The UK is notoriously humid, and damp creeping into homes can be a problem many Brits face – especially during the winter months.
One easy solution? Read on for our pick of the best dehumidifiers, which we’ve tried and tested ourselves.
Trapped moisture can build up quickly, causing damp spots in your home – and let’s face it, where there’s damp, mould isn’t far behind.
This is where a dehumidifiers could really earn its keep.
These nifty gadgets work by pulling excess moisture from the air, making it harder for mould spores, damp, and bacteria to make themselves at home in your home.
But with so many options out there, varying price tags, water storage capacities and additional features, how do you figure out which dehumidifier is the perfect fit for your household?
We tested a variety of dehumidifiers – from budget-friendly options to sleek, high-end designs – and in this article, you’ll find our top picks.
How we tested
Each dehumidifier we tested was put through its paces in a real-life home environment.
First up, the appearance – because, let’s face it, no one wants an eyesore in their home.
Price was a big factor too; it was important to see if spending more money resulted in a better product – read below to find out.
We tested how much water the dehumidifiers could hold before emptying (these less trips you make emptying a tank into your sink, the better).
Tech features like timers and humidity settings were also given the spotlight, and of course we assessed each of them on their performance.
Oh, and noise levels were a crucial part of each test, too. No one wants a machine that sounds like a jet engine!
Best dehumidifiers at a glance
- Best seller – Russell Hobbs 20L Black Dehumidifier
- Best for small homes – Devola 12L Compressor Dehumidifier
- Best overall – MeacoDry Arete One 12L Dehumidifier
- Best price to run – Conopu Dehumidifier
1. Russell Hobbs 20L Black Dehumidifier, £164
Russell Hobbs 20L Dehumidifier, £164
Pros: Chic, good for larger rooms, laundry function
Cons: Struggles when the tumble dryer is on
Rating: 9/10
The Russell Hobbs Black 20L Dehumidifier was one of the more chic models we tested.
We’re not sure when a law was passed stating that all dehumidifiers had to look like a white goods appliance.
But our stance is that if they can’t be attractive to look at, then they should at least be able to blend into the shadows
This one is still quite compact, and being on wheels, it’s super-easy to move around.
We will say the 3L water tank could be bigger — in some rooms we tested it in, it filled within five hours.
However, there is a continuous drainage feature, which could come in useful if you’ve got an inside drain, or don’t mind having a bucket out.
This product is perfect if you have a larger room (up to 50m²) and would also work well if you had an open plan space or a very humid medium-sized room.
It has a handy LED display which will tell you the starting humidity and then monitor the drop.
This model has a few different settings depending on what you need. When it’s in a conservatory (which can get very humid), we have it on the continuous setting.
It brought the humidity down from 82% to 60% in just a few hours of being switched on. The condensation was also gone from the windows in around an hour.
If we’re using it to help dry laundry in the lounge, we’ll use the ‘dryer’ setting. We were shocked when it dried my jeans in just a few hours!
Dimensions: 51cm x 35cm x 24.5cm, Weight: 14kg, Extraction capacity: 20L, Power consumption: 440W, Water tank: 3L
2. Devola 12L Compressor Dehumidifier, £139.99 £119.95
Devola 12L Compressor Dehumidifier,£139.99 £119.95
Pros: Compact size makes it good for smaller homes, handy display with humidity levels, sleek design, built-in air filter
Cons: 2L capacity means lots of emptying
Rating: 9/10
At 12L, the Devola Compressor Dehumidifier is the perfect size for smaller homes.
It’s unintrusive in both stature and noise; it’s less than half a metre tall and just over 25cm wide, and at just 36dB (a bare whisper), you’ll hardly notice it’s there.
Despite this, it’s very effective; it reduced the humidity from well over 70% (classed as “too high”) to under 60% (classed as “okay”) in under half an hour.
We also liked its sleek design; it has a modern, squared-off silhouette, and a circular light that indicates the humidity levels in the room.
Red means that the humidity levels are over 65%, green means it’s between 45% and 65%, while a blue light indicates under 45%.
There’s also a small screen on the top of the device that tells you the exact humidity.
Other handy features include a specific laundry drying mode and a removable air filter, which visibly extracts dust from its surroundings.
Its small size, however, means you will have to empty it frequently; we found ourselves emptying it at least once per day (often twice if we had washing drying).
