9 Best Whole House Dehumidifiers For Perfect Home Air (2024)

Written By

Josh Mitchell

Expert Reviewed By

Holly Curell

Last Updated On

March 8, 2024

If you need continuous, reliable protection from humidity across your entire house then the AprilAire E100C is the right choice.

This is the dehumidifier I use in my home, and it will easily help you reach the desired humidity level in every room.

This 100-pint whole house dehumidifier unit is made to deal with a lot of moisture in thte air air. It's effective in humid crawl spaces or basem*nts, but it's also powerful enough to control the humidity across your whole home.

It works best if you attach it to an existing HVAC system, but it can also work on it's own.

What I really like about this AprilAire whole home dehumidifier is the quality.

AprilAire are a solid brand and you know you're getting a durable dehumidifier, but the internal components and outer casing were even tougher than I expected.

This whole house dehumidifier is protected against corrosion and low temperatures too. This means you can run it year round for consistent protection.

Even the air filter is durable and only needs to be changed once a year.

The intelligent features of this dehumidifier impressed me too. It comes with a sensitive and accurate humidistat which monitors the high humidity levels and controls the operation of the device.

It also has a programmable timer and easy to use controls. This made is simple to keep my entire home protected, and increased the energy efficiency of the device.

It is slightly disappointing that this dehumidifier has no pump drainage and it relies on gravity drainage.

It does come with a drain hose but you'll need to position it above the floor drain outlet so the excess moisture can be properly removed from your home.

However, this isn't a big issue, and it's still one of the best new whole house dehumidifier units on the market.

It combines the power and durability of commercial units with the intelligent features of residential units, and it's easy to maintain. If you want a hassle free way to improve the indoor air quality across your entire home then this is the dehumidifier for you.

The AprilAire E130 is exactly what you need in a large home with a lot of humidity.

This ducted dehumidifier will connect into an existing indoor air conditioning or HVAC system to give you complete control over your home environment.

The AprilAire E130 is very similar to my top pick, the E100, but it has significantly more power.

It's a powerful dehumidifier which can remove moisture quickly, and it's perfect for homeowners who need dehumidification over several floors at once.

The E130 has all the quality you'd expect from AprilAire with commercial grade materials and components. It's simple to use and has intelligent sensors which basically let it run itself.

I was slightly surprised by the energy efficiency of this central dehumidifier given the high PPD rating.

It's energy star rated, but even so I expected it to cost more to run. I was happy to be wrong though, and it certainly offers some good value for money when you compare running costs vs performance.

The best feature of the E130 is the noise level though. It operates at under 50 decibels which, for a whole home dehumidifier, is very quiet. This means you can leave it running constantly without any disruption.

The only downside of these ducted whole house dehumidifiers is that they are more expensive than other models.

The installation costs are also quite high if you don't have any existing ductwork in your home.

However, this is one of the best ducted whole house dehumidifiers on the market and despite higher costs it offers good value for money.

It's perfect for homeowners with a several stories that all need humidity control at the same time, and this smart dehumidifier will give you a lot of long term value.

When space is limited, or you know exactly what you need and where it goes, the Santa Fe Ultra is the best vertical ducted whole house dehumidifier.

With plenty of capability, this unit will install in less than an hour and pull more moisture than you can imagine.

The most significant factor here is the positioning. Most ducted dehumidifiers are horizontal. This machine has a vertical position with both inlet and outlet air ducts mounted on top of the unit. It cannot function lying down.

Now for the bad news. This ducted dehumidifier requires a controller for operation, and there isn’t one included. However, it is compatible with many models, including Honeywell and, of course, Santa Fe Ultra (DEH3000).

It also doesn’t include a pump for water removal. You can rely on gravity to drain as the outlet is at the bottom of the unit, but a pump would wok a lot better.

There is an external pump kit made for this unit, but again, it isn’t included and must be purchased and installed separately.

However, once you have all of that figured out, you can set the unit, turn it on and forget all about it.

It will run as needed to maintain the desired humidity level across your entire house and will shut off if there are any issues.

In the event of a power outage, the auto-restart will kick in, and the unit will continue to operate as programmed before the power loss.

The Santa Fe Ultra 155 is a 155 PPD dehumidifier with a whole house install that will have your home at optimal humidity levels in no time at all.

Once running, this unit will run as long as needed to get the job done.

With 391 CFM airflow, you know that there will be some moisture removal. Designed as the top of the range model, this ducted dehumidifier will remove an incredible 155 PPD of moisture to help you reach the desired humidity level quickly.

