Buying guide
DO AWAY WITH DAMP AND CONDENSATION AND DRY YOUR CLOTHES INDOORS WHATEVER THE WEATHER WITHOUT HARMING YOUR HEALTH, USING A SMART NEW DEHUMIDIFIER
BEFORE YOU BUY
Living in a damp house has been associated with asthma, chest infections and allergies. What’s more, damp and mould can also eat away at your walls. A dehumidifier might help prevent nasty spores from becoming airborne.
Prices range between £30 and up to £300. Generally speaking, the higher the price, the more water you’ll be able to absorb. However, paying more upfront can mean a saving in the long run as you will have a more efficient machine.
Desiccant models use more power than a compressor model and generally, you won’t need that range in the UK. These use a heated absorbent material to extract water from the air into a tank.
Refrigerant (or compressor) models are usually a better bet as they work best at around 20C, which is what the average UK home sits at. It also means far less energy usage, so they are more affordable to run. They draw in air using a filter over cold coils, condensing air moisture which drips into the water tank.
Size is essential as you may need to dry a larger area than some dehumidifiers can handle. Generally, anything under 500ml is for confined spaces – cupboards, wardrobes or a single room at most. Step up to 5-10 litre machines, and you can clear a larger area of around 30 square metres, that is, a few rooms. If you want it to take on the whole house, you’ll need a 10-20 litre machine.
1 BEST DEHUMIDIFIER OVERALL
CAPACITY 4.8L
EXTRACTION RATE 20ltr/day
MAX ROOM SIZE 4 bedroom house
NOISE 38-40dB
DIMENSIONS H61.8xW36.6xD27.2cm
WEIGHT 15kg
PRICE £259.99
This dehumidifier features a digital display and water level indicator. The device also has an auto shut-off feature, a washable filter and laundry mode, plus castors to make it easier to move around. Unfortunately, the tank is relatively small at 4.8L, but this isn’t a huge problem unless you particularly mind needing to empty it frequently. During testing, we found ourselves emptying it around three times per week, which isn’t bad.
REASON TO BUY HEPA 13 filtration with lower energy consumption and a drain hose connection.
REASON TO AVOID Heavy and expensive.
RATING 4.5/5
2 BEST DEHUMIDIFIER FOR LAUNDRY
CAPACITY 2.1L
EXTRACTION RATE 16ltr/day
MAX ROOM SIZE 4 bedroom house
NOISE 40dB
DIMENSIONS H50.8x W33.4xL22cm
WEIGHT 9kg
PRICE £349.99
This is our top pick for those wanting an appliance that speeds up laundry drying
