My friend Clint asked me to recommend a humidifier for his apartment. As winter approaches, many of us in less-humid environments look to humidifiers to easy dry skin and asthma.  Ironically, humidifiers can be a source of allergens and mold that can worsen breathing problems if they're not cleaned properly or often enough.  Consumer Reports didn't provide advice on which models to buy, but they did say  don't buy one if you can't commit to cleaning it regularly.  Now that involves rinsing and drying the tank each time you refill it, and de-scaling (with vinegar) and disinfecting (with bleach) the humidifier "often," or "according to manufacturers instructions."  That sounded like too much work for me, let alone for Clint who has a full time job on top of a full-time school schedule.  And frankly, I can hardly imagine anyone having the patience for such maintenance.  So, while I can't really name one "best," I'm recommending the Honeywell HWM-500.  It uses UV light to kill bacteria, mold and spores, which for me, justifies the relatively higher price.  Buy it online for $75 at the Amazon Marketplace, $89 at JR.com, or $64 at iallergy.com.