The most recent affordable one I saw was at Target for $25 but it was shaped like a penguin. Cute, but maybe not going to mesh with the decor. I saw another one at Barnes and Noble that was cheapish/not bad looking in their home section, for what that's worth.

~Amanda
http://onehappypanda.blogspot.com

Persistent dry eye is caused by internal factors, not a dry house. Odd suggestion from the doc.

This is a health issue more than a decor issue.

You need to drink more water as well as hot tea which is full of anti-oxidants. Leave the diet/soda and bottled tea drinks alone - They're not good for you and promote dehydration.

Finally, don't forget to wear your sunglasses whenever you're outside and close the windows & sunroof when you drive - winds cause your eyes to dry too.

I used to have a VORNADO humidifier - it was great in the winter to help combat the effect (on my sinuses) of the dry air of central heating.

http://www.vornado.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ISC_Category=Evaporative Humidifier

Maybe the doc suggested it to help alleviate symptoms?

The only use I have ever had for a humidifier has been as an aid for wallpaper removal. It does not offer a discernible medical value, imho.

sierracreek - as someone who lives in Canada and heats with electricity, I beg to differ.

I have asthma. Too much humidity, I can't breathe. Too little humidity, I can't breathe. So I have to be particular about the humidity when I'm sleeping. If I forget to turn on my humidifier in the winter months I wake up coughing, and once or twice with a REALLY nasty nosebleed.

To the OP - I've had much success with Honeywell humidifiers. They make a nice little one that keeps a single room humid enough. Plus since it's tiny, it's easy to stash when not in use.

http://www.kaz.com/kaz/store/product/5f149a6eb0137f50b2ee8063ff4055c5/

i have the venta humidifier/purifier all in one is great.

i meant to say, it (venta) is great!

i've dealt with the same problem, and it has dissipated. i changed contact brands, and i wear "plano" (no prescription, with an anti-glare coating) glasses (over contacts) while driving. it keeps the AC breeze from drying out my eyes. i also wear them when in front of the computer because i find that less glare yields less eye fatigue, and less eye fatigue means moister eyes.

you live in los angeles? it's dry, and some people are simply more affected. buy a "hotpot" at target, keep it half filled with water...set on warm, and place it on your desk. the steam will keep just your area moisturized. make certain to empty and unplug when away from your desk.

when traveling out west, i leave water in the bathtub, and it helps to humidify the closed hotel room.

i have rheum. arthritis, and when i had flares (and fever), my eyes were inflamed, and dry. whether yours is caused by a medical condition, genetic or the result of medication side effects, it sounds like your doctor is giving practical advice. i agree with increasing water intake (60 ounces) and limiting or eliminating soda.

sierracreek--I agree with SputnikSpak.
I am the queen of sinus infections but have done well with having a humidifier going in the winter. Also have asthma so that's another reason.
I dont have eye problems but between sinus and lungs my life is now bearable with a humidifier. could not live without it in my forced air heated home.
i have a cheap holmes now and was probably happier with my old honeywell, but it works.

I needed a humidifier QUICKLY because of nose bleeds and my husband snoring very loudly...leading to hardly any sleep for myself.

So I bought a Holmes from Target. It's not that great. I am usually a stickler for reading reviews before purchasing any sort of product like this, but I didn't because I just picked it up at Target while I was there.

It has definitely helped my eyes as well, but the thing itself is just a pain in the ass.

I'd say read some reviews on amazon.com, they are usually my go-to for this sort of thing.

Good luck!

I highly recommend the Air o Swiss humidifiers. I have the 7135 model for over a year and its fantastic for the brutal winter. My tropical indoor plants also love them which was an added benefit. They are quite pricey but after wasting 40-50 bucks a year on the target/cvs brands only to have them die after a year - this was a worthy investment. Plus they come with 3 year warranties. They're sold on amazon, bed bath and beyond and on their website...
http://www.airoswiss.net/AOS7135.aspx?DepartmentId=34
hope that helps.

Thanks everyone for all the great recommendations. Although this is a health issue, AT's aim is to help create a happy home, which encompasses healthy practices and tools that may aid in maintaining a healthy abode. I think for many allergy sufferers, humidifiers are just as important to a happy home as air purifiers, a good vacuum, proper bedding or any other aspect that makes home a safe haven we can safely return to. And as someone who didn't have allergies until recently (ever since the string of LA fires), I now know that a humidifier can make a noticeable difference too.

there are warm mist and cool mist humidifiers, each with a distinct purpose. for example, warm mist humidifiers are good for sinus infections and the common cold whereas cool mist humidifiers are good for preventing nose bleeds and such due to dry winter weather.

you should research a bit more to decide which is right for you.

Do not - repeat: do not - purchase an ultrasonic humidifier.

It will blast all your hard-water minerals into ultra fine particles that will electrostactically powder coat *everything* in your house. And by everything, I mean all my windows, woodwork, furniture, walls, the deepest recesses of everything that is not 100% air tight. Even nested plastic bowls with the lids loosely attached in the cupboard with the door closed.

1 year later, I'm still cleaning things that were coated after 1 month of use.

On my main floor, I now just simmer water in a pan on the stove. It's fast, easy, and almost free - but does need to be monitored closely.

In my bedroom, I use a Vicks Vaporizor.

