Do you struggle with high humidity levels in your home? If so, a dehumidifier might be the solution you need. Dehumidifiers are like superheroes for your home. They help get rid of extra moisture in the air, making your indoor space more comfy and healthy. Imagine a sponge soaking up water; well, dehumidifiers do the same but with air. They come in different shapes and sizes, so there’s one for every home. Whether you live in a place that’s always humid or just need some occasional help with dampness, a dehumidifier can make your indoor air better.
In this guide, we’ll explain why dehumidifiers are important, how they work, the different types you can choose from, and what to consider when picking the right one for your needs. We’ll also share a list of some great dehumidifiers you can buy, so you can create a more comfortable and healthier home environment.
Best Dehumidifiers: Our Top Picks
- Best Overall:Frigidaire 35-Pint Dehumidifier
- Best for Bathrooms: Midea 35-Pint Dehumidifier
- Best Budget: homeLabs Dehumidifier
- Best Smart: Honeywell 70-Pint Dehumidifier
- Best for Homes: Waykar 150-Pint Dehumidifier
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Best for Apartments: GE Dehumidifier with Built-in Pump at Amazon
- Best for Industrial: Waykar Commercial Dehumidifier
Why Dehumidifiers are Important:
- Health: Excessive humidity can lead to mold growth, dust mites, and allergens, which can trigger respiratory issues and allergies.
- Comfort: High humidity can make you feel hot and sticky, making it uncomfortable to be indoors.
- Property Preservation: Moisture can damage your home, causing peeling paint, rot, and structural issues.
- Energy Efficiency: Dehumidifiers can help your air conditioner work more efficiently, reducing energy costs.
How Dehumidifiers Work:
- Dehumidifiers draw in moist air.
- This air passes over cold coils inside the unit.
- The moisture condenses on the coils, turning into water.
- The dry air is then reheated and released back into the room.
- The collected water is either drained into a container or removed through a hose.
Top Rated Dehumidifiers
To help you find the best dehumidifier for your needs, here are some top options:
1. Frigidaire 35-Pint Dehumidifier
Price: $239
| Brand | Frigidaire |
| Floor Area | 4500 Square Feet |
| Color | White |
| Capacity | 35 Pints |
| Product Dimensions | 12.19″D x 15.97″W x 24.25″H |
| Number of Speeds | 3 |
| Item Weight | 40 Pounds |
The Frigidaire Dehumidifier offers a range of convenient features for efficient moisture control. Its washable filter is easy to clean and helps capture airborne dust, ensuring your dehumidifier stays in top working condition. This model operates at 110 Volts for effective performance.
You can enjoy personalized comfort with the Custom Humidity Control feature, allowing you to adjust the humidity levels in your room to your liking. It offers flexibility in managing moisture.
The Continuous Drain Option is a standout feature, eliminating the need for manual water bucket emptying. Instead, it provides continuous drainage, offering a hands-free solution to moisture removal.
Moreover, the dehumidifier boasts an Automatic Shut Off function, which activates when the water bucket is full, preventing potential spills or overflows.
For added convenience, the front-loading water bucket is equipped with a carrying handle and a splash guard. Its front placement ensures easy access when it’s time to empty, and the carry handle simplifies the process.
Pros:
- Large capacity
- Custom humidity control settings
- Automatic shut-off
Cons:
- The dehumidifier can be a bit loud, making it difficult to use in quieter spaces
2. Midea 35-Pint Dehumidifier
Price: $229.00
The Midea Energy Star Certified Dehumidifier is a reliable solution for maintaining the ideal humidity levels in your living spaces. It effectively removes up to 35 pints of moisture per day. It allows you to adjust the humidity setting to a range between 35% and 85%, ensuring a healthy and comfortable environment in areas like basements, bathrooms, bedrooms, offices, kitchens, cellars, or crawlspaces.
One standout feature is its ultra-quiet operation, registering only 47 decibels, which is quieter than your typical home refrigerator. This means you can enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep, read a book, or watch your favorite show without being disturbed by the noise of a traditional dehumidifier.
Moreover, this dehumidifier is ENERGY STAR Certified and recognized as the Most Efficient of ENERGY STAR 2023, making it an energy-efficient choice. It helps reduce your environmental impact and lowers your energy bills.
When it comes to maintenance, the Midea Dehumidifier offers simple drainage options. You can either empty the water tank when it’s full or connect a standard hose (not included) to the built-in socket for continuous draining. The unit features an automatic shut-off function when the tank is full. It restarts automatically after you’ve emptied the tank.
Pros:
- Ideal for large and medium-sized rooms
- Reusable air filter
- LED display
Cons:
- The design is relatively plain and may not blend in well with some home decor styles.
