I have been messing around with $30-60 humidifiers for like 3 years now. They all end up failing, and get all scaled up even if you clean them. So far, it's only been 3 weeks with this Air-O-Swiss, but there's no sign of scale anywhere at all. I don't know if the durability will be there, but most reviewers seem to have no trouble with this unit, so I'm hopeful - especially when it's been so perfect this far.I plan to use EZ-Cal to clean it every 3-4 weeks (we don't have hard water, so I don't need to do it every 2 weeks), and change the silver stick and tank filter as they recommend. Otherwise, this should be a great and low-maintenance product to own.It's your choice - spend more now, or spend more later. We chose to go cheap 3 years ago, and spent more than we would have if we just bought an Air-O-Swiss then. It is tough to spend nearly $200 on a humidifier when there are $40 options that seem good enough. But, in the end, we spent more on several cheap ones to keep replacing the ones that died, and then just bought the bullet and got the Air-O-Swiss. If you can afford it, you should just start with a quality product like this, and not worry anymore.

The main advantage is its silent operation. One could not quite keep up with the size of the room so I bought another. They have been performing very well for three dry winter seasons.

I originally purchased this humidifier because of not having to deal with filters. Although I was looking for the best price, it really didn't matter. I just wanted a top perfoming humidifier. By purchasing the Air-O-Swiss, I realize what a mistake I made. The unit is pricey and although I've followed the operational instructions to a "T" the mist from the unit leaves a sticky film on plastic, acrylic, glass, wood, stainless steel and metal. It's disgusting. I'm constantly wiping down things to get rid of the film. Before I made this purchase, i owned 3 humidifiers costing around $50. I am so sorry I got rid of those and opted for the Air-O-Swiss. They performed well and I never had a "sticky film." I've spoken with Air-O-Swiss reps and they recommend using distilled water. I would have to have many bottles of distilled water lying around to comstantly fill the humidifer tanks. All other humidifiers work well with tap water. Why doesn't the Air-O-Swiss? These units are overpriced and they constantly have to be maintained. Whatever you do, DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY! Stick with the cheaper units with filters. Air-O-Swiss is not worth the money and trouble.

i did a ton of research before i purchased this humidifier for a 12X12 bedroom. there was no clear cut consensus on "best" - they all had their pluses and minuses. this one has turned out fine for us (so far).the pros:1. it does a good job keeping the room humidified, which was most important to me.2. i like the hot and cold air options, and the sterilization by ion stick.3. it is pretty easy to clean (we always use distilled water, so we don't have major calcification issues) and you only need to do it once every 2 weeks or so.4. it looks pretty good (for a humidifier).the cons:1. it is a real pain to fill the water tank b/c you have to pick it up, flip it over and then fill it. i always have to keep a towel nearby because water invariably sloshes out during the process. i don't think the tank is too heavy when full, though. the tank has a nice handle that helps.2. the unit needs to be above the ground (i.e., on a table) so it's impossible to hide it.*** no durability score yet b/c we haven't had it long enough, but it has been fine so far.