The Quietest Dehumidifier

Although most dehumidifiers are not horribly loud, some of them will produce noise up to 75 decibels right at the machine. This fades quite a bit with distance–usually by 10 to 20 decibels when you get 10′ away.

Dehumidifiers are used to lower the moisture content of the air inside a building. Keeping the air dryer reduces many allergens such as mold, mildew, dust mites, and musty smells. Optimum humidity levels can also reduce breathing problems and even sweating. So they can improve quality of life.

Dehumidifiers usually run for long periods of time–sometimes continuously–at least until they can get the room humidity down to the setting you have programmed into the machine. (Unlike a refrigerator, which only cuts in as required.)

Here are a few things to keep in mind when searching for a dehumidifier.

• Noise Level. Quite often people will have room dehumidifiers in a bedroom. A machine running at 60 decibels–the noise made by an air conditioner or normal speech will likely disturb sleep.
• Size. The 3 most popular dehumidifier sizes are 30 pint (room), 50 pint (larger spaces), and 70 pint (whole house).
• Coverage Area. How much area will your dehumidifier be required to work in?
• Holding Tank Capacity. How much can the tank hold before it needs to be drained?
• Drainage. Are you OK with carrying full water tanks to empty them? Or will you want a drain hose hooked into your waste water system?
• Warranty. Usually dehumidifiers run for long periods of time, or in some cases, almost continuously. Having a warranty long enough to make sure the machine will perform and last should be part of your buying considerations.

Before buying a dehumidifier, it might make sense to get an inexpensive hygrometer to measure the actual humidity in your house–and the individual rooms. And even then, it is only a number–helpful for decision-making. In the end, you will need to choose a humidity setting that is comfortable for you and your family.

Top 6 Quietest Dehumidifiers	Why It's Best	Rating
ReemKiss 35oz Ultra Quiet Room Dehumidifier	Ultra Quiet 35 decibels. Up to 300 sq. ft. area. Collects 17 oz. every 24 hours. Auto shut off.	★★★★★
Midea 35 Pint 3000 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier	Very Quiet 51 decibels. Collects up to 35 pints every 24 hours. 1.6 gallon tank. EnergyStar certified.	★★★★★
Frigidaire FFAD5033W1 50-Pint Dehumidifier	Very quiet 51 decibels at max fan speed. Collects 50 pints every 24 hours. Continuous drain c/w pump. Phone app.	★★★★★
Gree 50 Pint 4500 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier	Very quiet 51 decibels at max fan speed. Collects 50 pints every 24 hours. 7.6 liter tank. EnergyStar rated.	★★★★★
Airplus AP1902 70 Pint 4,500 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier	Ultra quiet 45 decibel operation. Removes 70 pints every 24 hours. 1 gallon holding tank. Auto defrost.	★★★★★
Keystone KSTAD506PE 4500 Sq. Ft. Quiet Dehumidifier	Very quiet 51 decibel operation. 50 - 70 pints every 24 hours. Continuous drain c/w pump. 6 liter tank.	★★★★★

Choosing The Quietest Dehumidifier 

Choosing a quiet dehumidifier should be easy–right? You want to keep your bedroom dry, so get a smaller machine. Just to make the decision a little more difficult, you should know that 70 pint machines are almost invariably quieter than 50 pint (roughly 5 decibels quieter) and 30 pint dehumidifiers (roughly between 5 and 10 decibels quieter).

Logically, this makes no sense, I thought. But with a little more research, I discovered that quite often different sized machines use the same components–such as motors, compressors, etc. But as the container volumes increase, so does the size and weight of the dehumidifier cabinets. As with all soundproofing, increased mass equals decreased noise and less vibration which causes impact noise.

Also keep in mind that side exhaust dehumidifiers will be 2 – 4 decibels quieter than top exhaust dehumidifiers–at 10′ distance.

2 Ultra Quiet Room Sized Dehumidifiers

These small room dehumidifiers are the next thing to silent–making them ideal for babies’ bedrooms. The only real downside is that the tanks are small–usually around 4 pints. They will need to be emptied more often–usually once every 48 hours.

