Towels that don’t dry, a basement with a lingering musty smell, air that feels heavy no matter what temperature you set your smart thermostat to—if any of this sounds familiar, it may be time to invest in a dehumidifier.

Unlike an air conditioner, a dehumidifier’s primary job is removing excess moisture, rather than cooling the room itself. By pulling moisture from the air, dehumidifiers not only improve how your home smells, but they also help to prevent mold and improve overall air quality.

Dehumidifiers often come with a variety of features, like adjustable humidity settings, automatic shut-off, and energy-efficient operation. Some models have additional user-friendly features like continuous drain hookups and built-in WiFi, while others stand out more for their power and reliability.

We tested and researched models from trusted brands like Midea, Costway, and GE to help you find the best dehumidifier for your needs. Below, we also share tips and tricks to keep in mind when shopping for a dehumidifier.

• Best Overall: Homelabs 25-Pint Dehumidifier
• Best Value: Costway 32-Pint Dehumidifier
• Best for Attics and Basements: Alorair 70-Pint Dehumidifier
• Best Controls: Frigidaire 35-Pint Dehumidifier
• Best Mini Dehumidifier: Pro Breeze Electric Mini Dehumidifier

We tested multiple models in our homes and office, including the Costway 32-Pint Dehumidifier, Pro Breeze Electric Mini Dehumidifier, and the GE 50-Pint Dehumidifier. We’re also continuing to test additional models, including the Frigidaire 35-Pint Dehumidifier, and will update this guide with our findings over time.

To test these dehumidifiers, we placed each model in a room within its coverage and capacity range. It was difficult to maintain equal humidity for each option, given the wide range of rooms where testing occurred (including bathrooms, living rooms, and laundry rooms—all places where changes in humidity are really noticeable), so we measured success based on the dehumidifier’s ability to lower humidity levels over one hour, as well as the amount of water collected.

For models we haven’t yet tested, we researched expert and consumer reviews, focusing on ease of use, overall effectiveness, and included features. We consulted Michael Rubino, a mold and air quality expert and founder of HomeCleanse, for tips on what to look for in a dehumidifier and how these appliances can impact air quality inside your home.

This Homelabs dehumidifier handles spaces up to 1,800 square feet, making it a flexible option for medium- to large-sized rooms or those living in humid climates. It removes 25 pints of water per day, with a listed maximum of 65 pints under ideal conditions.

It has a built-in pump, a continuous drain option (with an included hose), auto shut-off when the tank is full, and turbo mode for optimal moisture removal. That said, the hose port isn't universal, so you’ll want to hold on to the one provided in the box. The dehumidifier is also Energy Star-rated, which means it meets the EPA’s energy-efficiency standard. It has a washable air filter and sits on rotating wheels, so you can easily move it around your home.

Regardless of the room you’re in, you can monitor and control the dehumidifier’s settings via WiFi. This appliance also has an auto-defrost feature and a filter quality indicator light that alerts you when it’s time to clean the filter.

The Costway 32-Pint Dehumidifier is an updated version of the Costway 30-Pint Dehumidifier, which we previously tested. After trying this model, we’ve concluded that Costway offers one of the most affordable dehumidifiers on the market, especially when you consider its size and capacity.

What stands out most with this model is the variety of operating modes. There’s an auto mode that turns the device on or off based on your selected humidity level, a continuous dry mode for persistently damp spaces, and a sleep mode that dims the display lights and lowers operating noise to around 33 decibels.

The Costway also includes a 24-hour timer and two fan speeds for additional customization. Its relatively compact size makes it easy to move between rooms, though you’ll probably want to keep it near a drain if possible. The half-gallon tank fills surprisingly quickly in humid conditions, especially when running continuously.

For ultra-clammy crawl spaces or damp attics, the Alorair dehumidifier excels. It’s compact and portable (thanks in part to the lack of an attached tank). It’s also quite powerful. This particular model is capable of removing up to 70 pints of moisture from the air over the course of a day.

Because it lacks a holding tank for all the moisture it collects, you’ll need to provide your own holding container or have a drain nearby. The Alorair has two draining options: gravity draining or a water pump.

Gravity draining, as the name suggests, means that the dehumidifier expels water through the attached tube, though this also means that the unit must be higher than the draining point. You’ll also want a bucket or other receptacle to catch all that water.

