DREO 6L Smart Humidifier: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-17

Summary

The DREO 713S 6L (model DR-HHM013S) is a warm/cool mist ultrasonic humidifier whose usual troubles are warm-mist gurgling that disturbs light sleepers, calcium buildup in hard water, and retailer listings that sometimes deliver a non-WiFi variant. Running costs come down to the demineralization cartridge (about 40 gallons each, price not reported) and electricity — 26 W cool mist, 280 W warm mist. It is a strong buy at or under $80 and fair up to $100; above that, alternatives with longer warranties are the better bet.

Common problems and fixes

Warm-mist gurgling noise — multiple owners report a noticeable boiling/gurgling sound in warm-mist mode that is loud enough to disturb sleep; the only reported workaround is cool mist at night. [1][2]
Hard-water calcium buildup — without a demineralization cartridge, hard water leaves calcium buildup and white powder; the manual recommends distilled water to avoid white powder. Fix: distilled water or a cartridge. [3][4]
Variant confusion — some buyers received a non-WiFi unit despite the listing; confirm the model number DR-HHM013S before ordering, since some manuals list DR-HHM003 instead. [3][1]
Warm-mode power draw — CNET measured warm mist as power-hungry at 280 W versus 26 W for cool mist, a noticeable electricity cost increase. [6]
One-year warranty — shorter than the Vornado, Blueair and Levoit alternatives CNET named. [6][8]
Cartridge schedule tracking — demineralization cartridges last about 40 gallons, so the replacement schedule must be tracked by hand. [4]
One owner gave up on it — a Reddit user reported “terrible issues” with a Dreo 6L alongside Govee and Levoit smart humidifiers and switched back to a Honeywell evaporative model. [5]

Parts and consumables

Water filter — included per the manual. [3]

Yearly running cost

DREO recommends distilled water if cartridges are not used, which adds a water-purchase cost. No per-year dollar figure was reported in the research. [3][4][6]

When it is a good buy

Store prices at the October 2026 research pass: DREO direct sells the 713S 6L at $89.99; Kohl’s lists it at $99.99 and Best Buy lists it at $99.99, with a one-year warranty at Kohl’s. [7][8][9]
Value thresholds from the research: strong at or under $80 for a 6L warm/cool smart humidifier with app control; fair from $81 to $100; weak from $101 to $130 and poor above $130, where established alternatives with stronger test histories exist. [6][7]
Named alternatives: the Levoit OasisMist 450S when warm-mist power matters — it posted about a 14-point humidity increase over 10 minutes in CNET’s test, roughly 4 points more than the Dreo; a Honeywell evaporative model when you want to avoid ultrasonic maintenance — one owner switched back to it after “terrible issues”; Vornado or Blueair when a longer warranty matters. [6][5]