliminated the occasional plastic on plastic rattle---easily remedied by placing a thin piece of foam packing, paper towel, napkin, or material in between the tanks and the motor housing---simple but again something that should be part of the production process. The lack of a water level gauge or simple sight window that allows you to see in the tank would be helpful but after a few days of use you will become familiar enough with the unit and develop a feel for when the tanks need to be refilled based on your use preferences/settings.
NOTE: This review would also apply to model #'s 6009,6011, and 6012. All these models are basically the same with the exception of minor control differences--(knobs/digital led indicators).
