The 10 Best Dehumidifiers Of 2023, Tested By Southern Living

All Southerners know—it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.

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Southern Living / David Hattan

If humid Southern summers are leaving you feeling hot and sticky—or worse, leading to mold inside your home—then it might be time to invest in a dehumidifier. In order to choose the right dehumidifier it’s important to first understand how these appliances work: “First, the fan draws in air from the room and passes it over the cooling coil,” explains Shane Olsen, owner of Prime Sheet Metal Contracting. “Then, as the air cools, moisture condenses on the coil and drips into a collection container or is drained out. And, finally, the dehumidifier then releases the drier air back into the room.”

When shopping for dehumidifiers, you want to ensure they’re wide-reaching, able to retain large amounts of moisture, and relatively easy to clean. We tested 17 different kinds from various brands, evaluating them on factors like setup, effectiveness, ease of use, design, features, and value.

In addition to Olsen, we also received expert tips on shopping for dehumidifiers from Jennie Bergman, senior product manager of indoor environmental air quality at Trane Technologies, and Anthony Pinero, sales manager and manager of more than 20 HVAC technicians at Texas-based Dring Air Conditioning & Heating.

Amazon

It was among the most effective and consistent at removing moisture, and it’s WiFi-enabled.

There was a slight discrepancy between its humidity reading and our hygrometer’s reading, although the change in humidity levels was mostly consistent.

If you’re looking for a smart dehumidifier, it’s hard to go wrong with this one from Honeywell.

Although this dehumidifier took us a tad longer to assemble, about 15-20 minutes, the process was fairly straightforward thanks to its easy-to-digest directions.

When we first turned it on and tested the humidity levels using a hygrometer, the level read 60 percent. However, the reading on the machine’s built-in hygrometer read 50 percent. After 12 hours of run time, our hygrometer read 47 percent whereas the machine’s read 37 percent. Despite the discrepancy between the various hygrometer readings, the change in the humidity level was consistent. The same phenomenon occurred during our second use. On the third use, our hygrometer indicated a 15 percent change in humidity whereas the dehumidifier’s hygrometer indicated an 8 percent change in humidity. The average change in humidity across all our testing was -19.5 percent.

Overall, this humidifier was among the most effective and consistent in lowering the humidity across the board. We love its auto adjustable settings and presets that allow the machine to recognize certain humidity conditions and adjust accordingly. Additionally, we were able to set our location in the app, which helped the machine’s temperature control settings. The app also alerted us as to when it was time to replace the tank, although it also comes with a drain hose for continuous draining. Plus, it didn’t produce a bothersome noise while running. Although this dehumidifier is on the more expensive side, it’s worth the splurge for its WiFi connection and ability to remove moisture effectively.

Price at time of publish: $270

Southern Living / Stephanie Lewis

Amazon

The built-in pump allows you to send moisture vertically into a sink or out of a window, so you don’t have to worry about emptying the tank.

The continuous drain hose is sold separately.

If a pump is on your list of must-haves when shopping for dehumidifiers, look no further than this option from Frigidaire. Humidifiers with built-in pumps allow you to send moisture in an upward direction, either into a sink or out of a window, making them a convenient option for anyone who doesn’t want to worry about emptying a bucket or who doesn’t have a floor drain. Using the pump was easy and once we set it up, and we didn’t have to worry about the dehumidifier shutting off like we did when we were relying on the tank.

This dehumidifier was very heavy. It’s likely that you’re going to need the help of another person when unboxing. However, it does come fully assembled and has wheels and a collapsible handle that allows you to bring it from room to room, much like a rolling suitcase.

We tested this dehumidifier in an 1,800-square-foot room with no door. On average, it was able to reduce the humidity levels in the room by 8.4 percent, which we were pleased with given the size of the space. When we checked on the humidifier after 12 hours, it had shut off since the tank had reached capacity, so we do recommend using the pump system or the continuous drainage (for the latter, you’ll need to purchase a separate hose or use a garden hose). Although the machine does have a line to tell you when it’s getting close to the time to dump out the water, it was somewhat difficult to be seen without being relatively close to it.

With regard to the dehumidifier’s noise, we weren’t bothered by its humming sound and it couldn’t be heard from upstairs. In sum, this is a great humidifier for larger spaces, and it’s easy to transport from room to room.