The controls are all manual, which keeps things simple.

However, there is one downside. This unit must be professionally installed. If it is not, your warranty is immediately void. The warranty itself runs for 6 years.

The first 2 years cover the labor and the entire 6 years cover all the parts.

It uses a continuous drain system but the hose isn't included, so you will need to buy a drain hose or standard garden hose to connect it to your outlet.

There isn’t a pump kit compatible with it, so you must rely on gravity to empty the system as it removes moisture from your indoor air.

This is one of the best whole house dehumidifiers for quiet running. With decibels in the sub-45 range, it is easily the quietest ducted whole house dehumidifier on the market.

After install and at full speed, you won’t even notice it running. What you will notice is the lack of humidity in your whole house.

Not to be outdone, the Alorair Storm is a waterproof dehumidifier that is compact as it is powerful.

No matter the situation, whether commercial, industrial, or residential, this is one of the best whole house dehumidifiers for removing moisture with ease.

The bright yellow case is quite eye-catching, but it is what is under and inside the case that matters the most.

This continuous drain system comes with a 20-foot hose and drains with the help of an pump. The pump in question has a 15-foot drain height so that you can put this little guy almost anywhere on any floor of your home.

The bottom layer is rubber and sealed, protecting the board and allowing the unit to be waterproof.

This means you can set it down in the work site or wet basem*nt and not worry if there is a puddle nearby.

It utilizes many features, too, including the all-digital touch-sensitive display and HGV defrost cycle. It can run in low temp settings without having to monitor it continually. The MERV-8 filter needs to be cleaned every 8 months but has an easy access slide out for quick changing.

On top of all that, you get a 1/3/5-year warranty that covers the parts and labor, refrigeration system, and compressor and evaporator, respectively.

If your area is prone to flooding, or you have a wet basem*nt and need to remove a lot of moisture in a large space, this is one of the best whole house dehumidifiers to consider.

Tough jobs need tough equipment, and dehumidifiers don't come much tougher than the SAHAUHY.

This commercial grade 158 pint dehumidifier is great for homeowners with older homes that suffer from moisture, or those living in very humid environments.

The massive capacity of this whole will make short work of any indoor humidity no matter how much moisture you're dealing with.

It can handle humidity levels of over 95% (which is a lot!) and in my basem*nt it brought the indoor humidity down to under 50% in just 24 hours when I used the maximum fan speed.

It also has a lot of different settings and features.

The programmable timer, automatic humidistat, and different fan speed settings let you control the humidity levels accurately so you can use the device to suit your needs.

The SAHAUHY dehumidifier even has handy wheels so you move it between homes or sites as needed.

What I really liked about this dehumidifier was how tough it was, and the fact it just keeps working in any conditions.

It has an automatic restart after a power outage, and auto defrost function so it can work in cold climates. It's also extremely durable.

All of this means it can provide consistent, powerful dehumidification with no interruptions- perfect for high humidity areas.

One limiting factor of this dehumidifier is that the water tank is quite small so it would have to be emptied several times a day.

This wasn't a problem for me because I hooked it up to my floor drain, and I'd definitely recommend connecting it to your drain rather than trying to stay on top of emptying the water reservoir.

However, despite some small issues, this dehumidifier will definitely be able to manage your indoor humidity.

It's the best dehumidifier for homes with poor insulation, and those who suffer from very high indoor humiditiy.

If you have a large home then your standard whole home dehumidifier isn't going to cut it - you need more coverage.

The RINKMO is an extremely high capacity whole home dehumidifier which is specifically designed to manage humidity levels over a wide area. This makes it one of the best dehumidifiers for large spaces.

This 296 pint dehumidifier has an efficient compressor which allows it to remove almost double the amount of moisture of other whole home dehumidifiers.

Despite the power, it has a slim design so it can be positioned in most rooms. It is quite heavy (107lbs) but it has wheels on the base to make it easier to transport.

What I liked most about the RINKMO dehumidifier, other than the huge capacity, was the fan speed.

The fan operates at 353 CFM and can draw in the moist indoor air very quickly. This makes it a useful model for any homeowners battling a lot of damp.

The only drawback with this model is that there's no pump and it relies on gravity draining. This means you have to place it somewhere above your floor drain and can limit where you're able to place it.

This dehumidifier is perfect for larger homes and can even be used on construction sites.

It's one of the more expensive models, but offers some great value for anyone looking to manage a lot of humidity, fast.

Size isn't everything, and a powerful dehumidifier doesn't have to be big and bulky.

