Babies and small children do not handle dry air as well as adults. Their skin and airways are still developing, which makes them more susceptible to nasal congestion, poor sleep and skin irritation. This is why many parents resort to using humidifiers — appliances that help increase relative humidity by releasing moisture into the air. When used correctly, humidifiers can transform the arid indoor air and help little ones breathe more easily. However, not every appliance is safe to use in nurseries or toddlers’ rooms.

By their very nature, humidifiers can cause dampness and contribute to mold growth if they are not cleaned and maintained correctly. They can also spread impurities if the water in the tank is not distilled or purified before being released back into the air. Moreover, many appliances generate warm mist or steam that can burn a child if they get too close. Not to mention, most humidifiers simply do not have the looks that would suit a child's room.

These are the issues the Levoit Sprout is trying to solve. Firstly, as an evaporative humidifier, it is less likely than ultrasonic and steam appliances to cause excessive condensation, and only releases mist-free moisture. Secondly, it features wick filters that help remove impurities from the humidified air. Plus, it boasts a curved, child-friendly design as well as a built-in night light and connected app.

We were keen to test the Levoit Sprout and see if it has the potential to land a spot in our guide to the best humidifiers.

Levoit Sprout Evaporative Humidifier review

Levoit Sprout Evaporative Humidifier: Design

• Easy to clean and refill
• Curved, child-friendly design
• Keeps the wick filter dry to prevent mold growth

The Levoit Sprout Evaporative Humidifier looks eerily similar to the Levoit Sprout air purifier we tested last year. Both appliances are about the same size, weight and color, have a curve-shaped design and no sharp, protruding elements, and remind us of Olaf, the talking snowman from Disney's "Frozen" franchise. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they complement each other really well.

That said, these two appliances are vastly different when it comes to the assembly process. It took us less than a minute to put the air purifier together, as the process was smooth, intuitive and well-explained in the provided manual. The humidifier, on the other hand, left us scratching our heads.

It was relatively easy to disassemble the appliance and remove the plastic packaging from the filter, but then we struggled with putting the parts back together — they just would not fit. To make matters worse, the instructions were too vague to help us figure it out. We managed to put the Levoit Sprout together eventually, but this whole debacle did slightly put us off this appliance. Assembling a humidifier should not be this tricky, especially when it is designed primarily for sleep-deprived parents.

Assembly woes aside, the Levoit Sprout humidifier is easy to use and does not require a lot of maintenance. The water tank holds a gallon of water (3.8 liters), but it is small enough to fit under the faucet and easy to hold with both hands. Thanks to its top-fill design, it does not even have to be detached from the main unit to be refilled — you can just take the lid off and top it up straight from a bottle. We also liked that the tank was dishwasher-safe and translucent enough to allow us to monitor the water levels at a glance.

The Levoit Sprout humidifier can be controlled either with the buttons at the front of the unit or remotely via the VeSync app. You can also integrate it with Google Home and Apple HomeKit apps, and adjust its settings using voice commands. Given that most humidifiers lack such smart features, this is a considerable advantage.

Overall, the Levoit Sprout seems well-built and appropriately child-friendly. However, we are not convinced that its price is entirely justified. At $189.99, it is two to three times more expensive than most other humidifiers of similar size and capacity. That's not the full cost, either — the wick filters need to be regularly replaced and each replacement from Levoit costs $29.99. You can buy some dupe filters on Amazon and other major retailers, but they are roughly the same price anyway.

Levoit Sprout Evaporative Humidifier: Features

• Standalone temperature and humidity sensor
• Auto-Dry mode keeps the filter dry to prevent mold growth
• Adjustable warm- or cool-toned night light

The Levoit Sprout Evaporative Humidifier features two manual fan speeds and an Auto mode that adjusts the fan speed to maintain a preset humidity level, based on real-time temperature and humidity data from a provided standalone sensor (pictured below). This is a unique and convenient feature. Most appliances have built-in humidity meters, which means that their readings apply only to a very small area around the unit and may not reflect the overall humidity in the room. The Levoit Sprout, on the other hand, can monitor the air quality where it genuinely matters.

The Auto-Dry mode is another feature that scored highly in our books. The Levoit Sprout activates this mode once the humidification is switched off to keep the wick filter dry and therefore prevent mold growth. We did not have to worry about filter maintenance, as the appliance took care of it itself.

Another thing that adds to the Levoit Sprout's functionality is the built-in night light. We really liked this feature — the lamps underneath the water tank gave it a soft, warm-toned glow that genuinely lifted our mood. Night lights help children ease bedtime anxiety and fall asleep faster, but we can attest that adults may find them beneficial, too.

