Essick Air 697-500 Variable Speed Humidifier Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I received this item just before Christmas 2009.Our house was so dry I was slowly pruning. At 1500 sq.ft. on the main floor with 9 foot ceilings it keeps us quite comfortable and does the job. Have been running it straight since early December and no mechanical problems.Be aware of the following:

LOOKS:This cabinet model looks better on the website than in person. It is a darker brown than shown (not as orange) but still a pleasing colour. It is made of plastic and has a woodgrain pattern, but doesn't quite live up to getting away with it, mostly because of the slightly warped top vent (yes, vents from top, cannot put stuff on top of here without blocking the ventilation). Ours comes out of the plastic hinge at the back and does not seat well in all grooves, but probably not noticeable to guests.It needs to sit with it's back against a wall, as the back of the unit is not covered by a nice woodgrain cover, although it is brown plastic.You also notice the black filter hooked on the outside back sucking "filtered" air into the unit. My favourite part is it's on four wheels, so it is very easy to move and vacuum around on my wood floors.Unless you have shag rug, it should also be fairly easy to move on a short pile rug.

CONTROLS: It has two dials "humidity control" and "variable airflow".The humidity control does not go by numbers (i.e. 50% - 75%) so you don't really know the current level of your home; however it does allow you to set low / comfort zone / high arond the dial, and will toggle off when it reaches the desired humidity level set.We set ours 1/4 turn above the comfort zone and that works well.Note that setting it on high still doesn't peel your wallpaper, you can't even see the humidity coming out like you can on an ultrasonic BUT it does do the trick, as confirmed by the empty bottles I'm constantly refilling. The variable airflow dial goes from OFF/COMFORT ZONE (which starts immediately from off) to HIGH.This unit is LOUD!! When they say comfort zone they mean for your EARS.I only put it up to 12o'clock position (medium, I guess) when I'm out of the room, and any higher is just noisy with HIGH being like a battering ram.The comfort zone is best and since we situate it right by our kitchen/nook and living room we keep it low. (I know what you're thinking - we have taken it apart and rechecked our setup, it is correct with nothing unusual accidentally left inside, no real reason it should be this loud.Only thing I can think of is plastic rumbling on four wheels with the echo of our hardwood floors - maybe it won't be as much of an issue for you).

BOTTLES:There are two large 2.5 gallon bottles that rest on the left and right of inside cabinet.They are easy to fill and the unit comes with a tube to help you fill from your tap.Also comes with one small bottle of bacteriostatic additive to get you going.We use distilled water so we don't have the hard water build up in the bottom reservoir, you may want to use soft/distilled if you can get it or put an additive in to dissolve minerals.The bottles have handles on both top and bottom so when you turn them over to place them in it is easy to handle the weight.We don't spill any water when doing this and it's a great design.Also good are two "refill" lights that light up orange when each bottle is empty.They are easy to see through the grill on top as you're walking by, but not obtrusive.Very easy to refill while the other still is going, no need to turn unit off.

NOISE and PRICE: It's the only big drawback, and the price at $200 USD is steep for what it is.Would love to see real wood for that price, as there really isn't much to the unit but a small fan, filter, and plastic.

All in all, there aren't alot of different makes on the market to choose from, especially ones that don't look utilitarian.This will do what you're looking for but be aware if you have unusual dryness in your area and need to pump humidity with the control on HIGH, the noise from this baby will stop you from hearing your baby monitor and could keep you and baby up at night; otherwise, sleep soundly in the "Comfort Zone".Good luck with your purchase!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Essick Air 697-500 Variable Speed Humidifier

Product Description:
Credenza style whole house Humidifier,clean, healthy evaporative humidification in a classic design. Automatic humidistat maintains humidity level, variable speed control, quiet nighttime setting, refill lights, automatic shutoff, 11 gallons of output per day, 5.2 gal.water-holding capacity,humidifies 2300 sg.ft. 2-stage air-care filter, bemis-patented super wick, replaceable 2-stage air-care filter which traps airborne particles and eliminates odors, easy-fill dual water bottles with refill hose, removeable power pack for easy cleaning, ez-roller casters, 29 5/8x14 7/8x25 3/8, 29lbs, Color-Cherry

