Dehumidifiers

Frequently asked questions

What size dehumidifier do I need?

Match capacity to the space and how damp it is. A 20–35-pint suits a moderately damp room up to about 1,500 sq ft; a 50-pint is the right call for a damp basement or up to roughly 2,500 sq ft. If you're unsure, size up — an undersized unit runs constantly and never reaches your target humidity.

Do I need a dehumidifier with a pump?

Only if you can't drain downhill. A gravity hose works when a floor drain or sink sits below the unit. A built-in pump actively lifts water up and out to a higher sink or window, which is what many basements need. Of the units we rank, only the Midea Cube 50 has a genuine built-in pump.

What humidity level should I set my dehumidifier to?

The EPA recommends keeping indoor relative humidity below 60%, and ideally between 30% and 50%. That band starves both mold and dust mites without drying the air enough to irritate your sinuses. Setting the humidistat to 45–50% and letting it cycle is the single biggest thing you can do to cut running costs.

How much does a dehumidifier cost to run?

More than most people expect — often more than a fridge. A 50-pint unit draws roughly 500 watts; running 12 hours a day at the US average electricity rate works out to about $34 a month, and around $68 if it runs continuously. Using the humidistat instead of continuous mode can cut that by half.

Will a dehumidifier work in a cold garage?

A standard compressor won't. It condenses moisture on a cold coil, and as the room drops toward 40°F that coil frosts over and the unit spends its time defrosting instead of drying. For genuinely cold spaces you need a desiccant, which absorbs moisture on a wheel and keeps working down to about 33°F.

Why is my new dehumidifier rated for fewer pints than my old one?

Because the test changed, not the machine. In 2019 the DOE moved its capacity test to a cooler 65°F condition, which lowered every rating by roughly 30%. An old 70-pint is about a new 50-pint. If you match your old unit's pint number, you'll significantly oversize.

How we grade

We score every product on the criteria that actually decide the purchase.

We research every unit against manufacturer spec sheets, the ENERGY STAR certified-product database, and independent lab testing; we normalize the marketing to comparable numbers — real capacity under the 2019 DOE standard rather than the flattering 'MAX pint' figure measured at 95°F/90% RH, and measured decibels instead of 'whisper quiet' — and score each unit on seven weighted criteria across three lenses. We have not run hands-on lab tests ourselves; rankings synthesize spec documentation and independent-review consensus, and we say so on every page. Where a manufacturer's claim is the only figure available, we label it as such.