The water pump, on the other hand, pushes the collected water out and upward. This feature is especially useful for spaces with a window, sink, or drain that can collect that excess water. Once you’re done using the water pump cycle, the Alorair pushes any remaining water out of the unit in order to prevent any lingering moisture that could cause mold or mildew within the device itself.

One Popular Mechanics tester praised this machine’s portability and draining capabilities and especially noted the usefulness of the water pump feature. That feature makes a big difference in attics, basements, and crawl spaces, where you can’t always count on an easily accessible floor drain and where collected water may need to travel upward toward a sink or window. Combined with its custom humidity settings and continuous operation capability, the Alorair is especially well-suited for hard-to-access areas.

If you’re searching for a dehumidifier with precise controls, this Frigidaire model offers more customization than most other options we’ve found. You can adjust humidity settings directly on the unit, through Frigidaire’s app, or via Alexa- or Google Assistant-enabled smart home devices. Once it reaches your selected humidity level, the unit automatically shuts off. This is especially useful if you live in a humid climate but don’t want your air to feel overly dry.

Another standout feature is the 1.7-gallon water bucket, which is fairly generous for a 35-pint model and allows it to run longer between emptying sessions. There’s also a continuous drainage option if you’d rather not deal with the tank at all. As an added bonus, the Frigidaire doubles as an air purifier with the purchase of an attachable filter that captures dust and allergens.

This dehumidifier from Pro Breeze is best suited for bathrooms, closets, laundry rooms, or bedrooms up to around 250 square feet. During testing, we were impressed by how unobtrusive it felt. Unlike most larger dehumidifiers, it doesn’t use a compressor—cooling instead via thermoelectricity—so it runs quietly enough that we barely noticed it while getting ready or working nearby. On the flip side, the thermoelectric design removes moisture more slowly than compressor-style units.

Its compact size makes it easy to tuck the Pro Breeze away on a shelf or a countertop. One of our testers used it in the bathroom to help towels dry more quickly when humidity was high, and it did its job well.

There isn’t a continuous drainage option on this unit. With its size, however, it’s relatively easy to empty it out. Once the 52-ounce reservoir is full, an indicator light turns on and the unit automatically shuts off to prevent overflow. Just keep in mind that while this model works well for small-scale humidity issues, it doesn’t have the power needed for large rooms or damp basements.

If you’re dealing with a damp basement or large living space that always seems humid in the summer, the Midea Cube is one of the more practical high-capacity options we’ve found. The holding tank has an enormous capacity—4.2 gallons—and pulls up to 50 pints of moisture from the air within 24 hours. That extra-large tank also means less frequent emptying, which can be a huge plus if you often find yourself forgetting to check your dehumidifier (or just find constantly emptying a tank tedious and time-consuming). Of course, it also means the tank can be quite heavy when full (though it does come with a hose for continuous draining).

For all its power, the Midea Cube 50-Pint is (perhaps surprisingly) Energy Star Certified. It’s compatible with Alexa and allows for remote humidity monitoring, which is helpful if you use it in a room you don’t frequent very often. We also like its unique design. It expands when you’re ready to use it, and it folds back down to a compact, storage-friendly size if you want to put it away for a season.

For smaller spaces, such as an apartment, bedroom, or laundry room, a 50-pint dehumidifier may be excessive. You need something smaller and quieter, which is where the GE 25-Pint Portable Dehumidifier really shines.

Its relatively small size makes it easy to move from room to room, and it features a mode that automatically adjusts the fan speed based on room conditions. Users also report that it’s surprisingly quiet, which is a plus when it’s operating in a space like your bedroom where peace and quiet is required.

That said, any dehumidifier with a smaller footprint also comes with a tank that holds less water. At only 8.5 pints (just over 1 gallon), some users report having to empty the GE every 12 hours. It’s also not powerful enough to dry out extremely damp spaces. However, if you need a small, unobtrusive dehumidifier for occasional use in a single room, this is a solid pick.

If noise is a consideration (think bedrooms, shared spaces), then you’ll want to pay attention to a dehumidifier’s decibel level. The Waykar CTH30A is nice because it operates at only 34 decibels. For context, 40 decibels is comparable to a library or a quiet suburban street. It’s not silent, but it won’t disrupt most people.

Besides its quiet operation, this model covers approximately 2,000 square feet, has four operating modes (including a turbo mode for when you need to dehumidify a space quickly), and comes with a washable, reusable filter.

