Best Dehumidifier for 2023
Take the swamp out of summer with an effective and efficient dehumidifier for your home.
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Humidity inside your home can be more than just uncomfortable. Not only can humidity make warm air feel even hotter and colder air feel colder, but humidity above a certain level can contribute to the growth of mold, which can be anathema to personal wellness, especially for allergy sufferers, as well as hazardous to the structure of your home.
Humidity isn't only problematic in regions with humid climates or seasons, though; certain rooms in your home that are prone to damp conditions such as a bathroom, laundry room, basement or any internal room that doesn't receive air circulation from windows can experience higher humidity regardless of the conditions outside.
Read more: Best Space Heater for 2023
We've previously brought you an expert-endorsed way to create your own humidifier and the best humidifiers to buy for a dry winter season. But if the dankness in your home is in need of a foil for those muggy summer months, we've dug deep into the reviews to find the five best dehumidifiers available in 2023 to bring your humidity troubles down to a more comfortable level.
Best dehumidifiers of 2023
Since dehumidifiers mainly rely on refrigeration technology to pull humidity out of the air in your home, it's no surprise that a company known for refrigerators tops this list. Frigidaire had at least one model on every "best dehumidifier" roundup I consulted.
While I especially like this 50-pint model for its large capacity and smart capability (it allows you to monitor the fullness of the collection tank remotely) depending on your size, budget and functionality needs, Frigidaire is basically always a steady choice. Most high-functioning dehumidifiers aren't winning any points for style, but this Frigidaire model has a clean, unobtrusive look. Reviewers online frequently noted a quick, drastic improvement of the humidity levels in the rooms where this was placed.
- Size: 12.7 by,15.9 by 24.75 inches
- Weight: 43 pounds
- Drainage style: Manual or hose
- Reach: Not specified
- Capacity: 50 pints
Best dehumidifier for basements
HomeLabs HME020031N
This HomeLabs dehumidifier purports to be able to manage the largest square footage among various models, perfect for managing an open-plan, damp basement, or other large space. According to Energy Star, it's one of the most energy-efficient options for dehumidifiers, on top of which its price is right in the middle of the range of the models we selected. While it runs slightly louder than our top choice, people frequently remarked on its ease of both assembly and use.
- Size: 11.93 by 15.43 by 24.41 inches
- Weight: 40 pounds
- Drainage style: Manual or hose
- Reach: 4,500 square feet
- Capacity: 50 pints
Best dehumidifier under $200
Midea MAD22C1AWS
If you live with humid summers, an easy way to cut down on your monthly energy bill is to run a dehumidifier and fan in your bedroom rather than rely on central air conditioning to cool every unoccupied room in your house overnight. For bedroom needs, you probably require less power and reach, but the noise level of the unit becomes a bigger concern.
This Midea model has one of the lowest decibels available, with user reviews reporting it was no louder than an average fan and emits none of the vibrating or shuddering noises that some models can make. Midea also had a strong showing among various review sites overall, with several models being designated best compact, best budget or quietest dehumidifier.
- Size: 10.51 by 15.31 by 19.8inches
- Weight: 33.5 pounds
- Drainage style: Manual or hose
- Reach: 1,500 square feet
- Capacity: 22 pints
Best for continuous drainage
GE ADEL50LZ (see update)
Update, August 17, 2023: This model number is very similar to the GE ADEL50LRL1, which is part of a recall from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission related to possible fire risk. We have removed the buying links while we determine if it's part of the recall or not.
Most of the dehumidifiers on this list offer a hose option for continuous drainage in addition to the manual functionality of just emptying the internal reservoir when necessary. This GE model, however, was the fan favorite when it came to the ease and effectiveness of its continuous drainage capabilities. You can set it and forget it with confidence, allowing a pump and hose to ferry water out of the reservoir and into a nearby drain without only relying on gravity. This is also one of only a few models that come in black, a potentially less conspicuous option depending on your decor and placement.
- Size: 11.38 by 14.76 by 24.02 inches
- Weight: 43 pounds
- Drainage style: Manual or hose, including pump
- Reach: 4,500 square feet
- Capacity: 50 pints
Best small dehumidifier
Pro-Breeze
A solid dehumidifier that can run continuously for many hours without needing its tanked drained and that can reduce the humidity in your home by a noticeable level is typically going to run you at least $150. If you're not ready for that kind of investment or want to test the waters -- pun intended -- in a small space on a smaller budget, this miniature model had some support among testing labs.
