Any experience of dehumidifers?

I would definitely recommend a dehumidifier. I have had one for donkeys years and it is still going strong. Sorry, there is no make on it but it would not be expensive.
I live in a very damp part of the country and I use it to keep the back room free from mould. I also hang damp washing by it and it dries it a treat. Also anything that needs drying out such as wet boots or coats. It has endless uses.
You will be surprised how much water it collects. The water can be poured on the garden or used to water plants.

We’ve had a dehumidifier for some time. We bought it for use when we had a conservatory and suffered badly with condensation in the winter, we now live in a 1930’s bungalow with a bay window where we also get a problem when it’s cold. It’s not expensive to run and is a massive help. Having said that it’s really important to have ventilation indoors, so many houses are completely sealed up and some people never open their windows which causes all sorts of problems.

I wouldn't be without my dehumidifier as it's great to dry clothes and cheaper to run than my dryer. It's wonderful to dry jeans and delicates that you wouldn't want to put in the dryer. I've just replaced my old one that packed in with a new Delongi one that I bought from Amazon warehouse, which was half the RRP. It was classed as 'used acceptable' but was still in the original packaging without any damage at all.

We have two, a Neostar and a Genix. Fetched them both down from the loft this morning.

Have them both running during the night throughout winter, the Genix in the conservatory and the Neostar in our bedroom.

Saves all that condensation on the windows in the morning. Don’t think they are too expensive to run, but worth it for no condensation when it’s too cold to have windows open overnight for ventilation.

Wouldn’t be without them.

We've had 2 Ebac dehumidifiers and would never be without now. Dries laundry a treat and being portable can easily be moved to bathroom or kitchen as needed. We dry laundry outside when possible but in wet weather laundry is loaded on an airer in a spare bedroom with the door shut. They are usually rated about 300w so not expensive to run at all.

We have a Meaco desiccant dehumidifier.
We also do have windows open, but this doesn’t solve our condensation problems, hence the dehumidifier.
They also make the house feel warmer as this is an effect of the lower humidity. Couldn’t be without!

Thank you everyone. Leaving windows open does not resolve the problem, condensation is a big more complicated than that.

I have a Meaco low energy one bought about 5 years ago from John Lewis.We bought it originally as we have a old damp house with mould problems,but it worked wonders solving that problem,
Very useful for drying washing as well.

At one point I put my clothes to dry in a hidden area of my living room and I found black mould growing in an old dresser in that room. I spent the summer trying to get it clean and mould free.

Set the airer …. In the bath I meant.

Our tenant had issues with condensation & mould in room corners etc due to her lifestyle, drying clothes indoors and/or on radiators. The flat was absolutely bone dry before she moved in & is bone dry now whilst it’s empty waiting to be sold,
She was advised by a specialist we engaged to dry her washing in the bathroom (set the surer in the bath if necessary) with window cracked tiny bit open & the door kept shut.
We supplied her with a dehumidifier to be used in her bedroom or lounge with the door shut.
There’s lots of advice on the internet about how to avoid condensation issues.
There are also specialist companies who will survey & advise free of charge. They will often suggest equipment based on humidity levels that can be installed to overcome the issues but that’s expensive.
Our winters & trying to get washing dry has a lot to answer for.

I was hoping people would mention the make of the dehumidifer they use, I'm a bit boggled by the price choices.

It always surprises me how reluctant a lot of people are to having windows open, at least when activities are happening which are likely to cause dampness in the house.
That simple act is often enough to solve the problem of condensation on the inside of windows, and is essential if clothes are being dried indoors.

Over the years we’ve had tenants complaining about condensation in the house, but when we sent someone round to check, it appeared they were bathing/ showering without opening the window after.
The same problem occurred in the kitchen, where again, even with pans boiling, the small kitchen window hadn’t been opened.

I imagine wet clothes hung indoors would cause the same problem so a dehumidifier sounds like a good idea.

