However, it’s worth looking out for newer and more energy-efficient designs. For example, Meaco’s MeacoDry Arete One 20L costs around 6p per hour to run, based on an electricity rate of 28.3p per kWh, while some models will cost significantly more at the same rate. Use your dehumidifier daily for a couple of hours and the difference soon mounts up. All that said, the Russell Hobbs RHDH2002 20L dehumidifier still impressed our review team during testing. So, if you’re looking for a powerful dehumidifier with a cheaper upfront cost, the Russell Hobbs RHDH2002 20L is well worth considering. There's also plenty of useful functionality on the models. The automatic Smart Humidity Mode works perfectly and is hassle-free, turning the dehumidifier on when moisture-levels rise and automatically shutting the appliance off when the desired humidity is reached so there's no wasted energy or expense.And in our tests, the Arete One reduced moisture levels in damp-prone rooms in a very short period of time. Don’t get too excited about this dehumidifier’s smart capabilities. You can connect it to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth, but the app is little more than a glorified remote control with only basic scheduling features and no way to integrate with existing air quality meters you might have hooked up. That aside, it’s a well-designed and effective dehumidifier, capable of extracting up to 20 litres per day into a larger-than-average six-litre tank. We found this surprisingly easy to remove from the rear of the machine when full, with a built-in handle for carrying.

Keep it running all day long and the costs could mount up, but this is an excellent dehumidifier for situations where a refrigerant model just won’t work. If you’re looking for a small dehumidifier, then the Russell Hobbs RHDH1061G Portable Dehumidifier is about as compact as it gets, measuring just H22 x W14 x D14cm and weighing in at 0.9kg. The sleek and modern unit with navy blue exterior stands out from the crowd in all the right ways, and whilst it doesn't have built-in wheels like most dehumidifiers of this size, the integrated carry handle and mid-weight build make it relatively easy to transport from room to room. If you want a more compact build, then there is also a 12L and 14L model available. As for energy consumption, you can find out more in our guide to ' How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier?'. However, the easiest way to find out is to compare each dehumidifier's wattage. The higher the number of Watts the appliance requires, the more expensive running costs will be. Overall, it's not the most powerful dehumidifier you can buy, and it can't cope with high moisture levels – we found it made little difference when drying wet washing for example. However, it did a great job of clearing condensation on windows and managing moisture levels in a small bedroom when left running overnight.When I tested the laundry function on the Russell Hobbs 20L dehumidifier to dry t-shirts in a small bedroom, it definitely sped up the drying time' said our reviewer. 'The T-shirts closest to the dehumidifier dried in 3 hours, but those further away took aboutdouble that time to completely dry'. How we test This dehumidifier is designed for managing fairly low moisture levels in small rooms up to 15m² or 2200 cubic feet, so it isn't going to cope with major damp issues or be able to control humidity within an entire house like larger capacity dehumidifiers. That said, the ProBreeze 1500ml Mini dehumidifier still impressed us during testing, and as long as you don't expect too much of it, this mini dehumidifier has a lot of plus points, not least its affordability. It all depends on how much space you need to dehumidify. Dehumidifiers are often rated in terms of their extraction rate: how much water they can remove from the air in a single day. This is separate from their water tank capacity, which covers how much water they can store before you need to empty them out. Overall, if you can put up with its increased noise volume and absorb the higher running costs, we think thePro Breeze 20L Premium Dehumidifier with Special Laundry Modeis a good buy. It's definitely the best dehumidifier for drying clothes that we've tested, and anything that makes wet-weather laundry days easier is a win in our books. Dehumidifiers don’t have to be noisy, and there are some good near-silent options. They will work discreetly in your home without interfering with your sleep or work, so a quiet mode or eco mode is well worth any extra, particularly if it will save you some cash in running costs.

However, thePro Breeze 20L Premium Dehumidifier does win on price, coming in a fair bit cheaper than the MeacoDry Arete One.Compressor dehumidifiers work in much the same way as a fridge or freezer. They draw in air and cool it, condensing any moisture as it passes across a refrigerated coil. The water then drips off into a water tank below, while the air is reheated and released into the room. Compressor dehumidifiers can be noisy and may use more energy than other types, although new compressor technology and refrigerants are bringing improvements on both counts. They’re most efficient at warmer temperatures of 20°C and above, and your best bet if you need to remove lots of moisture from a larger space.

The MeacoDry Arete One dehumidifiers are some of the best dehumidifiers we've tested. They're quiet, easy to use, work superbly and are very energy-efficient compared to other compressor models. Plus, all offer a built-in air purification function to improve air quality within the home in more ways than one.

6. Best dehumidifier for large spaces: ElectriQ 25L Dehumidifier

As cleaning expert, Matthew Harrison from Price Your Job explains, if you house suffers from more serious damp issues, then 'to prevent future mould problems, you should consider draught-proofingand other jobs which will prevent moisture from entering your home in the first place'. Do dehumidifiers help to dry clothes? The Princess isn’t as quiet as Meaco’s Arete models, but you can live with the 46dB it puts out at its highest fan setting, or the 40dB noise levels at low. It also has a useful laundry drying feature that makes the most of the vertical swing on the air output and the powerful fan. It’s simple to control, either through the app or via the built-in controls, and you can keep an eye on the current humidity level through a subtle “hidden” digital display on the front. Rival dehumidifiers have the edge on noise and performance, but the Princess gives you a great set of features at a very reasonable price.

The best dehumidifiers you can buy in 2023 1. De’Longhi Tascuigo AriaDry Multi 16L: The best dehumidifier for small to mid-sized homes The only real downside is the premium you pay for that design-led exterior, with the MeacoDry Arete One Dehumidifier & Air Purifier offering better value in terms of extraction and tank capacity for the price. It's also important not to confuse the extraction rate with a dehumidifiers water tank capacity. As both are generally measured in litres or millilitres this can sometimes cause confusion.Compressor dehumidifiers tend to be the most common design available in the UK. They work by drawing air into the dehumidifier via a fan, and then running the air over over cold coils to condense the moisture from it, whereby the condensed water is collected in a water tank.The coils are kept cool by refrigerant which means the unit also needs a compressor built in. The only downside of compressor dehumidifiers is that they need the air to be warm for this process to work. Most will work above 5°C, but they're most efficient at an ambient temperature of around 20°C (depending on the individual model). Just like the MeacoDry Arete One, as well as an impressive extraction rate the Russell Hobbs RHDH2002 20L dehumidifier has some great features, including an easy-to-read LED screen that displays current humidity levels and a useful Smart mode that monitors the humidity levels for you, turning the dehumidifier on and off as soon as it rises above the recommended home humidity range between 45%~55% for more economical (and hassle-free) use. There's also auto-shut off functionality when the water tank is full. Lastly, there's extra functionality to consider. The best dehumidifiers you can buy offer a Smart mode. That means you can leave the dehumidifier running and its sensors will detect the humidity levels and switch the machine on and off to keep humidity within your desired range. That saves energy (and money) as the appliance isn't running if it doesn't need to be.