7 Best Small Dehumidifiers to Fight Dampness, Tested and Reviewed
Updated: May 15, 2024
We put the best small dehumidifiers to the test in the humid U.S. South. Here's which ones provided the most relief from excess moisture.
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Excess humidity can make you feel hot and sticky, increase the number of allergens and mold in your home and even cause damage if left unchecked. That’s where finding the best small dehumidifier comes in handy. These machines suck excess moisture out of the air and are quiet and small enough to fit on a nightstand or countertop.
“Small dehumidifiers are a great investment for maintaining a healthy indoor environment, especially in areas prone to high humidity,” says Josh Mitchell, HVAC technician and founder of the Air Conditioner Lab. “They’re particularly beneficial for people with respiratory issues or those living in smaller spaces.”
As homeowners who deal with southern summers, we know what it’s like to crave reprieve from the humidity. That’s why we researched more than 15 small dehumidifiers and tested seven to find the best to eliminate moisture in bedrooms, bathrooms, gun safes and more.
Anthony O'Reilly for Family Handyman
Best Overall Small Dehumidifier
Gocheer Upgraded Air Dehumidifier
I realized the Gocheer Upgraded Air Dehumidifier is the best small dehumidifier just minutes after plugging it in. It has a 68-ounce tank, which can extract moisture in spaces up to 800 square feet while remaining compact and lightweight enough to fit on my nightstand. Of the seven small dehumidifiers I tested, it was the quickest at dehumidifying my 600-square-foot studio apartment.
There’s a drain hose for those who wish to run it continuously, so you don’t have to drain the tank every few hours, and seven-night light colors for added ambiance. My only knock against it is you can hear it when it’s on high-speed mode, though there’s a sleep mode that drops the noise to below 15 decibels, quieter than the sound of leaves rustling. The sleep mode, however, is turned off, and the machine returns to high-speed mode after nine hours.
Pros
- Large 68-ounce tank dehumidifies up to 800 square feet
- Included drain hose for continuous use
- Sleep mode
- Auto shut-off
Cons
-
High-speed mode is a bit loud
Anthony O'Reilly for Family Handyman
Best Budget Small Dehumidifier
Eva-dry E-333 Mini Dehumidifier
At under $30, you won’t find a more efficient and budget-friendly small dehumidifier than the Eva-dry E-333 Mini Dehumidifier. Yes, it can only cover small areas (roughly a four-by-four space), but it’s reusable and more powerful than its small size may indicate. I placed this near my laundry room, which often gets humid, and noticed less moisture within a day.
It’s perfect for dehumidifying crawl spaces, closets or rooms that need a completely silent dehumidifier. The beads turn green when they’re completely wet, and all you have to do to reuse them is plug them into a well-ventilated area to release condensation. And unlike other small dehumidifiers that require a charging station, the Eva-dry has a plug on the back for quick recharging.
Pros
- Affordable
- Fits in crawl spaces and other hard-to-reach areas
- Reusable
- No charging station needed
Cons
-
Small capacity
Anthony O'Reilly for Family Handyman
Best Small Dehumidifier for Gun Safes
Afloia Gun Safe Dehumidifier
The Afloia Gun Safe Dehumidifier belongs in every gun owner’s arsenal because it’s a cheap and efficient way to ensure your firearm stays in tip-top shape whenever needed. “Moisture is a major threat to firearms, leading to rust and corrosion,” says Brady Kirkpatrick, editor-in-chief of GunMade. “I’ve seen the damage that neglect and moisture can do to firearms—it’s not pretty.”
The Afloia is less than 5 inches tall, uses no electricity, is reusable, and can dehumidify up to 54 square feet of space. Once the silica beads turn black, recharge it for two hours and place it back in the safe. While I don’t own a gun safe, I have used it in closets and other enclosed spaces and seen it work its magic.
The unit’s beads turned black within a week of it being in my clothes closet and noticeably improved my clothes’ smell.
