Buying guide
The Best Small Dehumidifier
Reviewed by
Dr. Yocheved Yorkovsky · Science Editor, Health, Chemistry & Environment
'Small' splits two ways — a compact unit that dries a room, or a mini for a closet. Buying the wrong one is the most common mistake in this category.
Match a dehumidifier to my space →Capacity and pricing checked July 2026.
Two very different things are sold as "small"
This is the most common and most expensive mistake in the category, and it's worth being blunt about.
A compact room unit (around 20 pints a day) will dry a bedroom, an office, or a small apartment. A mini — thermo-electric, no compressor — removes about nine ounces a day and is designed for an enclosed space: a closet, a safe, a cupboard, an RV cabinet.
They are not smaller and larger versions of the same thing. They are different devices. A mini will never dry a room, no matter how long you run it.
The two answers, side by side
| Midea Cube 20 | Pro Breeze mini | |
|---|---|---|
| Removes per day | 20 pints | ~9 ounces |
| Dries | A whole bedroom or small apartment | A closet or cupboard |
| Noise | Quietest 20-pint tested | ~35 dB, near-silent |
| Emptying | Over a day between empties | Small tank, by hand |
| Continuous drain | Yes | No |
| Price | $199.99 | $44.99 |
Twenty pints a day is roughly thirty-five times what the mini removes. That's the gap.
Best small room unit: Midea Cube 20
For an actual room, the Midea Cube 20 is the pick. It's independently the quietest and most efficient 20-pint tested, and its oversized 3.2-gallon reservoir gives it the best tank-to-capacity ratio in the whole category — you'll empty it about once a day rather than twice, or run the hose and never touch it.
Best mini: Pro Breeze
For a closet, a gun safe, an RV, or a single damp cupboard, the Pro Breeze mini is near-silent, about $45, and needs no plumbing at all. Within an enclosed space it genuinely works — it stops that musty, damp-fabric smell. The two compared directly.
One caveat worth knowing: it fades badly in the cold, so don't put it in an unheated garage.
The budget option for a small room
If you want a room-capable unit for less than the Cube, the Waykar 34 is $175.99 and genuinely quiet. Two honest caveats: its 34-pint figure is quoted at 95°F/90% RH rather than the DOE standard, so it's flattering; and it has the smallest tank-to-capacity ratio here — it fills in under four hours at full output. Fine with a hose, tiresome without one.
What small units cost you
Small is expensive per pint. The Cube 20 is the worst value in our pints-per-dollar ranking — you pay about 83% more per pint than you would for the largest unit in the category. That isn't a reason to avoid it. It's a reason to buy small only if the room is genuinely small, rather than to save money.
Watch and verify
Sources
Bottom line
Drying a room? Buy the Cube 20. Drying a cupboard? Buy the Pro Breeze. Owning both, for different jobs, is entirely reasonable — buying one expecting it to do the other's job is not. The quiz asks how big the space is and points you to the right size.
Frequently asked
What's the difference between a mini and a small dehumidifier?
A mini is thermo-electric and removes about nine ounces a day — enough for a closet or safe, nothing more. A small compressor unit (around 20 pints) removes roughly 35 times as much and will dry a whole room. Match the type to the space, not just the size.
Do mini dehumidifiers actually work?
In a small, enclosed space — a closet, safe, cupboard, or RV cabinet — yes, and they're near-silent doing it. In an open room they cannot remove enough moisture to make any measurable difference.
What's the best small dehumidifier for an apartment?
A 20-pint like the Midea Cube 20 covers most apartments and small rooms while staying quiet and efficient, and its large tank means you're not emptying it constantly.
Are small dehumidifiers cheaper to run?
Cheaper per hour, but more expensive per pint of water removed. Small units are the worst value per pint in the category — buy one because the room is small, not to save money.