The hot, humid days of summer can make your home feel sticky and oppressive. But cranking the air conditioner nonstop can mean higher energy bills. A better solution might be to invest in a quality dehumidifier.

These appliances work wonders at removing excess moisture from the air during the hotter months. By pulling water vapor out of the air, they make rooms feel cooler and more comfortable without you needing to blast the thermostat. Dehumidifiers also help control mold, mildew and musty odors that thrive in damp spaces. That means when you run one, you might be making a big difference in your home’s air quality. And you could be helping to keep some of your tech gadgets safe from too much moisture. 

There are so many dehumidifiers out there, though. Which ones are worth picking up? The most effective dehumidifiers have large tank capacities, run quietly and efficiently and cover a large amount of space in your home. And some even come with air purifier abilities. We’ve curated some of our favorite picks for you to choose from below. 

Don’t spend the summer sweating and sweltering at home. A fan can only go so far. Check out some of the best dehumidifiers for summer that can help you make your home feel a little more tolerable. 

Best dehumidifiers for fighting the summer heat

Whether you’re looking to remove the most humidity from the air, or just looking to be more comfortable this summer on a budget, here are our top picks for the best dehumidifiers of 2024.

Best dehumidifier: Amazon Basics dehumidifier

This simple yet effective dehumidifier is ideal for rooms up to 2,500 square feet, which makes it a viable option for just about anyone looking to purchase one. It covers all the bases without making things too complicated, and it goes a long way toward making your home as fresh and comfortable as possible. 

It includes a timer feature, an auto-defrost function and overflow protection to make sure there are no unexpected accidents when it’s in use. If for some reason the power goes out or your humidifier is interrupted while working, it can automatically restart itself where it left off, so you don’t have to do it manually. 

The unit includes a reusable filter that can be cleaned, plus a removable water collection bin as well. It’s quiet, easy to use, and even attractive to look at. Leave it to Amazon to make a useful unit like this one that actually looks like something you want to use. 

Best dehumidifier with custom controls: Frigidaire 35 Pint Dehumidifier

Need to customize the humidity in the air? This Frigidaire dehumidifier can capture dust from the air to your specifications, making it easy to control in a room where you might want to keep it a little more moist than the rest in your home. 

It’s easy to clean too, with a a washable filter that you can tidy up when it gets too dirty and replace to start the cycle anew. To make this super simple, it has a front-loading bucket with a carrying handle and splash guard too, so no extra water falls out when you’re trying to tidy up. 

There’s also a timer you can set if you want the dehumidifier to run for a while and stop — say, if you’re going out for the day, or if you’re going to bed and want the unit to run for a short while. It’s all contained in a short, compact unit that can fit in well with your decor.

Best portable dehumidifier: Midea Cube dehumidifier

Don’t let this ultra-portable dehumidifier’s size and shape fool you. It’s still an effective and powerful dehumidifier that’s well worth the cost, especially if you find yourself needing to move it from room to room. 

It has a unique lift-and-twist design that makes it an interesting case when compared to the others you can buy right now. When operating in extended form, it has up to three times more water tank capacity than traditional dehumidifiers. That means it can run longer without needing to constantly be emptied. When in nested or drain form, it’s half the size, which cuts the tank capacity, but makes it much easier to drain if you need to do so multiple times. 

Changing the shape and form factor is easy, and this entire unit is an intriguing switch-up from what you may used to be seeing from dehumidifiers. Plus, its sensor and Wi-Fi-enabled app let you remotely monitor humidity and water levels to your liking, though not as much as some other units will allow due to its size. It also includes multi-directional air intake and up to three fan speeds.

Best humidifier under $50: Tabyik dehumidifier

This budget humidifier option comes with a transparent tank. That means you can see how much water it’s collected in real-time, so you’ll know when it’s full without having to open up the unit or look at an app and check. 

This small unit is no slouch, either. It can collect up to 16 ounces of water in just 24 hours while using an extremely low amount of power. It’s a good idea to have a transparent tank to see what it’s getting up to. And if you happen to think it’s romantic or matches your home’s aesthetic, you can even turn on a light button to choose from 7 light colors while the dehumidifier is running to set the mood.  

That said, the tank is easily removed, with a groove design at the bottom of the unit that makes it simple to remove the water tank, then pour it out and clean the entire unit. Plus, it will flash red and turn off when it gets too full, so that’s another way to indicate when it can no longer hold additional water. 

Best self-draining dehumidifier: Gocheer dehumidifier

This speedy dehumidifier can remove up to 45 ounces of water each day from your home across 107 to 800 square feet. And once that’s done, you don’t even have to empty it. It comes with a drain hose, so all that excess water goes out of the window, literally. If you need a dehumidifier on a second floor where taking the water and pouring it would be a headache, just run the drain out of the window like you would an air conditioner. Problem solved!

Otherwise, this compact dehumidifier is super easy to use and effortlessly portable, so you can move it from one room to the next. It operates below 30dB so it’s whisper quiet, and its sleep mode is essentially noiseless so you can enjoy the silence while you’re slumbering. With an automatic shut-off and full tank indicator, this affordable dehumidifier makes itself well worth the asking price.

Do you need a dehumidifier?

You can tell if you need a dehumidifier if you see signs of excessive moisture in your home. The most obvious sign is if you notice mold or mildew growing on things like walls, furniture, or other surfaces – and those aren’t always easy to detect. That means you’ll have to stay vigilant. 

Mold and mildew like to grow in damp environments, so if you do see it in your house, your humidity levels are probably too high. Another sign is if the air just feels uncomfortably damp and clammy throughout your house. If it feels like the moisture is sticking to you like when it’s impossibly humid outside, a dehumidifier can help remove some of that excess moisture in the air. 

Condensation forming on your windows is another dead giveaway that the humidity is too high. Moisture in the air condenses on glass because of the window’s cooler surface. A dehumidifier can take down the humidity levels so that condensation doesn’t form as easily. 

You’ll want to look out for signs of moisture like mold, clamminess or condensation before you bring a dehumidifier into the picture.

Brittany Vincent

Brittany Vincent has been covering gaming, tech, and all things entertainment for 16 years for a variety of online and print publications. She’s been covering the commerce space for nearly a decade. Follow her on Twitter at @MolotovCupcake.