Our testers used dehumidifiers from the top brands in their homes for two weeks, evaluating ease of setup, effectiveness, design, and additional features. Our best overall pick, the HomeLabs Energy Star Dehumidifier, is easy to use and maintain, has a large coverage area, and is sleek and compact.  Here are the best dehumidifiers. With supersized coverage for spaces up to 4,500 square feet, this dehumidifier from hOmeLabs is well-equipped to monitor and manage humidity levels in areas with temperature fluctuations. Thanks to a turbofan setting, you can increase circulation up to 188 CFM (cubic feet per minute), which gives the unit a leg up in particularly damp areas. This hOmeLabs unit is rated to remove 50 pints of moisture per day from the air via multiple modes of operation. The continuous mode is a good bet for really damp areas where around-the-clock moisture management is necessary, while a comfort mode allows the unit to adjust target humidity based on the ambient temperature of the space. There’s also a manual mode that lets you select the target humidity level and causes the unit to cycle on and off until meeting such conditions. After running it continuously for more than 7,500 hours, our tester found this model to be incredibly effective at doing the job. Its large tank capacity meant that she only had to empty it twice per day, and the wheels made it easy to maneuver in her basement—even over carpet. Plus, it has a sleek design that wasn’t an eyesore. These factors together earned the heater a dehumidifier a perfect five out of five in every category. Price at time of publish: $264 After using the unit in her home for three weeks, our tester found this dehumidifier best for use on a short-term basis. Depending on your needs, this could either be a good or a bad thing: it’s super lightweight and portable, but has an extremely limited tank capacity and requires a separate 3/4-inch drain hose for continuous operation. The dehumidifier also needs to be placed away from your walls when in use, taking up additional space in your room. For these reasons alone, it earned just a 3/5 for design. With that being said, there are plenty of features that our tester found useful: it runs quietly and has a reusable air filter. The control panel will alert you when it’s time to clean the filter—generally after about 250 hours of active use. Price at time of publish: $220 This dehumidifier can remove 1.6 pints of water from the air each day, and it operates at a super quiet range of 35 to 42 decibels. It’s perfect for spaces up to 200 square feet and the product includes an LED indicator that tells you when it’s time to empty the 1-liter water tank. After using it in her 50 square-foot bathroom, our tester found that this unit was more than capable of reducing post-shower humidity and keeping her bathroom free of mold and mildew. Despite being somewhat larger than expected, its sleek, modern design fit in seamlessly with her space. The dual functionality is what really sold our tester on this unit, earning it a five out of five in all categories. Overall, this is the perfect dehumidifier for RVs, laundry rooms, bathrooms, or bedrooms—essentially any small space where you want to reduce humidity, prevent mold, and clean the air all at once. Price at time of publish: $90 Because of its small size, the Eva-Dry is ideal for laundry rooms, bathrooms, closets, offices, RVs, and boats. It can sit on a counter or shelf to save space, and the noise from the unit’s small fan is negligible. At its low price, the Eva-Dry doesn’t boast a lot of extra features, but it has a simple on-off button, a full-tank indicator, and an automatic shutoff. Our tester appreciated how lightweight and easy to use the unit is, despite its somewhat dated design (it earned just a one out of five for this category). Though its reservoir only holds only 16 ounces of water at a time, the low price point and compact size still make it a worthy purchase for small spaces. Price at time of publish: $60 The small but efficient Pro Breeze dehumidifier uses thermo-electric technology to condense moisture from the air and it operates quietly. This dehumidifier is great for in spaces up to 250 square feet—including home offices, garages, and even RVs and boats. If you need coverage in multiple rooms, you may just need a few. Price at time of publish: $80 Operational in rooms up to 2,000 square feet, this model removes up to 50 pints of water per day, which it can drain straight into a sink, down a floor drain, or even out a window. When in continuous operation mode, the pump and hose work in tandem to make sure that the water reaches its final destination without issue. Otherwise, the unit will automatically shut off and alert you when the drain bucket reaches capacity. The LG’s draining system should already save you a few trips to the basement, laundry room, or wherever you set it up, but the accompanying SmartThinq app makes it so you don’t even have to get up to change the unit’s settings. Via the app, you can monitor the bucket’s capacity, set a target humidity level, and shut the unit off and on. Price at time of publish: $419 This whole house dehumidifier is compatible with HVAC systems in the basement, attic, crawlspace, or closet. It’s easily ducted into your existing heating and cooling system and can be positioned over a drain or connected to a hose to drain away moisture. The advantage to a model like this is the ability to set a target humidity level for the entire house. In addition, you don’t need to monitor or manage multiple water tanks. While this model is efficient, it may tend to be a bit noisy. But when installed alongside your HVAC system and tucked away in a basement or crawlspace, it’s unlikely to cause a problem. Price at time of publish: $2,466