Price at time of publish: $329

Southern Living / Mary Honeyman-Speichinger

Amazon

Although it comes with a built-in pump and continuous drainage, the large bucket can go for over a week without needing to be emptied.

A drain hose is not included.

The hOmeLabs 50-Pint Dehumidifier is ideal for those looking for a dehumidifier for their basement. We tested this dehumidifier in a 1,000-square-foot basement, although according to the manufacturer, it can be used in spaces up to 4,500 square feet. For our initial test, we did not hook up the drain hose or the pump, and it took a full 10 days for the bucket to fill up on the “Comfort” setting. For our second test, we took the dehumidifier off of the “Comfort” setting and switched it to a setting with a high fan speed. The time it took for the bucket to fill on this setting was drastically less, taking between 11-18 hours.

For our third test, we moved it to an upstairs dining room area, but found that the dehumidifier was more effective in the basement. On average, the humidity decreased by 12.1 percent after 12 hours. The decreased humidity not only improved the feel of the room, but it also got rid of any musky smell, too. We also like how accurate the machine’s humidistat reading was when compared to ours. However, we wish that the dehumidifier came with a drain hose (although you can use a garden hose).

Price at time of publish: $350

Southern Living / Jessica Christopher

Amazon

It’s the perfect size for smaller bedrooms and has a whisper-quiet operation.

It does not come with a humidistat.

If a dehumidifier for your bedroom is what you’re after, we’ve found the one for you. All it takes is about a minute to unbox and plug in before it’s ready to go. We tested this dehumidifier inside a 144-square foot room, which is similar in size to most bedrooms. To test the levels of humidity, we used our hygrometer since the machine does not come with a humidistat. On average, this dehumidifier was able to reduce humidity levels by 7.3 percent. There happened to be a storm that was passing by when we were testing the dehumidifier, and it was able to reduce the humidity that incurred as a result.

It is important to note that this dehumidifier has two settings (high and low) that can be run for four, eight, or an indefinite amount of hours. It’s also a very quiet machine that will ensure both a dry and peaceful night’s sleep.

Price at time of publish: $130

Southern Living / Dera Burreson

Amazon

It was among the most effective we tested for drastically reducing humidity levels in ultra-moist environments.

The humidistat readings did not match up with our hygrometer readings, and the power cord is short.

Many of us know how humid and steamy bathrooms can get after hot showers, which is where a bathroom dehumidifier comes in. Even though this dehumidifier is on the heavier side, we were able to easily set it up thanks to its thorough instruction manual and pop-out wheels. We were very impressed with its ability to quickly dry the air in a very moist and humid bathroom. During one test, the machine was able to decrease the humidity of a 63-square foot bathroom by nearly 56 percent. The average humidity change across all three tests was -32.6 percent, which was the largest difference out of all the dehumidifiers we tested.

Although we could have used the built-in pump, we manually emptied out the tank. Even then, the emptying process was made convenient thanks to its indicator light that would let us know when it was time to remove the collected water. Its filter was also simple to remove when it needed to be cleaned, so we didn’t have any difficulties when it came to cleaning the machine.

We were slightly concerned about this machine’s humidistat readings, as they consistently displayed a higher reading than our external one. We also wish its power cord was slightly longer, as it’s only 4.9 feet.

Price at time of publish: $270

Southern Living / Cara Milhaven

Amazon

It weighs just two pounds and only requires emptying every few days.

The plug did not fit into the outlet well.

This tiny but mighty dehumidifier is easy to take on the go, whether that’s to the office, in an RV, or anywhere else you may need it. After a few hours of running in a small bedroom, it felt noticeably less sticky. Furthermore, our allergies improved as a result of using this humidifier. On average, it was able to reduce humidity levels by 21.9 percent. You have to manually empty the tank—which was surprisingly easier than we expected. And, since the tank took three to four days to fill up, we didn’t have to constantly make trips to dump it out, which was a bonus.

The only downside of this dehumidifier was that its plug kept falling out of our power strip, and it was somewhat bothersome to have to regularly replug in the machine. However, for its lower price, easy maintenance, and effective dehumidifying job, we were able to overlook the constant replugging.

Price at time of publish: $60

Southern Living / Chrissy Tassin

Amazon

This is an effective dehumidifier with a simple cleaning process.

