Crane Drop Review
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
This Product Crane Drop | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Awards | Best Bang for your Buck | ||||
Price | $55 List $39.98 at Amazon | $50 List $42.49 at Amazon | $44 List $43.99 at Amazon | $55 List $39.99 at Amazon | $50 List $29.97 at Amazon |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | Adequate for small rooms, but there are better low cost/small room models available | Affordable, feature-rich, and effective, this humidifier is a great all around choice | It doesn't have the most power, but this device gets the job done at an affordable price | The design of these humidifiers is pleasing, but you might want more for your money | This model checks a lot of boxes, unfortunately it's core functionality isn't great |
Rating Categories | Crane Drop | Dreo Smart HM311S | Levoit Dual 150 Ult... | Crane Adorables | AquaOasis Cool Mist |
Effectiveness (40%) | |||||
Ease of Cleaning (25%) | |||||
Convenience (20%) | |||||
Run Time (10%) | |||||
Operation Cost (5%) | |||||
Specs | Crane Drop | Dreo Smart HM311S | Levoit Dual 150 Ult... | Crane Adorables | AquaOasis Cool Mist |
Capacity | 1.0 gal | 1.0 gal | 0.8 gal | 1.0 gal | 0.5 gal |
Coverage Area | 500 sq. ft. | 300 sq. ft. | 290 sq. ft. | 500 sq. ft. | 400 sq.ft. |
Built in Humidistat | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Measured Noise (Low) | .5 dBa | 1.0 dBa | .5 dBa | .3 dBa | 2.0 dBa |
Measured Noise (Medium) | 1 dBa | 2 dBa | 1 dBa | 1 dBa | 3 dBa |
Measured Noise (High) | 2 dBa | 3 dBa | 1 dBa | 1 dBa | 3 dBa |
Nightlight | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Sleep Mode | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Available App | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Modes | Dial | 1-3, Auto | Dial | Dial | 1-3 |
Relative Humidity Range | None | 30-90 | None | None | None |
Warm Mist | No | No | No | No | No |
Auto Shutoff | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Filter Required | No | No | Optional | No | No |
Aromatherapy Capable | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Removable Tank | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Top Fill / Bottom Fill | Bottom | Top | Top | Bottom | Bottom |
Humidification Technology | Ultrasonic | Ultrasonic | Ultrasonic | Ultrasonic | Ultrasonic |
Manufacturer Dimensions | 13.4" x 8.6" x 8.6" | 10.2" x 11.0" x 5.5" | 11.6" x 7.2" x 8.1" | 12.8" x 7.0" x 7.0" | 10.0" x 4.0" x 5.0" |
Weight | 4.0 lbs | 3.0 lbs | 3.0 lbs | 2.7 lbs | 1.6 lbs |
Run Time (High) | 16 hr | 18 hr | 29 hr | 21 hr | 18 hr |
Relative Humidity Change 1 hr | 47.3% | 52.2% | 41.8% | 33.2% | 16.5% |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Crane Drop performs well as a humidifier for small rooms (100 square feet or less). But in that capacity, it is outclassed at almost every turn by other similarly-priced options.
Performance Comparison
Effectiveness
The Crane Drop had a mediocre performance in our humidifying testing, compared to other bigger modes, which isn't necessarily bad for a humidifier of this size — just not great. This appliance is suitable for small bedrooms or even a larger bedroom if you don't mind turning the humidifier on a couple of hours before bedtime. We tested this model in a 150 sq. ft. room, which is the average bedroom size, and it managed to change the relative humidity in the room by 47.8%. Overall, it's more effective than a few other compact options.
Ease of Cleaning
The Crane Drop is small enough that there isn't too much area to scrub, but it can sometimes be tricky to get all the nooks and crannies. In the end, it did okay in this metric. The water tank's opening is just under 2 inches wide, making access a bit difficult. You'll need a long-handled brush to reach every part of the tank. Apart from that, cleaning is fairly easy despite a couple of sharp corners. The instruction manual calls for a half-hour soak in a white vinegar solution, and many of the harder-to-clean components are dishwasher safe. We spent 15 minutes getting this machine completely clean (not including soaking time), which was on par with most other models.
Convenience
The Crane Drop yet again performed okay in this metric. The Crane features a simple, single-knob control panel that allows you to turn the unit on and select a mist level. However, the indicator is somewhat undefined, making the overall operation experience less than ideal. Additionally, it's designed for bottom filling, meaning you'll need to transport it to the sink whenever you want to fill it up. While it's small and easy to transport, we typically prefer a top fill design to minimize the chance of making a mess. There is also no humidistat, which aids in regulating the amount of humidity it delivers.
Run Time
To identify overall run time, we fill each humidifier with the minimal amount of water it needs to operate. We then run it on all available settings until it shuts off and proceed to add 50mL of water to the base of each appliance. This enables to calculate the total average running time for each humidifier. The Crane Drop will last an estimated 16 hours before the auto shut off at 125mL.
Operation Cost
The Crane Drop earned a higher score in our operating cost testing. It uses a decent amount of electricity for a humidifier, but runs at an efficient estimated monthly cost of $1.89. Given its overall affordable price, and somewhat low operation cost, it's quite economical overall. Keep in mind that costs will vary.
Should You Buy the Crane Drop?
Given its compact size, the Crane Drop humidifier performs relatively well, although its price (while affordable) places it in competition with more effective appliances. If a small footprint is a high priority for you, and you're willing to overlook its limitations, it may be worth considering.
What Other Humidifiers Should You Consider?
The Crane Drop is a fairly good, low-cost humidifier, but if you're looking for other budget options, the Dreo HM311S has a similar small stature, costs nearly the same, and is a better value overall. Plus it has a humidistat. If you want to step up to a full-sized humidifier to suit a larger space, you cannot go wrong with the top-performing Levoit Classic 300S Ultrasonic Smart. It's a more capable device across the board.