Best 10 Dehumidifiers For Drying Clothes

Do you hang your clothes outside and wait days for them to dry? What are you doing when it’s raining outside? Hang them inside? That’s how humidity levels skyrocket! Do you live in a small home where there’s no place for a tumble dryer and free space is a luxury? Don’t worry; we have the perfect alternative for you! With a quality portable dehumidifier, you can dry your clothes and enjoy low humidity and better air quality at home. Two birds with one stone! Keep on reading to find out the advantages of using a dehumidifier to dry your clothes and what features you should look for when buying one. 

Issues occurring when drying clothes indoors

It is common in the UK to dry clothes indoors since it’s raining almost all the time. The weather is so wet that if you decide to dry them outdoors on your rotary washing lines, you will have to wait for days on end. There are a few problems, though, when drying them inside your home. Using radiators or clothes airers takes a lot of time, plus they produce a lot of moisture in your house- as much as a bucket full of water. The high levels of humidity will eventually help mould and mildew to grow on your walls, curtains or even furniture. If you have any respiratory problems, that’s a major issue as humidity can worsen the condition of people with asthma and allergies. Also, these electric devices use a lot of energy, like a washing machine, which translates into high running costs. 

How does a dehumidifier work, and how to use it for drying clothes?

The main goal of the dehumidification process is to reduce the amount of relative humidity and moisture there is in your house and create dry air and air movement. They are perfect for preventing the growth of mould and improving the air’s quality. They use a fan that draws moisturised air through a grille at the device’s front side to operate. Then the moisture is separated from the air and dipped into a tank, and the device heats the air. The warm air is finally expelled into the room with the help of the fan. 

That’s the reason why a dehumidifier is excellent at drying clothes. Sucking up all the moisture from the clothes reduces the drying time markedly. To dry your clothes with a humidifier, you should use the smallest room possible. The wardrobe itself can also be good if you don’t have any free space or a specifically designed laundry room. The smaller the room, the quicker the humidifier will do its job. Once you find the ideal place, hang your clothes evenly spaced on a clothes horse and put the device close or even underneath them. All the dehumidifiers in our list have a laundry setting that increases the fan speed and directs the airflow towards the clothes rack. 

Types of Dehumidifiers

There are three different types of dehumidifiers in the market. They all have the same purpose: to reduce excess moisture, but they use different technologies to achieve that. 

• Compressor

These dehumidifiers have an array of pipes, and through them, coolant is circulated continuously by the compressor. The moisture that passes through these pipes cools and forms water droplets that go into the tank. The dried air goes through a heating element and then expelled.

• Desiccant

These models use a silica gel to absorb the moisture and release the dry air into the atmosphere. Instead of using a fan to draw air, they have a rotating wheel. They are usually more silent than the other types as they don’t have fans.

• Thermo-electric

This type of dehumidifier can also be described as the one that has Peltier technology. It has two tanks, one cold and one warm. The former takes the moisturised air, and the moisture condenses while the latter expels warm and dry air into the room.

Dehumidifier vs Tumble dryer

Which one is better and why? Well, there is no straightforward answer as they both have some pros and cons. Let’s be more specific.

Pros of a Dehumidifier

• Energy saving: They are generally cheaper to run as they don’t require much power to operate
• Portable: They’re compact and lightweight. Most of them weigh around 10kg and have wheels and handles to move them effortlessly around your house
• Two birds with one stone: They dry your clothes effectively and they also reduce the humidity of your house
• Produce heat: The heated dried air that is expelled from the device warms your home, making them ideal to run in the winter

Pros of a Tumble Dryer

• Speed: Generally they’re quick as it usually takes one to two hours to dry your clothes.
• Healthy: They do not release any VOCs into the air as a dehumidifier does.
• Convenience: Once placed in your laundry room they do not need a drying rack or to be moved around.

The decision is ultimately yours. Both appliances are excellent and they do a pretty good job when it comes to clothes drying. Also, they cost roughly the same. So price is not something that should concern you when deciding which one to go.

Things to look for when buying a dehumidifier for drying clothes

When you’re in the market for a quality dehumidifier, you’ll find many products from different brands that can be quite overwhelming. We narrowed down a list of key features that you should consider when buying one, particularly to use it to dry your clothes.

1. Size

Size does matter. You should know beforehand where you’re going to set your dehumidifier since not all models are designed for all types of spaces. If you already have a laundry room where you’re going to dry your clothes, consider going with a 30-pint model which is ideal for spaces of up to 50 sq. meters. 

2. Tank capacity

The higher the tank’s capacity the less often you will have to empty it. Go for one with a capacity from 1L to 2L. Additionally, check if the model has an auto shut off feature. When the water tank is full it’ll automatically stop working, avoiding any spillages.

3. Noise level

That’s an important thing to look for. You might want to use the device inside your bedroom next to your wardrobe. Imaging sleeping and having a machine operating next to you, making loud and irritating noises like a washing machine. That’s unbearable. Look for models that have a noise rating of 30-45dB. 

4. Laundry mode

You can also notice it mentioned as turbo mode. It increases the fan speed allowing more air to flow and dries the air faster. It reduces moisture levels immensely. That way you don’t have to rely on gadgets like heated towel rails. With the laundry setting, you can have dry clothes in just a few hours even if it’s rainy or wet outside. 

How long should you keep your dehumidifier running?

A good rule of thumb for you to follow is to keep it on for 12 hours a day. It all depends on the humidity levels and how often you dry your clothes. If you have many heavier clothes like jackets you might have to leave it open more time than, let’s say, drying t-shirts. Most of the models feature a 24-hour timer that helps to turn off the unit when your clothes are dry enough and the humidity levels are below 60%.

How much should you spend on a dehumidifier?

There’s a model out there that fits every budget. You can find a dehumidifier that dries clothes from as little as £45 while more high-end models go up to £200. 

• Affordable

They’re small, compact and lightweight, ideal for small spaces like laundry rooms and bathrooms. They start from £45 and go up to £100. They’re pretty good at drying clothes but they don’t have much power and it might take a bit longer to achieve the desired results.

• High-end

In this category, you’ll find a product that’ll fit your needs and dry effectively your clothes. They have many features like laundry mode, defrost, automatic controls and large capacity tanks. They cost above £100 and go up to £200. 

Closure

When it comes to clothes drying there’s a new player in town! It’s called a dehumidifier and it’ll amaze you! It’s going to dry your clothes in no time, plus you will enjoy clean air without moisture, mould and mildew. All-in-one; an excellent investment! Our top 10 list along with our buying guide will help you to find the ideal model for you; the one that’ll make your life easier than ever. Are you ready to make a choice?