Unfortunately, 24% had to stop using their dehumidifier once it had a fault and disposed of it. Head to our dehumidifier guide to find out how to dispose of one. How we calculate the best and worst dehumidifier brands Remember that to maintain your dehumidifier’s airflow, you should never place it too close to a wall or any furniture, and ensure that you keep it away from electrics in case of leaks. What is the best time of day to use a dehumidifier?

Ancient oriental medicine tells us that clean, fresh air, is one of the most important components of not only physical, but also mental health. Simply put, without clean air, the body cannot function properly. When the body is not functioning properly, the mind cannot function with ease and clarity. A dehumidifier's size or capacity describes how many litres of water it's able to extract from the air each day (which is different to the water tank capacity). Dehumidifiers for homes range in capacity from seven to 25 litres. Humidity levels: Relative humidity (RH) should sit between 30 to 60%, and most models have a built-in humidistat to keep the room at your chosen level. Devices with an auto-setting monitor adjust the moisture levels in the room, which can save on electricity. The brand of product you buy can vary in importance, from person to person. Some people will of course be much more particular about the brands they will use. Whilst others aren’t interested in the brand and are more interested in the overall quality or price of the product itself. Thankfully Ebac is a brand that many customers have grown to love over the years and is very popular for items in the Dehumidifiers category. Water tank capacity: This is how much water the unit can hold, ranging from around 250ml to six litres. The smaller the dehumidifier, the more regularly you’ll have to empty the tank, though some larger models have a continuous drainage option through a hose.Mould and damp are caused by excess moisture. Moisture in buildings can be caused by leaking pipes, rising damp in basements or ground floors, or rain seeping in because of damage to the roof or around window frames. So, why choose this one? Firstly, it's smart; using an app from your phone, you can control it from anywhere, even on the school run or while at the supermarket. You can even connect it to your Alexa or Google Home to operate it with the sound of your voice! Secondly, it is powerful; with the ability to extract 25L of water from the air and a six-litre tank capacity, you can rest easy knowing that this dehumidifier has your damp under control. Thirdly, although its power usage is much higher, it is super energy efficient; ElectriQ claims it is 50% more efficient than other standard dehumidifiers. We love that for our energy bills! Lastly, for the price, this dehumidifier doesn’t just control your home's humidity. It also purifies the air and eliminates terrible odours using a combination of UV sterilisation, an active carbon filter and a HEPA filter. In short, it works hard to keep you and your family feeling fit and healthy!

A damp environment in our homes can be one of main contributor to ill health and COPD. Humidity can even damage furnishings like wallpaper, floorboards, and window seals. The next step for us was to look at all of the products that fall within the Dehumidifiers category, of which we found 12 products at Argos. So we pulled together all of the prices of these products to analyse the average prices as well as finding the cheapest and most expensive options.Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family. Fan speeds: Some dehumidifiers have just one speed for continuous drying, limiting your control. Whilst others have up to three, which is advantageous if you want to adjust it for faster drying or put it on a lower (and possibly quieter) setting.

That depends on your humidity levels and what you’re trying to achieve. You don’t always have to leave your dehumidifier on, but you may want to if your damp problem is severe. Also, it can be cheaper to run them at night. If available, make use of timer or automatic shut-off features so the dehumidifier isn’t running continuously while you’re out of the house or asleep. Smart features So-called 'smart' dehumidifiers can be controlled via a smartphone app as well as the standard control panel. This could come in handy if you want to turn your dehumidifier on or off or adjust the settings, such as fan speed, while you're in another room or even out of the house. Keep in mind that smart models tend to be more expensive. There are two main types of dehumidifiers that work in slightly different ways: desiccant dehumidifiers and compressor (also known as refrigerant) dehumidifiers. While all dehumidifiers have the same aim, which type you go for will depend on where and how you will use it. Desiccant dehumidifierWe've pulled together our fault data, customer insight and average performance in our independent dehumidifier tests to give you an in-depth look at each brand. Our trials showed that moisture absorbers won’t do much to reduce damp in a room that’s routinely used for drying laundry. So moisture absorbers can help with small day-to-day damp issues, but shouldn’t be relied upon for any serious damp-busting.