The best air humidifiers in Australia

If you're a homebody like me, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the Australian winter. It's a chance to escape the heat, a chance to say no to making plans without feeling bad, put your phone on "do not disturb" and curl up in front of the TV.

But two things I don't love about winter are a stuffy nose and dry skin. If the air inside your home is too dry this chilly season, it might be time to think about a humidifier. But choosing a device is easier said than done. There are lots of things to think about, from care and maintenance to replacement parts  and health and safety risks.

But don't stress. We've done the hard work for you. Here's our take on all the major humidifiers on the market.

When it comes to price and features, we think you simply can't beat Breville's The Easy Mist Humidifier. It's one of the cheapest on the market and thanks to having no parts that need replacing, the $160 you shell out at the start will be the only money you'll need to spend on this humidifier for sinus problems.

You can choose from warm or cool mist which makes it great for year-round use, and it comes with the option to act as an aromatherapy diffuser with your own essential oils, which is a definite nice-to-have.

With a 5L tank, you shouldn't find yourself running out of water too fast. In addition, the Easy Mist Humidifier requires weekly cleaning and comes with a two-year warranty.

Our next pick is the Philips Series 1000 Air Humidifier. This is a no-frills device that's perfect as a baby humidifier or use as a humidifier for plants. This product's big claim to fame is that it uses what Philips call NanoCloud technology which, according to the brand, produces a mist so fine that it carries virtually no bacteria.

One thing to be aware of with the Philips Series 1000 is that the filter requires replacing once every three months. The replacement filters themselves are $9.95 each, but with an extra $10 to pay for postage, the cost can add up over time. We'd recommend ordering multiple replacements at once to cut down on postage costs. You can order your replacement filters on the Philips website.

The HU4706/70 requires weekly cleaning and comes with a two-year warranty.

While the Beurer LB55 asks for more than you'd ordinarily pay for an air humidifier, it more than makes up for that price in capacity and coverage. What's lacking here in bells and whistles is made up for by a 6L tank and an evaporation rate that's almost double that of the competition.

If you're willing to spend more, then the case for the Beurer LB55 is easy to make.

If you're looking for a humidifier to go in a small bedroom, the Beurer LB37 could be your best bet. It will cover rooms up to 20 metres squared and, as an ultrasonic humidifier, comes with lower noise levels than the two Breville devices.

Be aware, however, that unlike the Breville humidifier range, this device from Beurer requires cleaning once every three days, as opposed to weekly. Ultrasonic humidifiers tend to be more prone to bacterial emissions than other humidification technologies, so if you're likely to forget or not be bothered to clean it that often, you might want to look at other options.

Just like Breville's humidifiers, this device can also act as an essential oil diffuser.

The Beurer LB37 Air Humidifier comes with a three-year warranty.

Here's what to look out for when you're buying a humidifier in Australia:

• Check for room coverage (e.g. square metre coverage) - you don't want coverage that's too large or too small for your room.
• Check for burn/scalding risk - some warm mist humidifiers carry a burn or scalding warning in the product manual. Avoid these devices, especially if you have children. We excluded any devices carrying a burn risk warning from this round-up.
• Check for parts that need replacing - some devices have filters or other parts that need to be replaced as often as once every three months.
• Cleaning requirements - all humidifiers need to be regularly cleaned, but some require more frequent cleaning than others. Cleaning your humidifier is not just an annoyance, but a hygiene risk if you forget to do it.