The Best Dehumidifiers for the Muggiest Rooms in Your Home

From Popular Mechanics

If certain rooms in your home—like basements and bathrooms—are prone to high humidity, and you live in a climate where spring and summer’s warm air traps even more moisture, then you may want to consider getting a portable dehumidifier. The ideal humidity range indoors is between 30 and 50 percent, and once the moisture level gets any higher, your home may breed mold and mildew, or even get water damage. (On the other hand, if the humidity level gets below 30 percent in winter, you’ll also want a humidifier.) You can test the humidity levels in your home with an $11 hygrometer if you don’t already know them.

Dehumidifiers work by drawing in moist air (with a fan) through coils that cool the air and trap the excess moisture through condensation in a water reservoir, then spread dry air back into the room. Some dehumidifiers require you to regularly dump the tank, while others have the option of a passive, continuous drain system or a pump to expel water through a nearby sink or window. We took convenience features like these into consideration when selecting a variety of dehumidifiers that should work for your needs.

Check out the quick reviews below of the top five dehumidifiers, then scroll deeper for buying info and full reviews of these models plus other high-ranking options.

What Size Dehumidifier Do I Need?

There are two main characteristics to consider when selecting the right size dehumidifier: the size of your room and its humidity level. A dehumidifier’s size (or capacity) is based on how many pints of moisture it can remove per day. Here’s a general guide to match the size of dehumidifier to your room size and humidity level.

• 30-pint dehumidifier: rooms between 500 to 1,500 square feet

• 50-pint dehumidifier: rooms between 1,000 to 2,500 square feet with more humidity

• 70-pint dehumidifier: rooms over 1,500 square feet with very high humidity

Keep in mind that if you have very high humidity levels in smaller rooms, you still may want to size up to a larger unit. In addition, the temperature of the room matters, since cool air holds less moisture than warm air, so the dehumidifier has to work harder to remove the same amount of moisture from cool air than warm. As a result, cool but humid basements would require larger units. In general, it’s better to size up if you’re unsure.

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The Department of Energy (DOE) changed the standards for rating dehumidifiers in 2019. Before, their performance was gauged at 80 degrees, but they’ve since been tested at 65 degrees to better reflect how they’d perform in a cooler basement setting. This change doesn’t actually affect the performance of each model, but the DOE explained that dehumidifiers tested according to the new procedure will report smaller capacity. For instance, a dehumidifier that was rated to remove 50 pints of moisture in an 80-degree room may now only be rated to remove around 30 pints at 65 degrees. We reported on the humidifier capacity based on the new guidelines, but keep this in mind if you see varying pint sizes for one model. All of the models below are also Energy Star rated.

Other Dehumidifier Features to Consider

In addition to the right size, here are some other features you may want to look for in a dehumidifier that will make operating it easier.

• Continuous drain vs. pump: Most dehumidifiers allow you to connect a hose to continuously drain the machine, instead of having to regularly manually empty the water tank. However, unless you have the option of a nearby water drain in the floor, you may require a pump to send water to a sink or out a window.

• Filter indicator: Most dehumidifiers have washable filters, so an indicator will help you keep on top of washing it regularly (about once a week) to ensure the unit is running efficiently.

• Auto-humidistat: Some machines can sense the humidity levels, so you can set your preferred level, and the machine will auto adjust its fan settings accordingly.

• Auto-defrost: If you plan to place your dehumidifier in a cooler place, this feature is important to ensure ice doesn’t build up.

How We Selected and Rated Them

We researched nine expert sources such as Good Housekeeping, The Spruce, and Tom’s Guide, as well as 30,000 consumer reviews to select the best dehumidifiers of the year. Our Consumer Score represents the percentage of consumers who rated the product at least four out of five stars on retail and review sites like Amazon and Home Depot.

—BUILT-IN PUMP—

Frigidaire FFAP5033W1 50-Pint

Consumer Score: 91% give it 4 stars or more
One of the most versatile dehumidifiers, with a built-in pump and three fan speeds

Capacity: 50 pints | Drainage: Pump or 2-gallon tank | Dimensions: 24 x 16 x 12 in.

