Showers, baths, and sinks create high levels of constant moisture and humidity in bathrooms. In some homes, the bathroom doubles as the laundry room as well. Though generally designed to be frequently wet, bathrooms sometimes create perfect conditions for mold and mildew growth. Mold and mildew love to grow in dark, warm places with high moisture. Due to all the small nooks and crannies, such as behind the toilet or under the sink, it can be hard to keep bathrooms free of mold and mildew.
Dehumidifiers are machines that lower the water content of the air around them. High-quality models are very effective. However, could a dehumidifier work in a bathroom? Below, we explore the possibilities and what you need to look for in a bathroom dehumidifier. Humidity levels, bathroom size, and a proper electrical outlet are all factors that should be considered.
Why Not Just Use a Fan?
Many bathrooms come with ventilation fans. Fans are a nice way to keep odors down and bring in fresh air. However, they aren’t always adequate at keeping humidity levels down, especially if you live in a humid climate. Therefore, to prevent mold and mildew growth, experts recommend a dehumidifier.
What Size Dehumidifier Do I Need for a Bathroom?
Dehumidifiers are rated by the number of square feet in which they can reduce moisture effectively. Since most bathrooms are relatively small compared to a living space, you won’t need to buy a large humidifier. That’s important because space in a bathroom is often at a premium. However, smaller dehumidifiers usually have smaller reservoirs, or tanks, where the captured water is stored. Since your dehumidifier will be working hard in your bathroom, this tank will tend to fill up quickly.
Choosing the Best Bathroom Dehumidifier
There are several different dehumidifiers on the market, but not all are best suited for bathrooms. Below are some factors you should consider before making a purchase.
Coverage Area
Coverage area is one of the first things you should think about when looking for a dehumidifier. While it’s often measured in square feet (or the floor space of your room), some manufacturers use cubic feet (the floor space of a room combined with the height). This is a little more accurate but is not really necessary. The coverage area means how much space a dehumidifier can remove moisture from at a particular time.
Knowing the square footage of your bathroom is a good place to start. If you want to use the dehumidifier in another room, you need to measure that room as well. Choosing a unit that can cover an area a little bigger than your bathroom is a good idea.
Most of the dehumidifiers we review below cover all the way up to 1000 square feet or higher. Though not all models will perform equally, we found this size is adequate for a bathroom.
Performance
How well a dehumidifier keeps a room dry is the most common question asked by potential buyers. You’ll want one with at least a 30-pint tank for your bathroom. If your bathroom is small, you can get one with a smaller capacity that should also work.
Tank Capacity
A tank’s capacity just means how much water it can hold. Since bathrooms are more humid than an average room, small tanks have to be emptied more frequently, which can be a hassle. A dehumidifier manufacturer may tell you how many pints it can extract from the air a day, making things a little confusing. This is often more than the tank can actually hold.
Continuous Drainage
Because many people do not want to fool with constantly emptying tanks, some dehumidifiers have a way of continuously draining, which can be very useful in a bathroom.
A unit with this option will have a location where you can attach a hose (which may be included) or a standard garden hose. The other end needs to be placed into a drain or sink. This will continuously drain the unit, so you won’t have to empty it periodically. While continuous drainage is convenient, it also means you must find a place to put your dehumidifier so it can drain. Some larger units (50 to 70 pints and up) may have a built-in pump that will move water mechanically, but most units use gravity. That means your unit will need to be higher than your drain or sink.
The Best Bathroom Dehumidifiers of 2021
We have done some research for you on the best dehumidifiers for bathrooms. We’ve picked five out of the list of best sellers and reviewed them for you below.
Tosot 30-Pint Dehumidifier
Best Bathroom Dehumidifier for High Humidity
For very humid rooms like laundry and bathrooms, we recommend the Tosot. This 30-pint dehumidifier is quiet and energy-efficient. It is easy to use, allowing you to set your preferred level of humidity. The unit’s tank is easily removed and comes with a handle. This dehumidifier also has an outlet for a standard garden hose for continuous drainage.
Five characteristics we like
Perfect for Bathrooms
This dehumidifier covers rooms up to 1,500 square feet in size, making it more than powerful enough for a bathroom. It will pull 30 pints of water out of the air per day, enough to dry out even the wettest room. You can easily empty the tank or set it up with a hose for continuous drainage.
