The best dehumidifiers for drying clothes
Compared on pints per watt, because that is the ratio that decides both how fast it dries and what it costs.
We have not tested these products and we do not pretend to have. Here is what we did instead. Links to Amazon earn us a commission at no extra cost to you - disclosure.
| # | Rack | Best for | Open footprint | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  VEAGASO Dehumidifier, 28 Pints, 2000 Sq FtTop pick28 pints a day on a published 158 W draw - the best pints-per-watt figure here, and quiet enough at 38 dB to run in a bedroom. | Drying a load overnight | 10.6"D x 6.7"W x 15.9"H | Check price#ad |
| 2 |  Waykar 34 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier, 2000 Sq Ft34 pints a day and 62 cfm of airflow on a published 230 W - more capacity and much more air movement than the VEAGASO, for more watts. | A whole damp apartment | 9"D x 12.2"W x 20.9"H | Check price#ad |
| 3 |  BEDRED Dehumidifier, 95 oz Tank, 1000 Sq FtA thermoelectric unit at a published 85 W. Quieter and cheaper to run than a compressor, and it pulls a fraction of the water. | A small closed room | 6.7"D x 8.7"W x 14.6"H | Check price#ad |
| 4 |  TABYIK 35 oz Dehumidifier for Bedroom / RV40 W and a 35 oz tank. Fine in a wardrobe; not enough to dry a rack of washing, and its own listing does not claim otherwise. | A closet, not a laundry load | 5.9"D x 5.9"W x 10.1"H | Check price#ad |
A dehumidifier is the single most effective device for indoor drying in a closed room, and the reason is not obvious: it does not touch your laundry at all. It lowers the humidity of the air around it, and dry air pulls water out of wet fabric far faster than saturated air can.
The running cost, computed
| Product | Rated watts | Per hour | Per 5h session | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VEAGASO Dehumidifier, 28 Pints, 2000 Sq Ft | 158 W | 2.9¢ | 14.5¢ | $1.88 |
| Waykar 34 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier, 2000 Sq Ft | 230 W | 4.2¢ | 21.1¢ | $2.74 |
| BEDRED Dehumidifier, 95 oz Tank, 1000 Sq Ft | 85 W | 1.6¢ | 7.8¢ | $1.01 |
| TABYIK 35 oz Dehumidifier for Bedroom / RV | 40 W | 0.7¢ | 3.7¢ | $0.48 |
Monthly figures assume 3 sessions a week at 5 hours each. Rate: 18.34¢/kWh, US residential average for June 2026, from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.3, retrieved 2026-09-02. Put your own rate in.
Every unit on this page publishes a wattage, which puts this category ahead of heated racks - where half the products publish nothing. That means you can compare running cost directly and choose on it.
Compressor or thermoelectric - these are different products
This is the most important distinction in this category and it is almost never explained on a listing.
| Compressor | Thermoelectric (Peltier) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Cools a coil so water condenses on it | A solid-state element cools a small plate |
| Extraction | 20-50+ pints a day | A small fraction of that |
| Wattage | 150-250 W | 40-85 W |
| Noise | 38-50 dB | Near silent |
| Cold rooms | Loses capacity below about 60 F | Loses capacity faster still |
| Right for a laundry load | Yes | No - too little extraction |
| Right for a closet or a small bathroom | Overkill | Yes |
The practical rule: if the listing publishes a tank size rather than a pints-per-day extraction rate, it is almost certainly thermoelectric and it will not dry a laundry load. That is not a defect - it is a different product for a different job, and it is on this page because it is the one people buy by mistake.
The full specifications
| Product | Open | Folded | Drying line | Load | Material | Watts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VEAGASO Dehumidifier, 28 Pints, 2000 Sq Ft | 10.6"D x 6.7"W x 15.9"H | Not applicable | Not applicable | 28 pints per day | Compressor dehumidifier | 158 W |
| Waykar 34 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier, 2000 Sq Ft | 9"D x 12.2"W x 20.9"H | Not applicable | Not applicable | 34 pints per day (at 95 F, 90% RH) | Compressor dehumidifier, Energy Star certified | 230 W |
| BEDRED Dehumidifier, 95 oz Tank, 1000 Sq Ft | 6.7"D x 8.7"W x 14.6"H | Not applicable | Not applicable | 95 oz tank | Thermoelectric (Peltier) dehumidifier | 85 W |
| TABYIK 35 oz Dehumidifier for Bedroom / RV | 5.9"D x 5.9"W x 10.1"H | Not applicable | Not applicable | 1000 ml (35 oz) tank | Thermoelectric (Peltier) dehumidifier | 40 W |
Every figure is the manufacturer’s own, read from its listing on 2026-09-02. Where a cell says not published, that specification is genuinely absent - we do not estimate one. How we work.
