Humidity control is one of the most important, yet often overlooked, aspects of maintaining good indoor air quality, according to Dr. John McKeon, CEO of Allergy Standards. Air purifiers, air conditioners, humidifiers and dehumidifiers can all help you create the perfect balance for your space and environment.
That’s why I spoke to McKeon and other humidity and home appliance experts: to better understand dehumidifiers, how they work, and how best to use them in your home.
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How I picked the best dehumidifiers
To better understand humidity and how dehumidifiers work, I spoke with experts who said to keep the following in mind when shopping for one:
- Size: Like air purifiers and air conditioners, dehumidifiers work best in a space that’s the right size for their capabilities. Carl Prouty, the technologist at Abt, a national electronics and appliance retailer, shared the following size recommendations:
- Up to 300 square feet: 25 pint dehumidifiers
- 300-700 square feet: 50-70 pint dehumidifiers
- 700 square feet and above: multiple dehumidifiers
- Location: Certain areas of the home are more humid than others. A basement, for example, will generally be more humid than a bedroom on the second floor, says Prouty, so you’ll want to buy a more powerful dehumidifier for that kind of space.
- Tank capacity: It’s important that your dehumidifier holds a good amount of water before it needs to be emptied (though many of our top picks can also be set up with a drain hose). I share tank capacity in the “What to know” section of each recommendation.
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The best dehumidifiers of 2025
The best dehumidifiers come from well-known HVAC brands like Frigidaire and Midea. I share important specifications like moisture removal per day and tank capacity in the “What to know” dropdown below each recommendation
Expert-pick
Both Prouty and Jennifer Nitrio, the founder of Mold Help For You, recommend this 50 pint dehumidifier for most spaces. You can connect the unit to your home Wi-Fi network and use the Fridigaire app to monitor humidity levels and make adjustments while you’re away from home, says Prouty. It also has more advanced air filter technology, including an ionizer setting to help pull particles from the air.
Runner up
This 50 pint dehumidifier is notable because of its large tank capacity and built-in pump. On its own, it has a tank capacity of 34 pints, more than every other pick on our list. If you plug in a drain hose, the unit has a built-in pump that can push water out of the unit, even if the drain hose goes upwards into a sink or out a window, according to the brand.
Like our expert-pick from Frigidaire, you can control this unit remotely using the Midea SmartHome app.
Best for small spaces
This affordable dehumidifier comes recommended by Nitrio, and while it doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, it’s a workhorse in small spaces, says Nitrio. It’s small and portable, weighing about two and a half pounds, and has an auto shut-off feature so you don’t have to think about it too much. Unlike our other picks, the tank is large enough that you may not have to empty it out every day.
Top rated
This is one of the best-rated dehumidifiers on Amazon, with a 4.4-star average rating from over 6,700 reviews. It’s a 22 pint dehumidifier that’s well-suited to smaller or less humid environments. It’s less powerful than a 50 pint dehumidifier, but it’s also smaller and lighter.
The tank capacity isn’t very big compared to its moisture removal power, so you’ll have to empty it throughout the day, depending on how humid your space is. But it connects to the Midea SmartHome app over Wi-Fi, which can help you monitor its status.
Best project dehumidifier
If you’re on the lookout for a heavy-duty dehumidifier for larger projects, then the BlueDri is a great fit, says Nitrio. “There isn’t a place this [machine] can’t dehumidify,” says Nitrio. It can remove up to 225 pints of moisture a day, far more than a typical 50 pint model. It also has a powerful built-in water pump and temperature sensor.
It does not have a built-in water tank — you must use the pump and drain hose with this dehumidifier. It comes with a 38-foot long hose, and the pump can push water up to 16 feet high, according to the brand.
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Meet our experts
At NBC Select, 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.
- Dr. John McKeon is the CEO of Allergy Standards, an organization that works with brands and manufacturers to improve indoor air quality science and standards.
- Carl Prouty is the technologist at Abt, a national electronics and appliances retailer based in Glenview, Illinois.
- Jennifer Nitrio is the founder of Mold Help For You. She is a certified mold inspector from the International Association of Certified Mold Inspectors and a NORMI certified biotoxin assessor and remediator for sensitized individuals.
Why trust NBC Select?
I am a reporter at NBC Select who covers technology and fitness including stories on fitness trackers, wireless earbuds and point-and-shoot cameras. I’ve been writing about air conditioners, air purifiers and other HVAC systems for years, and interviewed air quality and appliance experts to better understand how dehumidifiers work.
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