The Avylo Dehumidifier Reduced the Humidity and Musty Odor Throughout My Home’s Dampest Spaces

5 min readI live in a part of the country where, in the summer, humidity frequently rises above 80 percent. Add to that an old tuck-under garage and a finished basement, and you have all the makings of some musty-smelling spaces on my property.I’ve found that a dehumidifier is the easiest way to make these spaces more pleasant (even a small one helps). It’s also an appliance that has the potential to be extremely annoying: Some are noisy enough that you choose to avoid the room they’re in, while others require emptying the tank so often they become yet another chore.I’ve cycled through a few models in the 15 years I’ve lived in this house, and when I had the opportunity to test this model from Avylo, a brand I had not previously tested, I was interested in its tank design and promises of efficiency. After nearly two weeks of testing, I came away impressed with its quiet operation and the unique tank design, though its weight keeps it from being a right fit for every home.ProsAccurate humidity readingsExcellent pump and long included hoseClever top-mounted water tankIntuitive controlsConsHeavy to move between floorsPlastic tank feels somewhat brittleKey SpecsCoverage AreaUp to 4,500 SFMoisture RemovalUp to 90 pints/dayCapacity2.11 gallonsDrain OptionsBuilt-in pump, included pump hose, continuous drain (hose sold separately) Noise LevelManufacturer claims 41 dB; I measured about 50 dBWeight35.5 lbEnergy Star CertifiedYesHow I TestedTo test the Avylo dehumidifier, I placed it for five days each in two of the dampest areas of my home—my approximately 800-square-foot basement and our single-stall tuck-under garage. I made sure no dehumidifier ran in the space for 2four hours, then used a hygrometer to measure the humidity of the space after an hour, then 4 hours.Katherine TuttleDuring testing, I left doors closed whenever possible and let the unit run in auto mode so I could see how well it managed humidity on its own. I also took into account how easy the unit was to move around from room to room, whether it had a continuous drain option, and how easy it was to empty and clean.The Controls Are Intuitive, and the Display Is ClearWhat immediately stood out to me was how easy the controls were to understand without opening the manual. Assembly of the Avylo was also simple. It comes with a water tank and a hose, both of which are easy to attach (enough so that I’d almost hesitate to refer to it as “assembling” the unit). It has a digital display with settings for auto mode, fan speed, target value, light, and mute.Katherine TuttleI was immediately impressed with the clarity of the digital display. It’s both easy to find the buttons you need, and to read the target and actual humidity at a glance. It has a pump option, a continuous drain hose, and a 2.11-gallon top-mounted water tank.Portability Is a StruggleThe Avylo is definitely hefty. Because I couldn't find the listed weight anywhere, I put it on my bathroom scale myself, and it came in at 35.5 pounds. The unit does have indentations on the sides to make picking it up easier, and it also has wheels, so if you’re able to push it from one room to another, no problem. I, however, had to lug it down to the basement, and I could definitely see this being an issue for some.It’s a Little Loud, but Not DisruptiveThe Avylo has several modes to make it less obtrusive. I used the NIOSH Sound Level Meter on my iPhone to measure the decibel level when the unit was running, and found it averaged about 50 decibels when measured from a distance of six feet away.This puts the Avylo squarely in the “average room noise” category, according to the Hearing Health Foundation. The display lets you control the ambient lighting, which changes based on your target humidity level (another nice, at-a-glance feature), and you can also mute the machine’s beeps when you change the settings.There Was an Improvement in Humidity LevelI found that the humidity and temperature readings on the Avylo were pretty much spot-on when compared with the readings on my hygrometer. Humidity levels in my garage dropped an average of 13 percent after one hour. By the four-hour mark, the Avylo was able to maintain an average “comfort level” humidity (which Avylo sets at 40 to 60 percent) without running constantly, typically holding steady at 46 percent.Once humidity reached my target level, the compressor cycled on and off instead of running continuously. I appreciated that because it kept the room quieter and suggested the unit wasn't working any harder than necessary.The automatic settings were a huge plus, since it made the whole process very hands-off (which is what I am going for with an appliance in an out-of-the-way part of my house). By the second day, my garage in particular smelled noticeably less musty.Emptying the Unit Was Also SimpleThe standout feature on this unit was, for me, the top-mounted tank. Most units I’ve dealt with have a built-in tank that you remove when it’s full, which is indicated by a beep or a flashing light. The Avylo lets you gauge how full the unit is at a glance without crouching down or pulling the bucket out halfway to check it (though it also has an indicator light and noise). The tank has a capacity of just over two gallons, so it isn’t overly heavy, even when full.Jeff TuttleHowever, the included pump is a far more convenient emptying option. The Avylo comes with a hose that is nearly 17 feet long, which gave me plenty of leeway to guide it to our sump pump drain. And since the Avylo has a pump feature, you could also use a window or sink for drainage, no need to count on gravity to do the work for you (though Avylo has a continuous drain option, you need to supply your own hose for this).The Plastic Isn’t Very DurableMy main complaint about the Avylo is the fragility of the plastic water tank—my first unit had a rough journey via FedEx, and the water tank arrived cracked. The plastic, though thick, is brittle enough that I could see this causing issues. However, these minor issues are outweighed by its quiet operation and easy use.Final ThoughtsOverall, I found the Avylo dehumidifier to be accurate, effective, and user-friendly. I’d recommend it to anyone dealing with a damp basement, garage, or other larger space where they can take advantage of the pump and long drain hose. If you expect to carry a dehumidifier up and down stairs frequently, though, its weight is worth considering before you buy. In this case, an option like the GE 25-Pint Portable Dehumidifier might be a better choice for you. Its tank is smaller, but you won’t struggle moving it around your house.Shop the Avylo DehumidifierMore Dehumidifiers We LoveHomelabs 25-Pint DehumidifierNow 10% OffCostway 32-Pint DehumidifierBest for Attics and BasementsAlorair 70-Pint Dehumidifier with PumpNow 15% OffXavier Piedra is a Senior Reviews editor at Popular Mechanics, Runner’s World, and Best Products. Xavier’s previous experience includes editing shopping, home, and lifestyle content at major outlets such as Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Popsugar, and more. When he isn’t thinking about the best products for readers, Xavier is likely watching the latest flicks at a nearby AMC, or filling out his physical video game collection.