Best Budget-Friendly Dehumidifier: homeLabs 4,500 Sq. Ft Energy Star Dehumidifier

When it comes to a large basement (2000 to 4500 square feet), we tested several humidifiers robust enough to tackle the job. The only problem? Many large-capacity dehumidifiers can get very pricey.

But there is good news: one large-capacity dehumidifier combined both performance and value: homeLabs HME020031N. This 1.8 gallon dehumidifier removes 50 pints of water from the air per day and did extremely well in our tests, lowering the humidity to comfortable levels in a short period of time. Here’s more on why we recommend this model:

What We Liked

• Easy to set up.

• Drain hose hook up for a 5/8″ garden hose (hose not included). That’s an especially important feature if you can drain the unit to a floor or sink drain.

• Quiet. 

• Visible water tank level from front of unit.

• Turbo mode worked fast, but was definitely louder. 

• Continuous mode, timer and fan speed control. In our tests, these were easy to use. Continuous mode may be needed for several days if you are dehumidifying a space for the first time in a season.

• Remembers settings after a power failure. 

What Needs Work

• May have to empty it more than once day, especially if the humidity in the basement is high.

• Filter must be changed once a month. But this is the case with other units we tested.

• Hose draining hit or miss. We didn’t have a problem with this, but we see reports indicating some units still drained into the tank even with a hose hook-up.

Best Smaller Basement Dehumidifier: Vremi 1500 Sq Ft. Dehumidier

If your basement is 1500 square feet or smaller, you don’t need a large capacity (50 pint) dehumidifier . . . in this case, we’d recommend the 22-pint Vremi model. It performed well in our tests for smaller spaces, reducing the humidity to acceptable levels quicker than other models we tried.

What We Liked

• Built-in wheels. You’d think that would be a standard feature on dehumidifiers for basements, but no. This model has wheels.

• Quickly lowered humidity in our tests. 

• Auto shut off when tank is full. 

• Drain hose outlet for continuous draining into a sink or floor drain.

• Turbo mode and auto defrost. The auto defrost is important, as ice buildup on the dehumidifier’s coils can cause the units to malfunction.

• Visible water level line on front of tank.

• Remembers settings after power outage.

What Needs Work

• Loud. 

• Tank fills up to top—and can spill when you open it. That was no fun in our testing!

• Can get hot to touch.

• Hose attachment could be tighter.

Best Larger Basement Dehumidifier: Vremi 4500 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier

This model has the same pros and cons as the Vremi recommended above, just more capacity—up to 70 pints total (roughly 50 a day) with a 1.8 gallon tank. This is the model we’d recommend if you have a larger basement (bigger than 1500 square feet).

Quietest Basement Dehumidifier: TOSOT 1500 Sq. Ft. 30 Pint Dehumidifier

We know noise level is an important factor for some folks when picking a basement dehumidifier—especially if you are watching TV or have a bedroom nearby. So we used a decibel meter to test a dozen different models, on various speeds. The quietest model we found is TOSOT’s 1500 square foot unit (model GDN30AZ-A3EBA2C). 

Now, let’s talk about noise level. 60 decibels is roughly the level of a normal conversation. This humidifier measured in the 48 to 53 decibel level (depending on the fan speed).

So to be clear: when running, this dehumidifier still makes noise. We haven’t yet found a model that is completely silent AND has the power to dehumidifier a basement. But when compared to other models that max out at 70 decibels, the TOSOT dehumidifier was much quieter by comparison.

What We Liked

• Alarm to indicate full tank.

• Affordable.

• Easy to use, all digital touch panel.

• Power outage settings retained.

• Water level indicated on front of tank.

• Indicator lights for filter cleaning. The maker says you have to clean the filter after 250 hours of use—or roughly, every 11 days.

• Hose outlet to drain into sink floor.

• QUIET!

What’s Needs Work

• Long term reliability could be better. We notice some reports that these units run for a year or 18 months and then quit. That’s disappointing, as other models we tested have longer life spans.

• Alarm is very loud. We like the alarm feature, but it is VERY LOUD . . . especially when it goes off in the middle of the night!

• Hard to connect hose outlet. The hose outlet is recessed inside the unit, making connecting a drain hose more difficult than other models we tested.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for families and homes, including dehumidifiers, since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Baby Bargains is your independent and unbiased source for expert baby gear reviews.