There is nothing quite like the Smartmi Rainforest humidifier. Ostensibly, this is a humidifier like any other, designed to make your home feel comfortable and fresh. But beyond that, this product is all about the ambiance. It creates a soothing, rainforest-inspired show in your very own home: the magic of rainfall indoors. Let’s take a look.
Smartmi Rainforest features
This humidifier is marketed differently from most of what you’ll see available. Instead of being a warm mist or a cool mist humidifier, Smartmi says that the Rainforest is mist-free. The company claims that the product humidifies by simulating rainfall. You can both see and hear the rainfall through the clear component of this humidifier.
The Smartmi Rainforest is designed to be very functional for home use. It has an LED screen, real-time water level display, smart home integration, optional voice control, and a top-fill design. (Top-fill design is one of my personal “musts” for a humidifier—they’re so much easier to use!) It uses a washable, replaceable, and recyclable polymer filter and its extra-large water tank lasts for about 15 hours.
Is this a good humidifier for large spaces?
The Smartmi Rainforest has a 3-litre water tank that can run for up to 15 hours. It has a 200mL/h humidifying capacity.
I can’t find anywhere where Smartmi recommends its Rainforest humidifier for small, medium, or large rooms. However, the brand advertises the Rainforest as being able to filter the air of a 320 square foot room in under 20 minutes. Additionally, humidifier coverage is typically calculated using a formula of 1L per 100 square foot of coverage. So, as a humidifier with a 3L water tank, we can assume that the Smartmi Rainforest is a humidifier made for a medium-sized 300 sq. ft. room.
How can a humidifer be mist-free?
The technology used in the Rainforest is designed to simulate “the natural process of rain evaporating” using centrifugal force. According to Smartmi, the Rainforest essentially flings water droplets toward the clear product shell in tiny, continuous layers. This impact forms tiny water droplets and the room is humidified through airflow.
Other sources I found during my product research suggest that Smartmi is essentially using large-scale ultrasonic humidification for this process. This is what you’d expect to see in a tabletop vaporizer that’s meant to be used with essential oils as a home fragrance tool. The concept for this is, as I understand it, pretty much the same. By both processes, water is agitated in the product quickly enough that it exists in the cool air generated in the humidifier by a fan.
Cool mist vs. warm mist vs. water enhanced evaporation
Every type of humidifier operates differently and there are pros and cons to each.
Warm mist humidifiers are the “traditional” type of humidifier. They heat water until it reaches its natural evaporation point of roughly 100ºC, then release the water as steam. They’re a great way to add humidity to the air but need a fair amount of electricity to run. The mist that exists then is hot, which can be comforting in the winter and is great for melting products like minty decongestants (I’m thinking Vicks VapoRub) into the air when you’re sick. However, warm mist humidifiers can pose a danger to small children due to the hot mist they produce and their heating elements become caked in calcium deposits in locations with hard water. As a result, warm mist humidifiers are becoming less popular as they have a high maintenance requirement.
Cool mist humidifiers are a generally safer and lower-powered choice for humidification. They’re popular for families with children, but they’re noisier to run and pose a higher health risk when it comes to bacterial growth and mold spores (which isn’t an issue for warm mist humidifiers as their water reaches a boil). In locations with hard water, the calcium in the water that isn’t latching on to a heating element gets dispersed into the air instead. This means that cool mist humidifiers can leave a gritty film of calcium on nearby furniture and surfaces. (In my experience, this can reach over 400 sq. ft. from the humidifier.)
Because of the issues with both of these methods of humidification, Smartmi’s water enhanced evaporation technology sounds pretty alluring. I believe it has the same pros and cons as a cool mist humidifier, but because Smartmi does not make it clear on exactly how this process works, I can’t confirm that.
Setting up the Rainforest humidifier
To set up this humidifier, simply remove the foam ring (from shipping), stack its components, and plug in. Download the Smartmi Link app, then fill the water reservoir by pouring filtered water directly onto the top of the product. You pour the water directly on top of the LED dome for this product. It feels a little weird to do so, but weird in a cool way—my brain keeps going “wait, you’re going to short-circuit the product!” Followed by, “whoa, I can’t believe that part is waterproof.”
Because Smartmi is a Chinese company, the language used in its app can be a little clunky. However, the Rainforest performs and connects well, with stable 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connectivity and a super quick setup. If you need to move or adjust the Rainforest after setup, remember to lift it from the bottom as its different parts don’t securely lock into one another.
What’s it like to use the Smartmi Rainforest humidifier?
At its core, the Smartmi Rainforest humidifier is a simple, minimalistic product. Smartmi’s design team put a lot of work into creating a very unique way to humidify a room, but aside from the Rainforest’s “rain” feature, its functionality is limited. It can’t diffuse essential oils, function as just a fan, humidify large rooms, or even provide HEPA filtration—but for the one thing it was designed to do, it does a fantastic job. And, while I usually want a product that does it all, I really respect that this one focuses on its one real aim.
