The 5 Best Dehumidifiers The Spruce Has Tested

Best Overall

Homelabs Dehumidifier with Wi-Fi

$200 $170 at Amazon View on Homelabs.com

We tested this sleek, smart option from HomeLabs in various rooms in our home (including near a bathroom and laundry room) in Iowa during weeks of high humidity and found it very effective. It doesn't have the highest moisture removal rate, but we found it to be sufficient if you don't have a serious moisture problem, and we love that the tank is big enough that you'll never need to empty it more than once each day, even if you don't take advantage of the continuous drain feature.

If you opt to empty this dehumidifier manually instead of using the continuous drain, we think you'll love its Wi-Fi connectivity, which allows it to alert your phone whenever it fills up. We like that it has the continuous drain option, but it lacks a pump, and not everyone has a floor drain available.

We loved all of this dehumidifier's features, including its built-in humidistat (which matched our external hygrometer, which we checked for accuracy). It also runs in several modes: continuous mode (always on), comfort mode (which automatically turns on and off according to a pre-set humidity level), and turbo mode (for really fast results in really humid spaces).

To get started, we just needed to put on the caster wheels. The unit came with two instruction manuals: one for setting up and operating the dehumidifier and one for setting up the app. We had no issues pairing the dehumidifier with our phone—the whole process only took two minutes—and we loved that it reminded us to turn on our Bluetooth to pair.

The tank was really easy to remove and dump out into our sink. Typically, we just rolled the whole dehumidifier closer to a bathroom, so we didn't have to carry the bucket far. But the handle has grooves that help keep it steady while carrying. We tested near a bathroom on a few occasions that typically get mildewy and noticed no mildew build-up while using the dehumidifier. We also found cleaning and removing the filter very easy, and we could wash it out in the sink.

During the same period, we also tested the Homelabs 50-Pint Dehumidifier with Pump in a coastal area in New York and found it very effective in our basement. So, if you like the look and features of the 22-pint model but need a larger unit with a pump, that is a great option. Keep in mind, though, that we found this dehumidifier distracting while watching television, so it might not be the best option in a very humid finished basement that you use often.

_{Room Size Coverage: 1,500 square feet | Moisture Removal: 22 pints/day | Bucket Capacity: Not listed | Drainage: Bucket, Continuous | Energy Star Certified: Yes | Dimensions: 21 x 12 x 17 inches | Weight: 36.3 pounds | Noise Level: Not listed}

Best Small

Eva-Dry Electric Petite Dehumidifier

$60 $56 at Amazon $64 at Walmart View on Eva-dry.com

Perfect for small spaces, the Eva-Dry Electric Petite Dehumidifier is an effective, compact, and affordable option that reduces humidity quickly. We tested this unit in a 10 x 10-foot bedroom in Des Moines, Iowa, and noticed a difference in the humidity in just under four hours. Although it doesn't have any special features and can't be programmed—it simply has an on/off switch—we found it easy to keep an eye on the small 16-ounce water tank, plus it has an indicator light that turns red when full.

The smaller size allows you to keep it on a shelf or in an out-of-the-way location, unlike the HomeLabs 22-Pint Dehumidifier with Wi-Fi (our best overall recommendation), which requires floor space. We noticed it was very quiet (the manufacturer lists it as 50.9 decibels, which is a little louder than a refrigerator hum), which also makes it a great option for small spaces. The tank slides in and out easily and is a breeze to clean.

You can’t set this model up for continuous use, so this is best for occasional use when you need to adjust the humidity level in a smaller space. We used this dehumidifier every day for six months in a small bedroom, emptying it consistently once a week, so take that into consideration if that seems like more work than you want to do.

We noticed a difference in the air quality in our bedroom over time and felt that it helped relieve our allergies and even our cat's allergies. We've cleaned it once a week with water (it has no filter) and have found no build-up in the tank. Despite its limitations, we do think this model is a great option at under $100, the lowest price on our list.

_{Room Size Coverage: 225 square feet | Moisture Removal Rate: Not listed | Bucket Capacity: 1 pint | Drainage: Bucket | Energy Star Certified: No | Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.5 x 5.3 inches | Weight: 3.5 pounds | Noise Level: 50.9 dB}

Best for Basements

Whynter Energy Star Portable Dehumidifier with Pump

$250 at Amazon $323 at Home Depot

After testing for six months, almost continuously, we found that the Whynter Portable Dehumidifier has everything you need to handle a humid basement. It can remove 50 pints of moisture from the air daily (tied for the highest on this list), has a huge 4,000-square-foot coverage area, and has a continuous drain feature with a built-in pump. It also comes with a 16.5-foot drain hose, so you don’t need to buy anything extra to take advantage of the continuous drain.

The bucket is a little small compared to the moisture removal capacity—it fills up fast and is kind of awkward to remove and empty. We recommend setting up the continuous drain system and leaving this dehumidifier to do its job. We tried it without a drain hose connected initially, but our basement was very humid, so we had to empty the bucket often.

After the initial run with the water tank in place, we set the humidistat to the desired humidity and then left it alone. We were impressed with how well it cleared out the humidity, and the built-in humidistat was very close to the readings we took with a humidity tester, so we never needed to monitor it constantly.