What to Look for in a Dehumidifier

Pints per Day

The amount of liquid that a dehumidifier can remove from the air within a 24-hour period is typically measured in pints per day—though occasionally you’ll also see it labeled as gallons per day. Typically, the number of pints per day will be closely related to how big of a space the unit can dehumidify. Small capacity dehumidifiers are those that remove about 20 pints per day or less. These mini dehumidifiers are best-suited for bedrooms or bathrooms. Mid-size dehumidifiers will usually be able to remove 30 to 50 pints per day of moisture from the air, making them much more versatile for use in your home. The most robust portable dehumidifiers can suck 70 pints or more of moisture per day from the air. With the exception of mini dehumidifiers, there is often not much of a size difference between models capable of removing more pints per day versus units with more limited moisture-removing capacities.

Water Tank

The capacity of the water tank in your dehumidifier will dictate how often you need to empty the unit. If the tank becomes full, a float sensor inside the tank will cause the unit to shut off. It’s important to know that dehumidifiers with an increased ability to remove more pints per day of moisture from the air don’t have tank sizes to match since that would make the size of the unit huge! Instead, most standard-size dehumidifiers have tanks that only hold about 1 gallon of water (some hold a little more and some hold less). As a result, if you want the unit to keep working at maximum efficiency, you’ll either need to empty the tank multiple times per day or set the unit up to continuously drain.

Drainage

If you don’t want to frequently empty the water tank of your dehumidifier, you can look for a model that includes a built-in drain. The most simple drainage system is powered by gravity, but some units are equipped with a more powerful drainage pump. If you plan to use your dehumidifier in a basement with a nearby floor drain, a gravity drain may be sufficient. Just note that you’ll usually need to buy your own drainage hose to use with the dehumidifier. Make sure that the unit isn’t located too far from the drain and that there is at least a gentle slope to ensure that gravity can do its job to move the wastewater from the tank to the drain. If you want to power the water from the tank to just about anywhere, then a dehumidifier with a drainage pump is a better option. These dehumidifiers are equipped with a pump and included hose that can direct water up and out of the tank to a utility sink or any other drainage location within the reach of the hose. A third option to consider is buying an aftermarket dehumidifier pump that can connect to your unit and give you additional options for draining the collected moisture.

Electronic Controls

Some dehumidifiers are equipped with a digital display and keypad that makes operating the machine easier. Instead of turning knobs or simply powering the unit on, the electronic controls will let you set specific programs or tell the unit to stop running once a target level of humidity is reached (this is called an auto-humidistat). The advantage to a model equipped with electronic controls can be a lower electric bill, along with easier operation.

Warranty

The type and length of warranty coverage available on a dehumidifier often vary. Like many small home appliances, basic dehumidifiers are usually covered by a one-year warranty against defects in materials or workmanship. This warranty typically covers a replacement unit if your dehumidifier fails within the first year. For some manufacturers, this is where warranty coverage ends. Others, though, offer a longer limited warranty window in which parts like the compressor and coils of a refrigerant dehumidifier are covered. Read the details of any warranty policy on a dehumidifier you plan to purchase to understand what may be covered and what isn’t. 

Why Trust The Spruce?

This article was written by Erica Puisis, a freelance writer who has been contributing to The Spruce since 2017. To make this list, she considered each dehumidifier’s pints per day, water tank, drainage, and electronic controls. She also consulted reviews from The Spruce’s product testers, using their insights to inform her recommendations. Temperature is another important factor to consider. If you live in a very humid climate, or the room you’d like to put your dehumidifier in (like a basement) has higher levels of moisture, a standard machine may not work as well. You’ll then want to look for a high-capacity unit built to function more often than a standard machine. Most dehumidifier models have a simple filter to block large particles of dust and debris from entering the unit. These filters are often washable and a quick rinse with cool water is usually enough to clear the filter of accumulated particles, but you may need to use soap and rinse thoroughly if the filter is extra dirty. However, it’s also important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for filter replacement to make sure that this first line of defense against dust, pollens, and allergens is able to do its job. Another important step in cleaning your dehumidifier is to regularly wash and sanitize the water tank. The damp, warm environment where moisture collects can become a safe haven for bacteria or mildew to develop. Keep things fresh and clean by regularly emptying the water tank as mentioned above and never letting the stagnant water sit for an extended period. Additionally, it’s recommended to give your water tank a soapy scrub every few weeks to make sure that the tank stays sanitary. When you’re cleaning the tank, check to see if your model has a basket filter (a smaller filter inside the water tank). If so, make sure you rinse that smaller filter too.