Best dehumidifiers UK 2023: prevent damp and mould with reliable dehumidifiers from Russell Hobbs and Lakeland
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If your house has high humidity levels, this can be a perfect breeding ground for mould and dust mites, which can contribute to an increased risk of asthma or eczema. Too much humidity can also cause damp, mould and mildew, which can damage your home, and can lead to rooms smelling unpleasant or feeling stuffy.
What do dehumidifiers do?
Dehumidifiers work by removing moisture from the air and collecting it in a water tank. Depending on the machine, they can also collect dust and dirt in their filters. Depending on your dehumidifier, you can either then empty the water tank, or connect a hose for continuous drainage.
Removing the moisture and dust from the air makes the environment less appealing to dust mites and other unwanted pests in the home.
What are the benefits of a dehumidifier?
Using a dehumidifier isn’t just useful for preventing allergies: it can also help your laundry to dry faster, and to help your home heat up faster. They’re also inexpensive to run, making them a wallet-friendly addition to your home.
Are dehumidifiers energy efficient?
With regards to energy efficiency - a dehumidifier will help keep your house warmer in winter, as well as provide a more cost effective means of drying your washing in winter. They draw moisture and allergens away from wet clothes, speeding up drying time, but they are far more cost efficient than a tumble dryer - the average dehumidifier runs at around 40p an hour, while a tumble dryer positively chews through energy, running at an average cost of £1.55 an hour.
So which dehumidifier should you go for? First, take into account the size of your home and the rooms you’ll be looking to dehumidify.
If you’re on a budget and looking to remove the moisture out of a small room such as a home office or utility room, you can buy one on the smaller and cheaper end of the scale, while if you’re looking for strong dehumidifying power throughout your home and have the space for a heavy duty machine, you’ll want to invest a bit more in your device.
How can a dehumidifier help me look after my home?
A dehumidifier can help you and your home in different ways throughout the seasons. In winter, it can aid you with your laundry drying as it will take all the water out of the air when you have to dry your clothes in home. In the summer, it can make your house to feel less muggy because it will reduce the humidity.
Dehumidifiers also have an added health benefit; they can help allergy sufferers to manage their symptoms, as allergens, bacteria, dust mites, mould and more thrive in humid conditions.
Key signs it is time to consider a dehumidifier
- Mould on walls, particularly in the ceiling or corners. Mould can spread and become toxic. This is particularly dangerous if you have respiratory issues
- Mildew
- Musty smells, particularly in closets
- Condensation on your windows
- Signs of water damage
- Rotting wood.
We’ve included a range of dehumidifiers of all sizes, prices and styles, testing each one to suss out their moisture-removing qualities. Whatever your budget and your home’s needs, we have the dehumidifier for you in our roundup.
If you don’t like the look of a traditional dehumidifier but you still want the moisture in your home to be soaked up, the Modern Moisture Absorber from British brand Lakeland is a perfect compromise.
Rather than working like a machine, this is a beautiful decorative ceramic pot with a bamboo lid - but under its lid is a water collection tank and absorbent tablet that absorbs moisture in the air, helping to prevent condensation, mould and unpleasant smells in spaces of up to 15 square metres.
It lasts between one and three months, and is easy to replace the tablet once it’s finished. We loved how chic this looked in our home, and how simple it was to use too.
Want to dehumidify without breaking the bank?
Then the PureMate 500ml Compact & Portable Air Dehumidifier is a great option.
Small, unobtrusive and offering great value for money, this dehumidifier comes in either black or white, and can remove up to 250ml of moisture per day with a 500ml water tank capacity.
It’s perfect for smaller rooms such as home offices or utility rooms, and has an automated electronic shut off so you don’t need to worry about overflow once the tank is full.
We particularly liked how quiet this was - perfect for leaving on all day without bothering you at all.
