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There’s only so much opening a window can do when you’re dealing with muggy conditions indoors.
While the fresh intake of air will help push stuffy, muggy, central-heating warmed air out, from a security, pollution, noise and climate perspective, it’s just not practical to keep your window open around the clock.
Then again, sealing your home is doing indoor air quality no favours either. While a dehumidifier can help trap excess moisture in the air, it comes with a few running costs. There is an alternative that requires no power to operate, however. The moisture absorber.
What is the difference between a dehumidifier and a moisture absorber?
Put simply, electricity. A dehumidifier runs on a power source while a moisture absorber doesn’t use one. While the energy-saving costs are obvious, it also means a moisture absorber won’t move air around.
How does a moisture absorber work?
We fear the explanation is all in the name, but let’s get into some finer detail. Moisture absorbers contain hydration-sucking granules like silica gel, calcium chloride or activated clay. They draw excess H2O from the air, locking them inside the granules. Once saturated, these granules will need to be replaced to keep the moisture absorber working properly.
What are the benefits of a moisture absorber?
They may not be as powerful as a bonafide dehumidifier, but moisture absorbers have their draws. Noticed a fusty smell in the back box room, or want extra firepower in a poorly ventilated bathroom? A moisture absorber can help, with the bonus that you don’t have to remember to turn it off, change batteries or heap extra burden on your household bills by plugging it into the mains. You can also place them in any corner of the house, even if there’s no power source nearby.
And the downsides?
They’re not going to filter the air and they won’t help serious mould issues. They’re also not great for large spaces, so if you’re thinking of using them in an open-plan house, you might be better off with a dehumidifier.
If you like the idea of a moisture absorber, we’ve rounded up the best options for your money, taking size and capacity into account. We’ve also considered room size and the best places these solutions will work, from the inside of wardrobes to windowsills and boot rooms.
Shop the selection below
UniBond AERO 360º Moisture Absorber
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Best for: Managing moisture on a budget
Plummeting the price of condensation killers completely, the UniBond Aero 360 is an excellent solution when it comes to both rooms of up to 20m² and those on a budget. Costing less than a tenner per unit, this non-leccy powered product uses (as our sharper readers may have guessed) a special 360° moisture absorber to efficiently drain the damp from the air and, with it, any accompanying musky smells.
The refill-based device uses tabs made of active moisture-absorbing crystals with patented anti-odour agents that can last up to three months with fresh tabs costing a pittance.
Featuring a spout for ease of emptying, if a low-cost method of reducing condensation (and clearing the air of awful associated odour) is all you require, then the UniBond Aero 360 is an – ahem – all-round bargain! 360°, you see? Never mind…
Buy now £8.79, Amazon
Vybra Absodry Moisture Absorber Pink
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A stylish moisture absorber - compared to the competition, anyway - this charming device will work on spaces up to 50m3 using moisture-absorbing crystals to clear the air of excess moisture. You’ll get a 600g bag of the granules, which should last you for three months. Set it on a surface out of the way, or use the hook to hang it from your wardrobe rails.
Buy now £27.99, Lakeland
Everbrand Absodry Moisture Absorber Duo Family Bag 3 Series
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Small, quiet, demure: if you’re looking for a moisture absorber you can buy and then forget all about, Everbrand has a contender.
This diminutive design draws excess water from the air, working best in spaces up to 30m2 using crystals that are fully biodegradable once they’re spent. You’ll get a 300g bag of them included, which should be enough for three months of use.
There are four other earthy shades to choose from, suitable for practically any interior scheme.
Buy now £15.99, Robert Dyas
ABSODRY DUO Family Moisture Absorber
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Keep your bedroom feeling cool and comfortable with this invention, which works at optimum levels in rooms up to 165 ft². The lightweight can-shaped device comes with a hanging hook to suspend in zap musty wardrobes and dank drawers, trapping moisture inside the moisture-absorbing calcium chloride crystal granules hidden inside.
Buy now £28.49, Amazon
Ecozone Room Damp, Mould & Moisture Trap
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Refillable, reusable and small enough to fit on a windowsill. What more could you ask for in a moisture absorber that Ecozone does not provide? Admittedly it’s lacking in the looks department compared to some of the other options on this list, but if you’d rather have a smart green solution (with over 400+ reviews to prove it), this has it nailed. It works a treat on excessive window condensation.
Buy now £7.33, Amazon
Absodry Wardrobe & Storage Room Moisture Absorber
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Keep clothes from the ravages of undetected moisture with this nifty idea which attaches to the inner wall of your wardrobe. Inside lie dehumidifier crystals waiting to trap any lurking moisture and eliminate weird odours, keeping clothes feeling and smelling fresh. Refills are widely available and each one should last you up to three months.
Buy now £14.00, Dunelm
Minky Damp Guards with 4 Refill Tablets
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Got the green shoots of mould, damp and condensation around the house? Minky to the rescue! The brand, perhaps best known for microfibre cleaning cloths, has this moisture absorber. It’s a compact thing so can easily tuck behind large pieces of furniture if you don’t want it on display.
The damp guard works using 200g tablets, each one with a lifespan of three months. Once expired, get rid of the excess water by pouring it out with the help of the built-in spout.
Buy now £11.32, Argos
Nyxi set of 6 Hanging Interior Wardrobe Dehumidifier
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Picture it: emerging from the shower and towelling dry, only to find the shirt hanging in your wardrobe is already a bit damp. Not pleasant, is it?
If you suspect humidity collecting in your wardrobe, an easy way to counter it is with these in-cupboard dehumidifiers, handily set on hooks so you can put them up straight away. Each one holds 230g of moisture-zapping crystals and you’ll get six in this purchase, making them around £1.66 each. Bargain!
Buy now £9.97, Amazon