Skip to content
Honeywell Cool Moisture Humidifiers for Bedroom

Honeywell Cool Moisture Humidifiers for Bedroom

By Honeywell · Humidifiers · Home & Workspace · More from Honeywell

  • 1.1 gallon tank
  • Up to 24 hours runtime on low setting
  • 3 comfort/speed settings
  • HAC504 Filter A wicking filter (one included)
  • Dimensions W 9.3" x H 11.4" x L 17.9"

Price not listed

Stores are listed in a fixed order, never by price or commission. Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.

Problems, parts and running costs

Summary

An evaporative wicking humidifier that adds invisible moisture to a bedroom without the white dust of ultrasonic models, best for a quiet sleeper who will keep up with filter changes. Two things to check first: it is discontinued at Honeywell’s own store, and it has no humidistat, no auto shut-off and no empty-tank alert, so you watch the water level yourself.

Strengths

  • Easy to clean: a 3.5-inch tank opening and a dishwasher-safe tank, base and filter holder.
  • Emits no white dust, even on hard water across a six-month test.
  • Quiet on low; testers and owners read it as soothing white noise.
  • Evaporative action self-regulates, so it cannot easily over-humidify a room.
  • Runs up to 24 hours on low from a single 1.1-gallon fill.
  • Backed by a 3-year limited warranty.

Weaknesses

  • Discontinued at Honeywell’s own store, so support and warranty handling for leftover stock are uncertain.
  • Noisy at medium and high; one tester measured 45 dB on high and heard a click on the top setting.
  • The wicking filter is a consumable: it molds if stored wet and needs replacing every 30-60 days.
  • Weak output next to ultrasonic humidifiers, roughly two-thirds at one hour in one test.
  • No humidistat, no auto shut-off and no empty-tank indicator; you monitor it by hand.
  • Needs open space around the intake, and it has the largest footprint in one tester’s lineup.

Verified specifications

Typeevaporative cool-moisture humidifier with a wicking filter; it emits invisible moisture, not a visible mist.
Tank capacity1.1 gallons.
Runtimeup to 24 hours per filling on the low setting.
Speed settings3 (high, medium, low), set with a manual dial.
FilterHoneywell Replacement Filter A, HAC504 series; one included.
Power60 W per Honeywell; Consumer Reports lists a claimed 50 W.
Outputthe older manual claims up to 2 gallons a day; Consumer Reports lists 2.3 gal/day.
CoverageHoneywell rates it for medium rooms; Consumer Reports lists 500 sq ft claimed.
Dimensions17.9 × 9.37 × 11.4 in (L × W × H); 8.36 lb.
Cord73 in.
Controls and safetyno humidistat, no auto shut-off when empty, no empty-tank indicator.
Warranty3-year limited.
Full research notes and sources

Cleaning and upkeep

Cleaning is the one thing every reviewer agrees on. The tank opens to 3.5 inches, the tank, base and filter holder are dishwasher-safe, and only the fan assembly has to be washed by hand. Honeywell’s manual suggests a 15-minute vinegar soak, and one tester put a full clean at about 15 minutes plus that soak.

The filter is where upkeep turns into work. Honeywell says replace the wick every 30-60 days and dry it before storage; leave it wet and it molds, and a moldy wick is nearly impossible to clean. The antimicrobial-treated wick and a dishwasher-safe tank hold off pink slime, but neglect the filter and the output drops. Honeywell’s own store reviews praise quietness, easy refills and multi-year durability when the unit is maintained per the guidelines, though that pool is manufacturer-hosted rather than independent.

Noise and output

This is a quiet-on-low, loud-on-high machine. In a six-month test it measured 32 dB on low, 38 dB on medium and 45 dB on high at one meter; another tester called the low setting barely audible and the top setting the noisiest unit in its lineup, with an audible click on high. If you run it on high to humidify a room fast, expect to hear it.

Output is honest but modest. TechGearLab measured a 150 sq ft room reaching 45% RH in 34 minutes, topping out at 58.9%, and scored the unit 7.1/10 overall with top marks for cleaning. BabyGearLab scored it 58/100, with effectiveness at 3.0/10 because output at one hour was about two-thirds of the ultrasonic competition. Consumer Reports lists a claimed 500 sq ft coverage and 2.3 gal/day. TheTestedHub held 42% RH from a 22% baseline in a sealed 240 sq ft bedroom and 36% in an open 400 sq ft space, and saw zero white dust over six months of hard water. Because it evaporates rather than sprays, it self-regulates and will not soak a room.

Filters and running costs

The wick is the ongoing cost. Replacement Filter A runs $16.95 each at Honeywell and needs changing every 30-60 days by the manufacturer’s interval; a six-month test landed on 55-65 days at 11 gpg hard water and 45 days under heavy all-day use. An optional Protec antimicrobial cartridge is $13.95 for a two-pack. Electricity is light: one tester measured 0.02 kWh per hour.

TechGearLab estimated a lifetime cost of $203 and called the operating cost the bane of this model, mainly because of those recurring filters. Budget for a filter subscription in spirit, not in fact, and keep a spare on hand so the unit is never running on a spent wick.

Is it worth it?

At $60 or less it is strong value for a basic evaporative humidifier with best-in-test cleaning and a 3-year warranty, as long as you accept the noise on high and the filter cost. From $60 to $80 it is fair, and you should compare quieter ultrasonic units at the same price. From $80 to $100 it gets weak given the discontinued status, the noise and the wick running cost, especially with Honeywell’s own newer top-fill evaporative models in that range. Above $100 it is hard to defend.

For context on where the numbers came from: BabyGearLab and Consumer Reports both listed it around $70 in 2018, Popular Mechanics saw roughly $70-76 in 2020, TechGearLab used a $100 list price in its 2022 update, and Honeywell’s store showed $79.95 while the model was still listed. None of those is a promise about what a seller asks today.

Which model this is

This page covers the Honeywell Cool Moisture Humidifier HCM-350 series: HCM-350 in white, HCM-350B in black, and HCM-350B-CST in black with a UV germ-killing lamp. All three share the 1.1-gallon tank, the 3-speed fan and the HAC504 Filter A. The listing for the HCM-350 is ASIN B00FJTVHKO.

Don’t confuse it with Honeywell’s newer evaporative top-fill models (HEV320, HEV615, HEV620) or the ultrasonic HUL series, which work differently and use different filters. Some listings and one tester’s spec table call the filter an HFT600 or HC-14 series; HAC504 is the manufacturer-documented part, and the alternate name appears to be a renamed equivalent.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

Buying guides for this category

Compare with

Related products