IF you are looking for a low cost dehumidifier to help manage damp and condensation through the winter, you'll find plenty on sale for £50 or less. Lots of top brands such as Russell Hobbs and Lakeland now offer affordable options that promise to get rid of excess moisture. They are less powerful than more expensive units on the market with moisture extraction rates of 0.5L a day, or less. But they may still be useful in small bedrooms, kitchens and even cupboards and closets and they don't take up masses of space like bulkier models.

But do they really do the job?. LYNSEY HOPE investigates... Lynsey says: "Dehumidifiers are not the nicest things to have round the house, but this one isn't too much of an eyesore. "It even has a colour changing light which brings a bit of ambience to the room and turns red when the tank is full so you know you have to empty it. "It's a compact size so perfect for those who don't want large appliances taking up space and its portability means it can be easily moved between rooms as needed.

"Whether it's tackling condensation in the bathroom, reducing dampness in the bedroom, or preventing moisture buildup in the kitchen, this dehumidifier gets the job done. "It provided substantial moisture control whilst being light and easy to manage.". RATING: 5/5. Lynsey says: "So this isn't a dehumidifer as such, as it doesn't remove damp. "However, it does remove mould so if that's a concern, this is a great and effective option.

"Tests show it removes 99.7% of airborne particles which are bad for health and as well as mould that includes pollen, dust, pet dander, smoke, bacteria and viruses. "So whilst it doesn't actually remove damp, if that is a problem in your home this will definitely benefit you. "Purified air has also been shown to help with better quality sleep, increased productivity, an improvement in allergy and asthma symptoms - it's expensive, but I'm sold.".

RATING: 4/5. Lynsey says: "Manufacturer states that this is only really suitable for small spaces such as wardrobe, or enclosed bookcase cabinet, so don't be fooled into thinking it will draw a ton of moisture out of your home. "It really did only work in quite small areas though, successfully drawing around 300ml of water a day from the air. "I found it quite handy near a tumble dryer to get rid of excess damp.

"It does have an ultra quiet fan so the noise didn't disturb me in the day but I wouldn’t want it running at night. "It automatically shuts off when the tank is full. Easy to empty and operate. "Not the most attractive.". RATING: 2/5. Lynsey says: "No more effective than most of the products in this test, but it does look a lot better than other. "With its Scandinavian design and minimalistic shape, it has a modern feel and looked far better sat on my daughter's bedroom windowsill.

"It's silent to use and is easily emptied when the indicator shows it is full. "It comes with a refill of 600g moisture-absorbing crystals. One bag should last one to there months and refills cost £12.99 for two. "Manufacturer says it is suitable for spaces put 50m3. "Another bonus, it’s made from 94% recycled materials.”. RATING: 3/5. Lynsey says: "Simple to use, this dehumidifier was effective at removing dampness and condensation from the air in rooms as big as 12m2.

"An alarm goes off when it's full so you don't need to monitor it or worry about it overflowing. "It's not noisy so you can leave it on during the night and it didn't disturb me trying to sleep. "The design is plain, but inoffensive.". Lynsey says: "One of the most compact units you can buy, measuring just 22cm tall. Its small size does mean the water tank is also small with a capacity of just 0.5 litres.

"However, its energy use is also low so it's one of the cheapest to run. It has a removable dust filter, which kept it clean, it's quiet to run, compact and lightweight. "I found it quite useful for absorbing excess moisture in my daughter's small bedroom, and in the kitchen whilst cooking. "The operation was simple with just one on/off button and two LED lights that tell you when it is in operation and when it needs emptying.

"Emptying the water tank was easy, you simply pull the tank from the machine and pour it away. "I would have liked a bigger tank for the £50 price tag.". Lynsey says: "Perfect for small spaces and rooms up to 15m2, this dehumidifier is so compact it will sit neatly on your shelves or sideboard without you even realising it's there. "It looks more like a fancy speaker than a dehumidifer. Plus, it feels solid and robust, despite it being light - it's only 0.9kg.

"There are no fancy settings just one simple to turn it on and get it working and it has a slightly higher extraction rate than many of these small models at 350ml a day. "It won't work for serious damp issues but it was great at reducing condensation and the tank was big enough that it didn't need emptying too often. "It's so quiet, that you don’t hear it running – ideal if you want to it on overnight without having your sleep.