1) Reemkiss 35 Oz Ultra Quiet Room Dehumidifier

The Reemkiss 35 oz. Ultra Quiet Room Dehumidifier produces only 35 decibels of noise–somewhere between a whisper and a babbling brook. It operates using the Peltier Effect which uses electric current run through metal plates to collect moisture–eliminating the need for a compressor. Perfect for bedrooms up to 300 square feet. Collects a maximum of 17 oz. of water per day in a 35 oz. tank. The auto shut off prevents overflows. (Note: 17 ounces is about a pint.)

This Reemkiss will run 24/7 until the tank is full, then shut off and display a red LED full indicator. It will restart as soon as the tank is emptied and replaced. Needing only 40 watts of power makes it very energy efficient. Weighing less than 3 lbs. makes it easy to move around and includes a 7 color night light. 

Note: Works best in a closed environment–door to room closed so external humid air does not enter the room.

The Good

• Ultra quiet 35 decibel dehumidifier–quieter than a library
• Dehumidifies up to 300 square foot space
• Collects up to 17 oz. of water every 24 hours – about 1 pint
• 35 oz. water tank
• Auto shut off
• Uses only 40 watts of power

The Not so Good

• Small tank
• Warranty information not available

2) Trudin 31 Oz. Ultra Quiet Room Dehumidifier

The Trudin 31 oz. Ultra Quiet Room Dehumidifier uses the Peltier Effect (electric current running through metal plates to collect moisture) to remove moisture from room air without the need for a compressor. It only produces 39 decibels of noise. Effective in a room up to 215 square feet. Operates 24/7 until full and removes up to 12 oz. of moisture per day. A 31 oz. collection tank allows up to 2 1/2 days operation before emptying.

This Trudin Dehumidifier features one-button operation for on/off, color changes, and restart. The auto shut-off keeps the water tank from overflowing, and a red light comes on to let you know it is full. Backed by a full 1 year warranty/return policy.

Note: Amazon states recommended room area as 215 square feet and 480 square feet. Other sites suggest one or the other. I used 215 square feet because 480 sounds high when compared to similar machines.

The Good

• Ultra quiet 39 decibel dehumidifier – quieter than a library
• Dehumidifies up to 215 square feet
• Removes 12 oz. of moisture every 24 hours – about 3/4 of a pint
• 31 oz. collection tank
• Auto shut-off
• 1 year satisfaction guarantee/return policy

The Not so Good

• Small tank

Dehumidifier Testing Changes

This is the ‘cover my butt’ part of the article. Because of the recent DOE testing changes, I or a manufacturer may state the pints per day capacity incorrectly. I do not believe anyone is trying to be misleading–just trying to comply with more regulations.

According to 2012 DOE testing standards dehumidifiers were given a higher capacity rating. DOE changed testing standards in 2023 using cooler temperatures and a lower starting humidity, resulting in less water being removed from the air. This chart shows how the pre-2019 ratings have changed. Most humidifiers stated capacity has dropped between 10 and 25 pints of moisture removal in a 24 hour period. 

Quite often the machines have not changed–just the testing. For more information on DOE testing please see this Department of Energy bulletin. The following chart also comes from that DOE bulletin.

Capacity Changes in Portable and Whole-Home Dehumidifiers
Portable Dehumidifiers		Whole-Home Dehumidifiers
Old Product Capacity (through 2019) pints/day	New Approx. Product Capacity (2023) pints/day	Old Product Capacity  (through 2019) pints/day	New Approx. Product Capacity (2023) pints/day
30	20	80	70
40	25	100	85
50	30	120	100
55	30-35	140	115
60	35	160	135
70	40-45	200	170
90	55	–	–

US Department of Energy Dehumidifier Comparison Table

2 Quiet 30 Pint (Room Sized) Dehumidifiers

1) Midea 35 Pint, 3000 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier

Until the DOE ratings change (see above), the Midea 35 Pint, 3000 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier was rated at 50 pints. This Midea dehumidifier will easily remove 35 pints of water every 24 hours while only producing a maximum of 51 decibels of noise–about the sound of a refrigerator. The 1.6 gallon water tank can be emptied manually or for continuous operation, just hook up a standard 3/4″ garden hose (sold separately).

