I’ve been spoiling my sinuses this winter with the Air-O-Swiss 7135 humidifier. I should have made this investment long ago as no sinus sufferer should be without a good quality humidifier.

This humidifier is pricey at about $170 but I decided my sinus health was worth the investment, especially after dealing with inexpensive humidifiers in the past that were noisy and bacteria-breeding grounds.

The Air-O-Swiss is almost noiseless which makes it a winner for me. My husband who is a light sleeper is able to live with having it in the bedroom. It humidifies our master bedroom quickly which makes it unnecessary to keep it running all day.

Another feature that makes it a keeper is its lightness. I can pick up the removable water tank to refill it with no problem. I would prefer that it was a top-fill humidifier but once refilled it’s good to go for 24 hours.

Being able to choose either the cool and warm-mist setting is something else I’ve enjoyed having. During the cold winter where I live, the warm mist helps make the bedroom more comfortable for sleeping.

Some humidifiers leave a white dust residue in the room of use but the Air-O-Swiss has a demineralization cartridge that prevents this from happening. Another feature is an ionic silver stick that keeps the water pure by killing bacteria and viruses.

These features come with a downside in terms of maintenance costs. The ionic stick needs to be replaced annually, and new demineralization cartridges are needed every two to three months. A seasonal replacement package which includes two cartridges and one ionic stick costs about $65.

Weekly maintenance involves cleaning the tank with water. Occasionally, a decalcification cleaner is needed to removed deposits from the evaporation chamber.

This humidifier should not be operated with water that has been treated by a water softener. It will result in an increased incidence of white dust from the sodium in the softened water.

All in all, this humidifier will treat your sinuses well but it’s going to cost you some cash.