The best, and least expensive humidifier, is an evaporative humidifier. KAZ/Vicks make one you can buy in any drug store. You just need a filter (which is replaced 1x per month) and that is it. Evaporative humidifiers don't have any issues around white dust and they are self regulating, i.e. only put out the amount of humidity an environment needs. Check the wikipedia entry on humidifiers for an exhaustive review. Maintenance wise just take out the filter, give the body of the humidifier a good scrub down, replace the filter and you are good to go. If you are worried about mold, which can sometimes grow on the filter after a while (although the filters are now treated with an anti mold), you can buy a little plastic ball that goes into the tank and prevents mold. The humidifier costs about $35 and the filters are about $10 each.

I have to say I have never had any problems with the ultrasonic humidifier with the so-called deposit mentioned above. I use mine up to 12 hours daily and haven't had any issues. If you live in an area with extremely hard water, it does say that you should use boiled water so maybe that's the difference.

Anyway I am just giving my opinion just as AlmostAD is just one person as well. I did a detailed search of reviews before purchasing my machine and most people had experiences quite similar to mine.

I wanted one without a filter for ease of cleaning, as I only use it in winter (rinse, dry, lay in sun during day; fill at night). However, mine has crevices that are impossible and a reddish mildew is growing inside. So, make sure you buy one that is able to be cleaned in every surface. Mildew (or whatever it is) will grow in as little as two days.

I have asthma, and i have to use a humidifier and a air filter to keep mold spores out of the air but still leave the room a little moist. Have any recommendations for bot a humidifier and / or an air filter?

I too have great luck with Honeywell. After years of replacing the desktop ones, I finally got a big floor model at Sears for about $200. It holds a ton of water in 2 big bottles. Since I live in the desert, I run it practically 24/7/365 (only if I'm away do I turn it off). It has lasted over 6 years now. Filling the bottles is a bit heavy, but no worse than a big bag of dogfood.

With that said, if you are totally new to humidifiers / vaporizers, I too suggest you start with a Vicks one ($15 Walmart/Target) and see if it helps.

I sometimes use both at night, I like the warm mist by the bed and the cooler humidifier helps keep the house humidity up. But that's the desert!

I would not get a humidifier as the solution for dry eyes. It can cause other problems, including the growth of mold to which many people are allergic. I have had great success using Refresh Plus artificial tears. You might try them.

I have the penguin humidifier from Target! Who cares about clashing with decor...it's awesome. I love penguins though, so I'm biased. But anyway it's cute and it works really well; a nice cool mist.
http://www.target.com/Crane-Penguin-Cool-Mist-Humidifier/dp/B0008GNJSQ/sr=1-2/qid=1233766988/ref=sr_1_2/180-9877584-6909214?ie=UTF8&index=target&rh=k%3Apenguin%20humidifier&page=1

I've used three in my lifetime. Here's what I've learned from using the...

Holmes Permanent Wick HM7600-U:
-It's noisy.
-The wick gets moldy but I guess that's my fault for not cleaning/drying it EVERY morning.
-It's not ultrasonic so I can't see the mist that I'm used to seeing.

Bionaire Ultrasonic Personal Humidifier:
-It doesn't hold enough water to run all night.
-It shoots its mist straight up so the immediate area surrounding it is wet in the morning. Couldn't put it flush against the wall.
-It has an annoying blue light that lights up the room at night.
-It doesn't automatically turn off.
But it's low cost and small size make it okay to keep on your office desk, I guess.

Awesome, no-name, hand-me-down humidifier that I gave to my dad:
-It had a humidity meter (for auto on/off).
-It had a water tank with an opening large enough to fit my hand into it so it was relatively easy to clean.
-It had an adjustable nozzle to direct the flow of mist.
I guess I learned that I should not have given it away.

Good luck.

Can't remember where I saw them, but there are old fashioned water pans that fit over the top of your radiator (if you have one) and act as a humidifier- I have a couple and love them!

I grew up in relatively humid Dallas and after my job transfered me to very dry So Cal I found out that it is murder on my skin, hair and eyes.

I bought my Air-O-Swiss humidifier on this website: http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/warm-cool-mist-humidifiers.html

There is free shipping on orders over $150.

They have several different choices and price ranges. Mine has cool and warm air mist options along with ionization to keep the water pure. There is also a demineralization cartridge that prevents white dust. It's not the cheapest, but it has really helped me.

You have to accept that all the options suck, and that since you still need one you are going to have some hassle of some sort. Just depends on what kind of hassle you prefer.

We have an ultrasonic humidifier. We threw away the filter and instead put deionized water in it. Since there's nothing in the water to gunk up the machine, we rarely have to clean it. (In fact we got the idea from reading reviews online--someone mentioned that a rep at the manufacturer actually suggested this.) We got a couple 5-gallon water jugs at the hardware store and we refill them for super cheap at Whole Foods. The jugs have taps so it's easy to fill the humidifier. I guess it's a little bit of a pain, but better (and cheaper) than cleaning the machine constantly, changing out the filter, and still living with white dust.

In our babies' room we have a Venta, which is pretty easy to deal with but it makes a slight clicking noise.

Venta Air Purifier is the best system for keeping the air balanced. You can add in essential oils, which is heavenly.
They actually call it an air washer. It's a must have item!

which is better for dry skin. warm or cool mist?

freddyjjy,

It doesn't matter; once the warm or cool mist fully dissapates into the room's air, the humidity goes up one way or the other.

thanks so much!

I love my travel humidifier!, its small, lightweight, portable, uses a water bottle, and is cool mist ultrasonic technology. Great for the hotel room when I travel. I got it here: Desktop Travel Humidifier