The top mounted control panel offers enough features to satisfy most dehumidification needs. Including turbo mode, 24 hour timer mode, auto comfort mode (Set your preferred humidity level and the machine will take care of itself.), continuous run mode, along with a filter check indicator. Not only is this Midea dehumidifier EnergyStar certified to save on power usage, it also has auto restart (in case of power outage), auto shut off when bucket is full, auto defrost, and a reusable, cleanable filter. 

Easy to move where needed on 4 dual castors with recessed handle slots, it also comes with a full one year parts and labor warranty.

Note: Midea claims to be the world’s largest provider of air conditioning products. They offer 4 different sizes and/or styles of dehumidifiers on the Amazon site, giving you the option of choosing the size and style best fitted to your situation.

The Good

• Very quiet 51 decibel (maximum) dehumidifier – about the sound made by a refrigerator
• Works for up to 3000 square feet
• Removes up to 35 pints of water every 24 hours
• 1.6 gallon waste tank with optional continuous drain hose outlet (standard 3/4″ garden hose sold separately)
• 24 hour timer mode, auto operation mode (set and forget), continuous run mode
• Auto restart, auto shut off, auto defrost, washable filter
• EnergyStar certified
• 1 year parts and labor warranty

The Not so Good

• Virtually nothing

2) Airplus AP1907 30 Pint Dehumidifier

The Airplus AP1907 30 Pint Dehumidifier is one quiet machine producing only 45 decibels of noise (maximum) – about the sound in a library. It gives you the option of manually draining the 1.5 liter tank or hooking up the included hose for continuous draining. The machine removes up to 30 pints of water in a 24 hour period. (If it gets anywhere close to that amount, the small tank may have to be emptied 20 times a day. Could be a little annoying–making the continuous drain more attractive.)

An easy-to-operate control panel provides 4 operation modes – Standard, Drying, Sleep, and Raining–along with a 24 hour timer and/or the option of setting your desired humidity and letting the machine take care of things. It also includes auto restart, auto defrost, auto shut down when tank full. The filter is easy to remove and clean.

A recessed handle grip on the upper rear of the machine combined with 4 dual castors make moving this light, small machine from room to room quick and easy. The AP1907 comes with a 2 year quality service warranty featuring full replacement or refund.

The Good

• Ultra quiet operation – only a maximum noise level of 45 decibels – quiet as a library
• Works for up to 500 square feet
• Removes up to 30 pints of water every 24 hours
• 1.5 liter waste water tank with optional continuous drain (hose included with purchase)
• 24 hour timer mode, along with Standard, Drying, Sleeping, and Raining modes
• Auto restart, auto defrost, auto ‘tank full’ shutdown
• 2 year quality service warranty–full replacement or refund

The Not so Good

• Small water tank will need to be emptied more often if the machine is extracting a lot of moisture. Continuous drain is a better option

3 Quiet 50 Pint (Large Space) Dehumidifiers

1) Frigidaire FFAD5033W1 50-Pint Portable Dehumidifier 

The Frigidaire FFAD5033W1 50-Pint Portable Dehumidifier is EnergyStar certified, ensuring that it will use less energy and save money over its lifespan. It will remove up to 50 pints of water from the air every 24 hours. This humidifier operates very quietly on all 3 fan speeds–47 decibels on low/49 decibels on medium/51 decibels on high. All of which are about the same noise produced by a refrigerator.

Besides being very quiet, this Frigidaire dehumidifier has many extras that make it user friendly–including auto on/off, auto restart, and a 24 hour timer. A large 17 pint container makes for longer run times, or an optional continuous drain hose (purchased separately) can be attached for uninterrupted operation. And the built in pump is superior to gravity drain, enabling emptying into a sink or anywhere higher than the humidifier.

The control panel has an LED digital humidity read out, along with filter check indicator light, and water container full indicator light. It also has an easily removable and washable filter, and an ionizer to help keep air clean and pure.

And for anyone who wants even more apps on her/his phone, download the Frigidaire app to enable using WIFI to control this dehumidifier. 