Energy-Efficient
With an Energy Star rating, this unit goes easy on your energy bill and reduces your environmental footprint by efficiently using electricity.
Noise (or lack thereof)
With all the noise in our lives, we really don’t want more machines adding to the cacophony. Producing only 48 decibels on the lowest setting and 52 on the highest, this unit is one of the quietest. Owners have described the sound as a soothing white noise.
Restart
Power outages can cause your dehumidifier to turn off completely. It’s a hassle to reset the settings on the unit and can be a real issue if you aren’t home to turn it back on at all. This model automatically resumes operation on the last settings you’ve used once power is restored. This is important if you are away on a long trip.
Washable Filter
Dehumidifiers take in air and remove the moisture. That also means that they are sucking in any dust or dirt floating around. Dehumidifiers use filters to keep that dust away from the other parts of the machine to continue working efficiently. As an air filter becomes clogged, the dehumidifier loses its ability to function efficiently. These filters need to be cleaned regularly to keep the unit doing its best.
The Tosot 30-Pint Dehumidifier’s filter is easy to take out and reinstall. Just hand wash with warm water and soap, let dry, and replace. The manufacturer recommends a filter cleaning after 250 hours of operation, but you don’t have to keep track! A display light will let you know when it’s time to clean.
Potential Downside
Small Reservoir
Though it can remove up to 30 pints in a day, this model’s tank is small. In rooms with high humidity, you may find yourself emptying it often.
Additional Specifications
Area Coverage 1,500 square feet
Reservoir Capacity 8 pints
Pints Per Day 30 pints
Size 13.4 inches x 9.9 inches x 19.5 inches
Noise Level 48 – 52 decibels
Rinkmo Portable 30-Pint Dehumidifier
Best Portable Bathroom Dehumidifier
The Rinkmo Dehumidifier is a compact, stylish unit that can cover an area of up to 1,050 square feet. It removes 30 pints of moisture from this coverage area per day. It’s easy to operate with an intuitive LED display. It also shows the current humidity level in the room. There are a couple of “smart” features built into this model, such as a power-outage restart function and an auto-shutoff. The water tank can hold almost 4 pints, but you can also connect a hose for continuous draining.
Why it is a good choice
Ease of Operation
The LED display is easy to understand and use. You can set your desired humidity level and your preferred fan speed. It also comes with a timer that allows you to set the function for 24 hours.
Auto-Shutoff
A user can easily forget to empty a dehumidifier water tank, causing an overflow that can damage flooring. Luckily, most dehumidifiers have an auto-shutoff, including the Rinkmo. A light on the display will let you know when the tank is full.
Automatic or Manual Drain
This model has a 3.8-pint tank which is easy to locate and empty. However, its small size means you may be doing this a lot. There’s also a place to connect a hose so that drainage is automatic.
Washable Filter
This model comes with a reusable, washable filter. It is easy to remove, wash, and replace.
Potential Downside
Noise level
Even though this unit effectively reduces humidity, it can be a little noisy for its size range. Some customers noticed the sound levels increased slightly after a couple months of use.
Additional Specifications
Area Coverage 1,050 square feet
Reservoir Capacity 3.8 pints
Pints Per Day 30 pints
Size 11 inches x 7 inches x 18.5 inches
Sound Level Not specified
Colzer 30-Pints Compact Dehumidifier
Best 30-Pint Bathroom Dehumidifier
Slightly “beefier” than the Rinkmo model, the Colzer covers a large area (1,500 square feet) and has a larger storage capacity. At 29 pounds, it is still easy to move around. It comes with four caster wheels. Maintenance is easy with its easily accessible air filter. This model will also alert you when the tank is full.
Five reasons to like it
Compact
The Colzer 30-pint dehumidifier will work well in medium-sized bathrooms. Its stylish, slim design doesn’t take up much space.
Big Coverage Area
Despite its small size, this dehumidifier can cover an area of up to 1,500 square feet. It can remove up to 30 pints per day and will hold up to 9.6 pints in the tank. This capacity is much higher than most similar dehumidifier models.
Accurate Humidity Control
While you don’t want your bathroom to be a swamp, you may not want it to be a desert either. Your skin and respiratory system need some moisture or else they will dry out. Some dehumidifiers have just two settings, off and on, with no option for setting the most comfortable level for you. The Colzer monitors moisture levels, providing you an easier way to control humidity levels.
