The best dehumidifiers

If you’ve ever used the words musty, muggy, humid, fuggy, wet, musty, or the dreaded musty to describe the air in your home, you may be in need of a dehumidifier. We’ve been testing dehumidifiers for almost a decade and have found that many of the best ones work as expected for a few years, then maddeningly die. Our last hope for a more durable machine that makes it easier to use is the Wi-Fi-equipped Frigidaire Gallery FGAC5044W1. The reality is that every dehumidifier we’ve tested performs about the same, but the Frigidaire Gallery’s especially quiet operation and its ability to alert you when it needs to be drained sets it apart from the competition.

There aren’t many smart dehumidifiers out there, but we’ve come to believe that the ability to remotely monitor and control them is a real bonus. Dehumidifiers often need their collection tanks to be emptied manually, and they are also often used in a secluded corner of a home, such as a storage basement. Knowing from afar when the tank is full (and just knowing if the machine is working as it should) can save you extra trips to check things out. For that reason, the Frigidaire Gallery FGAC5044W1 is our top pick among dehumidifiers. Its Wi-Fi connectivity allows you to monitor and control it through the Frigidaire app (iOS and Android), and it can also be synced with Amazon Alexa and Google Home for voice control. The app is easy to set up, we found its alerts to be accurate, and we were able to cycle through its settings with just a tap on the screen. It’s suitable for spaces up to about 1,200 square feet and is Energy Star rated. We wish it had a pump, which eliminates the need for a manual drain, but if you can get it near a drain, the Gallery (like all dehumidifiers) will you can set it to drain passively via a hose.

runner-up

Frigidaire FFAP5033W1

This model is powerful enough for spaces as large as 1,200 square feet, its built-in pump offers plenty of drainage options, and design details make it easy to live with.

Purchase options

*At the time of publication, the price was $289.

Frigidaire FFAD5033W1

Otherwise identical, this dehumidifier lacks a pump, leaving you limited to manually emptying the tank or passively sending water down a floor drain. It is also cheaper.

Purchase options

*At the time of publication, the price was $279.

The Frigidaire FFAP5033W1 is powerful enough to leave basements damp at less than 50% humidity, helping to inhibit wood rot, mold and other infestations that can harm your home and trigger allergies. Upstairs, it can maintain humidity in spaces as large as 1,200 square feet in conditions that are comfortable for most people. It’s Energy Star rated and has several nice design details (like a flat carry handle and built-in cord storage) that make it easy to move around the house and store in dry seasons. And we like the versatility its pump offers: All dehumidifiers need to regularly drain the water they draw from the air, and the FFAP5033W1’s pump lets you automatically direct water toward a sink or window. That being said, the pump is also an additional part that can fail, and some negative owner reviews mention this happening. (The dehumidifier still works if the pump breaks.) We’ve also seen a number of reports in recent months, representing a small fraction of overall reviews, of this model completely failing within a year or so of purchase. This isn’t unique to Frigidaire machines, but it’s a real downer for those affected. We spoke with a Frigidaire representative who shared with us internal help center records that did not show an increase in the number of fault complaints.

If you don’t mind emptying a tank manually (which may be necessary several times a day), or if you can send the water down a basement drain via a gravity-fed garden hose, the Frigidaire FFAD5033W1 without a pump, usually others identical. it is a less expensive option.

also great

Frigidaire FFAD2233W1

This compact, efficient and affordable dehumidifier is designed for smaller spaces such as bedrooms and laundry rooms.

Purchase options

*At the time of publication, the price was $199.

Frigidaire’s FFAD2233W1 dehumidifier is smaller than our other picks (think tote bag instead of suitcase) and costs a lot less. It is less powerful too. But this makes it a better option for smaller spaces, like laundry rooms, where heavier machines would be overkill. It’s Energy Star certified, with convenient pocket handles and the same handy cord storage as the larger Frigidaire. But like all small dehumidifiers, the FFAD2233W1 lacks a pump, so you either have to empty the tank manually, or place the machine where it can drain into a sink or floor drain, which is rarely feasible in a home office or office. bedroom.