Best dehumidifiers to buy to prevent mould growth at home — so you don’t have to spend S$2,000 on mould removal like I did
Every day, I run dehumidifiers in my home for a few hours a day to prevent mould growth. If that sounds excessive, hear me out.
Last year, my bathroom and bedrooms were engulfed in mould, and while I’ve previously DIY-ed and removed small amounts of mould in the bathroom using the popular Magiclean Stain & Mold remover ($5.35; buy here), it was not sufficient in this dire situation. This was a job for mould removal professionals. I forked out over $2K for mould removal professionals to remove the mould, treat the affected areas and repaint them.
Yes, it was bad. (Photo: Jasmine Teo)
It was money that needed to be spent. The gross splotches of mould that had quickly spread like wildfire and engulfed my ceilings and walls weren’t merely unsightly. Mould can also be harmful to health and cause allergic reactions, worsen asthma, cause other respiratory issues and do more harm in the long run.
Mould prevention at home: What you should know
According to the mould removal professionals, poor ventilation and high humidity levels are the main culprits for mould growth in homes in Singapore. That’s why you often find that mould thrives in bathrooms and rooms that aren’t frequently used or ventilated.
To keep mould out of your home, it’s imperative that you maintain a good air flow, so keep those fans switched on. But that’s not enough.
After removing the mould in my home, the experts warned that long term mould prevention was essential. The main way to do it: buy a dehumidifier to reduce excess moisture as well. True enough, ever since I started running dehumidifiers in the bathroom and bedrooms for a couple of hours daily, I've not had problems with mould growth, even with the recent rainy spell.
What do dehumidifiers do, and how do they help prevent mould growth?
Dehumidifiers extract moisture from the air and bring humidity levels down, and thus making it less ideal for mould growth. In tropical areas with high humidity like Singapore, dehumidifiers are a must-have at home.
The two dehumidifiers that I have — a Novita ND12.8 ($399, available here or here) and the Novita ND298 ($280; available here or here) — do the job just fine if you just want the bare minimum. But hindsight is 20/20 and I've realised that there are certain features I now wish I had in a dehumidifier, after using them for a few months.
Ahead, what I've learnt from using dehumidifiers to keep mould growth at bay, and tips for buying the perfect dehumidifier for your home.
What to look out for in a dehumidifier
#1: Capacity and coverage
As far as capacity goes, there are two things to take note of. Capacity refers to the amount of water that the dehumidifier can extract over 24 hours — the bigger the capacity, the larger the space it can dehumidify.
Then there is the capacity of the water tank in a dehumidifier (usually a smaller number compared to the former), which refers to the water tank volume, and a smaller water tank just means you have to empty out the tank more often. My dehumidifiers have water tank sizes of 2.3l and 2.6l respectively, and I usually empty the tanks once every few days. But with the recent rainy weather, I had to do it every one to two days, sometimes even twice a day. The hassle does add up, and given a choice, I’d go for a dehumidifier with a larger water tank size.
Most dehumidifiers have a continuous drainage system and hose that empties out the water into a drain or sink as it goes along. But depending on where you place the dehumidifier, this may not be an option for you, and you will still need to manually empty the tank out anyway.
Mistral dehumidifier with ionizer. $448 on Amazon, $499 on Lazada
- Coverage: Extracts up to 20l/day
- Water tank volume: 6.5l; also has drainage hose
- Weight and portability: 14kg; four castor wheels.
- Other notable features: 24-hour timer, ionizer with activated carbon filter.
This dehumidifier has one of the largest water tanks in this list, but the 14kg appliance is easy to move around with castor wheels installed.
Philips 2-in-1 air dehumidifier 5000 series, $649
- Coverage: Up to 25l/day; covers areas up to 104sqm
- Water tank volume: 4l. Also has tube for continuous drainage
- Weight and portability: 14kg, comes with wheels
- Other notable features: 5 modes, including laundry drying, with preset humidity levels. Air purifying functions with HEPA filter and pre-filter, and measures air quality in real time.
#2: Smart functions in a dehumidifier
Neither of my dehumidifiers have this and I often wish I had a smart dehumidifier that I can control via an app. This comes in handy especially when you’re away for long periods of time, and the still and damp air may exacerbate mould growth. In fact, this was how my mould nightmare at home first began.
De'Longhi Tasciugo AriaDry Pure 2-in-1 Dehumidifier, $529
- Capacity: 21l/day; covers up to 90sqm
- Water tank size: 5l
- Weight and portability: 13.5kg, castors included
- Other notable features: Air purifying function with four-action filtration system (HEPA, active carbon, anti-dust filter), 12-hour timer, laundry drying mode, can control remotely via app. Noise level: 42-47db.
Xiaomi Mijia Smart Dehumidifier, $219.90
- Capacity: 13l, up to 25sqm
- Water tank size: 3l, external drain pipe included
- Weight and portability: 11kg
- Other notable features: Can be remotely controlled via the Mijia Home app, noise-reduction function (as low as 34db), multiple modes (smart, dry and sleep).
LG Inverter Smart Dehumidifier with Ionizer, $579
- Capacity: 28l
- Water tank size: 4l, with hose drainage
- Weight and portability: 16.5kg, with wheels.
- Other notable features: Control the dehumidifier remotely or even check humidity levels and bucket full notifications via the SmartThingQ app, eight-hour timer.
Europace dehumidifier, $390 on Amazon, $388 on Lazada
- Coverage: Extracts up to 16l of moisture per day; covers areas up to 35sqm
- Water tank size: 2.5 l, with continuous drainage option
- Weight and portability: 10.5kg; comes with castors
- Other notable features: 4 modes (dehumidifier, laundry dry, turbo, CO). Air purifying function with pre-filter, silver ion and HEPA+ carbon filter, 8-hour timer, auto shut off.
#3: Timers, auto shut off mode, sleep mode and more
In other words, the extra features to make your life easier.
Portability is an oft-overlooked factor when buying a dehumidifier, especially if you plan on using the dehumidifier in several rooms in the house. And I learned this the hard way since my dehumidifiers do not come with wheels (these things are heavy to carry around, okay?).
Lack of castors on a dehumidifier? Use a wheeled platform, like this Muji one that’s the perfect size for a dehumidifier.
Muji Polypropylene Wheeled Platform, $26.67. Buy here
You could also go for a dehumidifier with a variety of modes, from helpful laundry drying modes to fuss-free automatic modes, or even a quiet mode that lets you run the dehumidifier overnight without disturbing your sleep.
Noise level is another factor to consider when buying a dehumidifier, especially if you’re using it in a smaller space. Timers and auto-shut functions also come in handy — just set your dehumidifier to turn off once it hits your desired duration or humidity level and you don’t have to worry about racking up electricity bills.
And who doesn’t love a machine that pulls double duty? Many dehumidifiers will also have ionizing and air purifying functions that also clean the air in your home. At least you know you’re covered the next time haze season arrives.
In a nutshell, when buying a dehumidifier, there is no one size fits all solution. It all boils down to budget, lifestyle, size of the space and even how many people are living in the house that determine which dehumidifier suits you best.
