In today’s modern world, keeping the humidity levels around you under control is no longer just a comfort. It’s an incredibly vital, bare essential; especially if you live in climates as unforgiving as the UK’s.
According to the World Health Organization, more and more allergies and respiratory issues can be attributed to an increase in atmospheric water levels. To avoid mould, mildew, dust mites, allergens and a host of other health issues, you are advised to keep humidity levels below 50 percent.
To achieve this, you need a dehumidifier that works by drawing excess moisture from the air to create a safer and healthier breathing environment. Typically, most dehumidifiers use a fan to move air over refrigerated coils where moisture is drawn and drained.
While the size of your house or room will determine the right capacity dehumidifier, you’ll almost always never go wrong with a small, portable unit. With features like continuous drainage and incredibly quiet operation, it’s no wonder that small dehumidifiers are becoming increasingly popular.
What’s more, these appliances are super economic since they don’t need a lot of energy to run.
We’ve evaluated hundreds of small units in different sized rooms, talked to homeowners all over the UK to see what they had to say, and did all the hard yards so you don’t have to experiment with your health to find the best.
Here are the top 5 highest rated small and portable dehumidifiers according to both experts and consumers alike.
1. Meaco Portable Compact Dehumidifier DD8L
If you’re looking for a dehumidifier built just for UK’s cold winters, Meaco has just the thing for you. Their newest portable unit dubbed the DD8L makes use of desiccant technology to kill two birds with one stone. That’s right; in addition to providing some additional heat to warm those cold, UK winters, the unit is quieter than your average dehumidifier.
At just 6.4 Kg, this Portable Compact Dehumidifier from Meaco is perfect for small rooms, garages, motor homes, boats and colder applications such as conservatories. And thanks to Meaco Control Logic, this unit gives users more savings with up to 80% reduction in energy consumption. But even with all this technology, the DD8L is quite user-friendly. The easy to use controls include a variable humidistat that allows for different dehumidifying strengths.
What We Like About It:
- Ideal for adding some warmth to your home
- Incorporates anti-bacterial filter and an ionizer
- Won numerous British and international awards
2. EcoAir DC12 Compact Portable Dehumidifier
It’s a well-known fact that air humidity over 50% is a breeding ground for fungi, bacteria, mould allergens, and other risk factors for breathing difficulties. That’s why the EcoAir DC12 Compact Portable Dehumidifier helps make life more comfortable by controlling your indoor humidity. This compact unit boasts of an extraction rate of 12 litres a day which is not only suitable for drying laundry indoors, but also for eradicating water after a leak or floods.
The DC12 is characterized by an electronic control panel with touch button technology and an intelligent display to show you exactly what you’re doing. Here, users can manage humidity levels and controlled sessions with 2 and 4-hour timer function. EcoAir also included some self-diagnostic indicators which keep you updated on the state of your appliance. How cool is that?
What We Like About It:
- 3.5 litre water tank capacity
- Auto-restart function in case of power failure
- Comes with power cord hanger and easy glide castors
3. Meaco Small Home Dehumidifier
There’s a reason why Meaco is becoming a common household name all over the UK. When it comes to healthy, home appliances, it’s tough to beat them. Perfect for flats, cottages and small houses of up to 3 bedrooms, the Meaco Small Home Dehumidifier is a simple yet highly effective machine. In addition to helping control mould and spores, this unit can be used to prevent condensation on windows and other damp related issues.
Much like the DD8L, this dehumidifier offers a wide range of humidistat settings as well as a laundry mode for when you need to do some serious indoor laundry drying. But unlike the DD8L, this particular unit has a higher extraction rate of 10 litres a day. There’s also the incorporation of an efficient rotary compressor that keeps the noise levels at a lowly 43dB.
What We Like About It:
- Slightly higher humidity extraction rate
- Transparent water tank for easy viewing
- User-friendly control panel
4. De’longhi DEX12 Dehumidifier
If you’re dealing with a serious spike in humidity or looking to clear water from your home after a flood, then you’ll need a small dehumidifier built for the job. The De’longhi DEX12 Dehumidifier boasts of an incredibly high extraction rate of 12 litres a day. But that’s not where the DEX12 excels. Thanks to an internal technological upgrade, this unit sets the landmark for energy efficient dehumidifiers.
In addition to saving on power, the DEX12 has been optimized for noise reduction to make it the ideal night-time companion. With such low noise emissions, the model will feel right at home in your bedroom. Not only does the DEX12 help reduce excess moisture in the air, but it also improves air quality thanks to a washable anti-dust filter. All this can be controlled at the integrated and easy to use functional control panel.
What We Like About It:
- High moisture extraction rate
- Acts as both a dehumidifier and purifier
- Minimum noise emissions for use at night
5. Igenix IG9807 Portable Desiccant Dehumidifier
Since their inception back in 2002, Igenix has grown significantly and monumentally into a diverse household brand. When it comes to heating and air treatment, there’s a reason why Igenix tops the list every time. The smaller, lighter and quieter Igenix IG9807 Portable Desiccant Dehumidifier is a testament to this fact. Not only is it one of the most portable dehumidifiers on our list, but it’s also the most affordable.
Although it is smaller, the IG9807 is far more effective than some compressor driven dehumidifiers. However, that can be attributed to some pretty clever and innovative features. This includes Nano Silver attached on the filter that releases ions which eliminate bacteria, spores, fungi, and growth of microbes. Likewise, there’s an easy to use LED display panel that shows the current room temperature, humidity, fan speed settings, defrost function and a timer.
What We Like About It:
- Lighter, smaller and more compact
- Extracts up to 7 litres of atmospheric water a day
- Silver Nano filter kills harmful bacteria on contact
