REASONS TO BUY
Quiet
Diffuser
Nightlight
Auto stop
REASONS TO AVOID
Difficult to clean
Less effective
Harder to use
BreatheFrida Review
A quiet choice that is less effective at creating humidity and is hard to use and clean
Credit: Abriah Wofford
RELATED: Best Baby Humidifiers
The Skinny
The BreathFrida is a 3 in 1 humidifier that also acts as a diffuser and nightlight. The nightlight changes colors, and the ultrasonic humidifier has an auto-stop feature when it runs out of water. The diffuser works with Breath Frida Vapor Drops you buy separately that might help provide extra relief for congestion. This humidifier has a BPA-free tank and a simple single dial to adjust humidity output levels. The BreathFrida is harder to clean compared to the competition, and it isn't as effective in our tests which hurt its overall performance in our review. Because of the lower levels of humidity and the lack of humidity level adjustment features, this option ranks lower than the majority of competitors in our review.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
BreatheFrida | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  | ||||
| Price | $50 List $44.97 at Amazon | $60 List | $55 List $39.98 at Amazon | $50 List | $40 List $34.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Quieter humidifier but is comparatively ineffective and harder to clean and use than the competition we tested | Effective humidifier with a wallet-friendly price that is somewhat loud but very effective | Simple, quiet ultrasonic humidification, but best for smaller spaces | Cute, baby-centric option that is super quiet and easy to clean but it is less effective than most of the competition | A louder ultrasonic option that is small and less effective than most but easy to clean and lower in price |
| Rating Categories | BreatheFrida | TaoTronics TT-AH001 | Crane Drop | TaoTronics TT-AH038 | Honeywell HUL520 |
| Ease of Cleaning (35%) | |||||
| Effectiveness (35%) | |||||
| Noise (20%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (10%) | |||||
| Specs | BreatheFrida | TaoTronics TT-AH001 | Crane Drop | TaoTronics TT-AH038 | Honeywell HUL520 |
| Mist Type | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool |
| Technology | Ultrasonic | Ultrasonic | Ultrasonic | Ultrasonic | Ultrasonic |
| Tank Capacity | 0.5 gal | 1.1 gal | 1 gal | 0.66 gal | 0.5 gal |
| Visible Water Reservoir | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Room Humidification Area (Sq Ft) | 320 sq ft | 322 sq ft | 500 sq ft | 269 sq ft | Small Room |
| Max Run Time | Up to 12 hrs | Up to 30 hrs | Up to 24 hrs | Up to 30 hrs | Up to 20 hrs |
| Humidity Output Control | Variable Mist Control | Variable Mist Control Humidistat |
Variable Mist Control | Variable Mist Control | Variable Mist Control |
| Demineralization Cartridge/Filter | No | No | Available for Purchase | No | No |
| Night Light | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Empty Tank Auto-Shut Off | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions (BGL) | 7.5"W x 8"H x 7.5"L | 6"W x 9"H x 11.4"L | 8.7"W x 13"H x 8.7"L | 8.3"W x 12.2"H x 5.5"L | 8.1"W x 8.8"H x 8.1"L |
| Empty Weight (BGL) | 1.42 lbs | 1.83 lbs | 2.24 lbs | 3.71 lbs | 2.6 lbs |
| Max Operation Noise Level in dB (BGL) | <40 db | 41.7 db | <40 db | <40 db | 45.2 db |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
Frida is headquartered in Florida here in the USA. Its original product, the snot sucker, was invented by a Swedish doctor and changed the playing field of helping sick babies with congested nasal passages. The company calls itself "a solution-based brand" and strives to provide products that make parenthood easier. They offer various products for babies and moms.
Performance Comparison
The opening on the Frida humidifier is one of the smallest in the group, making it near impossible to clean the inside.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Cleaning
The number of parts a humidifier has and the kinds of tools required are only part of the equation contributing to how hard it is to clean a unit. We also consider the manufacturer's instructions and daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance recommendations.
The opening on this vessel is too small for hands and perhaps some bottle brushes. The tank is not clear, which creates a secondary problem of not being able to see what you are doing, which means you might miss parts of the tank during cleaning. The base itself is easier to clean than the tank, But you'll still need special brushes to reach all the small locations.
In addition to wiping the outside and inside down daily with a cloth, they also recommend descaling every 1-2 weeks with 1tsp of vinegar and water. After the solution sits for 5 minutes, you clean all surfaces with a cloth or soft brush and then rinse. It would be far easier to accomplish all cleaning if the tank had a bigger opening.
The Frida has an adjustable humidity director on the top of the vessel.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Effectiveness
This humidifier performed poorly in our effectiveness tests, offering one of the lowest humidity levels in the group after 180 minutes of testing.
The BreathFrida created less dust than much of the competition, but it also created less humidity.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
This unit started in a similar level of humidity to the competition. However, but about 20 minutes, it fell significantly behind the competition, some by as much as 10% humidity. At the end of the 180 minutes of test time, the test room had a reading of about 73% relative humidity, while the higher-performing competition was over 90%. Despite the lower readings, if you use this humidifier in a smaller room or close to your child's sleep area, it will likely meet your needs for increased humidity, depending on your goals.
The BreathFrida is one of the quieter options in the group.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Noise
This ultrasonic humidifier is one of the quietest in the bunch, with a decibel reading below 40 in our tests. Only a couple of competitors were quieter. The loudest product had a reading of over 46 decibels. The noise it does emit is soft and similar to white noise designed to help camouflage ambient noises.
The Frida has a single dial for humidity level control.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
The BreathFrida has a single dial for humidity output control, and the nightlight operates with a button on the side. The dial is easy to use and can be adjusted based on the level of humidity you want, and you can see the humidity level increase or decrease as you turn the dial. It has a directional adjuster on the top so you can point the humidity toward or away from your little one, depending on your needs.
The Frida has a color-changing nightlight with two options and a soft glow.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
It has a diffuser and a color-changing nightlight, which are also both easy to use.
The odd shape of the Frida vessel and the tiny opening make it harder to fill than much of the competition.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The opening on the tank is fairly small, and you won't be able to fit your hand inside it. The vessel's shape is fairly user-friendly to hold, but it doesn't sit on its own in the sink. The smaller opening and the inability to self-stand make it harder to fill than much of the competition.
—
Wendy Schmitz and the BabyGearLab Review Team
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