As someone from Florida, I’m more than familiar with what an overload of humidity feels like, and how unbearable it can be at times. And when you step indoors, you don’t want that humid feeling to follow you. A dehumidifier made for small rooms can help you avoid having that sticky, muggy air lingering in your space, whether you live in a cozy (read: little) house or apartment.
While a humidifier provides health benefits by increasing levels of humidity, a dehumidifier reduces moisture in the air, which can also be comforting, depending on things like the weather or if you’re feeling ill. But not all dehumidifiers have the same efficacy in every room — some are meant for large homes and others are best suited for small areas. Plus, if you don’t need a large appliance, you may not want to pay the large price that typically comes with one.
To find the best dehumidifiers for small rooms, I talked to multiple home appliance experts, including ones from Ace Hardware and Midea, for their guidance on what features to consider in each and for their product recommendations, which I talk more about below.
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The best dehumidifiers for small rooms
Below are a few top-rated dehumidifiers that are fit for small rooms. Each one has a four-star average rating from 500 reviews or more on Amazon or at least 100 reviews at another retailer, with many from brands we’ve covered before. I also include information about water tank capacity and other specifications in the “What to know” menu, and expound on why these features are important further below.
Best overall
This dehumidifier is perfect for small bedrooms as well as bathrooms, basements and more. The water tank has a capacity of up to 16 ounces and it can remove up to 9 ounces of moisture a day, according to the brand. It also has an auto shut-off feature that activates when it’s reached maximum capacity. It helps get rid of condensation, prevents mold growth and stops musty odors caused by too much moisture in the air. It’s also available in a larger size with a larger bucket capacity.
Best budget
This dehumidifier is best suited for rooms or small apartments just under 30 square feet. It removes up to 16 ounces of water a day, which is significant for a small room, and makes only 35 decibels of sound, so it’s relatively quiet — people who bought the dehumidifier say they love how quiet it is. It has a built-in multi-color light, plus, shoppers say they enjoy how small it is; and one even says that they use it for their camper.
Best splurge
If you want one dehumidifier for your entire small home instead of having several for separate rooms, this one from Midea would be a great option. It’s a refrigerant dehumidifier instead of a thermoelectric model, meaning it uses a compressor to convert humid air into moisture that it then collects in a water tank. It holds up to 3 gallons of water and works for up to 1,500 square feet, so it would work well in a small apartment or large basement. The wheeled appliance has smart features and app compatibility, so it works with Amazon Alexa. It also has a handle on the side, so it’s easy to move from its spot when it’s time to empty it.
Best compact
This small portable dehumidifier from Eva-Dry works differently than all of the options above — it’s a plug in device that has beads made from silica gel (instead of a water tank) that change color as the device absorbs moisture from the air. When it changes from orange to green, you have to recharge it using the collapsible plug on the side. It works for rooms up to 330 square feet (less than 50 square feet), such as a walk-in closet or trailer, and it works for up to 30 days at a time and collects about 4 to 6 ounces of water before having to be recharged, according to the brand.
Best for different room sizes
The Tabyik dehumidifier works for rooms up to 280 square feet, so it would be an ideal fit for almost any bedroom, and for bathrooms and small apartments (we see you NYC and LA). It has a customizable seven-color light and it can remove up to 16 ounces of moisture a day, according to the brand. It also has a red warning light that flickers when the water tank is at capacity and about to automatically shut off.
Best for bathrooms and vehicles
The Pure Enrichment PureDry dehumidifier has a simple design and is well suited for small rooms and living areas, including RVs, bathrooms and even closets, according to the brand. It has a water tank capacity of up to 27 ounces and it has an auto shut-off feature that turns on when the tank has reached maximum capacity (27 ounces). It’s best for rooms around 150 square feet or less.
What does a dehumidifier do?
“The goal of a dehumidifier is to lower the humidity in a room or building by removing moisture from the air,” says David Leezer*, engineering director at home appliance brand Midea. “There are many benefits to doing this, but the primary benefit is to improve the comfort level of a room.”
Additionally, dehumidifiers help get rid of the odors that are caused by excess moisture in the air (for example: bath towels trying to dry on a rack), according to Leezer. Plus, making a room less humid can help certain electronic devices and items made from delicate material (like wood or ones that rust) avoid being damaged by excess humidity, according to Leezer. Overly humid areas in the home can lead to mold growth because materials absorb moisture and aren’t drying fast enough.
