Don’t get too excited about any claims of silent running – we found that, while actively dehumidifying, it puts out around 50dB on all of its three settings, so you won’t want to sit and watch the TV while it’s on. However, it’s a good performer for its size, reducing humidity in a damp-prone living room by 9% in the first hour and by nearly 22% within two hours. The laundry function’s quite effective too, helping dry your washing indoors without adding a layer of condensation to the windows. And at 9kg it’s light enough to take from room to room, making this a great dehumidifier for the average flat or small to medium-sized home.

If you're on the hunt for a reliable dehumidifier, look no further than the Prem-I-Air 1.5L Ola Peltier Dehumidifier with Auto Shut Off Function. With its advanced thermo-electric Peltier module, this innovative device is efficient and effective at removing moisture from the air in your home. What sets it apart from other dehumidifiers on the market is its attractive design, making it a stylish addition to any space. Plus, it's the most portable option around, so you can easily move it from room to room as needed. With a two-litre tank, it might need emptying more regularly than some models, but there’s a 1m hose if you need continuous draining into a sink or drain. And while there’s no timer, you do get a laundry mode and a choice of quiet and turbo functions, and the rotary control is – as advertised – simple and easy to use. It all depends on how much space you need to dehumidify. Dehumidifiers are often rated in terms of their extraction rate: how much water they can remove from the air in a single day. This is separate from their water tank capacity, which covers how much water they can store before you need to empty them out.

5. MeacoDry 12L Arete® One Dehumidifier

If you are worried about high running costs, choose the Meaco,” says Chris Wood, another expert from Aircon Centre. “It has a control system that can reduce your energy consumption by up to 80 percent compared to other dehumidifiers.” Like the DeLonghi higher up, the British-made Ebac 4850 has a dedicated laundry boost function that helps reduce the drying time of your damp laundry when it’s inside. Keep it running all day long and the costs could mount up, but this is an excellent dehumidifier for situations where a refrigerant model just won’t work. This EcoAir model can extract up to seven litres of moisture per day, and as a desiccant-type dehumidifier, it works at lower temperatures than your average refrigerant device.

High-capacity dehumidifiers are usually power-hungry and noisy, but the MeacoDry Arete One is designed to do more with less energy and a lower volume, topping out at 40dB during typical use and keeping consumption to around 200W. In fact, both figures fall dramatically as humidity levels start to drop. It’s an excellent dehumidifier for larger spaces and, unlike most compressor models, will work at temperatures of between 5 and 25°C. The latest model in Meaco’s dehumidifier range is a compact version of the superb Arete One, dropping the extraction rate down to ten litres per day, but reducing the size of the unit to less than 50cm high. Not only is the Arete One 10L physically unobtrusive, but it’s also impressively quiet. While we measured noise levels of around 42dB with the fans running at full tilt, these rapidly decreased to well below 40dB, which is about as close as dehumidifiers get to silent. In its night mode, the Arete One 10L can go as low as 35dB.

10. Prem-I-Air 1.5L Ola Peltier Dehumidifier with Auto Shut Off Function

If you have a small space that’s prone to damp air, like a kitchen or a bathroom, you need a dehumidifier that’s compact and quiet. Standing 22cm high and weighing little more than a bag of sugar, unlike some dehumidifiers The ProBreeze is easy to move around and won’t stand out like a sore thumb once it’s in place. Compressor dehumidifiers work in much the same way as a fridge or freezer. They draw in air and cool it, condensing any moisture as it passes across a refrigerated coil. The water then drips off into a water tank below, while the air is reheated and released into the room. Compressor dehumidifiers can be noisy and may use more energy than other types, although new compressor technology and refrigerants are bringing improvements on both counts. They’re most efficient at warmer temperatures of 20°C and above, and your best bet if you need to remove lots of moisture from a larger space. The Pro Breeze is great if you’ve got a smaller space and you want something that doesn’t cost a lot to run,” says expert Kandola. “It’s probably about a penny an hour.” The recommended humidity for your home is 40-60 per cent in the summer months and between 30-50 per cent in the winter. You can measure it with a hygrometer (a humidity gauge - they’re not expensive). If it goes over 70 per cent, you run the risk of condensation, damp, mould, fungi and bacteria. That’s when you need a dehumidifier. Which is better, a compressor or desiccant dehumidifier?