Pros
- Easily fits in safes
- Reusable
- No electricity needed
- The charging base comes with auto shut-off
Cons
-
Only covers a small area
Anthony O'Reilly for Family Handyman
Best Small Dehumidifier for RVs and Campers
Pro Breeze Dehumidifier
Capable of dehumidifying up to 215 square feet, the Pro Breeze Dehumidifier excels at keeping smaller spaces like RVs or boats free of unwanted moisture. It’s quiet, comes with auto shut-off, has a 16-ounce tank, and weighs 2.4 pounds, so it’s easy to move when needed. I used this one in my bathroom, and the first thing I noticed was the room dried much quicker after my showers with this dehumidifier.
I would’ve liked to see an option for a drain hose for continuous use, but on the bright side, it’s incredibly energy-efficient and costs less than 10 cents a day to run. It’s the most positively-reviewed small dehumidifier on this list, with more than 31,000 five-star Amazon reviews.
Pros
- Compact and lightweight
- Quiet
- Auto shut-off
- Energy-efficient
Cons
-
No drain hose
Anthony O'Reilly for Family Handyman
Best Quiet Small Dehumidifier
Makayla Dehumidifier
The Makayla Dehumidifier is the quietest dehumidifier when it comes to day and night mode. To be honest, other machines have sleep modes quieter than this one, but they go back to high-speed mode after a few hours. The Maykala emits 39 decibels during day mode, the noise level of a library, and 30 decibels in night mode, about as loud as two people whispering. I think it might be quieter than that—there were several times I questioned whether this thing was on.
Even better, it’s a silent killer. It has a 56-ounce tank, works well in humid environments, is small enough to fit in crawl spaces and has a valve to connect a drain hose for continuous use. Of the seven dehumidifiers I tested, it was at the top of the list for performance.
Pros
- Silent during day and night modes
- 56-ounce tanks
- Auto shut-off
- Option for drain hose
Cons
-
Area coverage is small for the price
Anthony O'Reilly for Family Handyman
Best Small Dehumidifier for Basements
Midea Energy Star Certified Dehumidifier
Although it’s not exactly a “small” dehumidifier, the Midea 4,500 Sq. Ft. Energy Star Certified Dehumidifier is more compact and lightweight than traditional basement dehumidifiers. It’s also more energy-efficient, having won the 2023 Most Efficient of Energy Star Award for dehumidifiers. What’s more, it has an adjustable humidity setting, easy-roll wheels and emits less noise than most fridges.
I brought this dehumidifier to a friend’s house and it worked like a charm—so much so they’re keeping it. They loved how quiet it is and the fact that you can adjust how much moisture it removes. Furthermore, they said the wheels should be added to all full-sized dehumidifiers (we’ll agree with that one).
You can connect a drain hose to it if desired. We’d recommend waiting for a dehumidifier sale since this can be a little pricey.
My friend isn’t the only one who loves it, as there are nearly 10,000 five-star Amazon reviews.
Pros
- Covers up to 4,500 square feet
- Quiet
- Has wheels
- Energy-efficient
Cons
-
Expensive
Anthony O'Reilly for Family Handyman
Best Small Dehumidifier With Air Purifier
Tenergy Sorbi 1000ml Air Dehumidifier
If you’re looking to simultaneously eliminate airborne particles and excess moisture, the Tenergy Sorbi 1000ml Air Dehumidifier is your best bet. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this dehumidifier has a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter that removes up to 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria and other airborne particles. Both the filter and the one-liter dehumidifier tank are easy to remove.
It’s kind of hard to judge how well the air purifier works. Have I noticed a change in my living space’s air quality? Not really. The dehumidifier, on the other hand, works pretty well in making the room feel cooler. The tank is on the smaller side and it only covers up to 200 square feet of space, but it’s more affordable and space-friendly than buying separate dehumidifiers and air purifiers.