Dimensions: 47 x 25.5 x 22 cm, Weight: 10.5kg, Extraction capacity: 12L, Power consumption: 185W Water tank: 2L
3. Conopu Dehumidifier, £49.99 £30.99
Conopu Dehumidifier, £49.99 £30.99
Pros: 8p for six hours, small, great for small spaces
Cons: Small, no laundry drying mode
Rating: 4/10
Dehumidifiers are also a good way to prevent mould and dampness in homes, and I’ve been trying to avoid using my storage heaters, which cost 77p an hour to run.
So I decided to turn my attempts towards using a dehumidifier to dry my clothes while combating the cost.
However, I found when it came to drying my laundry this particular dehumidifier was a flop.
While it promises to remove around 450ml, and the tank was certainly full after each cycle, it just didn’t seem to have the ability to help dry my items.
Although it was much cheaper than my storage heater, it just didn’t work for me.
However, that’s not to say it won’t have a positive impact on mould buildup in your home.
Dimensions: 25.6x15x15cm Weight: 1.25kg, Extraction capacity: 450m
4. MeacoDry Arete One 12L Dehumidifier, £179.99
MeacoDry Arete One 12L, £179.99
Pros: Tailored for UK climate, energy efficient, very easy to use
Cons: Upfront cost, styling
Rating: 9.5/10
Years of research and development went into creating this dehumidifier, and this Arete One is a compact machine that looks like the love child between a shredder and a kitchen bin (and not in a bad way!).
Unpredictable British weather is the basis behind the design, with a relative humidity of 60% for temperatures between 10°C and 20°C, and it really shows when you’re using it day-to-day.
It’s quite powerful and the 12L compressor machine with an accurate, advanced humidistat (which we verified independently), takes a reading every 30 minutes.
Why you may ask? Well, it adjusts itself so the output matches external conditions, shutting down in between to save energy.
Apart from its outstanding performance, I loved how straightforward it is to use.
You literally have a power button, a daily use button, a setting for drying clothes and a night mode. Bish, bash, bosh!
A couple of button pushes will put the machine in Smart Humidity Mode, which will take the air down to 55% humidity and switch off, although you can adjust the levels according to your needs.
If it detects levels have risen again, it will kick back into life with the fan speed and compressor automatically adjusting to moisture levels.
Night mode is quiet; there are no blinking lights, no obtrusive beeps and the speed of the fan powers down to its quietest mode.
I liked how portable it is – featuring easy-rolling wheels and a retractable carry handle, so you can transport it quickly between rooms or get it upstairs without too much effort.
It has received a 4.9-star rating on airconcentre with praises of its ‘great ease of use’, claiming that they had ‘no more condensation.’
Dimensions: 47cm x 32cm x 24cm, Weight: 10.9kg, Extraction capacity: 12L (24hrs), Power consumption: 165W, Water tank: 2.5L
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What should you look for in a dehumidifier?
We caught up with Chris Michael, Managing Director at Meaco, and he gave us the lowdown on what to keep in mind when shopping for a dehumidifier.
First up, he reckons that “energy efficiency is probably the most important consideration at present given the ongoing high electricity costs.”
Chris suggests having a good look at the wattage and size of the dehumidifier – they usually come in sizes like 10, 12, 20, and 25 litres.
By comparing models, you can figure out which one will be the most energy-efficient for your home especially when considering the growing cost of living.
Energy efficiency is probably the most important consideration at present given the ongoing high electricity costs.
Chris Michael
He warns, “It’s a false economy to buy a cheap dehumidifier that has a high wattage as the running costs will quickly surpass the initial purchase cost savings when compared to a low energy model.”
Consider slightly spennier pricepoints as it costs you more in the long run, if you buy a cheaper model to save the pennies initially.
Another handy tip from Chris? Look for a dehumidifier with a laundry mode.
He points out that this is especially useful now that more people are trying to avoid using energy-hungry tumble dryers to dry their washing indoors.
In his words, “In laundry mode, the machine runs for six hours, which is the average time it needs to dry a load of washing, then switches itself off to save on energy bills.”
Oh, and here’s another thing to think about – how noisy is it?
Since dehumidifiers tend to be on for most of the day, you’ll want one that doesn’t sound like a jet engine.
Chris explains, “Most dehumidifiers are placed in hallways or on landings and are often switched on overnight to dry wet washing.
Low noise is important so that people can sleep and live with these appliances.”
So, there you have it – energy efficiency, laundry mode, and low noise are the biggies when you’re picking out a dehumidifier.
What size dehumidifier is best?
Wondering what size dehumidifier you need?
Don’t worry, Chris Michael, Managing Director at Meaco, has broken it down nice so pick the right dehumidifier for your home.
What size dehumidifier for your house?
