Best dehumidifier pouches
Which offers the best mix of low price and ability to absorb moisture?
It seems impossible to escape the damp during the winter months. Even if your car is completely watertight, you’ll inevitably enter it with wet coats and boots, drenching the carpet and fabrics.
Older cars with worn door seals and blocked drain holes may have more serious soakings when it rains. Left unchecked, this dampness can cause a serious outbreak of mildew, and even on a car that’s used regularly the moisture in the air forces you to spend an extra few minutes demisting the windows before every journey.
To fight the fog, we tried seven dehumidifiers that can be left in your car. These work in exactly the same way as the little sachets you find in boxes containing delicate electronics, using gels and crystals to absorb any moisture from the air.
We tried disposable types and reusable pouches that can be taken out of the car and dried out. So, which will we name as our champ of the damp?
How we tested them
These products are never going to be as effective as a powered dehumidifier or even keeping your windows open on a warm day, but we expect them to make a noticeable difference in a car that has to be left closed.
Used - available now
2023 Citroen
C4
42,924 milesAutomaticPetrol1.2L
Cash £12,197
2021 Kia
Sportage
37,970 milesAutomaticDiesel1.6L
Cash £17,799
2023 Mercedes
A-Class
31,100 milesAutomaticPetrol1.3L
Cash £17,199
2015 Fiat
Punto
41,990 milesManualPetrol1.2L
Cash £4,899To check how much airborne moisture they could absorb, we weighed the products before placing them inside a vegetable steamer for 30 minutes. After their steamy session they were weighed again to see how much water vapour had been soaked up.
We also liked indicators that clearly show the saturation levels, so you know when to replace or recharge. Value was also taken into account.
Simply Reusable Dehumidifier 350g
- Price: around £8
- Absorbed: 24g
- Rating: 5 stars
- Reusable? Yes
- Contact: halfords.com
The Simply won because it does everything well. The paperback-sized bag holds a hefty 350g of silica grains, which absorbed a reasonable 24g of moisture, but still had more capacity. It’s easy to tell when it is saturated, because there’s an indicator spot that turns from blue to pink.
Microwaving for six minutes or a night in an airing cupboard will regenerate it, ready for use the next day.
Gadlane Reusable Car Dehumidifiers
- Price: £14.79 (two pack)
- Absorbed: 26g
- Reusable? Yes
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Contact: diy.com
The Gadlanes come in a pack of two, which seems good value and means you can have one on either side of your windscreen to keep it clear. A single pouch did a good job of soaking up moisture in our steamer test and it regenerated effectively in the microwave after a six-minute blast.
The only reason they don’t take the top spot is because they lack a visible indicator to tell you when they are saturated.
Asda single dehumidifier
- Price: £1.25
- Absorbed: 18g
- Reusable? No
- Rating: 4.0 stars
- Contact: asda.com
If you just need a simple dehumidifier to help dry out a car because a window has been left open in the rain or you’ve had a valet, then the Asda disposable did a good job for very little money. It soaked up 18g in our test and costs only £1.25.
The crystals turn to solid, clear jelly when saturated and the dehumidifier should last around a month in normal circumstances.
Air Scents Hanging Dehumidifier
- Price: £1.50 (two pack)
- Absorbed: 18g
- Reusable? No
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Contact: bmstores.co.uk
Unlike the other disposable products in the test, the Air Scents are designed to be hung up rather than placed on a flat surface. This means they could be dangled from a grab handle or luggage hook in the boot and have the added advantage of providing a laundry-like aroma.
They soaked 18g when hung above our steamer and cost just £1.50 for two.
Asda Re-usable car dehumidifier
- Price: £8
- Absorbed: 25g
- Reusable? Yes
- Rating: 3.0 stars
- Contact: asda.com
This neat-looking pouch absorbed a reasonable 25g and can be regenerated in a microwave. Better still, a red fabric tag makes it easier to handle when hot.
A transparent triangle lets you see the colour of the beads – when they are green the pouch is dry; orange says they need a recharge. However, they stayed orange even when dried in our test.
Eco Ventis Car Dehumidifier
- Price: £8
- Absorbed: 25g
- Reusable? Yes
- Rating: 3.0 stars
- Contact: tesco.com
One side of the Eco Ventis is a smart grey fabric while the other has a mesh panel showing the absorbent beads that change colour when they are saturated. It absorbed a decent 25g, too.
However, the Eco Ventis doesn’t seem designed to last the suggested microwave regeneration, because the heat melts the stitching. It’s definitely better to leave it to dry gently in the air.
Fabulosa Dehumidifier
- Price: £1.49
- Absorbed: 15g
- Reusable? Yes
- Rating: 2.5 stars
- Contact: bmstores.co.uk
The Fabulosa is available in a series of flavours. We chose the Wild Rhubarb, but failed to notice any aroma unless inhaling really close to the lid.
The steamer results were a surprise too. Despite being bigger than the similar looking Asda disposable (above), the Fabulosa absorbed 3g less water.
Verdict
The Simply Reusable Dehumidifier wins on points with a good all-round performance. Gadlane’s twin pack would be a winner, but lacks an indicator to tell you when it’s saturated. Third is the Asda single dehumidifier, which is a cheap and effective way of helping to dry the damp.
- Simply Reusable Dehumidifier 350g
- Gadlane Reusable Car Dehumidifiers
- Asda single dehumidifier
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