So to give a bit of a background, I have hypermobile Ehlers Danlos syndrome. A common comorbidity of this is CVID (common variable immunodeficiency disease, obviously.) I feel like this could be me, as I am a lifelong, total non-smoker with chronic bronchitis, and I've had 3 MRSA infections, a tooth abscess (despite good dental hygiene, frequent various infections, and always being "the sick one."

Anyway, I have recently taken an interest in humidifiers. And that is where my nightmare begins.

See, I have no income because I am currently fighting for disability. A GoFundMe donation enabled me to proudly purchase my first ever humidifier, which was from a brand called PureGuardian. I regret the day I EVER bought that piece of garbage.

The first 3 months were great. I cleaned and refilled it diligently, and the extra moisture kept my airway from drying out, so infection could not set in and become essentially glued shut for a month.

Then one day I cleaned and refilled it. When I turned it on, it made a horrible, constant, loud rumbling noise. I called customer service, who wanted me to drive it to the nearest post office to ship it off for repairs. I can't drive due to my health, so they said "just this once," they'd have UPS pick it up. They expected me to just have a giant cardboard box and shipping tape lying around. I found a big box in the trash and spent all weekend looking for packing tape. I ended up having to weave the box flaps closed, leave a note for the UPS driver, and hope for the best. The UPS driver ended up waking up my roommate, and it was this whole crisis.

The humidifier eventually made it to headquarters for repairs, and I eventually got it back in the mail. For the first two days after I got it back, it was fine. Then problems started again. It would work (loudly) for 3 minutes, then shut off. Then work loudly, then shut off again. Wash, rinse, repeat. So it sounded like a neighbor was turning his lawnmower off and on, constantly, morning and night. It was keeping keeping me and my roommate awake.

So I called customer service again, and they wanted me to drive it to the post office again. They refused to give me a replacement, even though it has broken twice in the three months I've had it.

I figured it would be easier to just return it to the store where I got it from, so I called ahead to make sure they'd take it. They said yes. So despite my roommates and I having a car that won't make it on the expressway, I made arrangements with a friend to help me get to the store. And I when I got there, they refused to return it because it was still under warranty with PureGuardian. So they told me to call them. So that's a headache I'm having to deal with a THIRD time, and I still have no damn humidifier.

In the mean time, a friend of mine read about my grievances on social media, and offered to buy me a totally new humidifier. She wasn't worried about price as much. She just wanted me to choose a good one with a good warranty. I looked around on Amazon, but the reviews seemed iffy. So at her suggestion, I chose a Pure HumeXL humidifier from Target. It was $90 with a 5-year warranty, and she approved, so she bought it and had it shipped to my house.

When I got it, it was a happy day. I made an unboxing video and everything. The tank refilled from the bottom, which I thought was a bit odd, but I was so relieved and grateful that I didn't care. You know those barrels of of purified water you buy that you have to lift into the stand upside down? This was the same idea. Except this had a watertight lid that you screw closed after you refill it.

So day one was great. Day two, it stopped working. I tried everything the instructions suggested, but nothing helped. So I lifted the water tank out of the base, and the base was absolutely flooded with water. Not only that, but there was water all over the table, too. It was giant puddle. I had to clean it up with a beach towel because the mess was so big.

So I had to call their customer service number. Luckily, I still had the shipping box it arrived in as well as the product box itself. I don't have a printer, but thankfully, they made UPS bring the shipping label with them rather than making me print it out. Again, I weaved the box closed and left a note. They picked it up a few days ago, and a replacement will be here soon. And here I sit with STILL NO HUMIDIFIER.

I told my friend, and she wants to try again with this brand rather than do a return, so that's what's happening. If this one also doesn't work, she'll agree to just return it. At that point, she has agreed to let me look for a different one, as long as it's not as pricey. She is also mailing me an inexpensive backup humidifier in the mean time.

So after all that, I STILL have no humidifier, and I still have headache after headache to deal with. I cannot believe that something as simple as a humidifier has been this absurdly convoluted. It should not have to be this entire ordeal. I just want a damn humidifier!

So I am looking for ideas. Here's what I want in a humidifier:

1. A large-ish tank... I don't have the energy to refill it every single day. No little mini humidifiers.
2. Auto shut-off so it doesn't ruin the unit when it runs out of water while I'm asleep.
3. Cool mist is fine. Ultrasonic is preferrable.
4. Filter-free. I can't afford to keep buying filters.
5. Top loading. I would prefer not to have to turn the tank upside down once it's full. My joints and I would appreciate it.
6. Overall ease of use. It shouldn't be a constant interruption in my daily life.
7. If it has a light, I want the option to turn the light off.

Am I the only one who has had this much trouble with humidifiers??? What brand isn't going to brick after a few days?? I am BEYOND frustrated!!

Thanks!