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Essick Air H12-400 3-Speed Evaporative Console Humidifier, Oak Burl Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I like the design and operation of this humidifier. In fact, I have two of them. Ace Hardware gave me extra-fast delivery -- no complaints with Ace. The machines humidify very efficiently, put out a lot of moisture, and (unlike many others) are reasonably easy to maintain. Normally it will run fine on low or medium fan settings. Forget about the high fan speed; it sounds like a helicopter taking off.

The first one I bought worked fine some of the time, but generally would not start up again after the humidistat controller automatically shut it off. Through much trial and error, I figured out that you have to center the wick precisely on its hanger rail that runs along the inside of the water chamber so the float aligns correctly. Great -- problem solved, although poorly explained in the brief instruction sheet.

Then, at the beginning of the second winter dry season here on the high plains, the motor began to squeal, seize, and stop, especially at low speeds. On high, it would slowly start and then scream for a while and finally run -- except it practically shook the unit apart and made it dance along the floor. After a day or so, it would no longer start at all. Clearly the bearings in the motor were shot.

I was about to junk it, when I thought to check the warranty. Sure enough, the warranty ran for a year. I had eight days left!!

I contacted Essick Air via email and a very nice customer service rep put me onto the person in charge of the warranty work. This second person sent form emails that were curt and blunt, but, in fairness, did address my problem. Getting the return papers could not be done via email, and took about two weeks to arrive by snail mail.

Alas, I would have to return the fan power head (they call it the "chassis") to them for repair. This, even though an authorized repair shop here in Denver is less than a half-mile from my condo.

I bought a large shipping box, packed the unit well, and lugged it on my back five blocks to UPS. $33.00 to send it to the factory (in Georgia, I think?), but they promised to reimburse me (and did).

About a month later, with no communication, the chassis arrives back here in my original packing, repaired with a new motor. However, I open the carton, take out the chassis, and it falls apart in my hands! Yup, it's repaired, but not screwed back together. The screws are lying loose in the bottom of the box and all four screw holes are stripped. The electronics have fallen out and are dangling from their wires.

The prospect of sending it back yet again is now so daunting that I take it into my little work closet and actually reassemble it myself, more or less, and screw it together with larger screws. It was one of those two-hour deals where you wish you were four-handed with long, narrow, double-jointed fingers. I have no idea if all the inside pieces are back in their actual slots or not, but it seems to work OK for now. Pray it does not catch on fire some day.

I contacted Essick Air's customer service rep just to tell them about the poor repair and got a very passionate apology and a promise to take it up with higher-ups and get back to me. I did not ask for it, but thought I might actually get a new "chassis" out of the deal. I'm not really comfortable with my backyard repair job.

Of course, after that I heard nothing ever again. The higher ups had obviously ducked the problem.

Maybe it's the fact that I am a retired marketing executive and know better myself, but it amazes me that a national company with a famous brand name would not treat me a little better when fulfilling the terms of a warranty. The customer service person could not have been nicer, but after that the treatment was suspicious, curt, abrupt, and, well, unsophisticated.

The documents I was sent were full of warnings and self-protective disclaimers, but showed little concern for my broken product or my work returning it: if they found that I did not really have a warranty claim, I would have to pay for shipping both ways ($33.00 out, and, were I so foolish to want a broken fan unit, another $33.00 back). Or I could pay for repairs in advance.

All this "attitude" and they had not even looked at my problem yet. The unit as I described it to them was pretty clearly broken, it was obviously a burnt out motor bearing, it must have happened more than once. I felt strongly that they were trying to get me to give up on the warranty. The whole approach implied that I was nuts for even bothering them and probably trying to cheat them. All this for a $10 motor!

