In a world where you can turn your lights on with your voice, cars run on electricity, and some video cameras are as small as a pea, it’s fair to say that we are closer to the futuristic world that was predicted in the films we grew up with.
I’m new to the world of gadgets for the home, in the sense of home hubs and controlling things via technology, but I jumped in headfirst with a look at SwitchBot, a leading brand in smart home automation and retrofitting, which are changing how we interact with our homes.
I took on the task of looking at Switchbot’s Evaporative Humidifier which uses cold evaporation to improve indoor humidity.
As part of looking at the humidifier, I used the Switchbot Hub 2, a small device that plugs into the mains and studies the humidity and temperature in your home and talks to the humidifier to control the output. The Hub device can be paired with many different types of gadgets around the home from automated hoovers to cameras and lights.
It effectively creates an ecosystem within your home, and the humidifier is the perfect example of a device it can work with.
The SwitchBot Auto-Fill Humidifier is an air quality control system for your house that increases airborne moisture via the unit’s fans.
That pushes out the micro moisture particles to improve the air quality in the room you are in.
If you own one of SwitchBot’s floor cleaning robots, they can be used to fill this up automatically. I don’t, so I used the tap to fill the 4.5l tank.
The machine is designed to improve air conditions and is particularly good for people with breathing issues, or dry skin conditions.
Improving the quality of the air should be important to everyone and this goes about making that happen with minimum fuss, and minimum sound.
The fans on the unit are extremely quiet, even on the highest settings making this ideal for any room, including a nursery or office where lower noise level is essential.
Aside from circulating these micro particles, it’s actually a pretty decent air conditioning unit for a hot, stuffy room.
The size of the particles means that they cannot carry bacteria, which means there is no chance of any nasty germs floating about, this is also doubled down on with a UV light incorporated that sterilizes tap water and kills bacteria.
There’s a control panel on top of the unit that includes a status light, Wi-Fi indicator, Filter clean reminder, reset, timer, output level, power button, and filter drying lamp.
There is clear guidance on how and when to clean your filters and water tank and how to look after your device.
As air quality systems go, it’s quite an exciting gadget with an accompanying app, link up with the Hub plug, and connection to your wifi. The link up to the plug is what allows your system to automatically adjust its output depending on the room’s levels.
I was impressed with how it went about its business, quietly, and efficiently. Gadgets are getting smarter, the options are vast, and there is a whole range of customization issues you can go into if you so wish.
Sophistication aside, I would say my only negative point was that it is a pretty bulky device and as much as the design has been made to look sleek, you are never going to miss it as it does stand out a bit.
With a 4.5l water tank included, it’s probably a harsh criticism for me when it has a purpose to serve. It is a gadget for the home, though, and therefore you do hope they blend in.
Considering everything it does offer and achieve, it is perhaps a little harsh to hammer it for aesthetics. It’s a superb piece of technology that does exactly what you expect, and much more to boot.
What buyers have said
One customer wrote: The Switchbot Humidifier is fantastic! It has a large, removable water container that’s super easy to fill and clean. The filter is easily accessible too, with easy instructions on the app on when and how to clean. The smart app control makes it convenient to adjust settings, and the sleep timer is great for overnight use.
What truly sets it apart is pairing it with the Switchbot Air Quality Monitor. When paired, the humidifier automatically adjusts itself based on the humidity level and temperature—making the whole process fully automated. I don’t have to think about it at all, and it keeps the air at the perfect humidity all the time. Highly recommend!
Another Amazon user wrote: Be prepared to refill the reservoir daily. Although I have it programmed to turn on only during my sleeping times and at a lower humidity point, every day I have to go and fill the reservoir otherwise it’ll run out during my next sleep. I don’t have the option to use auto refill with the other switchbot product. Additionally, even though I have turned off all lights/buttons it still continues to emit a soft glowing light in the middle of the night. I prefer to sleep in complete darkness so this is distracting. Other than that it works as promised. Not sure if the price of point is warranted for how I use it.
Alternatives
High priced: Bedside Lavender Humidifier
Mid priced: Aribo 2.2l Humidifier
Low priced: Vintoney 500ml Humidifier