We had a dehumidifier on board our boat when we were living full time on it. It worked extremely well and the water it collects is so clean that you can use it for any household purpose you like, I don't remember the make, but as we bought it in the Netherlands, it probably would not help if I could.

In our house, we have a dehumidifier in the cellar, which I turn on at need. It was a less succesful buy, as for some odd reason it doesn't always fill the tank with the water, but spits it out instead! However a strategically placed bucket prevents that problem.

I would certainly advise using one when drying clothes indoors

We had some damp in the loft - put a dehumidifier up there, it was astonishing how much water it collected, and how quickly.

From all I’ve ever heard, they’re excellent if you need to dry clothes indoors. Opening windows is all very well - I’m a fresh air fiend so ours are open a lot - but when it’s very cold and/or damp outside, and you’re trying to keep the house warm when fuel prices are rocketing, I’d have thought a dehumidifier would be the better option.

Open the window or use an extractor fan when you are drying clothes or showering, any heat you loose is cheaper than buying and running a dehumidifier

I use Dehumidifiers around the house and have been very impressed with the effectiveness. They are really good at dealing with damp and mould.

We have an Edwardian house on three floors so not the best insulated property and we often shut the top floor off.

I've used them when I have washing drying inside. I mainly use them in the spare rooms when it's really cold and damp and I'm prepare the rooms for visitors. I find that half a day with a dehumidifier on and then the radiators at normal not frost setting gets the room ready in a day. Much quicker and more efficient that just the heating turned up alone.

Sometimes I'll put one of them in front of the wardrobes in the spare rooms for a couple of hours just to keep things fresh.

We bought our 2 from either Argos or Screwfix a few years ago as there was a leak in one of our rentals and we needed it dried out fast so just bought what was available to buy on the day.

If you have time to look around there are some good ones out there. If I was buying one now just for home I'd get a smaller one only because of storage space and the weight when moving them around.

I would buy one again.

Had a couple over about 25 years, never without one. Can't believe how much moisture is in the house. It's fully insulated, double glazed etc
My TD is in the garage so I don't very often have washing hanging around drying, just jumpers etc.
We empty the tank (5lts) every other day, which comes from just bathrooms and kitchen.
Yes you can dry items if you want to place around the Dehumidifier.

We use a dehumidifier all the time as our very old house has a damp problem. Washing dries very quickly in the room where the dehumidifier is. Not sure about the cost of running it though.

I find a dehumidifier useful when weather is damp but not cold. Daughter uses one to dry clothes on airer in bathroom and works quite well. She doesn't have a dryer.

Leaving a window open when weather is damp outside won't help to dry clothes inside - if humidity is 100% outside will only let more moisture in!

Bought DD2 one when in her first flat - it was ground floor so leaving a window open when she was out at Uni wasn’t an option.
The bathroom was internal which didn’t help, so the dehumidifier was a Godsend

I put washing outside on the line to dry whenever possible but during times when it rains for long periods I dry indoors. I try to avoid heavy bulky clothes washing unless it’s fine but otherwise put washing on 3 airers in a closed bedroom with the dehumidifier for a few hours. It is like magic and the water container fills quickly. Clothes dry in a fraction of the time otherwise and don’t have that dried slowly smell. I would say it’s a good idea to get one.

Wouldn’t be without one. Bought my first one years ago when I had a mould problem. And that was before my house was insulated better. Not only did it solve the mould problem but I found that my washing dried quickly if I put it next to the dehumidifier. I may also get one of those heated clothes dryers that are quite cheap to run. When my children grew up and had homes of their own I bought them one too and they wouldn’t be without one either. Even condenser tumble dryers seem to release a certain amount of moisture into the air. Having said that I wouldn’t be without my tumble dryer either.

I live in an old house. .I dry my washing inside in the winter, in a room which the window is open..no problem with condensation

I hate to be obvious Gill but have they tried having a window open a little? I hang washing in the bathroom with the door open, and never on a radiator.

I used to notice the condensation on the windows of the young couple above me, and that they hardly seemed to open any windows.