From my point of view, of course, it's about a $150 item that ought to last longer than a year. Much longer.

Oh, yeah, that second one I bought? It arrived, brand new, with a squeak in the fan that even I can hear -- and I'm partly deaf. Not quite loud enough to send back though, so we use it on a lower floor. Could never use it in the bedroom. Other than the squeak, it works great. Will it last a year? Stay tuned!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Essick Air H12-400 3-Speed Evaporative Console Humidifier, Oak Burl

Product Description:
Console style whole house evaporative humidifier, contemporary style, full-size performance in a midsize humidifier.Midsize makes this humidifier popular, automatic humidistate maintains optimun humidity level, refill light, automatic shutoff, 12 gallons of output per day, humidifies 2500 sq ft.3-speed fan ,5.0 gal water-holding capacity, easy-fill water bottle with refill hose, Bemis patented super wick, removebale power pack for easy cleaning, ez-roll casters, 24x131/2x22, 22.5lbs. Color-Oak Burl

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Essick Air 696-400 Variable Speed Whole House Humidifier Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The good news is, it humidifies. That's what I bought it for and that's what it does. The level of humidity is adjustable, allowing the unit to automatically cycle on and off as needed. And yes, you can adjust the fan speed, but getting it anywhere near the upper range makes it sound like a B29 taking off. IT'S LOUD! I leave it on med-low and it's not bad at all.

It has two plastic 2.6 gallon water bottles and at the med-low fan speed I use, I go through about 1 bottle per day. It keeps the rooms close to it quite comfortable, but rooms farther away don't get much. Your mileage will vary depending on humidifier location, floor plan, and normal air circulation.

As far as being built "sturdy" (as one reviewer pointed out), I have to disagree. The entire housing is made of plastic. Without the water bottles in it, it's so light that on a hard floor it easily rolls away with the lightest bump. Unless you are on carpet, I recommend NOT installing the castors that come with it. The weakest part of the whole unit is the stupid lid. It's constantly falling off it's hinges when I'm replacing the water bottles. It's just poorly designed.

I highly recommend buying the optional "air cleaner filter" (model #1051) that fits on the back. It helps clear your house of dust and pollen and also makes your internal wick last longer. For allergy sufferers, this is an absolute MUST.

Speaking of making wicks last longer, it wasn't until I read the owner's manual that I found out soft water is NOT recommended as it's supposedly not good for the wick. Oh well. The only NON-softened water I have is my outdoor hose and there's NO WAY I'm going out there every morning in the snow to fill my humidifier bottles!

All in all, I give it a 5 in performance, 4 in construction, and a 2 in convenience. (Hey, refilling and lugging 22 lbs of water every morning gets old!) Since performance is really what we want out of it, it gets an overall score of 4 stars from me.

BTW, use about 1/2 as much of the anti-bacterial additive as the bottle recommends and it does just fine.

Cheers!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Essick Air 696-400 Variable Speed Whole House Humidifier

Product Description:
Credenza style whole house Humidifier,clean, healthy evaporative humidification in a classic design. Automatic humidistat maintains humidity level, variable speed control, quiet nighttime setting, refill lights, automatic shutoff, 11 gallons of output per day, 5.2 gal.water-holding capacity,humidifies 2300 sg.ft. 2-stage air-care filter,bemis-patented super wick, replaceable 2-stage air-care filter which traps airborne particles and eliminates odors, easy-fill dual water bottles with refill hose, removeable power pack for easy cleaning, ez-roller casters, 29 5/8x14 7/8x25 3/8, 29lbs, Color-Light Oak

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Essick Air ED11 800 Euro Console-Style Humidifier, White Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Does not work as advertised. When set at our preferred 40% humidity, the humidistat room reading reads 45% and never varies.

