Why Consumer Reports Called This Humidifier One Of The Worst Products Of 2025

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Appliances are generally expected to hit a minimum mark of doing what their name implies. After all, a dishwasher that doesn't clean dishes or a clothes dryer that leaves garments damp are pretty useless. According to Consumer Reports, the CarePod Cube Plus is such an appliance because their testing revealed that it falls flat in one major way — it doesn't adequately humidify.

This is a big bummer for multiple reasons, particularly the CarePod Cube Plus's price tag, which is listed currently on the brand's site for $399. That's a lot more than the more affordable humidifiers you'd find in the typical drugstore or big-box retailer. 

It's also unfortunate because CarePod seems to have solved some common and annoying problems that come with traditional models. If you've used one, you know that humidifiers can be one of the more challenging small home appliances to deal with, especially if you're buying from an unreliable brand. They have to be cleaned frequently, some must be filled with distilled water (who has time for that?), and the leak potential for certain models is frustratingly high. Still, they provide a valuable service for people who are sensitive to overly dry air, such as those with allergies or chronic nosebleeds. 

Compared with a lot of models that feature a ton of difficult to clean crevices, the CarePod Cube Plus is otherwise a real winner. Billed by the brand  as "The world's cleanest cool-and-warm-mist humidifier," it is reportedly easy to clean, thanks in large part to the stainless steel water tank that Carepod says prevents yucky mold build-up, which is usually a problem in some kitchen appliances.

The CarePod Cube Plus's easy to clean and use features aren't enough for Consumer Reports to get behind the product, because, "It's a humidifier that doesn't humidify enough, so nothing else matters." They determined this by having their testers measure how much water output the humidifier had during a one-day period. For a humidifier that's supposed to be able to service somewhere between 500 and 999 square feet, Consumer Reports determined that the output fell far short of that.

The reviews by users seem to be mixed, however. One such one-star review on Amazon said,"Run the thing all day and yet the humidity level in my bedroom stays at 24%; and the water level inside the humidifier never goes down. So yeah, doesn't work." It is worth noting that not everyone agrees with this summary. The majority of reviews on Amazon are five-star in nature, with one commenter saying, "it maintains target humidity reliably throughout the day and night." It's possible that user error is the culprit in some cases of customer dissatisfaction, but as with any other new appliance purchase, it's probably a good idea to hold onto the warranty, just in case.