3. hOmeLabs Dehumidifier
Price: $259.97
| Brand | HOmeLabs |
| Floor Area | 4000 Square Feet |
| Color | White |
| Capacity | 50 Pints |
| Product Dimensions | 11.75″D x 15.75″W x 25.3″H |
| Item Weight | 42.5 Pounds |
| Material | Plastic |
The hOmeLabs Energy Star Dehumidifier with Pump is a powerful and efficient option for reducing humidity levels in large rooms and basements. The quiet operation and washable filter add to its convenience and user-friendliness.
Pros:
- Perfect for large rooms, basements, bathrooms, and laundry rooms
- Digital control panel
- Washable filter
Cons:
- The built-in pump may be prone to clogging or malfunctioning, which could cause the unit to stop working properly.
4. Honeywell 70-Pint Dehumidifier
Price: $309.99
| Brand | Honeywell |
| Floor Area | 4000 Square Feet |
| Color | White |
| Capacity | 50 Pints |
| Tank Volume | 14 Pints |
| Product Dimensions | 12.4″D x 15.75″W x 25.4″H |
| Number of Speeds | 2 |
The Honeywell 70 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier with Pump is a powerful and efficient option for reducing humidity levels in basements and large rooms up to 4000 sq. ft.
Pros:
- Built-in pump
- Mirage display
- Easy to clean
- Filter change alert
Cons:
- The Mirage display may be difficult to read in certain lighting conditions or from certain angles.
5. Waykar 150-Pint Dehumidifier
Price: $418.34
The Waykar 150 Pints Dehumidifier is apowerful solution that helps control the dampness in really big places like factories, big rooms, and homes with basements. It can remove a lot of extra water from the air, up to 150 pints every day. That’s like taking out buckets of water from the air! This dehumidifier is good for places as big as 7,000 square feet.
You won’t have to keep emptying it all the time because it has a big tank that holds 2.04 gallons of water. It also has a tube that you can attach so the water goes away by itself. This dehumidifier is important because it keeps places from getting too wet, which can cause problems like mold and bad smells. Whether you have a big warehouse or a large home, this dehumidifier can help you keep the air just right.
Pros:
- Energy Star certified
- Large 2.04-gallon water tank
- Automatic defrost function
- Auto-restart function
- Digital displayr
Cons:
- Large and heavy
- More expensive
6. GE APEL50LZ Dehumidifier with Built-in Pump
Price: $335
| Brand | GE |
| Floor Area | 4500 Square Feet |
| Color | Grey |
| Special Feature | Digital Display, Portable, Water Level Indicator, Removable Tank, Built-In Pump |
| Capacity | 50 Pints |
The GE Energy Star Portable Dehumidifier efficiently controls humidity levels. It can used in various living spaces, including basements, bedrooms, bathrooms, garages, or large rooms up to 4500 square feet. With a 50-pint capacity, it effectively removes excess moisture from the air. It helps to create a more comfortable and healthier environment.
This dehumidifier boasts a built-in pump. It drain hose for both auto and manual drainage options, offering flexibility in managing the collected water. You can choose to set it up for continuous automatic drainage when the unit is near a suitable drain or manually empty the water tank as needed.
Its high energy efficiency and its ability to help you save on energy costs while reducing your carbon footprint.
The GE Energy Star Portable Dehumidifier provides a reliable and effective solution for maintaining a healthier and more comfortable indoor environment.
Pros:
- Efficient Moisture Control
- Built-in Pump
- Energy-Efficient:
- Large Capacity
Cons:
- Bulky Design
7. Waykar 296 Pint Large Commercial Dehumidifier
Price: $816.13
| Brand | Waykar |
| Floor Area | 8000 Square Feet |
| Color | Black/White |
| Special Feature | Quiet Operation |
| Capacity | 296 Pints |
| Product Dimensions | 17.4″D x 23.4″W x 34.3″H |
The Waykar 296 Pint industrial commercial dehumidifier can remove up to 296 pints (37 gallons) of water per day. I suitable for use in large areas like warehouses, grow rooms, basements, garages, cellars, workshops, libraries, laboratories, and small factories. It features intelligent touch control, allowing you to easily adjust it to your desired moisture level. The dehumidifier smartly senses the room’s humidity and automatically controls dehumidification to maintain preset humidity levels. It also has an automatic shut-off/on function, turning off when the room reaches the set humidity and restarting when humidity levels rise. This dehumidifier includes a power outage auto-restart function.
This industrial dehumidifier has a sleek and modern appearance and comes equipped with four universal wheels and two ergonomically placed handles for easy movement in your area. The back housing can be opened like a door, providing convenient storage for the included 39.4-inch long drain hose, eliminating the need to manually empty a water bucket.