It does not come with a drain hose, and it’s louder than other models we tested.

Dehumidifiers are great, but when they are easy to clean, they are even better. We tested this dehumidifier in a 700-square foot wet basement with a sump pump. The instruction manual recommends running this machine on “continuous,” which is what we did. We did not hook up a hose, as one was not included. However, it can be attached to one if purchased separately. We were immediately impressed by how well it was able to dehumidify the space and reduce the unpleasant basement smell that arose, especially during warmer months. And even though it was able to dehumidify the air so effectively, it did not need to be emptied after the 12 hour mark.

The cleaning process is simple. Frigidaire recommends cleaning the filter every two weeks. You can simply pop open the back cover, pull out the filter, rinse it off, dry it, and put it back in place. Then dust the filter cover and wipe down the tank. Although we had a pleasant experience using this dehumidifier, it is important to keep in mind that it does emanate a louder noise than other machines. However, there are different fan speeds which can be selected to reduce the noise level.

Price at time of publish: $239

Southern Living / Sidney Burds

Walmart

It comes with multiple draining options, and the fan helps to cool things down.

It is on the louder side of those we tested.

Garage’s can become quite moist, which is why a dehumidifier, such as this one from GE, can make a big difference. Setting up this dehumidifier was easy and could be done by one person. And while it’s on the heavier side, it comes with pocket handles and hidden wheels, so it’s easy to move from one part of the garage to another.

This humidifier was able to reduce humidity levels in a 900-square foot space by an average of 26.7 percent. We knew it was time to empty it when we heard sounds coming from the machine. However, we’d prefer if there was a light or a different indicator in case we weren’t close enough to the machine to notice the sounds. We also didn’t like how loud it was, because we had to raise our voices when speaking when in close proximity to it.

When it came to emptying the bucket, we could do it ourselves without an extra hand, as the bucket was equipped with a handle, which made it easier to carry and empty. However, it comes with a drain hose and a built-in pump, so you can avoid manually emptying it should you prefer. We also liked how the machine had a built-in fan with multiple fan settings, as it helped to cool down the room.

Price at time of publish: $307

Southern Living / Sheila Tong

Amazon

The dehumidifier is so lightweight and compact that it can be stored in a carry-on or checked suitcase.

It doesn’t come with a humidistat.

Portable dehumidifiers like this one from Pro Breeze are great options, as you can move them from room to room in your home as you see fit. There was no setup process when it came to preparing this dehumidifier—all we had to do was plug it in. And, we liked the simplicity of the machine and how there are no confusing controls to learn—making it a great choice for someone who has not yet owned a dehumidifier or does not want to deal with the hassle of flipping through countless pages of instruction manuals.

This dehumidifier got to work within seconds of turning it on, as the room we tested it in almost instantly became cooler and easier to breathe in, reducing the humidity by an average of 11.3 percent. Just keep in mind that as this humidifier is so small and portable, it’s only equipped with manual drainage (although we didn’t have to empty it all that often).

Price at time of publish: $45

Southern Living / Chantia Murphy

Amazon

The unique lift-and-twist design allows you to extend and collapse the unit as needed.

We noticed some mildew forming inside the bucket after the first use.

For a dehumidifier that is equipped to handle a variety of dehumidifying needs, consider this one from Midea. We tested it in our garage and basement, but it could really be used anywhere up to 4,500 square feet. On average, it was able to reduce humidity levels by 16.6 percent in 12 hours.

What really stands out about this dehumidifier is its lift-and-twist design, which allows you to extend the unit as needed for increased bucket capacity. And when it comes time to store, simply twist it back in to collapse. Plus, this dehumidifier is WiFi-enabled, so you can control it using the MSmartHome app or via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

We started to notice some mildew forming when we went to empty the bucket for the first time. Although we weren’t entirely shocked by this, we were surprised how quickly it happened. However, we were impressed by the effectiveness of the dehumidifier when it came to our testing inside of a basement. It collected a great deal of moisture and we were able to utilize the continuous setting by connecting a hose to the drain, which was simple to do. It’s also available with a built-in pump for an additional fee.