The numbers that matter for laundry
- Wattage - sets the running cost, exactly as with a heated rack. Every unit here publishes one.
- Pints per day - the extraction rate. Note it is quoted at 95 F and 90 percent relative humidity, which is a test condition and not your apartment. Expect less in a real room.
- Airflow in cfm - underrated. A unit moving more air through itself also moves more air past your laundry, doing a fan's job at the same time.
- Noise in dB - decides whether you can run it overnight in a room you sleep near.
- Drainage - a continuous hose option means you never think about the tank.
How to use one for drying
- Close the room. This is the opposite of what you do with a fan, and it is the whole point - a dehumidifier works on the air in a sealed volume.
- Put it near the rack, with the outlet pointing at it if the unit has a directional vent.
- Run it for the whole drying period, not for an hour.
- Empty the tank or run a hose. A full tank shuts the unit off and everything stops.
- Do not use it in a cold room. Below about 60 F a compressor unit's capacity drops off sharply.
The picks
Top pick · Drying a load overnight
VEAGASO Dehumidifier, 28 Pints, 2000 Sq Ft
28 pints a day on a published 158 W draw - the best pints-per-watt figure here, and quiet enough at 38 dB to run in a bedroom.
What the manufacturer publishes
- Open
- 10.6"D x 6.7"W x 15.9"H
- Folded
- Not applicable
- Drying line
- Not applicable
- Load capacity
- 28 pints per day
- Material
- Compressor dehumidifier
- Rated wattage
- 158 W
Costs 2.9¢ an hour to run - 14.5¢ for a 5-hour session, at 18.34¢/kWh (US residential average, June 2026).
Figures from Manufacturer listing on Amazon, retrieved 2026-09-02.
A dehumidifier does not blow air at your laundry; it removes the water your laundry has just put into the room. That is why it dries a closed room full of washing and a fan does not.
158 W is the number to compare against a heated rack. Running it for eight hours costs about 23 cents at the current US average rate - roughly what a 270 W heated rack costs for five.
38 dB is quiet enough to sleep through, which matters because the natural way to use one is overnight in a closed room with the rack.
This is a compressor unit, not a thermoelectric one, which is why it can pull 28 pints where the small desktop units manage a fraction of that.
Good
- 158 W published - the running cost is calculable
- 28 pints per day
- 38 dB quiet mode
- 16.5 lb, portable between rooms
Not so good
- 35.3 cfm airflow is modest, so it works best in a closed room
- Compressor units lose capacity in a cold room
- Tank needs emptying or a hose run
Skip this if your drying room is under about 60 F. Compressor dehumidifiers slow down badly in the cold - that is a physics limit, not a brand problem.
Pick 2 · A whole damp apartment
Waykar 34 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier, 2000 Sq Ft
34 pints a day and 62 cfm of airflow on a published 230 W - more capacity and much more air movement than the VEAGASO, for more watts.
What the manufacturer publishes
- Open
- 9"D x 12.2"W x 20.9"H
- Folded
- Not applicable
- Drying line
- Not applicable
- Load capacity
- 34 pints per day (at 95 F, 90% RH)
- Material
- Compressor dehumidifier, Energy Star certified
- Rated wattage
- 230 W
Costs 4.2¢ an hour to run - 21.1¢ for a 5-hour session, at 18.34¢/kWh (US residential average, June 2026).
Figures from Manufacturer listing on Amazon, retrieved 2026-09-02.
62 cfm against the VEAGASO's 35.3. That airflow is not incidental - a dehumidifier that moves more air through itself also moves more air past your laundry, so it does double duty.
230 W for eight hours is about 34 cents at the current US average rate. More than the VEAGASO, and still less than most heated racks over the same period.
The 34 pint rating is quoted at 95 F and 90% relative humidity, which is the industry test condition and not your apartment. Every dehumidifier's headline pint figure is quoted this way; expect less in a real room.
The 90 degree manual airflow swing lets you aim the outlet at the rack, which turns it into a dehumidifier and a directional fan at once.
Good
- 230 W published, Energy Star certified
- 62 cfm - nearly double the VEAGASO's airflow
- Adjustable 90 degree airflow direction
- Continuous drain option
Not so good
- 230 W, so it costs more per hour than the smaller unit
- 28.7 lb
- Headline pint rating is a test-condition figure, not a room figure
Skip this if you only need to dry one rack in one small room. The lower-wattage unit does that job for fewer cents.
Pick 3 · A small closed room
BEDRED Dehumidifier, 95 oz Tank, 1000 Sq Ft
A thermoelectric unit at a published 85 W. Quieter and cheaper to run than a compressor, and it pulls a fraction of the water.
