I gave Lidl's £4.99 dehumidifier doorstop a try — here's what I found

If dehumidifier and doorstop aren't two words you'd normally put together, you're not alone. It wasn't something I'd come across either, or anything the team has seen when looking at the best dehumidifiers. But, having spotted it in Lidl's middle aisle I figured the £4.99 price tag was worth a punt. Living in a single glazed listed building I'm no stranger to condensation on my windows and couldn't be without my electric dehumidifiers.

Of course, the reality is that the term dehumidifier attached to a doorstop is a little bit of an oversell. In the same way as rechargeable dehumidifiers are essentially moisture absorbers, so is the doorstop.

But, at a bargain price of £4.99 and with claims to only take 6 minutes time in a 600W microwave to 'recharge', it felt like I had nothing to lose in buying one.

How does a dehumidifier doorstop work?

The Wenko Doorstop Dehumidifier from Lidl weighs 1kg and is a fabric covered doorstop containing moisture absorbent crystals. As the crystals absorb moisture from the air, the blue water droplet design on the front of the doorstop changes colour to show the saturation level.

Once saturated, the doorstop can be popped in the microwave, heated up to dry out the crystals and then it's ready to be reused.

It's similar in concept to rechargeable dehumidifiers such as these Aironic rechargeable dehumidifiers from Amazon which contain silica gel. Once the gel is saturated, you plug the units into charge for around 6-9 hours.

However, in general, when looking at how do dehumidifiers work , the more commonly seen electric versions work by extracting moisture from the air and collecting it in a water tank which you empty. They're a more effective solution if you have problems with window condensation or damp, and I'm also a big advocate of them for drying laundry.

Although I do have a tumble drier (I live in an apartment with no outdoor space so it's a necessary item for me), when weighing up dehumidifier vs tumble drier, other than towels, I dry everything else using the De'Longhi DEX212F dehumidifier, which I highly recommend.

Shop these electric dehumidifiers for condensation and laundry drying

Where to use a doorstep dehumidifier

Portable and not restricted to any one location, the dehumidifier doorstop from Lidl may well be sold for use on the floor, but as it doesn't need power, it could in theory be used anywhere.

Floors, shelves, inside wardrobes or on windowsills are all potential locations, although I was keen to see how much moisture seeps through the doorstop when it's fully saturated. Could this make the surface it's sitting on damp if you don't 'recharge' it quickly enough?

Have a problem with moisture in your car? Lidl are also selling a car version of this product which works in the same way. Shaped like a small beanbag, it’s designed to pop into the pockets of your car door. And although the term dehumidifier is perhaps a bit misleading, they do work confirms Amy Willis, Editor of Homebuilding.co.uk.

“I use these in my car and they do help reduce the condensation on the car windows,” she conifers. “I leave one in there for around a week at a time and then dry it out once it’s absorbed the moisture.”

Does this doorstep dehumidifier work?

Long-term, this dehumidifier doorstep clearly won't be a solution if you have a bigger problem with condensation and damp. Having previously tested small dehumidifiers and moisture absorbers to see if they are false economy, they really are no substitute for a full size electrical dehumidifier if you have moisture building up on a regular basis in your home.

But, has it contributed anything towards a reduction in moisture from the days I’ve tested it?

Used on my bedroom floor, the dehumidifier doorstop failed to make any noticeable difference to my window condensation, and neither did it change colour to suggest any moisture has been absorbed. All this despite the fact my windows did have a lot of condensation on them when I woke.

Perhaps part of the problem with this is that doors and windows are not always located next to each other. Mine are in fact at opposite ends of the room. However, tested again overnight on a chest of drawers next to the window, the same results were seen – or rather not seen. There was no change.

And finally, I popped it in my ensuite which has no window, just an extractor fan to see if it even soaked up any of the steam created by showering. Once again, the doorstop looks no different and shows no signs of moisture being absorbed.

My advice? If you want a doorstop, buy one you like the look of, rather than one that claims to be something it’s not. If you’re searching for something to help with condensation and damp, buy a good quality dehumidifier and it will be worth every penny.

Consider these stylish doorstops instead

Looking for other ways of helping to improve the humidity levels in your home? While house burping may sound like another dubious suggestion, this is a trick that does actually help improve your home ventilation and is infinitely more practical than it sounds.