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Dehumidifiers remove excess humidity from the air, keeping your room dry and helping prevent mold and mildew growth. 

You might need a dehumidifier if your room feels stuffy and humid or smells musty, you see mold and mildew, there are wet spots or condensation on the windows and walls, or you experience upper respiratory problems like sneezing and coughing.

You can use a hygrometer to directly measure humidity levels in your house. "We recommend keeping the relative humidity in your home between 30 to 50%. High humidity can increase ground-ozone levels, dust mites, and mold — all of which can be allergy or asthma trigger[s]," said Kenneth Mendez, president and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). 

We found the best dehumidifiers for rooms of various sizes and different needs. See the FAQs section for information on how to shop for a dehumidifier, how to clean your unit, and more.

Our best dehumidifiers are quiet, efficient, Energy-Star certified, and look sleek rather than clunky.

We love the Frigidaire dehumidifier because it’s large but easy to move around to different areas of your house thanks to the built-in wheels and handle. It also has a splash guard so you don’t make a mess while emptying the water tank. You can set custom humidity levels and choose from three different fan speeds; plus it’s optimized to work in low temperatures (down to 41°F).

The quiet, fast, and easy-to-use dehumidifier from HomeLabs is made for spaces up to 1,500 square feet and runs continuously until its tank is full. Though there’s a drain hose outlet, the hose is not included. It’s recommended to use thread tape to avoid leaks if you do choose to attach a hose.

The Honeywell is a versatile, mid-sized dehumidifier that works efficiently and reliably. It’s suitable for spaces up to 3,000 square feet, with a display that tells you room temperature, humidity level, and timer settings.

Whether you have a closet or small bathroom that smells musty, small dehumidifiers can efficiently remove moisture from the air without taking up too much space.

Vremi’s 1-pint capacity dehumidifier tackles humidity in spaces up to 150 square feet and weighs a mere 4 pounds. Despite its small size, it still has a humidity display and adjustable controls, as well as an automatic shutoff.

Large basements and living rooms will benefit from the following dehumidifiers. Large dehumidifiers also often have the perk of more advanced features like custom settings or auto-shutoff.

Portable dehumidifiers are great for small closets, cabinets, traveling, and gym bags.

The Afloia has a sleek, cylindrical design and comes with a charging base. The shape is supposed to increase the efficiency of moisture absorption. It also uses silica beads and is suitable for spaces up to 54 square feet.

In our first major rewrite of this guide, we consulted allergy, skincare, and HVAC experts to learn more about how a dehumidifier can help your health and what features to look for. We spoke to Kenneth Mendez, president and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA); John McKeon, CEO and founder of Allergy Standards Limited (ASL); and Jeanine Downie, MD, FAAD, director of Image Dermatology PC.

Using their insights, along with our own research and knowledge of the space, we picked dehumidifier options. Down the line, we plan to personally test these dehumidifiers to choose one best pick per category.

A dehumidifier helps maintain the optimal level of humidity in your room so it's not too humid. It reduces the growth and incidence of mold, mildew, and dust mites.

A dehumidifier removes moisture from the air, while a humidifier adds moisture to the air. 

If your room feels stuffy and you see condensation or mold, you need a dehumidifier. It's commonly used in bathrooms, basements, closets, boats, and RVs, but you can use it anywhere else in the house, too. 

If your room feels dry and your skin is irritated, you need a humidifier. We tested the best humidifiers here.

A dehumidifier works by blowing moist air over coolant-filled coils, causing the moisture to condense into water droplets. The condensation then drips from the coils into a receptacle.

The collected water is directly drained out or pumped into another area like a sink, depending on the unit you have.

"Dehumidifiers decrease the incidence of dry skin," said Jeanine Downie, MD, FAAD, Director of Image Dermatology PC. They also reduce irritation due to allergens like dust mites and mold.

If your dehumidifier removes too much humidity from the air, however, it may dry out your skin. 

"It's important to note that if the humidity starts to drop below 30%, it can have a negative impact on health, including drying out of the eyes and mucous membranes," said McKeon. "Very dry air can also result in dry skin, worsening of eczema, and irritation of the airways." You should continue to monitor humidity levels and how your skin feels as you use your dehumidifier.

There are two parts to focus your attention on: the air filter and the tank. Clean the air filter under your faucet often (once a week).

Wipe down and dry out the tank after every use to reduce mold and mildew growth within your dehumidifier.

Dampness level: Dehumidifiers come in different sizes depending on how much moisture they can remove in 24 hours. Here's what size to buy based on how humid your room is:

How the unit removes moisture: It will either have a built-in pump or a direct drain. A built-in pump lets you run the drain hose to a window or sink, while a direct drain funnels the water directly into a sink or drain. 

Energy performance: To get maximum efficiency out of a unit, look for those that are Energy Star-certified.

Automatic or useful features: Look for a unit with an adjustable humidistat, which will automatically turn your unit on and off to maintain the preset humidity level. Other useful features, according to The Home Depot, include:

It's also worth pointing out that many AC units have built-in dehumidifiers. If your AC unit is in your desired room, check first to see if it has a dehumidifier and whether it works well. We tested the best air conditioners here.

Dehumidifiers can get pricey, but chances are, you can find one for less than the retail price. Outside of the Frigidaire high-Efficiency Dehumidifier, most of our picks are typically available with a $10 discount, which really makes a dent on the cheaper options. If you want to wait until Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Amazon Prime Day, we expect to find slightly better discounts (though not by much). 

Whether you need it for preventing mold or eliminating allergens, we've rounded up the best dehumidifier deals available now, below.

Read more about how the Insider Reviews team evaluates deals and why you should trust us.

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