If you're really wondering whether you should get a warm or cool mist humidifier, let me set the record straight: There is really very little difference in temperature between a cold mist humidifier and a warm mist humidifier when the actual air gets to your nasal passages. So, does that mean that you should just go get either? Absolutely not. It depends on what you need the humidifier for.
If you're adding medicine to the reservoir water, a warm mist system is going to be much better than a cool mist humidifier. That's because the warmed up water in the warm mist system is going to break that medicine down better than a cold mist humidifier would. This is especially true if you're adding something like Vick's to it; the warm water is really going to mix the medicine up and send it through the air in a much more effective fashion than a cool mist humidifier would. Doctors specifically recommend warm mist humidifiers for this function.
Now, if you really want to get the maximum benefit of that medicine, I really think you should look at a vaporizer. A vaporizer is just like a humidifier except that it actually puts out steam, not just a mist of cool air. There is a little bit of a safety hazard there if you're not careful (if you dump it over you can get burned), but it's a very effective product when you're really feeling bad. This is not recommended however when young children are present. There is a significant risk of injury if the child gets into it.
One thing that may make you opt for a humidifier over a vaporizer though is the fact that the vaporizer raises the room temperature with its steam. If you leave in a dry and hot climate already, you may prefer a system that will simply humidify the air, not warm it up. However, for those of you in the northeast states during the winter, a vaporizer may actually help save on a little bit of that heating bill!
Be sure to ask your child's pediatrician for their recommendation if you are getting a humidifier for your child's room. The doctor may want you to choose one particular style to meet your child's needs. If you are interested, there is a great selection of humidifiers available on Amazon. The model shown here offers the ability to put out both warm mist and cool mist. You can check it out HERE