The Good

• Very quiet decibel level at all 3 fan speeds – 47/low, 49/medium, 51/high 
• Removes 50 pints of water every 24 hours
• Large 17 pint water container
• Continuous drain pump with hose attachment (hose sold separately)
• Auto on/off, auto restart, 24 hour timer
• Washable filter
• Frigidaire app for phone and WiFi use
• 1 year parts and labor warranty

The Not so Good

• Virtually none

2) hOmeLabs Dehumidifier for Extra Large Rooms and Basements

The hOmeLabs Dehumidifier for Extra Large Rooms and Basements is a quiet 50 pint dehumidifier that is rated for 4500 square feet. This machine will remove 50 pints of moisture from the air every 24 hours–depending on humidity conditions in your house. It comes with a 1.6 gallon water tank with an automatic shut-off when full to prevent overflows, and an LED indicator light on the control panel. For even easier drain operation you can purchase, and hook up, a hose that will continuously drain the machine.

This machine offers a range of options including a 1 – 24 hour timer, a continuous run option, automatic comfort setting sensor, auto defrost, filter cleaning reminder, and a turbo option to increase fan speed from the normal 165 cubic feet per minute (CFM) to 188 CFM for maximum moisture removal. All on a very user friendly and accessible control panel. Listed as one of EnergyStar’s most efficient machines for 2023 gives you the comfort of knowing that you are saving energy costs with the machine.

HOmeLabs provides a 30 day money back or return policy, along with a one year warranty, and lifetime support for all of their machines. They also have a 1500 square foot unit that costs less.

The Good

• Quiet dehumidifier
• Works for up to 4500 square feet
• Removes up to 50 pints of water every 24 hours
• 1.6 gallon drain tank/optional continuous hose drain (hose purchased separately)
• Timer, auto comfort setting, auto defrost, auto restart
• EnergyStar rated
• 30 day money back guarantee, one year warranty, lifetime phone support

The Not so Good

• Exact decibel rating not available

3) Gree 50 Pint – 4500 Sq. Ft. Energy Star Dehumidifier 

 

You may forget that the Gree 50 Pint – 4500 Sq. Ft. Energy Star Dehumidifier is even working in your house. It only produces 47 decibels of sound on low setting–less than your refrigerator. The Intelligent Humidity Control will allow you to program your target humidity into the machine and it will switch itself on and off as required. With a continuous drain hose hooked up, you do not even need to empty the bucket. Without the hose, the Gree will turn off when the bucket is full and notify you. When the bucket has been emptied and replaced the machine will restart automatically using the same settings.

It is also possible to set the machine to continuous operation. With a drain hose attached, it will keep operating until it is turned off. This EnergyStar rated dehumidifier uses approximately 30% less energy than non-EnergyStar products. Other user friendly features include turbo mode for quicker operation, a washable filter, auto defrost, 360 degree swivel castors, and ergonomic handles making it easy to move the 43 lb. machine to where you need it.

Note: Gree also manufactures a 21 pint and a 35 pint dehumidifier.

The Good

• Very quiet dehumidifier – 47 decibels on low/49 decibels on medium/51 decibels on high
• Works for up to 4500 square feet
• Removes up to 50 pints of water every 24 hours
• Large 7.6 liter tank with optional continuous drain (hose sold separately)
• Timer, auto humidity setting, auto defrost, auto restart
• EnergyStar rated
• 1 year worry free warranty and technical support

The Not so Good

• Virtually none

3 Quiet 70 Pint (House Sized) Dehumidifiers

1) Airplus AP1902 70 Pint 4500 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier

The Airplus AP1902 70 Pint 4500 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier produces only 45 decibels of noise while operating–quieter than a refrigerator. Yet it will reduce the humidity in large spaces. It has a user friendly control panel with multiple settings to fit your needs. Including standard mode, raining, drying, and sleep. You can also set the desired humidity level, and the machine will turn on and off as required to keep it there.

It comes with a fairly large 1 gallon water tank, but for continuous use it is best to hook up the hose for automatic draining. The AP1902 has auto shut off when the tank is full. It will need to be emptied before dehumidifying resumes. Ergonomic handles and 360 degree castors along with power cord storage, enables easy movement from room to room.

