Best dehumidifier for drying clothes
Geepas 12L Low-Energy Touchscreen Dehumidifier
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For drying clothes indoors, pick a compressor dehumidifier with 12L+ a day and a laundry mode, and run it in a small room with the door shut. Drying a load costs about 25p, against 49p–£1.23 in a vented or condenser tumble dryer. In an unheated room below 15°C, choose a desiccant model. The picks below are in stock now.
With a laundry mode, in stock now
- £7.99
- £35.99
- £49.99
- Bush D015B 12L Dehumidifier 2L Tank Laundry Drying Damp Condensation 280W12L/day · 280W · 41p a load£74.54
- £75
- £83.89
12L+ compressor units, cheapest first
- £14.99
- £17.95
- £29.82
- £31.90
For a cold room: desiccant units in stock
- £5.93
- £16.18
- £20.21
How to dry clothes with a dehumidifier
Look at the kit — then buy it
Geepas 20L Large Digital Dehumidifier with Laundry Mode
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- Use the smallest room you can, such as a box room or bathroom, and shut the door and windows.
- Space the clothes out on an airer so air reaches both sides of each item.
- Put the dehumidifier a metre or so from the airer with its airflow pointed at the clothes.
- Switch to laundry or continuous mode. Most loads are dry in 4–8 hours.
- Empty the tank, or run a hose to a drain if you dry daily.
Cost per load: dehumidifier vs tumble dryer
| Method | Energy | Per load |
|---|---|---|
| Compact dehumidifier (160W, 6h) | ≈1kWh | 24p |
| 20L dehumidifier (400W, 6h) | ≈2.4kWh | 59p |
| Heat-pump tumble dryer | 1–1.5kWh | 25p–37p |
| Vented or condenser tumble dryer | 2–5kWh | 49p–£1.23 |
24.5p/kWh (Oct 2026 price cap). Your own figure: dehumidifier running cost calculator.
FAQ
Drying clothes with a dehumidifier: common questions
- What is the best dehumidifier for drying clothes?
- A compressor dehumidifier extracting at least 12 litres a day with a laundry mode, run in a small room with the door shut. In an unheated room below about 15°C, choose a desiccant model instead: compressor units lose much of their extraction in the cold.
- Is it cheaper to dry clothes with a dehumidifier than a tumble dryer?
- Usually. A compact dehumidifier drying a load over 6 hours uses about 1kWh (25p at 24.5p/kWh). A vented or condenser tumble dryer uses 2–5kWh a load (49p–£1.23). A heat-pump tumble dryer is closer, at 1–1.5kWh, and faster.
- What size dehumidifier do I need for drying clothes?
- 10–12L a day is enough for a load or two a week in a flat. 16–20L suits a family drying most days, or a damp house where the dehumidifier also has to keep up with condensation.
- How long does a dehumidifier take to dry clothes?
- Typically 4–8 hours for a full load on an airer, depending on the fabric, the room size and how warm the room is. Spacing the clothes out and pointing the dehumidifier's airflow at the airer makes the biggest difference.
- Does drying clothes indoors cause damp?
- Drying a load indoors releases around two litres of water into the air, which ends up as condensation and, over time, mould. A dehumidifier in the same room captures that water in its tank instead.