We also liked the VeSync app. Not only does it allow you to control the humidifier remotely and set schedules for when you are away, but it also provides a good amount of information on the humidity, remaining filter life and estimated drying time. We found the app useful, "clean" and easy to navigate.

Levoit Sprout Evaporative Humidifier: Performance

• Quiet, with pleasant white noise
• No white dust or visible mist
• Gentle humidification without damp or condensation

The Levoit Sprout performed quite well in our at-home tests. While we are not parents and so can't say how this appliance might affect babies or toddlers, we can at least confirm that it does what it promises. This humidifier is quiet, reliable and relatively effective at increasing relative humidity without causing damp, condensation or even visible mist — as long as it is used in relatively small rooms, that is.

According to the manufacturer, the Levoit Sprout is suitable for spaces of up to 219 square feet (20 square meters). This is non-negotiable, though, and we would recommend using it in smaller rooms for best results. The reason lies in its humidification technology. Evaporative humidifiers work by blowing moist air through a wick filter, which creates friction that inevitably slows it down on the way out. Unlike in ultrasonic or steam appliances that can release jets of water vapor without facing similar obstacles, the range and power of their humidification capabilities are quite limited.

We measured the performance of the Levoit Sprout using the provided standalone humidity meter and an industry-grade Perfect Prime air particle counter. We placed the humidifier in a closed room measuring approximately 200 square feet, and then ran it for two hours in its highest output mode. After an hour, the relative humidity increased from 55% to 59%, and after two hours it rose by another 4%. These results may not sound like a huge difference, especially when we compare the Levoit Sprout to, for example, the PureGuardian H950AR (pictured below, this ultrasonic humidifier is of a similar size and range as the Levoit Sprout, but it raised the humidity twice as fast in a test conducted in the same room.) For a less powerful evaporative humidifier, however, we would still consider them acceptable.

This gentle humidification did make a tangible difference. The air felt considerably more pleasant and easier to breathe, and no condensation or wet patches formed around the unit. All in all, no complaints.

The Levoit Sprout also did a pretty good job of removing water impurities. We did not see any "white dust" or visible mist that can happen when humidifiers use undistilled water, and our Perfect Prime air particle monitor only recorded a very small increase in the levels of air particulates. Wick filters are not as effective as the HEPA filters commonly used in air purifiers, but they are still able to capture a good amount of impurities.

Lastly, the noise levels. The Levoit Sprout is whisper-quiet and if anything, it generates a soothing, unobtrusive hum that does not tend to disturb sleep or rest. When we measured its sound levels using a Sound Meter decibel-counting app, we did not register more than 42 dB on its highest setting — that’s equivalent to refrigerator sounds, and within the specifications provided by the manufacturer.

Levoit Sprout Evaporative Humidifier: User reviews

At the time of writing this review, the Levoit Sprout Evaporative Humidifier was rated 3.8 out of 5 stars at both Amazon and Levoit. Positive reviews tended to praise its ease of use, smart features and compact, aesthetically pleasing design. Negative remarks, on the other hand, often focused on its relatively low humidification power, high price and filter replacement costs. Some customers also complained about its relatively noisy fans and app connectivity issues.

One user said: "I took a risk and purchased this product before any reviews came out. I'm glad I did because it does everything it says. In my bedroom, I have noticed a significant difference in sleeping quality, and the air just feels nicer on the skin. The night light is incredibly relaxing and looks pleasing. The sensor is an awesome feature, and I've been able to control my Sprout from work, allowing me to dry the filter to easily prevent mold buildup. I will say, even though I live in an NYC apartment, the Sprout can only fill my smallest rooms. It's almost impossible to raise the humidity in a medium-sized room. This is a bummer because I wanted to combat radiator dryness."

Should you buy the Levoit Sprout Evaporative Humidifier?

There is plenty to like about the Levoit Sprout Evaporative Humidifier. It is quiet, smart-enabled and easy to use, and more importantly, it does a great job of moisturizing the air without creating damp or endangering the child's safety. However, this appliance is not big or powerful enough to suit large nurseries or deliver the best results in extremely arid climates.

✅ Buy it if: You are looking for a quiet, low-maintenance humidifier for small nurseries and toddlers’ rooms.

❌ Do not buy it if: You want something more powerful, versatile or budget-friendly.

Levoit Sprout Evaporative Humidifier: How we tested

We tested the Levoit Sprout Evaporative Humidifier for over a week, looking at its design, features, day-to-day performance, and ease of use and maintenance. We also tested its humidifying and water-purifying capabilities using the provided standalone humidity meter and an industry-grade Perfect Prime air particle counter.

We placed the Levoit Sprout in a closed room and ran it on the highest output setting for two hours, making note of changes to relative humidity and air quality. We also measured how loud this humidifier was with a Sound Meter decibel-counting app, as well as considering the cost and availability of its replacement filters.