Bigger the home, bigger the dehumidifier Chris Michael, managing director at Meaco explains.
- Up to 2 bedroom flat house = 10L
- Up to 3 bedroom house = 12L
- Up to 4 bedroom house = 20L
- Up to 5 bedrooms or larger = 25L
Make sure to do your research before buying to avoid disappointment by picking a product not suitable for the size of the space.
Chris points out that it’s not just about the size of your home.
He explains, “the number of occupants and how damp the property gets are other variables to consider when choosing a more powerful model than shown above.”
The number of occupants and how damp the property gets are other variables to consider when choosing a more powerful model than shown above.
Chris Michael
So, if you’ve got a big family or your home tends to get extra damp, you might need to size up to a more powerful dehumidifier.
How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier?
Trying to work out the costs before you invest in a dehumidifier?
It all comes down to a few things: the appliance’s litre capacity, its wattage, and a bit of quick maths using the average unit price for dual fuel customers on standard variable tariffs, which is currently 34p per kWh.
To give you an idea, let’s take a 12L dehumidifier.
It uses about 160 watts, which works out to 0.16 kWh.
At 34p per kWh, that means running it for an hour will cost just over 5p. Not bad, right?
Most of the dehumidifiers we’ve featured come with smart modes and built-in humidistats – which means they’re not chugging away 24 hours a day.
They’ll only kick in when needed, saving you even more on running costs. Win win!
How much do dehumidifiers cost?
Similar to most products, dehumidifiers can come in a wide variety of prices.
Unfortunately, dehumidifiers aren’t the cheapest household accessories.
However, as Meaco Managing Director Chris Michael says: “It’s a false economy to buy a cheap dehumidifier that has a high wattage as the running costs will quickly surpass the initial purchase cost savings when compared to a low energy model.”
On average shoppers, will be looking at around £50 for some of the cheaper variants, and it can range up to a few hundred for any on the more technical side that comes with more functionality and efficiency.
Costs don’t end at just the purchase, unfortunately: they’re mains-operated, so will use electricity.
However, most dehumidifiers are fairly cheap on energy – averaging at 5p per hour.
Where to buy dehumidifiers in the UK?
There’s a huge range of dehumidifiers on the market, and knowing what to buy and why can feel overwhelming when you have to fork out the cash.
A fair few retailers stock reputable and own-brand dehumidifiers.
It is important to buy products for your requirements and not because they’re on offer, Chris Michael explains that parting with your cash is worthwhile when it comes to dehumidifiers.
We spotted dehumidifiers for sale at popular retailers including:
Do dehumidifiers work?
Absolutely – especially if you follow the advice of Chris Michael above.
Admittedly, dehumidifiers perform way better in a heated room than in a chilly one.
Why? Because they need the air to be warmer than the cold surface inside the machine to do their thing properly.
Compressor models are happiest around 20ºC, which is bang on the average temperature of most UK homes.
Another top tip: keep those doors and windows shut while your dehumidifier’s running.
If you leave them open, the poor thing will have to work overtime trying to dehumidify a much bigger area.
Save it the hassle – and save yourself some energy costs too!
Can a dehumidifier remove dampness?
One of the main things a dehumidifier does is zap the moisture out of the air.
It matters because if the humidity in your house stays at 70% or higher for too long, you’re basically inviting mould to move in.
Its not only gross, but it really can negatively affect your health too.
To avoid that, you’ll want to bring those levels down to somewhere between 30% and 60%, especially in the colder months when dampness loves to hang around.
Now, how well your dehumidifier can sort this out depends on how sealed the room is.
For example, if you’re running it in a room and someone keeps leaving the door open, you’re just letting more damp air waft in – so it’s going to take longer to get the job done.
Its advised to keep the room properly shut off while the dehumidifier’s working – so it can focus on clearing the air without any interruptions. Simple as that!
This is why, to optimise the efficiency of the machine and rid an area of dampness, you need to keep the room totally enclosed.
Are dehumidifiers worth it in the UK?
Absolutely – for many shoppers this could be an essential purchase.
If you find condensation beading across your winters in the colder months, you’re in need of a humidifier.
If you don’t own a tumble dryer and you find yourself putting clothes on the radiator to dry them off during the winter, again, you need a dehumidifier.
This shortcut to getting your clothes dry might seem effective, but the amount of moisture sent throughout your home can lead to issues.
The first is the damp and mould that can often arrive in overly humid indoor conditions.
The second is a potential by-product of this mould growing in your home – it can affect those with health issues such as asthma and a weakened immune system.
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