Highly portable and low on energy draw, the reservoir can only collect 13 ounces at once, so its primary use is in a small space like a bathroom or closet for a short amount of time. A small, inexpensive model such as this one, however, might be good to help you determine whether a more expensive dehumidifier can make a positive effect on your home environment.
- Size: 6.1 by 8.7 by 5.1 inches
- Weight: 1 pound
- Drainage style: Manual
- Reach: 1,100 cubic feet
- Capacity: 13 ounces
How we picked the best dehumidifiers
Our list of best dehumidifiers was aggregated from numerous review sites among models that had the most inclusions, as well as best-selling and top-rated models at major retailers such as Amazon, Home Depot and Lowe's. Only dehumidifiers that were Energy Star certified were considered for inclusion. I researched the dehumidifiers on this list by analyzing specs and user reviews, diving deep for mentions of persistent issues, and considering the available features and functionality compared to price as a measure of each model's overall value.
I focused primarily on those models that had extremely high user ratings, typically 4.5 and above with at least 1,000 unique ratings. While these were not tested in person in a lab environment, every dehumidifier on this list has been tested by numerous sites for high performance. Additionally, I was able to examine several in person in order to get a feel for their footprint, design and control panel.
Dehumidifiers compared
| Frigidaire FGAC5044W1 | HomeLabs HME010031N | Midea MAD22C1AWS | GE ADEL50AZ | Honeywell TP50AWKN | Eva-Dry EDV1100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size (inches) | 2.7 x 15.9 x 24.75 | 11.93 x 15.43 x 24.41 | 10.51 x 15.31 x 19.8 | 11.38 x 14.76 x 24.02 | 13.5 x 10.5 x 20.1 | 6.5 x 8.5 x 5.3 |
| Weight (pounds) | 43 lbs | 40 lbs | 33.5 lbs | 43 lbs | 33 lbs | 1 lb |
| Drainage | Manual or hose | Manual or hose | Manual or hose | Manual or hose plus pump | Manual or hose | Manual |
| Reach | Not specified | 4,500 square feet | 1,500 square feet | 4,500 square feet | 3,000 square feet | 1,100 cubic feet |
| Capacity | 50 pints | 50 pints | 22 pints | 50 pints | 50 pints | 16 ounces |
| MSRP | $335 | $250 | $160 | $289 | $291 | $40 |
Dehumidifier buying guide
Types of dehumidifiers
Some dehumidifiers are built with the option for a hose attachment.
Dehumidifiers typically work via condensation or desiccants, with condensation models being the most numerous and most effective. Among condensation dehumidifiers, some smaller units can only be drained manually, where the reservoir tank must be removed and emptied periodically. (Most dehumidifiers will shut off when their reservoir becomes full.) Many larger units are also built with the option for a hose attachment, where the dehumidifier can drain continuously through the hose directed to a sink or floor drain. While this primarily relies on gravity, some units also include a pump so that condensation can be directed upward to a sink for draining.
Dehumidifier size and volume
When choosing a dehumidifier, finding the right size for your space is critical.
Most dehumidifiers are classified according to their reach, the square footage you can expect to dehumidify, as well as their volume, usually measured in how many pints of water per day it can pull from the air. The typical reach for average floor model dehumidifiers is between 1,500 and 4,500 square feet. Capacity is usually between 20 and 70 pints of water per day. Note that this capacity does not necessarily indicate the volume of a given model's reservoir; in order to pull the maximum number of pints per day from the air, the unit must be allowed to continuously drain via a hose, or the reservoir must be drained manually as often as necessary.
As for the size of the dehumidifier itself, if you're trying to dehumidify an average size room in your home, (i.e. not a closet or bathroom,) dehumidifiers are typically going to be placed on the floor, and have a relatively large footprint. Those on this list are, on average, about 12 inches deep by 15 inches wide, with a height of about 24 inches. There are smaller units available that can sit on a counter, dresser, or desktop, but those will typically only be effective for dehumidifying small, enclosed spaces and have a significantly smaller capacity for collecting condensation.
Dehumidifier features
Dehumidifiers have a wide variety of controls, including sleep timers, custom humidity settings and multiple speeds.
In addition to reach and capacity, you may want to consider a number of other features when shopping for a dehumidifier. Certain models have smart-enabled capabilities, meaning you can monitor and control them remotely when they are connected to your home Wi-Fi. Models with pumps allow you to drain the water upward into a sink without relying on gravity. A defrost function might be an attractive feature if you are running your dehumidifier in a damp and cold environment. Dehumidifiers can also have a wide variety of controls, including sleep timers, custom humidity settings and multiple speeds.