This is the “I’m a wizard” approach. Fill a large pot with tap water, put a glass bowl in the middle, and cover it with a lid upside down. The steam hits the lid, turns back into liquid, and drips into your bowl.
It works, but it’s slow. You’ll stand there for 45 minutes, watching that lazy drip, drip, drip, like waiting for a co-worker to finish a story. The reward is a bowl of pure water that makes your humidifier sing a little tune.
Pro tip: put ice on top of the inverted lid. The cold speeds up condensation, because science is your friend when you’re impatient. Just don’t set off your smoke alarm—nobody needs that adrenaline rush.
The Microwave Shortcut (Dad Hack)
If you’re in a rush, toss a microwave-safe bowl of water in the microwave for two minutes. Then, carefully place a ceramic mug or another bowl inside that hot water—the steam will condense on the mug and you can collect it.
This is risky business. I once melted a plastic lid doing this, and my kitchen smelled like a sad campfire. Use only glass or ceramic, and use oven mitts. Your fingers are not made of asbestos.
The yield is tiny—like a shot glass of pure water. But hey, if your humidifier is coughing in the middle of the night, every drop counts. It’s the "emergency espresso shot" for your humidifier.
How to make distilled water for humidifier at home [2026 guide] - Best