You want to protect the things you store in your garage from the weather, but have you ever considered that rust can still form indoors? High humidity in garages is a common problem, but one that can be overcome with a garage dehumidifier.
Using a dehumidifier in your garage will remove the excess moisture from the air that allows both rust and mold to form, protecting your car, tools and any other items you store in your garage.
We've tested the best dehumidifiers for garages that work in low temperatures with minimal maintenance. Read on for our top recommendation and a guide to the features you need to be looking for.
Best Dehumidifier for Garage Reviews
hOmeLabs 70 Pint Dehumidifier
Best overall
Frigidaire 70 Pint Dehumidifier
Great alternative option
TOSOT 70 Pint Dehumidifier
Great alternative option
Vremi 70 Pint Dehumidifier
Energy efficient option
Ivation 70 Pint Dehumidifier
Best for large garages
Best Garage Dehumidifiers
hOmeLabs 70 Pint Dehumidifier for a Garage
hOmeLabs are relatively new to the dehumidifiers for garage industry. But even with that being the case, their portable 70 pint garage dehumidifier gives other well-known brands tough competition. This HME020031N model is perfect for any large room or space with high humidity such as a garage or basement.
This best garage dehumidifier will protect your garage from airborne allergens, mold, mildew and damp. It will also save you money as it is very energy efficient, reducing running costs compared to other dehumidifiers.
The hOmeLabs dehumidifier is easy to use. Simply set the desired level of relative humidity or moisture level and let it run its continuous 24-hour cycle until the water bucket is full. You can then empty the water reservoir and recommence the process. Alternatively, a drain hose can be attached which will allow the unit to run without your attention. We found the built-in pump reduces odors too, but the large tank capacity is a bonus if you can't use the pump and drainage systems.
The best feature of this garage dehumidifier is its turbo mode. This increased fan speed from ‘normal air’ 165 CFM to ‘high air’ 188 CFM will maximize moisture removal and reduce the level of humidity.
To put it simply, the hOmeLabs 70 pint dehumidifier is the best dehumidifier for garages.
Frigidaire FFAD5033W1 70 Pint Garage Dehumidifier
The second entry in our best list of garage dehumidifiers is from Frigidaire, a well-regarded consumer appliance brand that has served the US for over a century. Their latest garage dehumidifier, the FFAD5033W1 is the most powerful in the range and has a performance level of the old 70 pint standard. This translates into a moisture removal rating of 70 pints a day. Once again perfect for any basement.
This dehumidifier actively monitors humidity levels and adjusts its behaviour to maintain an optimal air dehumidifying state, in turn protecting your garage from mildew and mold by drying out the air it processes.
One of the best features of this dehumidifier is the Ready-Select digital setting controls which allow you to see a live readout of the current humidity level. From there, simply choose the humidity level that suits your garage.
As with all others, this model will shut off automatically when the water tank is full. If possible, we recommend making use of continuous draining by using a drain hose and the built in pump to automatically drain the water removed from the atmosphere into the nearest outlet.
TOSOT 70 Pint Dehumidifier for Garage
This dehumidifier for garages removes up to 70 pints of water per day, actively protecting your tools and vehicles from rust and preventing the formation of mold on your garage furniture.
Perfect for both small and large garages alike, TOSOT dehumidifiers have a great reliability record and run for prolonged periods of time with the minimal of maintenance. Simply clean the included air filter on a monthly basis and wipe the unit down with a damp, soapy cloth.
As with each dehumidifier we've reviewed, this model is built to operate in lower temperatures if your garage is unheated or you live in a particularly cold environment.
Vremi 70 Pint Dehumidifier
Vremi are a new dehumidifier manufacturer but have quickly become one of the best. This energy star rated model is exceptionally efficient which means lower energy bills, especially for those of you with very damp garages.
Thankfully this hasn’t translated into poorer performance as this dehumidifier is as powerful as our top pick, extracting large quantities of moisture from the air of the garage we tested it in.
We noticed that its very quiet when running too, which we know can be an important factor for many homeowners, especially if your garage is located near to a living room or beneath a bedroom.
Operation is as simple as any other dehumidifier; choose your desired humidity level and allow the unit to do its job. It will then run in continuous 24-hour cycles until the water tank is full and needs emptying. As always, we recommend using a length of garden hose and making use of the continuous drainage mode.
The final bonus is a set of caster wheels and integrated side handles for easier use and maximum portability.
Ivation 70 Pint Dehumidifier
The Ivation 70 pint dehumidifier is best for those with larger garages who want the maximum in humidity reduction. This model’s best feature is its powerful compressor which will make light work on even the dampest of garages.
This dehumidifier includes a set of simple electronic controls accompanied by an LED display for easy use. This display will also alert you to a full water reservoir to save you from checking the tank through its transparent level indicator. You’re also alerted whenever the air dust filter requires cleaning, saving you from having to guess yourself.
The air filter is the easy clean sort which requires only soap and water to remove dust and other residue and debris filtered from the air.
The Ivation is one of the best dehumidifiers for the garage because it is Energy Star certified, saving on energy without sacrificing performance to do it.
Temperature Considerations
The biggest factor when buying a dehumidifier for garage is the average internal temperature it’s going to be running in. Extremely cold temperatures are likely to result in frozen evaporator coils and frost build-up which is why its important to choose a dehumidifier built for the job.
Unless you live in the arctic, each of these dehumidifiers will continue to run in cold garages and high humidity environments. Garage temperatures of 60°F won’t be a problem but much lower than this and cheaper models may struggle.
Most of the higher quality dehumidifiers have an auto defrost function which will remove any ice build-up and allow operation to continue in freezing temperatures just like a desiccant dehumidifier would.
Final Verdict
These five dehumidifiers are our shortlist for the best garage dehumidifier of 2021. Whether you have a big garage or a small garage, the garage dehumidifiers we’ve reviewed are all appropriate for your needs.
Simply choose your preferred option or instead go with our top pick, the hOmeLabs dehumidifier. It makes the best choice for most homeowners and is also the most cost competitive. You won’t be let down with any of these dehumidifiers so look forward to a garage free from damp, rust, mold and mildew.
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