It has detachable and washable filter, and automatic evaporator defrost to keep the humidifier operating at optimum performance.

The Good

• Ultra quiet operation at 45 decibels – quieter than a refrigerator
• Works for up to 4500 square feet
• Removes 70 pints of water every 24 hours
• 1 gallon holding tank c/w optional continuous drain (hose sold separately)
• Timer, auto humidity setting, auto defrost
• Washable filter
• 2 year warranty with full replacement or refund options

The Not so Good

• Holding tank could be a little larger

2) Keystone KSTAD506PE 45oo Sq. Ft. Quiet Dehumidifier

The Keystone KSTAD506PE 4500 Sq. Ft. Quiet Dehumidifier is one of those caught in the testing change. It was a 70 pint machine for years, but has now been re-classified as a 50 pint machine. I put it into the 70 pint category because it will do the job–quietly. At 51 decibels of noise, it is no louder than your refrigerator, and EnergyStar certification means that it will also save money on electricity. It has a 6 liter water tank that you can empty manually or you can set up the continuous drain hose and pump for bigger and/or longer lasting dehumidification jobs.

The large LED control panel, conveniently located on top of the machine, has multiple settings and alerts–including normal, turbo, auto-defrost, auto restart, auto shut off when bucket full, along with bucket full alert and clean filter alert. It also has a 24 hour timer setting which allows you to start and stop dehumidifying as required.

Four 360 degree castors and handles make it easy to roll into whichever room it is needed.

The Good

• Very quiet operation produces only 51 decibels of noise – about the noise of your refrigerator
• Works for up to 4500 square feet
• Removes 50 – 70 pints of moisture every 24 hours
• 6 liter holding tank c/w optional continuous drain hose and pump operation (hose sold separately)
• Multiple setting options – auto defrost, 24 hr. timer, normal or turbo options, auto restart, among others
• Easily accessible and washable filter
• 1 year warranty on all parts/2 – 5 year warranty on compressor and condenser

The Not so Good

• Relatively new on the market so there are not many reviews

3) Waykar 70 Pint, 4500 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier

The Waykar 70 Pint, 4500 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier is one of a complete line of dehumidifiers from a well known and respected manufacturer. This quiet machine with a powerful 112 cubic feet per minute compressor will remove 70 pints of water every 24 hours. The tower design takes up a little less space than most dehumidifiers but the 4 multi-directional air outlets make it just as efficient as standard designed machines. Insert handles and smooth castors make it an easy machine to move from room to room as required. 

The top mounted control panel is user friendly and provides many options allowing you to get the most out of your dehumidifier. Such as a 24 hour timer, humidity sensor and settings, fan speed, auto on/off, and a child lock for safety. The humidity sensor system allows you to set your desired humidity range between 30% and 80%. It also comes with a 75″ drain hose giving you the option of setting up a continuous drain system, or emptying the 1.2 gallon holding tank as required. Easily removed and washable filter.

The Good

• Well designed quiet dehumidifier
• Works for up to 4500 square feet of area
• Removes 70 pints of moisture every 24 hours
• 1.2 gallon holding tank can be emptied manually or continuous drain system can be set up using the included 6.5′ hose
• Multiple setting options including auto on/off, 24 hour timer with humidity sensor, fan speed, child safety lock
• Washable filter
• 1 year parts warranty c/w 30 day money back guarantee and 1 extra year of extended warranty available

The Not so Good

• Some suggestions that customer service is pressuring people to give 5 star reviews

How We Identified the Quietest Dehumidifiers 

This list includes 10 quiet dehumidifiers–all of them producing less than 60 decibels of noise (less than the sound of normal conversation). But quiet is not enough. We all want our purchases to perform as advertised and do the required job. So I made sure that the dehumidifiers I chose were all quiet, and offered performance options that would meet most people’s requirements.

After quiet, I wanted to provide a number of reasonable options to choose from. Not much sense listing a bunch of small room sized dehumidifiers if a person is looking for a large, whole house machine. And weather/climate conditions vary so much that individual needs take precedence. The humidity here–while I write this, is 36%–probably pretty close to average. I have also been places where the humidity is insane. And dehumidifiers are almost essential.