Rated to remove 50 pints of water per day, this Frigidaire dehumidifier is one of the most versatile options for most spaces. In addition to having a continuous drain option, it also has a built-in pump that can push water up to 16 fee
t. And if you must manually empty the reservoir, it does have one of the larger tank sizes at two gallons. This model also boasts three fan speeds to accommodate different room sizes and humidity levels, as well as an auto shut off and alert when the tank gets full. Its other thoughtful designs include hooks on the back of the machine to wrap the cord when not in use, a washable filter, and top and side handles and caster wheels that make it easy to move from room to room. If you don’t require a pump to remove water, you might want to instead consider the similar but lower priced and pump-less Frigidaire FFAD5033W1.

—AUTO MODE—

Honeywell TP50WK 30-Pint

Consumer Score: 86% give it 4 stars or more
Set your preferred humidity level; let the Honeywell do the work

Capacity: 30 pint | Drainage: Continuous drain or 7-pint tank | Dimensions: 20 x 13 x 11 in.

The Honeywell TP50WK was rated to remove 50 pints according to the older DOE standards, but at 65 degrees, it can remove around 30 pints of moisture from 3,000-square-foot rooms every 24 hours. The Honeywell is an excellent option if you want to be able to set your optimal humidity level and have the machine automatically adjust its setting to maintain that. It has smart digital controls, as well as alerts for a full tank and when the washable filter needs cleaning. Plus, the wheels and heavy-duty top handle allow you to move it fairly easily.

—SMART—

Frigidaire FGAC5044W1 50-Pint

Consumer Score: 90% give it 4 stars or more
Wi-Fi connectivity is useful for alerts when you have to empty the two-gallon tank

Capacity: 50 pint | Drainage: Continuous drain or 2-gallon tank | Dimensions: 25 x 16 x 12 in.

This Frigidaire model may look like the FFAP5033W1. But it’s equipped with smart features that make it stand out for those who want to connect their appliances to their Wi-Fi and control via an app or voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. While this model doesn’t have a pump, you can use a garden hose for passive draining or set your smartphone app to alert you to when the two-gallon tank is full and needs to be emptied. This model also has the same power and great design features as other 50-Pint Frigidaire models, like three fan speeds and convenient handles—you’ll just have to pay slightly more for the Wi-Fi connectivity.

—BEST VALUE—

Homelabs 22-Pint

Consumer Score: 94% give it 4 stars or more
An affordable model for smaller spaces, with thousands of positive reviews

Capacity: 22 pint | Drainage: Continuous drain or 1-gallon tank | Dimensions: 20 x 15 x 10 in.

With over 10,000 reviews on Amazon and an average rating of 4.7 stars, the Homelabs 1,500-square-foot dehumidifier is one of the most reliable picks you can get on a budget. This model is rated to remove 22 pints of moisture daily (or 30 according to the older DOE standard), so it’s ideal for small indoor spaces. Despite being compact and more affordable than other options, this model comes with all the features you’ll want like a continuous drain option, a touch control panel with auto restart and shut off, a customizable humidity level, and a turbo mode with a high fan speed.

—COMPACT—

Pro Breeze Electric Mini 16-Ounce

Consumer Score: 81% give it 4 stars or more
This tiny dehumidifier removes a bit of moisture from extra-small spaces like bathrooms and closets

Capacity: 16 ounces | Drainage: 16-ounce tank | Dimensions: 11 x 7 x 6 in.

If you aren’t looking for a unit of a dehumidifier for your basement or large living space, you may want to consider a much more compact and cheaper model like the Pro Breeze Electric Mini. This will only remove nine ounces of moisture from the air per day, but it’s quiet, compact, and energy efficient if you only need a small unit for tiny spaces under 150 square feet, say bathrooms and closets. Unlike most large dehumidifiers, the Electric Mini requires you to manually dump the tank, but it also has a light indicator and auto shut off for when it hits capacity. Because it only weights about two pounds, it’s also much easier to move around to different parts of your home.

—ANOTHER OPTION TO CONSIDER—

GE APER50LZ 50-Pint

Consumer Score: 91% give it 4 stars or more

Capacity: 50 pint | Drainage: Pump | Dimensions: 24 x 15 x 11 in.

Another 50-pint dehumidifier with a built-in pump like the Frigidaire, GE’s APER50LZ has a slightly lower price tag. But it also comes with smart features to set your ideal humidity level and auto adjust the fan setting accordingly. In addition to auto mode and auto defrost settings, it’ll alert you to when the filter needs to be cleaned or when the tank needs to be emptied. Its main (albeit minor) downsides are that its side handles are shallow and it doesn’t have anything to wrap the cord around, so it may be more of an inconvenience to move and store than others.

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