Excellent Control Panel
The LED control panel is intuitive and allows easy access to several smart functions such as automatic shut off, 24-hour timer, humidity level control, and fan speed.
Included Hose
If you prefer continuous drainage, this model comes with a 3.2-foot hose which you can connect to a nearby drain.
Potential Downside
Noisy
The Colzer generates a lot of noise and vibration, especially at high speed.
Additional Specifications
Area Coverage 1,500 square feet
Reservoir Capacity 9.6 pints
Pints Per Day 30 pints
Dimensions Not given
Sound Level Not given
Latitop Small Dehumidifier
Best Small Bathroom Dehumidifier
If you have a smaller sized bathroom, we recommend the Latitop Dehumidifier. It’s small and works great in tight spaces. Its operation does not involve a compressor, so it is very quiet. This can be important if noise bothers you at night when trying to sleep.
There’s a one-button operation, so it’s super easy to figure out. It will also help you save energy by consuming only 48 watts in an hour, not to mention its price point is below a hundred dollars.
Why we picked it
Great for Small Bathrooms
This model is excellent for small-sized bathrooms or half-baths. Even with its small size, it sports a relatively large tank (4.23 pints). It can remove 1.48 to 2.11 pints of moisture each day.
Auto-Shutoff
When the tank gets full, this model will automatically shut off. An indicator on the LED display will let you know when you need to empty the tank. The tank is straightforward to empty. Unlike other models, you don’t need to remove the whole reservoir. Just slide it out of the back of the unit and pull out the plug.
Quiet
At 50 decibels, this dehumidifier is fairly quiet. Because it doesn’t use a compressor, it does produce much sound and vibration, which is great for bathrooms where sound can bounce around.
One-Button Operation
On and off. That’s it. Forget a manual. This machine is about as simple as it gets and works just fine for a small bathroom.
Potential Downside
Only for Small Rooms
Additional Specifications
Area Coverage 480 square feet
Reservoir Capacity 4.23 pints
Pints Per Day 1.48 pints
Dimensions 8.19 inches x 5.9 inches x 13.27 inches
Sound Level 50 decibels
Frigidaire 50-Pint Dehumidifier
Best 50-Pint Bathroom Dehumidifier
Not only will this dehumidifier reduce humidity, but it will also help remove nasty bacteria that loves to live in your bathroom. The manufacturer provides a one-year warranty to cover defects and malfunctions. Unfortunately, many customers report failure within 3 years of buying.
Plenty to like
Energy-Efficient
Despite being a big model, the Frigidaire Dehumidifier is very energy-efficient, using only 115 watts. This earns it an Energy Star rating.
Removes Bacteria
With its antibacterial mesh filter, this model captures more airborne particles than just dust; it takes care of bacteria too. It also helps neutralize smells.
Portable
You can easily roll this model from room to room on its four caster wheels. It also comes with a handle on top and two side handles.
Continuous Drain Option
The reservoir holds a whopping 16.3 pints of water, which means you won’t be emptying it quite as often. However, there’s also a continuous drain connection for a hose if you want to take that route.
Big Potential Downside
This model does not have the best track record; it might not last long. Many customers report that their unit fails within three years of purchase.
Additional Specifications
Area Coverage 1,000 square feet
Reservoir Capacity 16.3 pints
Pints Per Day 50 pints
Dimensions 24.65 inches x 11.32 inches x 16.08 inches
Sound Level Not specified
How do I keep the moisture level in my bathroom under control?
Here are some easy tips to keep your bathroom from becoming a swamp.
Fix leaks: If a pipe or fixture is leaking, then you are going to end up with an endless stream of water in your bathroom. If you can locate the leak, get it fixed quickly to avoid damage and mold.
Ventilate: After taking a bath or showering, don’t leave the room and shut the door. This will trap heat and humidity inside. Keep the door open and let your dehumidifier work more efficiently. If you have a fan, turn that on as well.
Remove excess water: After using the bath or shower, use your old towel to wipe away excess moisture. This will also help keep your bathroom clean.
Take wet clothes outside: If you live in a tight place, your bathroom might have to double as your laundry. If you can, find a more open place to dry your clothes. They will dry faster and keep the bathroom moisture down. If you don’t have that option, use your dehumidifier to speed the drying process along. It’s like making your entire bathroom a clothes dryer, just not as hot!