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Winter is coming, and with it, the yearly challenge of keeping your clothes and homes damp-free.

But never fear, fellow battlers. With experience under our belts and an impulse purchase, we’ve discovered an energy-efficient hack that ticks all the boxes. 

Meet the almighty dehumidifier, aka your cold-weather best friend. 

It’s not exactly a new appliance, and it’s likely one you’ve encountered before. In which case, let this be your reminder to get it out of the cupboard. 

However, if you’re one of the many who have always placed it in the ‘I’ll buy it another day’ pile, or the ‘what do they even do?’ group, it might finally be time to dabble. 

Not only do dehumidifiers cut laundry drying time in half, but they also help keep your home mould-free and suck dampness out of the air, making your house feel less cold and therefore saving you money on energy bills. 

The only thing they don’t do is give you a nice massage after a long day, but with the way technology is going, they’ll probably do that soon, too. 

In the meantime, here’s a rundown on how dehumidifiers work and how much they cost to run.

What is a dehumidifier and how does it work?

Dehumidifiers pull moisture out of the air, making it drier.

To do this, they pull air into the system and over very cold coils, which pulls out the moisture.

Once the moisture is condensed into water and collected in the system, the air it pulled out of the room is pumped right back into it, but only after it is forced over warm coils to make it room temperature.

How much does a dehumidifier cost to run?

The truth is that there is no one-size-fits-all appliance model, and depending on their size and wattage, different dehumidifiers will cost different amounts to run.

The best way to calculate how much a dehumidifier costs to run on its maximum setting is to look at its wattage.

Smaller models can use as little as 22 watts, whereas larger ones go up to around 500 watts.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, as of July 2024, the national average price per pence/kWh of electricity was 22p.

Therefore, a dehumidifier that extracts up to 20 litres a day and has a wattage of 480w would use 0.48 kWh, meaning that it would cost just 10p to run the appliance for one hour.

A dehumidifier that extracts up to 12 litres a day and has a wattage of 157w (0.157 kWh) is even cheaper to run, costing just 3p an hour.

Chris Michael, director at Meaco said: ‘Remember that you’re more likely to use your dehumidifier during the winter.

‘The wattage that a dehumidifier uses is turned into heat, so you get a dual benefit – less condensation on the windows, less chill in the air and the space feels warmer.’

What are the benefits of using a dehumidifier?

One of the worst things about winter is the added moisture in the air. This moisture not only breeds mould but can also make houses feel cold.

If you want to remove the pesky moisture without blowing your monthly pay on expensive home heating, using a dehumidifier is your best bet. 

While you will still have to use the heating at some point, it will be less often than if you didn’t use a dehumidifier, meaning you’ll have extra pocket money for fun seasonal stuff like hot chocolates and ice skating. 

Damp air can also create mould, which can damage wallpaper and walls and cause unnecessary costs.

In addition to its scary effects on your home, mould can have scary effects on your health, such as issues with breathing and the immune system.

Using a dehumidifier is an easy and cost-effective way to help prevent this.

Our final, and perhaps favourite, dehumidifier perk is for the people who didn’t buy into the heated air dryer and are still trying to dry clothes on radiators. 

As the appliance’s entire purpose is to suck the moisture out of the air, dehumidifiers are also perfect for sucking the moisture out of your laundry, meaning that clothes are dried much quicker and there is no need to spend money turning the tumble drier on.

How much does a dehumidifier cost to buy?

The great thing about dehumidifiers is that they come in all sizes and wattages, and what you need for your bedroom may be different from what you need in your living area. 

With this in mind, small dehumidifiers, on average, cost around £20-£50, while larger ones, on average, cost around £100-£200.

They can be purchased from a wide variety of retailers, such as Amazon, Argos, John Lewis and B&Q. 

Top tip: If you’re in the market for a dehumidifier and want to save some money, it may be worth waiting, as Black Friday sales will start over the next few weeks.

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