Honeywell HCM-6011i QuietCare 11-Gallon Console Humidifier with Air Washing Technology
by Honeywell
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List Price: Category: Home See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Honeywell HCM-6011i QuietCare 11-Gallon Console Humidifier with Air Washing Technology
Customer Review: Gift arrived fine. Works OK
Summary: 4 Stars
This was bought as a Xmas gift. Arrived in good condition and arrived quickly. Unit was for an entire moderate apartment and is working OK (1 month old).Customer Review: Shame on honeywell. This thing stinks.
Summary: 3 Stars
This humidifier is a disappointment on so many levels it's hard to know where to start.
The cheap plastic construction assembles poorly. If it is not assembled exactly right (with much adjusting) it refuses to run.
Forget using the high fan setting unless you find the sound of a 747 soothing. The high fan speed is too loud to use while sleeping even if the unit is out in the hallway.
The water tanks will NOT stand up with the opening facing up. This make filling them difficult. It also makes placing the lid on full (heavy, wet) tank nearly impossible.
On my unit only one tank works. The other does not seat far enough to open the valve. Not that it matters since the unit sometimes stops working for no apparent reason 1/2 way through the tank that does work.
So I decided to call Honeywell. Guess what! Not only is this piece of junk not made by Honeywell, they don't even support it. The phone number goes to some 3rd rate outfit with a phone system designed to waste your time without actually letting you speak to a human. I never got a human and will have to try again tomorrow.
I am hoping they can fix it since draining it, packing it back up, and returning it (at my expense) will be a real pain. I will probably end up returning it and making it the seller's problem.
DO NOT BUY THIS.
Honeywell, why would you put your name on this junk?
(I would lower my initial 3 star rating but Amazon won't let me.)
UPDATE: I contacted the maker (KAZ, not honeywell as advertised). After being on hold for a long time (and dodging the many dead ends on the phone system) I got a service rep who basically said "Try wiggling the tanks." Apparently my choices are "wiggle" and "return". Very nice.
Wiggling the tanks does not fix the problem. I am an engineer and no matter how carefully I install the tanks, sometimes one does not drain at all.
Customer Review: Big Table-Top Unit
Summary: 3 Stars
This humidifier is a reasonable product, but let me clarify some issues for potential buyers:
1. It is listed as a "console" humidifier, but it is better described as a "large table top humidifier on wheels." If you like the features of a traditional console, or if you dislike table-top humidifiers, this will disappoint you.
2. It is rated at 11 gallons a day, and it probably can go through that much water, but the two tanks hold only 2 gallons each, so you would have to refill it 3 times a day to reach the full output capacity.
3. It is said to run "up to 24 hours" on a single fill, which is true only if you run it on the lowest setting. The highest setting will drain the tanks in 8 hours. I fill mine twice every day.
4. Some have pointed out that filling it will often drip water on the floor. This is true, but only a few drops and manageable unless you have a very sensitive floor.
5. Some have pointed out that the parts don't fit together well. This is true--it is often unclear if the main housing or bottles are seated properly, but there is no vibration or rattling so it isn't a big problem.
6. The tanks are of a odd shape, making them awkward to refill. The tank tops (which are the bottoms when inverted for filling) are curved and don't sit well, forcing you to steady the tank for the duration of the fill. Some edges of the tank are sharp angles, making it tricky to handle when turning over a full tank.
7. The tanks on my unit do not always drain properly. Sometimes I find the unit has turned off due to lack of water, but one tank is still completely full. Vendor is sending replacement tank caps. I've resolved short-term by adding a small washer to plunger on each tank to make sure it opens fully when tank is seated.
Overall, it is keeping my house at 40% RH, and I'm generally happy with it, but I do miss my old "console" unit.
Customer Review: Works well enough, with a few headaches...
Summary: 3 Stars
This is at least our third winter using this device, and it still puts out the humidity nicely. It is admittedly a bit noisy when running on 'high' (about as loud as a white noise machine), so I usually run it on medium unless I'm desperate to raise the humidity in the house.
Now for the headaches. The filter/wick device is supposed to be immersed in clean water daily. Accomplishing this without getting water everywhere (or carting around a large bucket) is nearly impossible, so I normally rotate(flip over) the filter once or twice daily. If you fail to keep it moist, the device will not humidify, and the filter will turn an unpleasant brown color where it has gotten dry.
The water tanks are somewhat bulky, requiring a deep sink (or a tall tap or hose) to fill. When placed for filling, the bottom of the tank slopes, requiring one to either hold the tank upright or wedge it against something. If wedged, accidental tipping becomes an issue.
If the lids are wet or over-tightened, opening them can be difficult, requiring a towel or gripper to get a firm hold. When setting the top of the humidifier back in place, the humidifier will not engage unless carefully aligned. Since it sits on the floor, minute adjustments to get it right can take a few tries. Lastly, in the past year one of the lids fails to drain properly unless coaxed and cajoled and reseated about 20 times. Once you get it all set right though, it'll run 14-16 hours on medium though.
We go through at least two filters per winter, and at about $20 each, they're not exactly inexpensive. I bought a case of them keep from running out. Once our supply gets low, or if the humidifier breaks down, I think I'll be searching for a filterless replacement.
Customer Review: The reviews for this are all generally correct - here's my summary
Summary: 3 Stars
The 6011i seems to be a three star product for me, but it appears to be one of the best 'of a bad bunch'. Amazing that the world of console humidifiers is so poorly served by the manufacturers. Here's what you need to know (and my opinion):
-Cost: seems like a lot for what you get - be prepared to pay for it again each year in filters and antimicrobial products. The filter (this evaporative unit 'wicks' the water through the filter which lasts 1-3 months and needs a Pro-tec aluminum sulfate/silver pellet insert to protect against mold. Do they make a large capacity quiet unit that doesn't need filters and anti mold products? Seems like not - darn!
-Quiet: Yes it's quiet enough on low only. Medium and High are loud. The plastic parts vibrate together. How hard would it have been to design some rubber pads to keep everything from sympathetic vibrations?! Goodness. You can make your own from sticky rubber feet or from bits of rubber bicycle tube, I suppose.
-11 gal capacity and refills: Why do these things always refill only from the bottom? If they made a refill port on top of the cannisters, you could just refill from a large watering can, or a hose. As the other reviewers have said, the handles make refilling unnecessarily wobbly, but it's not a big deal, really. My unit seems to go along on 'low' fan setting and keep the house (1800 sq ft) satisfactorily moist on a refil every two days. I wish they'd made the contours of the product different - they could have got more than just 11 gallons into the two independent refill canisters then - How about more capacity?
Should you buy it? I guess you should look around for a better one, but that said, I didn't find one.