Pros
- Dehumidifier and air purifier in one machine
- Quiet
- Auto shut-off
- Two-year warranty
Cons
-
Only covers up to 200 square feet
What to Look for When Buying Small Dehumidifiers
The most important factors to consider when buying a small dehumidifier are coverage area, tank size, auto shut-off capabilities and noise level.
Coverage Area
“Small dehumidifiers are ideal for targeting specific areas in your home, like bathrooms, closets or small basements, where moisture levels can be high,” Mitchell says. To that end, check each small dehumidifier’s coverage area, which tells you how many square feet of space a machine can cover.
Tank Size
The tank holds the moisture captured by the small dehumidifier, so it’s important to find one that’s good for your needs. A small tank is fine for smaller areas or neighborhoods that don’t get extremely humid, but they’ll need to be emptied more often. Larger tanks are ideal for very humid rooms or climates and don’t need to be emptied as often, though they’re heavier when filled.
Auto Shut-Off
Auto shut-off on a small dehumidifier ensures the machine turns off when its tank is filled, ensuring it doesn’t overfill.
Noise
Most small dehumidifiers will tell you how many decibels—the unit of measurement used to gauge sound—it emits. If you’re putting your dehumidifier in an office or child’s room, look for one that has less than 30 decibels.
Drain Hose
Depending on how humid your environment is, you might want a small dehumidifier with a drain hose, which connects to the machine so it can run continuously.
Why You Should Trust Us
As a relatively new Southerner, I’m still trying to get used to how humid North Carolina can be, especially during the summer. That’s why I’ve been using and researching different dehumidifiers for my apartment since August 2022. For this roundup, I tested seven of the best small dehumidifiers at different times and in different rooms.
My top picks went to small dehumidifiers that had larger tank sizes, dehumidified rooms in a matter of minutes, were quiet and had tanks that could hold at least two days’ worth of moisture. I’ve been reviewing and testing home goods equipment for Family Handyman since January 2023. I also consulted HVAC technician and Air Conditioner Lab founder, Josh Mitchell, for this article.
Seven Dehumidifiers Tested in the Humid South Climate
I have a roughly 600-square-foot apartment in the humid city of Charlotte, North Carolina, so I put the seven best small dehumidifiers to the test by trying to make my living space a little more comfortable. My preference went for small dehumidifiers that made my living space noticeably less humid in a short amount of time and had a small profile that could be easily stored on a nightstand. Dehumidifiers that were quiet and had an auto shut-off feature also ranked high.
For the first test, I started a small dehumidifier and started a stopwatch, and I hit the time when I noticed that my studio felt more comfortable than before. Of course, this is a subjective test, but at the end of the day, the best small dehumidifier is the one that makes your living room a little more bearable.
As a studio owner, I don’t have the space for large appliances. That’s why my preference went for small dehumidifiers that weighed 5 pounds or less and could fit easily on a bookshelf, countertop or nightstand.
With the noise level, I turned the small dehumidifier on and walked to the other side of the room. If I couldn’t hear it, the machine went to the top of the list. If I heard the noise, it went toward the middle.
Listen, I have inattentive ADHD, so there’s no way I’m going to catch a dehumidifier before it overflows. Auto shut-off can prevent leaks, which could damage your room. If you live in an extremely humid area, like Florida, look for a dehumidifier with a valve to add a continuous drain hose.
FAQ
Which brand of dehumidifier is best?
After testing seven dehumidifiers, the Gocheer Upgraded Air Dehumidifier topped our list because it covers up to 800 square feet, has a large tank, is quiet and has an auto shut-off.
Where is the best place to put a dehumidifier?
The best place to put a dehumidifier is in the room that feels the most humid or is prone to leaks. Place it wherever you want to extract excess moisture.
Do dehumidifiers work better in warm or cold rooms?
Dehumidifiers can work in warm or cold rooms. Manufacturers will state the optimal operating temperature ranges on their websites.
Originally Published: March 01, 2024