When the preferred humidity level was set to 50% the fan will run until the humidity level reaches 55% and then shut off. But, after just A FEW SECONDS, the room humidity level reading drops to 47-49% and the fan comes on. Again, it will run for just a few seconds and repeat the above process continually, never staying on or off for more than a few seconds at a time. There is no way humidity can rise or fall that much in just a few seconds.

After calling the factory, they said it was defective and to bring it back to the store. A second unitwas ordered which ended up being no better than the first.

I ended up returning the second unit as well. Stay away from this particular humidifer. It's noisey and cheaply made.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Essick Air ED11 800 Euro Console-Style Humidifier, White

Product Description:
Indoor air can become overly dry in the winter months, especially with heating systems in full force. This console-style humidifier makes it simple to create a comfortable living environment. It provides an impressive output of 11 gallons per day and, with the use of high-quality wicks, can accommodate a whole house up to 2300 square feet. The humidifier offers an easy-to-fill 3-gallon water tank and a user-friendly top-access control panel with a digital display for convenient operation. Other highlights include a built-in hygrometer for measuring the relative humidity, an automatic humidistat that maintains personal comfort levels, and a variable-speed motor with a quiet nighttime setting. A replaceable Super Wick model 1041 comes included, and an optional two-stage AirCare Filter model 1051 can be purchased separately. Housed in a sleek, modern cabinet that will nicely complement any decor, the console-style humidifier measures 15 by 24-1/2 by 18 inches and carries a two-year warranty on the motor and a one-year warranty on all other components, except for the wicks.

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Essick Air 4D7 300 Whole-House Console-Style Evaporative Humidifier, Lith Oak Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It appears that the first guy to review this humidifier didn't bother to read the directions.He said there is no way to tell if the unit needs to be refilled.That is completely incorrect. The digital readout will indicate the level of humidity in the air but if one of the bottles is empty an "F" displays on the left or right to tell you that the bottle on that side needs to be filled.This unit definitely does the job but it is quite flimsy and it is very noisy.I find it hard to justify the $180 price based on build quality but it does do the job.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Essick Air 4D7 300 Whole-House Console-Style Evaporative Humidifier, Lith Oak

Product Description:
Indoor air can become overly dry in the winter months, especially with heating systems in full force. This console-style evaporative humidifier makes it simple to create a comfortable living environment. It provides an impressive output of 13 gallons per day and, with the help of high-quality wicks, can accommodate a whole house up to 2700 square feet. The humidifier comes equipped with two water bottles that fill easily with the refill hose, and it holds up to 5-1/2 gallons total. It also supplies a user-friendly top-access control panel with a digital display for convenient operation. Other highlights include a variable-speed motor with a quiet nighttime setting, separate left and right "refill-bottle" indicators, and automatic shutoff for peace of mind. Two-stage AirCare filters come included. Housed in a handsome cabinet that will nicely complement any decor, the console-style humidifier measures 28 by 13-7/8 by 22-3/8 inches and carries a two-year warranty on the motor and a one-year warranty on all other components, except for the wicks.

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Bemis 1041 Humidifier Wicks, 2-Pack Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)the wick will get clogged with minerals and quit working, plus you can order this direct from the company much cheaper than through this store and with much less shipping.

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Product Description:
Best Air CB41 replacement humidifier filter

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BestAir 3BT Humidifier Bacteriostatic Treatment (1 qt.) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have used this product now for several months.As the father of twin toddlers, having humid, bacterial free, air in our house is important to me.We use this at each refil of our numerous Vornado humidifiers.There have been no problems or side effects.It does what it does, and seems to do it well.

The supplier shipped the product quickly, in a well packaged box.I would continue to use their services.

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Product Description:
Original BT, 32 OZ Humidifier Bacteriostatic Water Treatment, Helps Controls Bacterial, Algae Build Up & Eliminate Odors In All Evaporative Console & All Wicking Type Humidifiers, Not For Use In Ultrasonic/Vaporizer.

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