Waykar offers comprehensive support for their dehumidifiers, including a 30-day money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the product. They also offers a one-year warranty, the option to extend the warranty for a second year, and lifetime expert technical support.
Pros:
- Intelligent Humidity Control
- Portable and Easy to Move
- Power Outage Auto-Restart
- Warranty and Support
Cons:
- Large and Heavy
How we test dehumidifiers?
Some common factors that are evaluated during testing include:
- Capacity: The dehumidifier’s capacity to remove moisture from the air is tested in different conditions, such as at different temperatures and humidity levels, to determine its efficiency.
- Energy efficiency: The energy consumption of the dehumidifier is measured to determine its energy efficiency rating. This involves monitoring the power consumption during operation and comparing it with the amount of moisture removed.
- Noise level: The noise level of the dehumidifier is measured to determine how loud it is during operation. This is important to ensure that the dehumidifier can be used in living spaces without causing a disturbance.
- Durability: The durability and build quality of the dehumidifier are evaluated to determine how well it can withstand regular use over time.
- Additional features: Other features such as the ease of use, portability, and additional features such as automatic shut off or digital controls are also evaluated during testing.
What to look for when shopping for a dehumidifier?
Here are some things to look for:
- Room Size: Consider the size of the room where you will be using the dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers are rated for different room sizes, so it’s important to choose one that can effectively remove moisture from the air in your space.
- Capacity: Dehumidifiers are also rated for their capacity to remove moisture from the air in terms of pints per day. Consider how much moisture you need to remove from the air and choose a dehumidifier with a capacity that matches your needs.
- Energy Efficiency: Dehumidifiers can consume a lot of energy, so it’s important to choose an energy-efficient model to save on your energy bill. Look for models with an Energy Star rating to ensure that you are getting a product that meets energy efficiency standards.
- Noise Level: Some dehumidifiers can be quite loud, which can be bothersome if you plan to use the device in a living space. Look for models that are designed to operate quietly, especially if you plan to use the device in a bedroom or other quiet area.
- Humidity Control: Some models come with features that allow you to control the humidity level in the room, such as a built-in humidistat. This can be helpful if you need to maintain a specific level of humidity to prevent damage to furniture or other items in the room.
- Drainage Options: Consider how you will be emptying the water from the dehumidifier. Some models require manual emptying of a water tank, while others have built-in pumps or can be attached to a drain hose for continuous drainage.
- Additional Features: Look for additional features such as automatic shut off, digital controls, and air filters to ensure that you are getting a model that meets your specific needs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, dehumidifiers play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy and comfortable indoor environment. They help reduce excess moisture in the air, which can lead to various issues such as mold growth, allergies, and discomfort. When choosing a dehumidifier, consider the size of the space you need to dehumidify, the humidity levels in your area, and any specific features that would best suit your needs.
FAQs
Q1: What’s the ideal humidity level for indoor spaces?
A comfortable indoor humidity level is typically between 30% and 50%. It may vary based on personal preferences and seasonal changes.
Q2: How do I empty the water collected by the dehumidifier?
Dehumidifiers come with a water collection container. Simply remove it, empty the water, and place it back. Some units also have continuous drainage options for convenient use.
Q3: Are there any maintenance tasks for dehumidifiers?
Regular maintenance includes cleaning or replacing the air filter, cleaning the coils, and checking drainage systems. Refer to the user manual for specific instructions.
Q4: Can a dehumidifier help with allergies and respiratory issues?
Yes, by reducing excess moisture, dehumidifiers can help minimize allergens like mold and dust mites, which can trigger allergies and respiratory problems.
Q5: Are there dehumidifiers suitable for basements or crawl spaces?
Yes, many dehumidifiers are designed for basement and crawl space use. They are often more robust and capable of handling larger areas.
Q6: Do dehumidifiers consume a lot of electricity?
The energy consumption of a dehumidifier varies.
Q7: Can a dehumidifier replace an air conditioner?
While dehumidifiers can make indoor spaces more comfortable, they are not a substitute for air conditioners when it comes to cooling. Both can complement each other for optimal comfort.
Q8: Can a dehumidifier be used year-round?
Yes, dehumidifiers can be used year-round to maintain ideal humidity levels. In the winter, they can help prevent moisture-related issues in colder months.
Q9: Are there smart dehumidifiers with remote control options?
Yes, some dehumidifiers come with smart features, allowing you to control them remotely using a smartphone app.
Q10: Can a dehumidifier help with odors in my home?
Yes, by reducing excess moisture, dehumidifiers can help control odors caused by mold, mildew, and bacteria. Some units also have odor-fighting features.