As explained above, make sure you’re using your dehumidifier at times of day when it will be the cheapest and most effective. Does a dehumidifier use a lot of electricity? 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. 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. So, whilst this dehumidifier is portable, you’re probably not going to want to move it around too much.

The downside is that this dehumidifier has a far lower extraction rate than most, extracting just 0.3 litres of water from the air per day. For comparison, the best in class Meaco Arete One dehumidifier can extract between 10 and 25 litres of water from the air per day depending which model you opt for. Water tank capacity is also reduced, with the Silentnight model only able to hold 0.6L of water. That means you'll be emptying the tank frequently. There are a couple of complaints, similar to mine, regarding its noise levels, stating that it’s not quiet even when on its lowest fan setting, and certainly not in night mode, or on a high fan speed setting. Despite its compact size, it's also heavy. And whilst it does have a carry handle and castors, you’re not going to want to move it around too much. However, most models have a built-in humidistat regardless of price. This allows you to specify a relative humidity (RH) that you want the dehumidifier to try to create in the room. Some also have an auto setting. How this works will vary from brand to brand, but generally speaking the dehumidifier will monitor and regulate conditions in the room according to what it deems to be the most appropriate RH at that point in time. Where to buy a dehumidifier However, I tested the Challenge 0.5 Litre Mini Dehumidifier several times in my kitchen whilst cooking and found it collected excess moisture caused by steamy conditions efficiently.litres – medium capacity. Suitable if there are more of you creating moisture through activities such as showering, cooking and washing clothes at home, and/or your damp problem is more severe. For some reason, Pro Breeze has neglected to put a cover on the top of the water tank, so when you pull it out to empty it (which is in itself awkward as there's no proper handle to remove it) the water sloshes around everywhere, potentially drenching your flooring.

When operating the Pro Breeze 12L Low Energy Dehumidifier, you can either leave it running continuously until you switch it off, or make the most of the built-in Automatic Humidity Sensor. This allows you to set your desired room humidity between 30%-80%, and once this level is reached the unit will turn off to conserve energy. If you’ve bought a second-hand dehumidifier, read our guide to your rights when buying second-hand goods. How do I dispose of a dehumidifier?

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Damp can be a big problem in the winter months,’ says Lara Brittain, kitchen expert at Currys, who has seen an increase in sales of dehumidifiers over the last six weeks with sales up by 188 per cent. ‘Whether you’re drying your clothes indoors - rather than on the washing line outside - or if your home is just more prone to damp and mould, a dehumidifier can be a great investment during the colder months.’ The advantage of this type of dehumidifier is that it works well in warm and cold spaces. The only downside is that they tend to release warm air into a room, which you may not want in an already-heated home. However, they are ideal for a cold garage, loft or conservatory as they can operate below 10 degrees, unlike a compressor dehumidifier. They are also much quieter, so they might be a preferable option for you to use in a bedroom. Their main disadvantage is that they use a lot more energy and therefore cost more to run. Refrigerant (compressor) dehumidifier Then there's noise levels to consider, although as most of cheap dehumidifiers use Peltier condensers noise levels are already lower than more powerful compressor dehumidifiers. All dehumidifier's should give their operating volumes (measured in dB) in the specifications. If you have a serious damp or condensation problem, it’s worth buying a model with a bigger tank so that it keeps working all night. How to choose the best dehumidifier for your home

That depends on your humidity levels and what you’re trying to achieve. You don’t always have to leave your dehumidifier on, but you may want to if your damp problem is severe. Also, it can be cheaper to run them at night. If you are looking for a no-fuss, no-faff dehumidifier, then Currys Essentials has the best 10L dehumidifier for you! Quite a few Mumsnetters mentioned it by name because it is easy to use, effective and reasonably priced, perfect for those who can live without the bells and whistles. Mumsnet has been helping parents make their lives easier since 2000 and, in those years, we’ve seen, tried and reviewed thousands of products.Whilst this dehumidifier is compact in stature, it is heavy, weighing in at 9.5kg. Pro Breeze have tried to make it as portable as possible by adding a fold-down handle to the top and built-in castor wheels to the base.

In my opinion noise levels are where the Pro Breeze 12L Low Energy dehumidifieris really let down. Its noise rating is 40dB, but as I've discovered whilst testing a number of small appliances, it's the quailty of the noise as well as the volume that determines how intrusive it will be. 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. As previously mentioned, emptying the water tank on the Pro Breeze 12L Low Energy Dehumidifier was neither easy nor a pleasant experience.Fan speeds: Some dehumidifiers have just one speed for continuous drying, limiting your control. Whilst others have up to three, which is advantageous if you want to adjust it for faster drying or put it on a lower (and possibly quieter) setting. 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