What the manufacturer publishes
- Open
- 6.7"D x 8.7"W x 14.6"H
- Folded
- Not applicable
- Drying line
- Not applicable
- Load capacity
- 95 oz tank
- Material
- Thermoelectric (Peltier) dehumidifier
- Rated wattage
- 85 W
Costs 1.6¢ an hour to run - 7.8¢ for a 5-hour session, at 18.34¢/kWh (US residential average, June 2026).
Figures from Manufacturer listing on Amazon, retrieved 2026-09-02.
Thermoelectric is a genuinely different technology, not a smaller compressor. It has no moving compressor, so it is near-silent, and it extracts far less water per hour.
The listing publishes a tank size, not a pints-per-day extraction rate. Those are not the same number and cannot be compared with the compressor units above.
85 W is real and low. For a small closed bathroom with one rack in it, this is enough. For a bedroom full of wet laundry it is not.
Good
- 85 W published - the cheapest to run here
- Near-silent, no compressor
- Small enough to sit on a shelf
- Auto shut-off when full
Not so good
- Publishes a tank size, not an extraction rate
- Thermoelectric units extract far less water than compressors
- Loses effectiveness in a cold room even faster than a compressor
Skip this if you are drying a full load in a bedroom. Buy a compressor unit and accept the noise - this is a bathroom-sized device.
Pick 4 · A closet, not a laundry load
TABYIK 35 oz Dehumidifier for Bedroom / RV
40 W and a 35 oz tank. Fine in a wardrobe; not enough to dry a rack of washing, and its own listing does not claim otherwise.
What the manufacturer publishes
- Open
- 5.9"D x 5.9"W x 10.1"H
- Folded
- Not applicable
- Drying line
- Not applicable
- Load capacity
- 1000 ml (35 oz) tank
- Material
- Thermoelectric (Peltier) dehumidifier
- Rated wattage
- 40 W
Costs 0.7¢ an hour to run - 3.7¢ for a 5-hour session, at 18.34¢/kWh (US residential average, June 2026).
Figures from Manufacturer listing on Amazon, retrieved 2026-09-02.
A single washer load of laundry carries roughly two to five pints of water. A device with a 35 oz tank and a 40 W element is not going to move that in a night.
It is on this page because it is the size of unit people buy by mistake when searching for a dehumidifier for drying clothes, and the honest advice is that it is a different product for a different job.
For a damp wardrobe, a bathroom cabinet or a small RV it does what it says.
Good
- 40 W
- Genuinely tiny
- Auto shut-off
Not so good
- Far too small to dry a laundry load
- Tank size published, extraction rate not
- Thermoelectric - very low extraction
Skip this if you are buying it to dry clothes. That is the wrong job for this device and it will disappoint you.
Common questions
What size dehumidifier do I need for drying clothes?
For one room and one load, a 20 to 30 pint compressor unit is enough. For a larger or genuinely damp apartment, 30 to 50 pints. Sizing detail is on what size dehumidifier.
How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier to dry clothes?
A 158 W unit for eight hours is about 23 cents at the June 2026 US average of 18.34 cents per kilowatt-hour. A 230 W unit over the same period is about 34 cents.
Are mini dehumidifiers good for drying clothes?
No. The small thermoelectric units publish a tank size rather than an extraction rate, and they remove a small fraction of what a compressor unit does. They are for closets and cabinets.
Should the door be open or closed when using a dehumidifier to dry clothes?
Closed. A dehumidifier works on the air in a sealed volume, so an open door means it is trying to dry your whole home. This is the opposite of how you use a fan.
Sources
- Manufacturer listing on Amazon - retrieved 2026-09-02
- Manufacturer listing on Amazon - retrieved 2026-09-02
- U.S. Energy Information Administration - Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.3 (average residential price of electricity) - retrieved 2026-09-02
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home - retrieved 2026-09-02
Read next
What size dehumidifier do you need for drying clothes?
A sizing table by room size and dampness in US pints, plus how to read the pint ratings manufacturers publish.
Does a dehumidifier dry clothes?
How a dehumidifier speeds up drying without touching the laundry, and how to set a room up so it works properly.
Dehumidifier vs fan for drying clothes
Running cost, mechanism and the room condition that decides which of the two is the right purchase.
Heated drying rack vs dehumidifier
Running cost, mechanism and effect on room humidity for the two main ways of speeding up indoor drying.
Drying clothes indoors, humidity and condensation
Where the water from indoor drying actually goes, what humidity level to aim for, and how to avoid the condensation that follows.
How to dry clothes indoors in winter
Why indoor drying stalls in winter, what to change, and how to avoid the condensation that comes with a closed-up home.