REASONS TO BUY
Quiet
Simple design
Auto shut-off
Budget-friendly
REASONS TO AVOID
Difficult to clean tank
Not as effective
Safety 1st 360 Review
Basic, inexpensive option that is quiet but harder to clean and not as effective
Credit: Abriah Wofford
By Juliet Spurrier, MD ⋅ Mom-in-Chief ⋅ September 16, 2018
Contributions From: Bob Wofford
RELATED: The Best Baby Humidifiers
Our Verdict
The Safety 1st 360 is an ultrasonic humidifier with a compact design, variable mist output control, and dual-output mist jets. The Safety 1st offers the basic features required in a portable humidifier but it is challenging to clean with more nooks and crannies and a small opening for tank cleaning. With its budget-conscious list price, the Safety 1st has some likable qualities. Unfortunately, it isn't the most effective option, even in its price range and its overall average performance is disappointing compared to the competition resulting in a lower overall ranking.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Safety first started with a simple “Baby on Board” sign we all know. This company is over 30 years old, expanding to child home safety products soon after the success of their baby car badge. They now include a variety of baby gear products, including car seats, strollers, and humidifiers.
The area around the float and in the sharp upper corner of the Safety 1st can make it more difficult to keep clean, even when using a smaller brush to remove mineral deposits and mold.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Cleaning
The simple construction of the Safety 1st looks like it will be easy to clean at first blush with a mist tube that fits a bottle brush to the end, just barely. The smaller opening is a massive contributor to the lower cleaning score. However, the tank opening is small, and we couldn't get our hand or the brush all the way inside so you'll be stuck shaking the tank to get it clean. This process could create a less than clean feeling if minerals or bacteria collect inside the far end.
Also, the nooks and crannies, especially around the float area and mist diverter (above left), are challenging to clean, and any mineral deposits inside the float area will be virtually impossible to attack, even with a small brush (above right).
The mist diverter on the Safety 1st has two openings, both of which are challenging to clean and even our smallest brush struggled to reach the nooks inside the top diverter.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Effectiveness
The 360 isn't as effective as the competition with a below-average rating for effectiveness. The manufacturer claims this unit can humidify a maximum room area of 250 square feet. This range is average for a humidifier of this size and capacity, but our tests reveal it has a difficult time keeping up with the competition. This unit starts out strong with an initial output that quickly increases the humidity of the room until about 39 minutes. At this point, the effectiveness drops off, and the competition surpasses its capabilities leaving it behind. This option may work well if your goal is the surrounding crib area, but we aren't sure that 250 sq ft will be covered.
Noise
This humidifier is one of the quietest models in the group. The motor noise is faint, and we only notice occasional bubbling sounds as the water empties into the tank base. The maximum decibel for this unit is less than 40, making it one of the best in the bunch.
The Safety 1st user interface is very user-friendly, but the continuous variability of the dial can take some trial and error to find the sweet spot for humidification.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
The Safety 1st continues it's below-average performance for ease of use. While it features a basic variable mist output dial, it lacks features that make a humidifier user-friendly if left to its own devices. This unit is small and has a space-saving footprint that can work almost anywhere. While quiet and unobtrusive, this unit doesn't offer in place filling, so you'll need to remove the tank for refilling, something that can be challenging to do in the dark near a sleeping baby.
The Safety 1st water tank can stand on its own during refilling.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff
The tank itself is lightweight, though the thin construction could be an issue with durability down the line. The tank has a handle, and if you remove the mist spout, it can sort of stand on its own in the sink. However, as it fills with water, you'll want to help support it, so it doesn't tip and spill out all the contents. Removing the mist ports will also help prevent potential cracking that could happen as the weight of the tank increases with the water.
The opening on the Safety 1st is small and requires precise filling. It can also be difficult to clean and may require an extra long bottle brush to reach the tank in its entirety.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The tank capacity is only 0.9 gallons, making it the second smallest in the group with only the Honeywell HUL520 providing a lower capacity of only 0.5 gallons. The tank does offer more than enough water to provide mist through the night, but it requires daily refillings when used in this way. On the upside, regular refilling could be a benefit as it requires you to interact and inspect the tank regularly, which could result in less chance for mold and bacteria buildup. Also, if the tank runs out of water, the auto shut-off function will kick in to prevent the unit from running while empty.
The Safety 1st has the second smallest capacity. This smaller tank means you'll be filling it more often, but it also means a regular opportunity to inspect and wipe surfaces clean to avoid mold and bacteria buildup.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Safety 1st has an “on” light that you cannot turn off unless the unit is off. This free nightlight could be too bright for a light sleeper. You can turn the unit toward the wall to decrease the impact, but if additional lighting is a problem, you'll be stuck with this unit.
Manufacturer Video
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