I have tried different brand names including Crane and Vicks. If you have a humidity monitor at home, you will find that the Crane Penguin unit is really deceiving and does nothing more than a good-looking toy. Ironically, the unit still gets good reviews just because normally people won't bother to check the humidity level in their rooms. The Vicks does a better job in terms of increasing humidity. The Honeywell HCM-6009 is the best ever from my experience. It increase humidity quickly. If you have a big apartment and a house, this is the best choice.