The ALORAIR whole home dehumidifier is one of the highest performing models we've used but it will still fit comfortably in any crawl space or basem*nt - giving you full protection without you even noticing it's there.

This 120 pint dehumidifier is designed to deal with humid crawl spaces, basem*nts, or small homes. It has a solid metal case but it's still under 60 pounds, so it's a lot easier to move and install than other whole home dehumidifiers.

It has all the features you would expect from a high performing model and can comfortably manage high humidity levels above 85%.

However, what I like most about the ALORAIR dehumidifier is how little maintenance is required.

It has an auto defrost feature to protect against cold temperatures and an auto restart feature to keep it running even after a power failure.

It also has a unique MERV-8 filter which removes contaminents from the air.

This not only improves your air quality, but removes pollutants before they reach the internal mechanism, protecting the dehumidifier from damage and corrosion.

The only slight issue I had with this dehumidifier is that the sensors aren't 100% accuate. When I tested the humidity level readouts with a separate humidistat I found them to be 1-2% off.

This isn't ideal, but it shouldn't be a real problem unless you want exact humidity levels.

If you have a small/medium sized home and want to remove moist air without any fuss, then this is the model for you.

The ALORAIR whole home dehumidifier is compact, low maintenance, and keeps running in any conditions to give you year round humidity protection with minimal effort.

Technically, a whole house dehumidifiers shouldn't be portable because they are designed to be a fixed installation in your home.

However, TOSOT portable dehumidifiers have enough power to dehumidify several rooms at once, and make a great alternative for small homes or apartments.

This whole house dehumidifier is portable, capable, and energy efficient (with an energy star rating).

It has settings that are easy to use and understand and gives you full control over the relative humidity in your home.

This unit pulls air at two speeds, and even when running on high to remove more humid air, the noise levels are quiet (max 51dB).

This means you can sleep or watch TV and it will work to reach the desired humidity level without disturbing you.

There are two drain options for you to choose from. The water tank will hold about 1.5 gallons and when it gets full the machine will shut down, and an LED indicator will alert you to empty the tank.

Alternatively, you can use automatic drainage to remove the excess moisture more efficiently.

The dehumidifier comes with a 12 foot drain hose that's easy to run, and I'd recommend installing automatic gravity or pump drainage if you're serious about whole home dehumidification.

This will allow it to reduce the relative humidity more quickly without having to empty the water reservoir.

The only issue here I found with this dehumidifier is that the water tank doesn’t always empty completely. If you plan to use it in this mode and store it when not in use, make sure to manually empty and dry the tank before storage.

Overall, this is a useful portable model which can protect your entire house from high humidity.

It isn't as powerful as fixed whole house dehumidifier models, but it is energy efficient, affordable, and will reduce the relative humidity in your home.

If you like this style of portable units but aren’t impressed with the TOSOT model, you can check outthe hOmeLabs version, which gets a lot of high marks. There is alsoa Frigidaire unit that receives a lot of rave reviews.

FAQs

Technically, no. A whole house dehumidifier is a fixed appliance which is connected to ducts across your entire home, so it can't be portable.

However, there are some powerful portable dehumidifiers (like the TOSOT model on our list) which are suitable for dehumidifying a small home or apartment and can therefore be used as a portable whole house dehumidifier.

Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air while humidifiers add moisture.

Humidifiers are generally used in bedrooms to help you sleep when humidity is too low, and it dries out your skin, throat and eyes.

Dehumidifiers remove excess humidity to keep your home and body more comfortable and healthy.

Related Article: Top Rated Whole House Humidifiers

With proper installation, care and maintenance, whole house dehumidifiers can easily last 10 or more years.

Portable units may not last as long, with 3 to 5 years being average.

Whole home dehumidifiers will generally cost $500-$2000 depending on the size and capacity.

Installation costs can be significantly more depending on whether you have existing ductwork on not.

No, whole house dehumidifiers should run long enough to maintain humidity levels based on your settings but not all the time.

Once the humidity level is reached, the machine should shut or (or be turned off) until the humidity rises again.

Related Article: How Long Should You Run Dehumidifiers For?

The best places to buy whole house dehumidifiers are online, though Amazon or Sylvane. These two companies have great deals and extensive inventories.

Better yet, though, they have models that are a year or two old, still new in box, and offer tremendous savings over similar models that came out in the last 6 months.

1. https://www.webmd.com/allergies/dehumidifiers-for-allergies
2. https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/can-damp-and-mould-affect-my-health