Quiet Mark is a globally recognised consumer champion. Wherever in the world consumers and trade buyers are when they see our distinctive Q logo on a product or building material, they know that it is one of the quietest, best sounding available on the market. 

This Yahoo News feature, titled 'These top-rated dehumidifiers can help prevent condensation and damp', mentioned the Quiet Mark certified MeacoDry ABC Dehumidifier, White, Meaco Arete Dehumidifier & Air Purifier and also the Pro Breeze 12L/Day Dehumidifier. The feature reached 64.8M people in the US, 529K in Singapore, 374K in Philippines, 391K in Australia and 247K in the UK. 

Read the original article on the Yahoo News website here. 

These top-rated dehumidifiers can help prevent condensation and damp

By ELLEN WALLWORK for YAHOO NEWS

Watching rain drops fall outside while you're tucked up snug and warm inside feels lovely and cosy. But water gathering on the inside of your windows and forming pools on your windowsills? Not so much.

When it's warmer inside than out, excess moisture in the air is drawn to cold surfaces such as windows, creating condensation. This humidity can potentially lead to other issues too, such as black mould, water stains and lingering musty smells, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens.

Dehumidifiers can help prevent these problems by drawing the moisture out of the surrounding air and collecting it in a tank so that it can be easily disposed of down the drain.

They also come in handy if you dry laundry inside, as they will help your clothes to air dry quicker.

There are two types of dehumidifiers: refrigerant and desiccant. The former contain a cold surface, on which condensation forms when it comes into contact with humid air. Whereas, the latter contain an absorbent material that works like a sponge to soak up moisture from the air. Desiccant dehumidifiers work at lower temperatures than refrigerant ones, so are more effective in garages or unheated rooms, plus they are more powerful, so smaller models can clear the air in larger spaces.

When choosing a dehumidifier you'll want to think about how much space it will take up, the level of noise you're happy with and it's capacity (ie. how many litres of water it is able to extract from the air each day) - the larger the capacity the larger the space it will be effective in.

You may also want to consider whether it is worth investing in a model with a timer, or a quieter "night mode" — which will be particularly important for use in bedrooms.

To make your search a little easier we've rounded up some of the top-rated models currently on the market, with prices ranging from £40 to £260.

Best dehumidifiers to invest in 

MeacoDry ABC Dehumidifier 

This John Lewis bestseller is a refrigerant dehumidifier that is easy to use and very quiet, with a noise level of just 35dB. It is so quiet in fact that it has earned a Quiet Mark award meaning it is one of the quietest models of its size on the market.

It has a medium capacity with the ability to extract up to 10.26L of water in 24 hours, which the manufacturers say make it suitable for a one bed house.

Its tank can hold up to 2.6L of water before needing to be emptied, which is on the small side, but there is the option to attach a hose (which you'll have to buy separately) to connect it to a drain outlet for continuous drainage.

The digital display on the top shows the humidity level and a humidistat (which monitors the humidity in the air so it can adjust its settings accordingly. There is a timer, a dedicated laundry setting, (which will run the machine at max power for six hours) and a child lock to ensure settings aren't accidentally changed by inquisitive fingers.

Measuring 46cm x 29.5cm x 25.1cm (HxWxD), this is a compact design but it is quite heavy (11.5kg) and it doesn't have a carry handle or wheels, so isn't the easiest model to move from room to room.

Meaco Arete Dehumidifier & Air Purifier 

This refrigerant dehumidifier also works as an air purifier, making it a good space saving option if you were thinking of investing in both gadgets.

It comes with a medical grade H13 HEPA filter, so when in air purifier mode it can help to remove smells and physical particles such as duct, pollen, pollutants, mould, dust mites, smoke and viruses from the air. 

When used as a dehumidifier it has a large capacity of up to 20L per day, but despite its power, it is relatively quiet with a noise level of 38dB.

It also has a large lidded water tank which can hold up to 4.8L and there is the option for continuous drainage (but you'll need to buy a hose).

This model measures 56.2cm x 37.6cm x 23.2cm (HxWxD) and weighs a substantial 15kg, but it does come with castor wheels and a handle. Plus, one major selling point of this design is that unlike most dehumidifiers it has been designed with a side air intake so that it can be positioned discreetly against a wall.

The control panel is simple to use and the machine can be operated with one press of a smart humidity button, which will allow it to monitor humidity levels and increase the fan speed if needed and change to a quieter mode when the target humidity has almost been reached. 

There is also a laundry mode, night mode and a child lock.

Pro Breeze 12L/Day Dehumidifier 

If you're after a quiet model with a slightly larger capacity than the Meaco ABC, this 12L a day model has also been awarded a quiet mark, with a noise level of 42dB..

Ideal for use in large rooms with persistent damp issues, its 1.8L water tank is on the small side, but a continuous drainage hose is also included.

Measuring 24cm x 28.5cm x 49.5cm and weighing 9.5kg, it is mounted on four wheels for easy portability between rooms.

The digital display shows the room humidity level and allows you to choose between three dehumidification modes (auto, continuous and sleep). It also features a timer, humidistat, fan-only mode for air circulation, child lock and a defrosting system.