*Any inclusion of Midea products in this story was made independently of Leezer and Rossetto, who we only consulted for shopping tips and guidance. We did not ask Leezer for product recommendations from Midea.
How I picked the best dehumidifiers for small rooms
I rounded up a few important factors that experts recommended I take into consideration when making the list of dehumidifiers below:
- Type: There are a few different types of dehumidifiers to know about when shopping, says Leezer. ”The most common is called a mechanical or refrigerant dehumidifier. This type uses the same physics and parts as an air conditioner, just in a slightly different way,” he says. “Mechanical dehumidifiers are most beneficial because they can work in large rooms or spaces.” Additionally, there are desiccant-based dehumidifiers, such as the Eva-Dry Mini Dehumidifier, that use moisture absorbing materials, like silica gel, to absorb water rather than a tank. There are also thermoelectric dehumidifiers, which Leezer says are best for very small areas since they can only extract small amounts of moisture, which is why most of the options above are thermoelectric.
- Water tank: When it comes to shopping for a dehumidifier for a small room, “the best products will balance small footprints with a large water tank, energy efficiency, low noise operation and smart connectivity,” says Caroline Rossetto*, product marketing director at Midea. A large water tank means it will be able to absorb more water at a time and you won’t be emptying the tank as often. All of the options on the list above (except the Eva-Dry) have a water tank with a capacity of at least 16 ounces.
- Low noise: Another important feature for a dehumidifier for a small room, such as a bedroom where you’ll be sleeping, is low noise. Several of the models that I featured above mention having technology that allows the dehumidifier to work and absorb water quietly, with around 35 decibels of sound. Many people who bought the dehumidifiers above mention how quiet they are.
- Energy efficiency: A dehumidifier that is energy efficient is also important, since it can help you save on energy bills, particularly if it’s Energy Star certified, according to Rosetto. While not all the appliances featured above are Energy Star certified, some are still described as energy efficient by their respective brands. And since the dehumidifiers above are meant for small rooms, they don’t use as much energy as ones meant for a large area or home. Still, if saving money and energy is important to you, then finding a model that is Energy Star certified is a smart route to take.
*Any inclusion of Midea products in this story was made independently of Leezer and Rossetto, who we only consulted for shopping tips and guidance. We did not ask Rossetto for product recommendations from Midea.
How to shop for dehumidifiers for small rooms
Measure your room or home. Find out the size in square feet of your room so you know how much area your dehumidifier will have to cover. Most brands mention the maximum square footage the dehumidifier will effectively cover.
Decide on the best type of dehumidifier for your room. As Leezer mentioned above, a thermoelectric dehumidifier is best for small areas because it is “limited on how much moisture it can remove from the air.” Thus, it would be unnecessarily costly to buy a dehumidifier meant for a 1,500-square-foot space if you’re only using it for a closet, for example.
Frequently asked questions
“Dehumidifiers are used in hot summer months when moisture in the air is high and you want to remove it from your living space,” says Lou Manfredini, home appliance expert at Ace Hardware. “Humidifiers are used in the winter when the air is dry, to bring moisture back into a home.”
Dehumidifiers have a coil that pulls air into them and uses an exhaust to push dry air out, according to Manfredini. As it does this, the moisture turns into condensation in the form of water in a tank.
Meet our appliance experts
At NBC Selected, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- David Leezer is the engineering director for packaged AC products at Midea*.
- Caroline Rosetto is a product marketing director at Midea*.
- Lou Manfredini is a home appliance expert at Ace Hardware.*
*Any inclusion of Midea products in this story was made independently of Leezer and Rosetto, who we only consulted for shopping tips and guidance. We did not ask Leezer and Rosetto for product recommendations from Midea.
*Any inclusion of products sold at Ace Hardware in this story was made independently of Manfredini, who we only consulted for shopping tips and guidance. We did not ask Manfredini for product recommendations from Ace Hardware.
Why trust NBC Selected?
I’m a commerce editor at NBC Selected, where I write about deals, sale events and home appliances. I’ve written about the best steam cleaners, how to clean stainless steel and hardwood floors and the best way to get rid of mold. I spoke to multiple home appliance experts for their guidance for this story.
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