Best Steam Inhalers: Warm Mist Vs Cool Mist | 2022 Awesome Buyer’s Guide

What is the best steam inhaler? Choose a model from a trusted brand to make sure that the device will do the job and help with your sinus and respiratory conditions. Also, the best personal steam inhaler should be portable and lightweight so that you could easily carry it with you. The device should be durable and made from quality material. Another thing to consider is ease of use. A good inhaler is user-friendly and will be easily operated by elderly people and children. All the buttons should be easy to press and features should not be complicated. We believe that Vicks Personal Sinus Steam Inhaler fits these criteria best.

Why have we chosen it? With a weight of 1.2 pounds, this sinus steam inhaler is easy to transport and use if you are traveling. Since the item measures only 5.2 x 8.6 inches, it will not take up much space and is compact enough. The device is safe and has a feature that turns it off automatically when the water tank is empty. You can effortlessly adjust the steam intensity for comfortable treatment. The unit warms the water quickly and can effectively work with tap water. A face mask is soft and pleasant to touch. It is a great product that will help you relieve sinus and breathing issues.

There are two different kinds of steam inhalers: cool mist inhalers which are usually quieter, filter the air, and they help relieve seasonal congestion and warm mist inhalers which are usually used for helping to relieve cold, killing bacteria that is in the air, and they provide a warm and comfortable feeling in the air.

Cool steam inhalers use less power than warm steam inhalers since they do not heat the water up and instead uses a built-in fan, but they require their filters to be changed regularly. Warm steam inhalers have built-in heating elements that can make a room feel warmer, but because they get really hot, they are not the safest option for children.

However, if you need an inhaler that has all of these functions, there are a few that have both functions built into them, but these can be harder to find and tend to not work as well.

TOP-3 Best Steam Inhalers

Below, you will find three best sinus steam inhalers of two different types — cool mist and warm mist. Vicks is a well-known and trusted brand selling over-the counter medications. This review features a warm mist personal steam inhaler. The other two brands, Kaprolife and FHLP, offer cool mist models.

Vicks Personal Sinus Steam Inhaler | Warm Mist

This is one of the few face steam inhalers that does not use a tube that is connected to the main unit. It can be used with the VapoPads for a quick 5 to 15-minute treatment, but it cannot hold enough water to be used longer or be used in bed to help you fall asleep. Still, this is one of the lightest models and is easy to transport and use if you are traveling.

What Do Buyers Say?

Nearly anyone who buys a steam inhaler vouches for their ability to help them breathe, but there are some who claim that they are not a cure-all for breathing issues.

There are several videos that you can watch whether you are trying to decide on an inhaler, want to know how to keep your inhaler clean, or you want to better understand the differences between inhalers and nebulizers.

In this video, Michael answers some of the questions about a Vicks inhaler, which he highly recommends. Before plugging in the device, make sure that it is switched off because the bottom section gets hot very quickly. Then, take a glass of water and pour the water right in the center of the base without exceeding the fill line. What Michael particularly likes about this inhaler is that it allows for controlling how much steam will come out of the mask into your sinus cavities. So put the mask on the base, lock it in and turn on the device. Keep in mind that as soon as the mask is mounted, the hot part of the base is not exposed anymore, while the rest of the base is safe to touch. Also, you should not put your face directly onto the mask, but you should rather hover over the top. Slowly inhale and exhale. Michael promises that after 15 minutes of such a treatment you will feel great.

Another video is called Steam Inhaler vs. Nebuliser for Singers. Adam has tried both of these items. As for the first one, Mabis Steam Inhaler, he used it to rehabilitate his voice. The unit has a water tank and the fill line. It has a separate small tank with a little hose for essential oils, so you can also use this inhaler as an oil diffuser. Adam says that he has used this thing for months and it has worked very well. The major issue he had with it is that it had to be plugged in all the time.

So Adam started to look for something more portable and checked out nebulizers. Originally, it was used to give medications to children, which is why it has such a kid-friendly design. But if you use just water, a nebuliser can do the same thing as a steam inhaler. Moreover, studies have shown that a nebuliser uses smaller droplets than a steam inhaler. This particular nebuliser comes with fine mesh and different attachments. The one goes directly into your mouth while the other one is a mask. The device comes with a charger and is a more portable option.  

11 Best-Selling Steam Inhalers Comparative Table

Kaprolife Compressor | Cool Mist

This steam inhaler has a regular design, the main part of the unit, the nebulizer, coming with the air tube, masks for children and adults, a mouthpiece, and more. Unlike most vaporizers and breathing units that normally have a noticeable and deep hum, this model is pretty silent and is one of the quietest models out there.