Price at time of publish: $281

Southern Living / Robert Tutton

Overall, we recommend the Honeywell 30-Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier. This effective dehumidifier is equipped with automatic settings and app connectivity, which make it convenient to use. If you’re looking for a smaller, more portable dehumidifier, the Pro Breeze Electric Mini Dehumidifier is another great option, as it’s small enough to fit in a suitcase for on-the-go use.

We tested 17 dehumidifiers in our homes for a three-week period. Upon receiving the dehumidifiers, we timed how long it took to assemble each one. We then left them standing upright for 24 hours before starting to use them so the oils in the compressor could settle. If the dehumidifier came with a hose, we set it up and connected it to a window, slop sink, floor drain, or somewhere else where the excess water could be easily disposed of.

We recorded the humidity level before turning on a humidifier and then again after running it for a 12-hour period. We repeated this two more times for each dehumidifier throughout the testing period. We made sure to check the dehumidifier at least once per day if no hose was utilized.

Last but not least, we made sure to take care of our dehumidifiers during the testing period to ensure that they would be able to perform to their highest potential. We rinsed the air filters, cleaned the exteriors, vacuumed any air ducts, and rinsed the bucket filters.

Other factors we took note of during the testing period included how noisy the machine was, how easy and user-friendly it was to operate, as well as how accurate any built-in humidistats were. We also made sure to consider how easy it was to empty any water tanks if they needed to be emptied manually, as well as the efficacy of each machine with regard to how well they were able to reduce the humidity in our homes.

Southern Living / Caitlin Sole

According to Anthony Pinero, sales manager and manager of more than 20 HVAC technicians at Texas-based Dring Air Conditioning & Heating, “‘Pints per day’ is a measure used for dehumidifiers that tells you how much moisture the device can remove from the air in a 24-hour period. The right capacity for you depends largely on the size of the space you need to dehumidify and how damp that space is.”

Furthermore, Jennie Bergman, senior product manager of indoor environmental air quality at Trane Technologies, adds that square footage and infiltration rates are two important factors to think about when considering how many pints per day you should look for in a dehumidifier. “It’s important to ask yourself: Is your home built tight to the newest energy codes or is it an older home with more air leakage?”

The room type and size of the room that you’re shopping for is important to keep in mind when browsing through dehumidifiers.

When it comes to bathrooms, Pinero says that since they tend to be more wet and damp, it is important that they are equipped to handle higher humidity levels and are made with materials able to withstand water if they happen to get wet.

When shopping for dehumidifiers for basements, “they are often larger and damper than other parts of the home and may be cooler, which means the air can't hold as much moisture,” explains Pinero. “You'll likely need a larger capacity dehumidifier for a basement, and it could be beneficial to select a model specifically designed for basements, as they're designed to operate effectively at lower temperatures.”

Other than that, small- to medium-size dehumidifiers are typically able to handle living rooms, bedrooms, and other living spaces.

When it comes to the different drainage types for dehumidifiers, buckets and hoses are the most common. “With portable units, water will accumulate in a bucket so the homeowner will need to dump it periodically or locate the unit close to a drain so that a hose can be used to route the water,” explains Bergman. If you don’t want to frequently empty the water bucket, consider a model with a continuous drainage function. These rely on gravity to drain condensation through a hose connected to your unit. This means that your hose must either lead to a floor drain or another location below the drain port. The most convenient (and most expensive) draining system is a built-in pump that allows you to send moisture in an upward direction, either into a sink or out of a window, meaning your drain port doesn’t have to be above the drainage location.

When shopping for dehumidifiers, it is crucial that you’re aware of their features and how different machines may best suit your dehumidifying needs.

Auto defrost: This is a great feature to look for if you live in a particularly cold climate. “This is an essential feature if you plan to use your dehumidifier in colder temperatures, such as in a basement in the winter,” explains Pinero. “When the coils inside the dehumidifier get too cold, they can freeze, which can cause the unit to stop working and auto defrost will automatically turn off the dehumidifying function and turn on a defrost cycle to melt the ice, preventing damage to the unit.”

App connectivity: Although not all dehumidifiers are able to connect to smartphones via an app, many modern versions are able to. “This can make it easy to adjust settings, check on the unit's performance, and even turn the dehumidifier on or off remotely," explains Pinero.

