The best dehumidifiers for removing damp and drying clothes

The Pro Breeze Smart Compressor Dehumidifier is perfect for smart homes. Controlled by a free mobile app, it’s got all the features you need and a little bit more. It has options for multiple wind speeds, humidity targets, three operating modes, and a 24-hour timer. This model can do it all.

Having the smartphone app is especially handy if your home needs constant damp management but you’re always out and about, whether you work a lot or you’re a real social butterfly. It’s also good if you have a small home that’s always packed with drying-out laundry, because you can keep it running or keeps tabs on the humidity remotely.

It comes equipped with a hose, so it can be set to continuously drain and save yourself the pain of emptying the tank. If you don’t have an appropriate drain, the tank is big enough that you can get away with emptying only once in a while. The tank itself is 4 litres, but it can handle a massive 30 litres per day.

The De'Longhi DEX214F Dehumidifier doesn’t quite match up to the top-end options in this roundup, but 14 litres of moisture per day is certainly impressive — and for a lower price than its competitors. It has three humidity settings (40, 50, or 60%) while also filtering the air to tackle dust and allergens.

One of the most attractive features is its relatively low noise — just 37 decibels. We also like the laundry function for when you’ve got a heavy load hanging up around the house. This optimises both the ventilation speed and dehumidifying capacity, which ultimately speeds up the drying process.

A smallish tank of 2.1 litres means you’ll need to empty fairly frequently, though you can set it to drain continuously — if you have a drain within reaching distance, of course.

The Meaco Dry Arete One comes from the brand's recent range of ultra-quiet, energy-savvy dehumidifiers. The big sell is that it’s essentially a 2-in-1 model — a compressor dehumidifier and HEPA air purifier all at once.

Whereas other dehumidifiers make claims based on more humid climates, Meaco has designed this model especially for the British climate. And 25 litres is a seriously impressive number that makes this ideal for big homes or severe damp problems. It also has two fan speeds and seven humidity levels, plus a humidistat, which adjusts the settings automatically.

The air purifier will remove dust and allergens from the air, but its worth noting that the Meaco Dry Arete One works as one or the other — the dehumidifier and purifier modes don’t work at the same time.

OK, so you want to suck some moisture out of the air but you don’t want to suck your bank account dry? We get it. Most of the dehumidifiers on this list aren’t exactly easy on the wallet. Enter the Pro Breeze Dehumidifier, an effective and highly-rated option that costs under £40.

At this small size (and price) it’s best for small rooms. If that room happens to be your home office, where you’re trying to work, or even the living room, where you’re trying to watch TV uninterrupted, it’s perfectly quiet. This is thanks to using the much quieter peltier technology, which works by cooling vapour into water.

Its water tank is just 500ml, but it has an automatic shut-off function, which kicks in whenever it’s full and alerts you to drain the system.

The Ometa Pure is a mid-sized, mid-capacity, mid-performance option. That’s a whole lot of mid, but there’s nothing wrong with being in the middle, especially when it comes with a mid-point price. Because not everyone needs (or can afford) the biggest and most expensive model.

The Ometa Pure can absorb 12 litres of moisture over 24 hours, with a decent sized tank of 2 litres. There’s the option to continuously drain (a hose comes included) but that’s once again dependent on having a floor-level drain.

Choose from various modes — Auto Mode, Continuous Drying Mode, or Sleep Mode — while a three-colour LED system keeps you up to date with the humidity in the room (blue for 30-45%, green for 45-65%, red for 65% plus). It’s all controlled via an easy-to-use panel, which also offers a timer option.

If you’re someone who spends lots of time in the garage or shed — or perhaps you have a caravan or camper van — the Meaco DD8L Zambezi is a great option. Thanks to desiccant technology, it works perfectly in colder temperatures. It’s just as reliable in the home, too. It’s built for working in homes with up to five bedrooms, with coverage of 200 square metres, while its energy-saving Laundry+ is ideal for families and busy households.

Meaco boasts about the model’s next-level control functions, with a digital display, daily-run timer functions, and plenty of other options. The DD8L Zambezi even asks you to turn it on when the humidity hits 70%.

While it has a lower capacity than the most powerful refrigerant, absorbing 8.3 litres per day, you’d need a serious damp problem to see the difference.

Pro Breeze makes the list for very good reason. The brand just knows how to make a top-quality dehumidifier. In this case it’s the aptly named Pro Breeze 12L Dehumidifier, which does almost everything the above model can do — just without the smart app control function. It’s also significantly smaller, making this one better for targeting specific areas or smaller rooms.

It has an automatic dehumidifier sensor that measures the ambient humidity, guiding you on targeting the ideal humidity for your home — anything between 30 and 80%. It also has three operating modes (auto, continuous and sleep mode) plus two fan speeds and a 24-hour timer.

While it doesn’t hold as much water as other dehumidifiers, you can choose to attach a hose and drain continuously, which is helpful. Overall, a highly reliable dehumidifier with good but unflashy features.