Portable Steam Compressor | Cool Mist

This model is less popular than the last one, possibly because of the fact that it is a little bit noisier and does not come with as many pieces. Also, the mouthpieces can be a little awkward to attach, but once it is on, the machine provides a steady amount of steam. One of the best features of this inhaler is that its lid is see-through so you can tell if it is nearly out of water or not.

Expert Opinion: Effectiveness And Indications For Use

According to Harvard University, inhaling steam can be a good way of relieving sinus pressure and pain/inflammation that are caused by conditions like allergies and/or sinusitis.

However, according to the results of a study that was posted on EurekAlert.org, steam inhalation did not improve the symptoms of sinusitis. The study was a randomized controlled trial that was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, and it was conducted on nearly 900 patients who lived all across the United Kingdom. After the span of 3 to 6 months, the researchers found that the results of breathing in steam did not affect the patients in the short and long-term.

On the other hand, using certain oils or Vicks breathers can help with keeping your airways clear and clean because of antibacterial and antiviral effects according to SinusCure.org. So, while it is the case that breathing in plain water with filters provides little to no relief or benefit, using special products like Vicks along with the water can be more effective for clearing your airways and keeping them clear.

Of course, using a steam inhaler once a day for severe pressure, inflammation, and/or allergy symptoms may not be enough to help relieve these conditions. Those at Asma and Allergy Foundation of America say that you should use steam inhalers at least 3 to 4 times a day at 10 to 15-minute intervals in order to see the best results from severe conditions like sinusitis.

Although the previously mentioned studies were conducted for major conditions like sinusitis, there have not been enough studies to show if steam inhalers do not work for other conditions like asthma, common cold, flu, throat exhaustion, allergies, and more. If the results from Sinus Cure are accurate, then these conditions can also be treated with steam inhalers if you were to use breathing products like that of Vicks and/or essential oils for aromatherapy. While the use of essential oils to help with health conditions is a bit of a controversy, they have been shown to have similar antiviral and antioxidant properties that medicine like Vicks has.

Beginner's Guide To Using Steam Inhalers

First, you will want to make sure that all of the pieces are recently sterilized and none of the pieces are damaged, especially the electrical cord and vaporizer/nebulizer. If there is any visible damage or you suspect that the unit is damaged, you should avoid plugging it in or using it until a professional has looked at it or you exchange it

Because each inhaler has a different design, the next step can be different depending on what your inhaler is like, but it is usually to fill the water reservoir to the appropriate line/amount. Most inhalers say that you can use tap water, but it is recommended that if you do not have a water filter or the water is not filtered well, you should use bottled water.

The next step can vary depending on if you have a warm or cool inhaler, but it usually involves waiting for a few minutes after turning the machine on so that it can have enough time to warm up or nebulize the water (depending on the type) to start producing enough steam for you to breathe in.

Once steam can be seen coming from the mouthpiece or the waiting period is over, you can start to use the steam inhaler as directed, usually from 5 to 30 minutes or so. After you are done using the inhaler, make sure you unplug the inhaler before emptying the remaining water out and cleaning the pieces of the machine.

If you are using a cool steam inhaler, you will also have to check the filters that it most likely comes with and change them on a regular basis according to the instructions.

What is a Steam Inhaler? Steam inhalers are also known as vaporizers, depending on the implementation in use. These are used to treat a number of respiratory and sinus ailments including bacterial/viral infections, congestion, bronchitis, pneumonia and much more. The principle at work is that steam, which is heated water vapor, can help to dilate the air passages and sinuses, as well as induce purging in the bronchioles in the lungs.

Steam inhalers may be a general form of humidifier which also distributes medication, or may be a direct inhalation similar to vaporizers. Regular water or medicated solutions can both be used with these, though it’s not a good idea for people with severe pulmonary issues to utilize one of these.

Steam inhalers can be corded or battery-powered, with the corded ones producing hotter steam, and the battery-powered ones being much more portable. These are similar, but not identical to nebulizers and vaporizers, with the difference being a focus on delivering actual steam to the breathing passages, rather than an ambient effect.

Steam inhalers can be prescribed, or purchased over the counter, though most medicated solutions for steam inhalers are largely prescription due to the gastric issues that excessive use of these medications can produce.

Do not use these around active electronics like PCs or other sensitive circuitry, as the steam can cause shorts or other issues.