Abstract The performance of a domestic hybrid dehumidifier combined with a solid desiccant rotor and a vapor compression (VC) system is superior to that of the conventional VC and adsorption dehumidifier. In this study, the performance of a domestic hybrid dehumidifier was measured and analyzed by varying the room temperature, the rotating speed of the desiccant rotor, the bypass air-flow rate, and the power consumption of the heater. The specific moisture extraction rate (SMER) of the hybrid dehumidifier was 6.1–9.6% higher than that of the VC dehumidifier at the room temperatures ranging from 10 to 26.7 °C. In addition, the performance of the hybrid dehumidifier was optimized by varying the control parameters. The optimum rotating speeds of the desiccant rotor were 40 rph and 50 rph at room temperatures of 26.7 °C and 10 °C, respectively, for maximizing the SMER. The optimum bypass air-flow rate was 0.6 m3 min−1, which corresponded to a 6.2% improvement in the SMER at a temperature of 26.7 °C. The optimum power consumption of the heater under low room-temperature conditions was 0.15 kW.