Quietest Dehumidifiers – Best of the Best

As mentioned above, individual needs and preferences are usually the most important considerations when buying a new dehumidifier,  so here are my choices for the best quiet machine in each of 3 popular categories. 

I did not include an ultra quiet small machine in this ‘Best of the Best’ list. They are excellent machines, but the small volume of water removed in 24 hours only makes them suitable for certain locations–like children’s bedrooms, closets, and other small spaces.

All of the 30 pint, 50 pint, and 70 pint dehumidifiers come with wheels and handles for ease of movement and repositioning in whatever space they are needed. Most of them weigh less than 40 lbs. so they are light enough for most people to carry up or down stairs. They also remove a significant amount of moisture from the air.

 

Best 30 Pint Dehumidifier

The Midea 35 Pint 3000 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier was, for years, classified as a 50 pint machine. The Midea has not changed so it will provide great performance as a 35 pint machine.

• Very quiet 51 decibel (maximum) dehumidifier – about the sound made by a refrigerator
• Works for up to 3000 square feet
• Removes up to 35 pints of water every 24 hours
• 1.6 gallon waste tank with optional continuous drain hose outlet (standard 3/4″ garden hose sold separately)
• 24 hour timer mode, auto operation mode (set and forget), continuous run mode
• Auto restart, auto shut off, auto defrost, washable filter
• EnergyStar certified
• 1 year parts and labor warranty

Reasonably priced, this Midea dehumidifier provides a great bang for your buck.

Best 50 Pint Dehumidifier

50 pint dehumidifiers are probably the most popular sized machines because they are big enough to get most jobs done, and small enough to be easily portable. The Frigidaire FFAD5033W1 50 Pint Dehumidifier provides almost everything a person needs including a smart phone app, without any ‘Not so Goods’ to list.

• Very quiet decibel level at all 3 fan speeds – 47/low, 49/medium, 51/high 
• Removes 50 pints of water every 24 hours
• Large 17 pint water container
• Continuous drain pump with hose attachment (hose sold separately)
• Auto on/off, auto restart, 24 hour timer
• Washable filter
• Frigidaire app for phone and WiFi use
• 1 year parts and labor warranty

If I had not decided to split these dehumidifiers into 3 size categories, this Frigidaire would definitely be the ‘Best of the Best’.

Best 70 Pint Dehumidifier

The Airplus AP1902 4500 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier should be big enough to take care of your complete house.

• Ultra quiet operation at 45 decibels – quieter than a refrigerator
• Works for up to 4500 square feet
• Removes 70 pints of water every 24 hours
• 1 gallon holding tank c/w optional continuous drain (hose sold separately)
• Timer, auto humidity setting, auto defrost
• Washable filter
• 2 year warranty with full replacement or refund options

FAQs About Quietest Dehumidifier 

Here are some of the Frequently Asked Questions asked about quiet dehumidifiers.

What humidity level should I have in my house?

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends keeping indoor relative humidity between 30% and 50%. Most dehumidifiers can only be preset as low as 40%.

 

How quiet should my dehumidifier be?

Generally speaking, dehumidifiers are fairly quiet. Anything over 60 decibels is quite noisy for a dehumidifier. You should easily be able to find a good quality, efficient machine that produces less than 55 decibels. Many of the machines on this list are quieter than 50 decibels.

Can I make my dehumidifier quieter?

Quite often increased dehumidifier noise is caused by vibration. Sometimes loose parts. Sometimes dirt. Sometimes sitting on hardwood floors. Make sure all parts such as water container and filter cover are tight. Keep the dehumidifier clean inside. Set it on a piece of rug or anti vibration mat. Make sure that the air flow is not blocked.

Should I get a dehumidifier with a pump?

Having a dehumidifier with a pump to get rid of accumulated water certainly offers more versatility. Instead of just gravity flow hose–which may be a problem in rooms without floor drains–you can pump the water up into sinks, tubs, toilets at almost any height. It also saves the hassle of emptying a water tank–specially if you are taking out a lot of humidity.