Best Budget-Friendly Dehumidifier: Waykar 40 Pint Dehumidifier for Home and Basements in Spaces up to 2000 Sq Ft

When it comes to humid, mid-size rooms and basements (say 1200 to 1800 square feet) we found several humidifiers robust enough to tackle the job. The only problem? Many dehumidifiers this size can get very pricey.

But there is good news: one dehumidifier combined both great performance and decent value: Waykar’s model PD160B. This 2.5 liter dehumidifier removes 34 pints of water from the air per day and worked extremely well, according to our readers, 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.

• Quiet. 

• Visible water tank level on front of unit.

• Easy to move around.

• Included drain hose. That’s an especially important feature as it allows you to drain the unit into a floor or sink drain. Some affordable dehumidifiers for basements don’t come with drain hoses.

• Continuous mode, timer and fan speed control. These are 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

• Small tank (2.5 liters = .66 of a gallon) may need to be emptied frequently if it is very muggy in your basement. This dehumidifier works best if used with the drain hose, in our opinion.

• Not designed for larger basements. 

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

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

Best Portable Whole House: hOmeLabs 4500 Square Foot Energy Star Dehumidifier

Do you need to move a dehumidifier from the living room to the basement? Which model is robust enough to deal with a damp or musty basement or rec room?

After speaking with HVAC contractors and doing 17 hours of research into different models, we think hOmeLabs 4500 square foot dehumidifier is best.

Good news: this large-capacity dehumidifier combines both performance and value. It removes up to 50 pints of water from the air per day, 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).

• Quiet. The soft volume level of this dehumidifier is excellent.

• Visible water tank level indicator at front of unit.

• Turbo mode worked fast, but was definitely louder.

• Continuous mode, timer and fan speed control. 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.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• If you aren’t using the pump with a drain hose, you may have to empty it more than once day, especially if the humidity is high.

• Filter must be cleaned once a month. But this is the case with other portable 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 drain hose hook-up.

Best For Smaller Basements: Vremi 1500 Sq Ft. Dehumidifier

If your basement is 1500 square feet or smaller, you don’t need a larger capacity (40 or 50 pint) dehumidifier . . . in this case, we recommend the 22-pint Vremi model. It performed well in smaller spaces, reducing the humidity to acceptable levels quicker than other models we researched.

What We Liked

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

• Quickly lowers humidity. 

• 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 unit 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 is no fun!

• Can get hot to touch.

• Hose attachment could be tighter.

Best Compact Footprint: Midea Cube 50 Pint Dehumidifier for Basement and Rooms

We loved the compact footprint of this cube-shaped dehumidifier—and it works well, according to the real world feedback from our readers.

The design’s major advantage: it can hold up to four gallons (roughly) of water when full. Other dehumidifiers we researched can only hold about one-third that amount.

Of course, there is a con to that—lifting the tank with four gallons of water will be a challenge! Four gallons of water is HEAVY.

One challenge for humidifiers are damp and cold environments—some dehumidifiers don’t work well in those cases. If you have a basement in an office or warehouse in a cold climate, we’d suggest this model: the Midea Cube.

What We Liked

• Auto defrost mode. 

• Reliable performance.

• Built-in pump makes draining easier.

• Moderate noise. It’s not the quietest model—but we think the noise level is reasonable, based on interviews we did with contractors who used this model.

• Easy set up.

• Digital control panel is easy to use.

• Auto restart if power goes out. That’s critical for use in commercial applications like warehouses.

• Washable filter.

• Nice looking design makes it work both in commercial and small office applications.

What Needs Work

• When tank gets fill, it will be very heavy. 

• A bit pricey.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability. When we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money. 

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!