Multiple fan speeds: Looking for a unit with multiple fan speeds is a great idea. However, there are a few things to keep in mind with regard to each speed. “A higher fan speed will dehumidify the area more quickly, but will also be louder and use more energy. A lower fan speed will be quieter and use less energy, but won't remove moisture as quickly,” says Pinero.

Automatic shut off: If you don’t work from home or frequently find yourself out of the house running errands or doing whatever life brings you, automatic shut off can be a very helpful feature in a dehumidifier. “This feature turns off the dehumidifier when the water bucket is full, preventing it from overflowing,” says Pinero. "Some models may also automatically shut off when the desired humidity level is reached."

GE 50-Pint Energy Star Smart Portable Dehumidifier: Although this unit is very effective at removing moisture from a variety of rooms, we had to empty the tank very frequently, and it's not as silent as other machines.

LG PuriCare 50-Pint Dehumidifier: This dehumidifier is very easy to set up and intuitive. However, we questioned the accuracy of its humidity readings, as they are only displayed in increments of five.

Southern Living / Art Silverio

Knowing how dehumidifiers work is essential to finding the right appliance. The main goal of a dehumidifier is to reduce humidity levels. The dehumidifying process is fairly simple: A fan draws air in and passes it over a cooling coil. As the air cools, moisture condenses and drips into a bucket. Finally, the dehumidifier releases the dry air back into the room.

To know if a dehumidifier should be added to your home, there are a couple of factors to be cognizant of:

Dehumidifiers cannot remove mold, but they can prevent more from growing. “Dehumidifiers remove excess moisture which addresses the conditions in which mold spores thrive,” explains Bergman. If you have mold currently in your home, “mold remediation is necessary to address existing mold problems,” adds Shane Olsen, owner of Prime Sheet Metal Contracting.

There is no set amount of time that you should run a humidifier for, as the length of time depends on how humid the area you’re looking to dehumidify is, the area’s size, and a dehumidifier’s capacity, which varies from unit to unit. If you’re able to, “monitor the humidity levels using a hygrometer and adjust the dehumidifier accordingly,” suggests Olsen.

If you’re unable to monitor humidity levels, a whole-home dehumidifier can help as they “run on demand based on continuous measures of relative humidity,” explains Bergman. “This means the dehumidifier runs when you need it and not when you don't, which allows you to reduce energy.”

This article was written by Jenna Clark, contributing commerce writer for Southern Living. To compile this list, we tested 17 dehumidifiers in our homes and evaluated them on setup, effectiveness, ease of use, design, features, and value. For additional insight on how to choose a dehumidifier, Jenna spoke with Jennie Bergman, senior product manager of indoor environmental air quality at Trane Technologies; Shane Olsen, owner of Prime Sheet Metal Contracting; and Anthony Pinero, sales manager and manager of more than 20 HVAC technicians at Texas-based Dring Air Conditioning & Heating.

Price at time of publish: $270Dimensions: Room Size Coverage: Dehumidification Capacity:Bucket Capacity: Drainage: Weight:Price at time of publish: $329Dimensions: Room Size Coverage: Dehumidification Capacity:Bucket Capacity: Drainage: Weight: Price at time of publish: $350 Dimensions: Room Size Coverage: Dehumidification Capacity: Bucket Capacity: Drainage: Weight: Price at time of publish: $130Dimensions: Room Size Coverage: Bucket Capacity: Dehumidification Capacity:Drainage: Weight:Price at time of publish: $270Dimensions: Room Size Coverage: Dehumidification Capacity:Bucket Capacity: Drainage: Weight: Price at time of publish: $60Dimensions: Room Size Coverage: Bucket Capacity: Dehumidification Capacity:Drainage: Weight: Price at time of publish: $239Dimensions: Room Size Coverage:Bucket Capacity: Dehumidification Capacity: Drainage: Weight: Price at time of publish: $307Dimensions: Room Size Coverage: Bucket Capacity: Dehumidification Capacity:Drainage: Weight: Price at time of publish: $45Dimensions: Room Size Coverage: Bucket Capacity:Dehumidification Capacity:Drainage: Weight: Price at time of publish: $281Dimensions:Room Size Coverage: Bucket Capacity: Dehumidification CapacityDrainage: Weight:Auto defrost: App connectivity: Multiple fan speeds: Automatic shut off: Your home feels humid.There’s mold.Your home is experiencing structural issues.