Out of the box, the Rainforest is a beautiful product. Once you fill it with water and turn it on, however, it’s really something. It looks so cool; serene, beautiful, and like nothing else I’ve seen on the market. I love that it features a top-fill design but that you’d never even guess where you fill it—every time I fill it, I feel almost like I’m doing something wrong!
The Rainforest isn’t designed for large spaces, but it comfortably raised the humidity level in my living room to 50% after about an hour and a half. It turns on automatically to “auto” and you can use voice or app control to fine-tune its settings. If you’re not a big fan of the Smartmi app, they’ve designed this product to work with Alexa, Hey Google, and Apple HomeKit, too.
Long-term Rainforest care and maintenance
I’ve had the Rainforest for a limited amount of time, but so far, I’m very pleased with it. For long-term use, I recommend cleaning the device frequently and, if possible, using soft or distilled water to run it. Smartmi has included a self-cleaning mode that’s designed to be used with water and citric acid, so if you’re worried about calcium buildup, there are definitely ways to tackle it when it comes.
Would I recommend the Rainforest humidifier to a friend?
Absolutely. As a humidifier, the Rainforest is a middle-of-the road product. You can find a humidifier that works just as well for a lot less money. But as a luxury product that really becomes a statement piece in your home, the Smartmi Rainforest is unbeatable. It’s uniquely beautiful and soothing. I can, and have, stared at the Rainforest for long stretches of time just to zone out during the day. There is nothing else on the market like it, which makes it very special.
Shop the Smartmi Rainforest humidifier at Best Buy today.
I would put it in my bedroom. Maybe a healthier sleep?
in my room for my allergies.
I would put it in my living room because it’s the room my whole family uses the most.
I would definitely put it in my living room where my family always watching tv together
I would put it in the bedroom as this would help our asthma and getting a good night sleep.
I would place the humidifier in my bedroom because the air is quite dry there.
I would put the humidifier in a bedroom, to keep the air fresh and lush.
I would put this in the bedroom because the air gets dry in the winter and this would certainly help.
I would put this in my bedroom because it gets dry in there and it would be lovely to sleep to!
In the living room since our TV is in there and we like to binge watch shows:)
My bedroom would get the humidifier so that I can have a great sleep in the winter
my bedroom, less nose bleeds
I would put it in my living room since my family spends the most time there.
The bedroom to help with the dry winter air!
My bedroom gets really dry at night in the winter, so I would definitely put it there.
I’ll put it in my bedroom for a better sleep !
I would love this in my home office – the sight and the sound would be an asset as well as the humidifier!
This would be ideal for the bedroom, hearing the rainfall would be conducive to sleep and with the additional moisture you would wake up refreshed 🙂 Great review!
I would put this in my bedroom because in the winter my nose and sinuses get so dry and I would love something to help me breathe better!
I would put the Rainforest humidifier in my living room because that’s where my family is hanging out all the time
I would put it in the bedroom as with my health issues I lay down frequently
I would use this in my living room as that is where most time is spent.
This humidifier would go in my bedroom to keep the air humid while I slept
I would put it in my bedrrom because it gets so dry in there in the winter
I live in a studio apartment where there are no walls between my “bedroom,” living room and kitchen. I would love to place this humidifier in my living room space— 1, because it’s so pretty I’d love to just stare at it, and 2) it would provide humidity relief between spaces.
I would definitely put this in my bedroom. It’s so dry in our house that its difficult to sleep well.
The family room would be my choice. The most used room so it would have the biggest impact.
I would definitely put it in my bedroom which helps to humidify my room during the winter
I’m all about multi-purpose, so I like the fact that the company claims that the product humidifies by simulating rainfall, and you can both see and hear the rainfall through the clear component of this humidifier.
In the bedroom for a nice wet sleep
I love this I’m putting in my bedroom to help me get a peaceful comfortable sleep
I would definitely put this in the bedroom. It would be so soothing while relaxing with a good book, then beneficial for a good night’s sleep.
I think I would place it in my childs bedroom as I think they would benefit from it the most.
I would put it in the bedroom. Dry winter air is what causes nasal issues.
I would put it in the upstairs hallway as all bathrrom and bedroom doors are left open so it will help with the dryness while sleeping.
I’d try this in my bedroom first to help with dryness during sleep.
I would put it in the family room.
A humidifier in the bedroom is good , in so many ways !
I would place it in my childs bedroom as I think they would benefit from it the most.
Hallway near the kitchen entrance. I like opening the door for fresh air.
In my home office
I would place it upstairs where our bedrooms are located.
Place it in the bedroom. I’m going to spend at least 8 hours there.
I put it in the bedroom
I would put the humidifier in upstairs bedrooms to combat dry air in the winter. I would also use one in the living/dining room area as an aid to help with stress reduction after a long day at work.
I think this would help with the overall health of everyone in our house during the long cold winters. I love how easy to use this item is!
I would put it in the bedroom. Dry winter air is what causes me to suffer with nasal issues.
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