Vicks Starry Night Cool Mist Humidifier

One of the hardest parts about being a parent is knowing that your baby—the sweetest thing in your whole entire world—will likely develop a cold or two at some point during the first year. Though you might expect alarms and whistles and time to stop at every sniffle, you might be surprised that your doctor simply recommends at-home remedies for your child’s ailment.

When my son’s pediatrician recommended a “cool mist humidifier” for his first cold, I wasn’t sure where to start. To tell you the truth, I wasn’t really even sure what a humidifier did. (For the record, a cool mist humidifier produces cool, invisible moisture that loosens congestion and allows for easier breathing. This is different from a warm mist humidifier, which still has benefits but isn’t as recommended.)

I panicked because I didn’t have one readily available at home. Thankfully, a friend told me about the Vicks Starry Night Cool Mist Humidifier and I have been thoroughly pleased with the comfort it has provided my little tyke on many occasions. Let’s take an in-depth look at this product so you can determine why it’s such a great fit for your family too.

Assembly

First of all, it’s made by Vicks, a leader in the industry. I used their products throughout my entire childhood, so it was easy for me to trust that the product comes with the utmost safety requirements and standards (just check out those customer reviews!). The product arrives completely assembled. All you have to do is remove it from the box, and you’re ready to go, though a quick rundown of its parts is helpful for using upon arrival for sickness or to get a good night’s sleep.

Water tank: This thing holds one gallon of water, which is great for filling a large room and keeping refills to a minimum throughout its run time.

Wicking filter: You’ll be happy to know the design of the filter removes minerals and physical impurities from the water. Replacement filter needs depend on the water in your area and how often you use your Vicks humidifier.

Main housing unit: The base holds all the switches as well as the inner workings of the product. It’s a simple design that’s easy to use!

Using the Cool Mist Humidifier

After you pull it out of the box, look for a hard surface in a good position in your child’s room near an outlet. (Note that while this model has a quiet operation, it still makes enough noise to bother light sleepers—choose with caution!) Then remove the tank and water filter from the base and set aside. Meanwhile, fill the water tank to the specified water level line and follow product information manual if using the included scent pad. (I’m a fan of the menthol pads and the lavender ones that smell like essential oil.) Replace the tank and filter into the base, plug in the humidifier, choose your setting, and you’re all set. The humidifier can run up to 24 hours depending on your child’s needs and doctor’s orders.

Special Features

The Vicks Starry Night Cool Mist Humidifier comes with a ton of features that set it aside from the rest of the humidifier and air purifier crowds:

Each humidifier comes with a soothing Vicks vapors scent pad heater and one complimentary soothing heated Vicks vapopad. The pad offers a comforting, non-medicated scent to help ease your baby’s congestion.

The humidifier comes with two different speed settings to suit your child’s individual needs. There are knobs at the bottom for on and off or to adjust the desired speed of low, medium, or high. Depending on the room size, you’ll have to use a higher setting for enough invisible mist.

The most impressive feature is the starry night projector that puts pictures of a starry night sky on your baby’s ceiling. I’ve personally found this to be very soothing to my little one when he wakes up with a stuffy nose in the middle of the night. The best part? You can use the projector without using the humidifier, so my tiny guy always has a handy night light. (It’s like two products in one!)

After having a babe who’s had a few different colds in the last few months, I’ve been thankful for the help of this humidifier to un-stuff my little pumpkin.

Vicks Starry Night Cool Mist Humidifier, $40