With the drain hose hooked up, it pumped water out and up into a sink drain without any issues (or a tank to empty and clean), with no clogging or any other problems. We removed the filter about every two weeks to wash and vacuum it as recommended in the instructions at first. When we found that it didn't get dirty fast enough to warrant that, we settled into a routine of cleaning the filter and checking the hose for blockages once a month.

After over six months of running all day every day (we only shut it down twice when we weren't home), the only issue we had with this dehumidifier was that it made a lot of noise, especially in the highest fan setting. That isn’t an issue if you use your basement for things like storage and laundry, but you may need to turn it to a lower setting if you have a TV room in your basement or want to hold a quiet conversation in the same room as this dehumidifier.

_{Room Size Coverage: 4,000 square feet | Moisture Removal: 50 pints/day | Bucket Capacity: 18 pints | Drainage: Bucket, Continuous | Energy Star Certified: Yes | Dimensions: 23.25 x 14.5 x 11.25 inches | Weight: 44 pounds | Noise Level: 50 dB}

Best for Bedrooms

Insignia NS-DH35WH1 35 Pint Dehumidifier

$175 at Best Buy

This Insignia dehumidifier works well in bedrooms because it’s relatively quiet during operation, has an easy-to-empty water tank, and has plenty of moisture removal capacity for even the largest primary bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and spacious walk-in closets.

The bedroom we used this dehumidifier has an attached bathroom without a vent fan, so we wanted to see how it handled humidity spikes following steamy showers. We set it to comfort mode, so it only turns on when needed, and noticed that it jumps into action whenever we run our shower.

We were impressed when this dehumidifier completely took care of the humidity problem in our bedroom, rapidly bringing it back down to a comfortable level after each shower. After six months of daily use, it continues to work effectively, keeping our humidity levels comfortable and consistent.

This dehumidifier has a relatively high noise rating of 56.5 decibels (one of the highest we’ve tested). Still, in practice, we found it quiet enough to watch TV, hold normal conversations, and sleep undisturbed. It may be too much if you can’t sleep with a little white noise, but it didn’t disturb our sleep at all.

It wasn’t an issue for us since there was a bathroom close at hand, but it is important to note that this dehumidifier has a fairly small water tank. It has a continuous drain mode but no pump, so you can only use it with a floor drain unless you add an external pump. The tank is very easy to remove and empty, though, and it has two indicators that let you know when it’s ready to empty.

The filter is just as easy to access, and it cleans up nicely with a bit of water. We settled into a routine of emptying the tank every week or two, cleaning the tank, and also rinsing the filter. We didn't notice any buildup of dirt or grime with that schedule, but you may need to clean if more often. We recommend checking the tank and filter more often than that at first since your home may be more humid, and pets, dust, and other factors could cause the filter to clog faster.

_{Room Size Coverage: 2,000 square feet | Moisture Removal: 35 pints/day | Bucket Capacity: 12.6 pints | Drainage: Bucket, Continuous | Energy Star Certified: Yes | Dimensions: 24.4 x 16.8 x 11.7 inches inches | Weight: 39.24 pounds | Noise Level: 56.5 dB}

Best for Large Spaces

Black+Decker BDT50WTB 50-Pint 2-Speed Dehumidifier

$305 $240 at Amazon $220 at Wayfair $215 at Home Depot

If you have a large area where the humidity is too high, you need a powerful dehumidifier that can remove a lot of moisture from the air. Our favorite option for large areas is this Black+Decker dehumidifier, because it’s capable of pulling 50 pints of water out of the air each day, and it comes with a drain hose if you have a convenient floor drain available.

This dehumidifier is rated to cover up to 4,500 square feet, so it can dehumidify an entire house if your airflow is adequate (closed doors and a lack of air movement between rooms notwithstanding). We used one in a kitchen and a family room for three months, and it maintained a comfortable humidity level in both areas without any issues.

We were especially impressed when we used this in a kitchen during rainy weather. The kitchen area would always grow uncomfortably humid during rainstorms, but that wasn’t an issue with this dehumidifier in place. It reduced the humidity and maintained a dry enough environment for candy making, which was quite an unexpected treat as we would normally have to wait for dryer weather.

This dehumidifier is very noisy at the highest level, but the lower settings were quiet enough to allow normal conversations in our kitchen and living room areas. If you find it too noisy, it has built-in wheels that make it easy to move to another room. It’s big and bulky, but it doesn’t take much effort to roll it around.

The only other real issue we encountered was that the water tank doesn’t have a viewing window or any other indication of its fullness. After using the dehumidifier for over six months, we found that we really needed to monitor it on humid days, or it would fill up and shut off automatically. Since it can gather up to 50 pints of water per day and only holds 14.3 pints, it can fill up fast.

If you won't be using the dehumidifier for any amount of time, we recommend fully draining and drying the drain bucket. We noticed mold-like grime building up between uses. Dumping the bucket is easy, but deep-cleaning it is difficult because some parts are hard to reach.

We love that this dehumidifier has a continuous drain feature and a drain hose, but it doesn’t have a pump. That means you need a floor drain if you want to use it in continuous drain mode. If you don’t, you can use a condensate removal pump to send collected moisture to a sink, bathtub, or toilet.

_{Room Size Coverage: 4,500 square feet | Moisture Removal: 50 pints/day | Bucket Capacity: 14.3 pints | Drainage: Bucket, Continuous | Energy Star Certified: Yes | Dimensions: 11.61 x 24.8 x 15.75 inches | Weight: 41.14 pounds | Noise Level: Not listed}