BEMIS / Essick Air 737600 (5/04 manual configuration) review

BEMIS model 737600 is a three-speed evaporative humidifier in Owner’s Care and Use Manual 586 4170, revision 5/04. The manual’s useful distinctions are a removable 1¾-gallon bottle, an Air Care filter, and a running indicator lamp whose brightness varies with the selected motor speed. It is not the automatic-humidistat version in that manual; that is model 736200. This is an older-unit reference based on the manual, not evidence of a current 737600 offer.

Three speeds and a running light, not a humidity target

The 737600 gives an owner three airflow choices. The manual says higher motor speed moves more air and produces more humidification, while the low setting is intended for quieter overnight use or times when less output is needed. The running lamp reminds you that the machine is operating, and its intensity changes with motor speed. It is an operating indicator, not a humidity display or a measured performance readout.

That control distinction matters beside the 736200. Both are listed as three-speed models, but the manual specifically assigns the automatic humidistat to 736200 and the running lamp to 737600. Do not import the sibling’s humidistat into this one: the 737600 has no numeric room-humidity target established by the manual. If automatic cycling is essential, this older configuration is the wrong fit; if a simple manual speed choice and visible operating reminder suit an existing unit, its controls are easier to interpret.

What wick evaporation does—and does not do

The manual describes this as an evaporative humidifier: a fan pulls dry room air through a saturated wick and the water evaporates into the air. There is no heated warm-mist function or visible spray plume described. Minerals are retained in the wick rather than atomized into the room, but that does not mean the machine is self-cleaning. Mineral loading reduces wick performance, so cleaning and replacement remain part of the ownership routine.

The model table lists an Air Care filter with the 737600. The manual’s parts section names #1052 as the replacement air filter and SGL1040 as the replacement evaporative wick for the 700-series tabletop family. The filter and wick do different jobs; one is not a substitute for the other. On an older or secondhand unit, inspect what is actually installed and verify that replacement parts match the model before ordering. The manual’s care guidance is not perfectly consistent: one section says to change the wick at least annually, another says at least once per season, and hard water may require more frequent service. Follow the exact instructions and the wick’s condition rather than treating a single interval as a guarantee.

The bottle sets the refill routine

The 737600 uses a removable 1¾-gallon bottle. To refill, switch off and unplug, remove the bottle, open its cap, fill it at a sink or basin, close it, and seat it back in the base so its valve feeds the water channel. This is not an in-place top-fill humidifier. The bottle gives you a visible water level, but the manual does not promise a fixed number of hours per fill; actual runtime changes with room humidity, speed and wick condition. Carry a full bottle carefully because the manual warns that it can break if dropped.

The setup also needs a sensible location. The manual says to leave at least four inches from walls, avoid heat registers, keep airflow grilles clear and use a hard, level surface rather than soft carpet. The low setting is described as quiet, without a decibel figure. The manual identifies a polarized 120-volt AC supply but does not publish wattage, dimensions, coverage or a maximum daily output for this exact code. Do not convert the broad “localized rooms” use into a square-foot claim the source does not make.

Who should keep this manual

The 737600 is worth identifying when you already have the machine and need to tell it apart from the two-speed 726000/726905 or the humidistat-equipped 736200. It suits an existing-unit owner comfortable choosing speed and doing recurring wick care. It is a poor match if you require automatic humidity control, top filling, app control, heated mist, battery portability, dishwasher-safe parts or a verified room-area minimum; those capabilities are not established by this manual.

The manufacturer collection checked for this work did not establish a current exact-model sales offer. That is a boundary on buying evidence, not proof of permanent discontinuation, stock status or recall status, so this page does not recommend purchasing a 737600. If evaluating one you already own, check the model label, bottle and filter condition, running lamp and all three speeds; do not assume a used unit has the original filter. The manual-cover drawing shown here is a general illustration in the 700-series family manual, not a 737600-specific product photograph and not evidence of its controls or exact exterior details.