Xiaomi Smart Dehumidifier 4 Lite 22L Review

Living in Southeast Asia offers a completely different experience from the West. The language, culture, cuisine, and daily routines are all strikingly unique.

Life here is heavily influenced by the tropical climate, which is generally split into two seasons: dry and wet. During the wet season, the region receives the majority of its annual rainfall, and humidity levels can easily climb to 80% or higher.

Keeping your home dry is practically essential, and a dehumidifier is one of the key tools to achieve it. This review will help determine if the Xiaomi Smart Dehumidifier is the right solution for you.

Why the need to lower humidity?

Humans thrive in humid environments—after all, our bodies are largely made of water, as is the planet. The problem is that while water sustains life, it also creates ideal conditions for other organisms, like mold, to grow.

In Southeast Asia, humidity can get so high during certain months that clothes straight from the washing machine barely dry. Even fabric left in a room—or cold, solid surfaces like walls and floors—can absorb moisture and feel damp.

This means your clothes can develop mold, which can stain or even damage the fabric, and electronics may rust or malfunction. Not to mention that black mold releases mycotoxins and spores that are toxic for humans.

Essentially, this is a health concern. Life always finds a way to recycle organic materials, and while you want to be part of that process, you certainly don’t want it happening so quickly.

We don’t want to waste your time dealing with mold on your clothes and places around your home every two day we need to take control of the situation.

How does a Dehumidifier works?

A dehumidifier works by drawing in humid air from the room and passing it over a cold surface, much like condensation forming on a cold glass of water.

The moisture in the air condenses into water droplets, which are collected in a tank or drained away. The air, now drier, is reheated slightly and circulated back into the room.

This process gradually lowers the humidity, protecting fabrics, electronics, and the overall comfort of your space.

Why cold areas attracts humidity?

Humidity condenses in cold areas because cold air holds less water vapor than warm air. Here’s a step-by-step explanation:

Warm air can hold more water vapor – the warmer the air, the more moisture it can keep in a gaseous form.
Cooling reduces air’s capacity to hold water – when air comes into contact with a cold surface, its temperature drops.
Excess water vapor condenses – as the air cools, it can no longer hold all the moisture. The extra water vapor turns into liquid water on the cold surface.
This is the same as dew or condensation on a window – overnight, windows often get droplets because indoor or outdoor humid air cools down.

So basically, condensation happens because cold air can’t “store” as much water as warm air, and the extra moisture has to turn into liquid.

How does a dehumidifier works mechanically?

Mechanically, a dehumidifier works a lot like an air conditioner, using the principle of condensation. Here’s a breakdown of the process:

Air intake – A fan draws humid air from the room into the dehumidifier.
Cooling coil (evaporator) – The air passes over cold coils. Since cold air holds less moisture, the excess water vapor in the air condenses on the coils and drips into a collection tank.
Heating coil (optional) – After moisture is removed, the air passes over a warm coil (or is slightly reheated by the compressor heat) and is blown back into the room. This prevents the room from cooling down too much.
Collection tank / drainage – The condensed water collects in a tank or is drained automatically through a hose.
Humidity sensor – Most smart dehumidifiers have a sensor that measures room humidity and turns the machine on or off to maintain a set humidity level.

In short: humid air → cooled to condense water → water collected → dry air returned to the room.

Why using a Dehumidifier?

There are several ways to dry a space, and one of the most basic is simply allowing air to circulate freely. However, in certain areas and during specific periods, this method is either impractical or insufficient.

For instance, opening windows in the evening or at night is often out of the question unless you’re prepared to face swarms of mosquitoes. In some regions, humidity can remain extremely high, and when it rains continuously, the moisture indoors is constantly replenished, making natural ventilation alone ineffective.

A dehumidifier is the most effective active solution, capable of extracting a significant amount of moisture from the air while remaining reasonably energy-efficient, which helps keep operating costs under control.

What are the other solutions we tried?

We tried opening windows, using fans, Air Conditioning units, Air Conditioning in Dry mode, Sillica bag of gels, nothing was enough and the mold was growing back in just a few days.

No joke—my wallet once got completely soaked and stayed damp for an entire month, even though I left it on a desk to dry.

Why buying a Xiaomi Dehumidifier?

While we strongly recommend using a dehumidifier in areas with high humidity, we don’t endorse any single brand. That said, Xiaomi offers an excellent product.

Other reputable brands include Meaco, LG, Panasonic, and Honeywell. One of the key advantages of choosing Xiaomi is the Xiaomi Home App, which is simple, intuitive, and allows you to control most of your Xiaomi smart home devices seamlessly.

We also heard that most dehumidifier are produce by the same factory and rebranded. As there was a fire recall and most brands recalled their models at some points.

What is the Liter means ?

In a dehumidifier, the capacity refers to the maximum amount of water the machine can extract from the air in a 24-hour period, usually measured in liters per day (L/day), under ideal conditions.

Ideal conditions typically mean:

Air temperature around 30°C (86°F)
Relative humidity around 80%

For example:

A 22L/day dehumidifier can remove up to 22 liters of moisture from the air in one day if the room is at those ideal conditions.

Some points to keep in mind:

Room size matters – A higher-capacity dehumidifier works better in larger rooms.
Humidity level matters – If the air is extremely humid, the dehumidifier may reach its maximum capacity more quickly; if it’s less humid, it may extract less water than its rated capacity.
Efficiency – Higher capacity doesn’t always mean more electricity; larger units can actually be more efficient because they reach the target humidity faster.

Essentially, capacity tells you how powerful the dehumidifier is in removing moisture, and helps you choose the right size for your room and climate.

Which capacity to buy?

In our experience, it’s better to opt for a larger dehumidifier rather than a smaller one, especially for bigger rooms.

Larger units perform more efficiently, allowing you to run them only when needed and turn them off afterward, instead of keeping them on constantly.

When combating mold, you want to be as effective as possible, though not everyone may have the space for a bigger model.

If your room is medium (20–40 m²) and gets very humid: go for a 25–30 L/day dehumidifier.
If it’s a smaller room (bedroom, ≤ 20 m²): a 20 L/day model is likely enough.
If you have a large open space or living room (40–80 m²): try to find a 50–60 L/day capacity model — or run two smaller units.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Can dehumidify a room efficiently
Can even dry clothes
Is relatively inexpensive to run
Can save you a lots of health or structural issues

Cons

Can only be effective in a restricted surface
Close to people it can seriously dry their sinus and throat
Have to empty the container several times a day
Requires a fan to help release moisture into the air

Verdict

8.0 out of 10.

The Xiaomi Smart Dehumidifier 4 Lite 22L would be the first appliance I’d invest in for any home prone to mold.

Of course, ensuring your home is well-sealed and properly ventilated comes first, but in regions with prolonged dampness and frequent rain, a dehumidifier is absolutely essential.

It’s not a fix it all machine, but it will definitely give you a real tool to fight mold back for you to focus on other things. And perhaps that’s all we can really ask for.