Mold is no joke. Whether you live in humid-summer New York or humid-winter Oregon, the best dehumidifiers can bring your humidity to livable levels and help mitigate the most obvious ill effects of damp climates.
What ill effects? In hot weather, humid climates can make it difficult for your body (or your air conditioner) to cool down appropriately and attain homeostasis. Closer to room temperature, oh dear lord, there's the mold—the ancient foe of asthmatics, hypochondriacs, record collectors, clotheshorses, and people who like having good hair. (Note that black mold isn't necessarily worse or better than the other kinds. Mold in general is just kinda awful for you.)
WIRED reviewer Lisa Wood Shapiro discovered the salutary effects of dehumidifiers after life in a damp Maine cabin where her air quality monitors often registered 80 percent humidity, not to mention a stint on dehumidifier TikTok. Reviewer Matthew Korfhage lives in Portland, Oregon, where black mold is a genre of small talk.
After testing, these are the best models out of the many we tested, from our best for basements pick, the Honeywell Smart Portable Dehumidifier ($270), to our best portable version for travel or small spaces, the Eva-Dry Renewable Mini Dehumidifier E-333 ($25).
For more ways to improve your indoor air quality, check out our guides to Best Air Purifiers, Best Air Quality Monitors, Best Space Heaters, Best Fans, and Best Window Air Conditioners.
Updated December 2025: We've added Dreo’s 110-pint 711S, removed unavailable products, ensured accuracy of links and prices, and added new information to FAQs.