The wheeled base makes it easy to move from room to room, and it comes with a 3.3-foot hose (which you can extend with a garden hose for better reach) for continuous drainage. This is important, as many users report that they found the 0.4-gallon holding tank fills quickly, especially in very damp areas, so the continuous drain option will save you multiple trips to the sink.

What Size Dehumidifier Do I Need?

“Choosing the right machine for the size of your space is massively important for reaping the benefits of using a dehumidifier,” Rubino explains. “If the dehumidifier’s capacity is insufficient for the square footage or moisture load, it may run constantly without ever effectively lowering humidity levels.” Conversely, a bigger model may be unnecessarily powerful and bulky for everyday use.

Capacity is something you’ll often see referenced when shopping for a dehumidifier. This is measured by how many pints of moisture the unit can remove from the air over a 24-hour period. For mildly humid bedrooms, bathrooms, or laundry rooms, smaller 20- to 30-pint models are often enough. But if you’re dealing with a damp basement, stale air, condensation on windows, or towels that never seem to dry completely, it’s usually worth sizing up.

A room’s temperature also plays a factor. Warm air holds more moisture than cool air, so a dehumidifier will work more efficiently. As a result, cool but humid basements might require larger units.

You may also notice that newer dehumidifiers sometimes list lower pint capacities than older models with similar performance. That’s because the Department of Energy updated its testing standards in recent years to better reflect real-world home conditions, resulting in lower (but generally more realistic) capacity ratings.

Continuous Draining vs. Manual Emptying

You essentially have two options for disposing of all that collected moisture: manually emptying the tank or setting up continuous drainage with a hose.

Manual tanks have their advantages. For one, you have a lot more flexibility in where you place your dehumidifier: it can be set up anywhere there is an outlet, and you can let it run until the tank is full. The installation process is not complex, and can be more cost-effective, as well. However, manually dumping a tank of water can get old, fast, especially if the bucket fills quickly.

“Continuous drainage is always a great option for rooms that are consistently humid,” Rubino says. “That way, the machine can run steadily without frequent monitoring or the need to constantly empty the reservoir.”

For basements, crawl spaces, or rooms with persistent moisture problems, continuous drainage is usually the more practical long-term solution. “This is also a great option for seasonal or vacation homes that aren’t lived in year-round,” Rubino adds.

Many models include a hose adapter that allows water to drain automatically into a floor drain, utility sink, or nearby window. Some higher-end models (like our Best Overall pick from HomeLabs) also include built-in pumps, which allow water to travel upward instead of relying on gravity alone.

Noise Levels

While your dehumidifier is hardly the noisiest appliance you own, noise levels can make a difference. Most compressor-style models produce a steady fan and compressor hum while running, which may not matter much in a basement but can become a lot more noticeable in bedrooms, home offices, or shared living spaces.

As a rule of thumb, larger-capacity models tend to be louder because they move more air and work harder to remove moisture quickly. Smaller thermoelectric units (like our Best Mini Dehumidifier from Pro Breeze) are usually quieter, though they’re also significantly less powerful and best suited for very small spaces.

If you’re planning to run a dehumidifier overnight or in a room where you spend a lot of time, it’s worth paying attention to fan settings, sleep modes, and overall size. A louder, more powerful unit may dry the room faster, but it can also become annoying if it’s running constantly nearby.

Smart Features

Many dehumidifiers now include extra smart features like WiFi connectivity, app controls, and voice assistant compatibility. While these aren’t strictly necessary, they can be useful in certain situations.

For example, remote monitoring allows you to check humidity levels or adjust settings without walking down to the basement every few hours. Scheduling features can also help reduce energy use by running the unit only during certain times of day, such as when you’re at work.

That said, not everyone needs app integration or smart home compatibility. For many people, features like auto shut-off, automatic restart after power outages, and built-in humidistats (like this model from GE) are going to be far more useful than voice controls or smartphone notifications.

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is especially important because dehumidifiers often run for hours at a time. That means energy efficiency can make a noticeable difference over time, especially if you live in a particularly damp climate or plan to run the unit continuously in a basement.

Energy Star-certified models are generally worth prioritizing because they remove moisture more efficiently while using less electricity. In some cases, a slightly more expensive model may actually save money long-term if it runs more efficiently and doesn’t need to operate as often.