Compare dehumidifiers in New Zealand at Canstar Blue. Panasonic, Mitsubishi Electric and DeLonghi were compared on Overall Satisfaction, Appearance & Design, Effectiveness, Functionality, Performance & Reliability, Quietness and Value for Money.
See our Ratings Methodology.
For the second year in a row, Kiwi consumers rate Panasonic their No.1 choice for dehumidifiers.
Our review compares dehumidifiers on customer satisfaction, so you can discover what other Kiwis think about our compared dehumidifiers brands before you go ahead and make a purchase. Think of it like asking hundreds of your closest friends, family and colleagues which dehumidifiers they think are best!
Canstar Blue surveyed 236 Kiwis who had bought a dehumidifier over the past two years for their feedback on the dehumidifier they bought.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their dehumidifier brands from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall Satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall Satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
This year is the second year in a row that Panasonic has been voted the nation’s No.1 choice of dehumidifier by Kiwi consumers. Yet again, Panasonic tops our award table with an impressive set of ratings across all categories. It’s the only brand to earn a top 5-Star rating for Overall Satisfaction, a rating it achieves in a further five fields, including Value for Money and Performance & Reliability. For Effectiveness and Functionality, Panasonic has 4-Star ratings.
Panasonic’s range of dehumidifiers has three different models to chose from: 17L, 27L and 33L, priced from around $650.
Its most expensive model has a 5.2L tank capacity and can remove 33L of moisture per day from the atmosphere. It retails for around $1099 and features:
Placing second in our award rankings, Mitsubishi Electric earns a 4-Star Overall Satisfaction rating from its happy customers. It achieves its best ratings, 5 Stars, for Performance and Reliability and Functionality, and its lowest rating for Value for Money – a 3-Star rating, which still indicates that Mitsubishi Electric’s customers are happy with the levels of value the brand delivers.
Mitsubishi Electric sells three models in its Oasis range. The Oasis Classic is available in two different moisture removal capacity sizes (16L or 22L per day), while the Oasis Pure model can remove 38L per day. Prices range from around $800 to $1600, and features include:
Rounding out the top-3 in our dehumidifier brand awards is DeLonghi, which achieves a great set of 4- and 5-Star ratings across all categories. DeLonghi’s dehumidifiers earn their best scores from consumers for Appearance & Design and Effectiveness. Across all other categories, including Overall Satisfaction, DeLonghi earns consistent 4-Star ratings.
DeLonghi retails a range of three dehumidifier models here in NZ, including a 14L per day model (approx $480), a 21L 2-in-1 dehumidifier and air purifier (approx $750), and a 30L unit (approx $910).
Its large model features:
Not all dehumidifier brands in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth considering. Here are more brands to check out before making a purchase decision.
GOLDAIRGoldair has a range of refrigerant and desiccant model dehumidifiers (see below for difference) to suit all budgets and room sizes. Its cheapest 10L model has a 2L tank plus a timer and retails for around $260.
Goldair’s largest model (approx $680) is a 40L dehumidifier that is wi-fi enabled, meaning it can be controlled using your phone, Amazon Alexa or Google Home.
DIMPLEXDimplex offers two dehumidifier models: a 25L capacity unit with 3.4L tank (approx $400) and a 50L machine with a 6.5L tank (approx $549). Both of these units feature preset modes, continuous drainage and a clean filter reminder.
Sheffield is a Kiwi-owned brand that retails a range of household appliances, including three budget-friendly dehumidifiers:
There are many things to consider when choosing the right dehumidifier to match your needs and budget. However, it’s essential to consider certain key factors when making your purchase.
While Value for Money is always important – it was rated the No.3 concern by the consumers in our survey – when it comes to dehumidifiers, performance is key. There’s no point paying for a budget model if it doesn’t work very well. That’s why alongside Value for Money, Effectiveness and Performance & Reliability are key to consumer satisfaction.
And that quietness isn’t too much of a concern shows that while you don’t want your dehumidifier to make a din, most people run their units in parts of the home, and at times of the day, when noise is less of a concern.
Here’s the full rundown of what the dehumidifier consumers in our survey say are the main things they consider when rating their purchases.
A dehumidifier can be an essential appliance in the home, and can help prevent or alleviate:
Works by condensing moisture out of the air. Damp air is sucked into the dehumidifier and is cooled to below its dewpoint temperature using the same processes as a fridge. This causes condensation to drip into a water-holding pan, which can either be emptied manually, or automatically through a hose. These are the most common types of dehumidifiers. They work better in higher temperatures and at increased humidity levels, although can be noisier than desiccant dehumidifiers.
The humid air moves over a rotating wheel made of a water-absorbing material. The dry air is blown back into the room, while the water-absorbing material is heated, causing it to release its water into a collection tray. Absorption models are more complicated in their design and can be less energy efficient. However, absorption dehumidifiers work better at lower temperatures, which make them a good option for use in colder climates.
This report was written by Canstar’s Editor, Bruce Pitchers. Bruce has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in the UK and Australasia, including ACP, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ. Prior to Canstar, he worked as a freelancer, including for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority, and for real estate companies on both sides of the Tasman.
A dehumidifier is an essential household item: 49%
Home needs a dehumidifier because it’s damp: 45%
Dehumidifier protects from ill health: 44%
You get what you pay for in terms of a dehumidifier’s efficiency: 40%
Bought a dehumidifier based on its energy rating: 32%
Worry about the cost of dehumidifier’s power consumption: 25%
Would own more than one dehumidifier if could afford to: 24%
Find noise of dehumidifier off-putting: 22%
Canstar Blue surveyed 2577 New Zealand consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers who had purchased a dehumidifier in the past two years. In this case, 236 New Zealanders. Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criterion.
The past winners from Canstar Blue’s Dehumidifier ratings:
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