Best Compact Footprint: Midea 4,500 Sq. Ft. Energy Star Certified Dehumidifier With Pump

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. Here’s more:

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.

Best Budget-Friendly Dehumidifier with Pump: 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 1.6 gallon dehumidifier removes up to 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). 

• Quiet. 

• Visible water tank level indicator at 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

• If you aren’t using the pump and a drain hose, you may have to empty it more than once a 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 drain hose hook-up.

Quietest Dehumidifier With Pump: TOSOT 4500 Sq. Ft. 50 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 4500 square foot unit.

Now, let’s talk about noise level. 60 decibels is roughly the level of a normal conversation. This humidifier measured in the 48 to 51 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 or floor drain.

• 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.

Best Energy Efficient: Frigidaire High Efficiency 50-Pint White Dehumidifier with Built-in Pump

If you live in a humid area that requires your dehumidifier to work non-stop, finding a good quality model that doesn’t send your electric bill sky high is a nice plus. After trying out several models and looking at energy use data, we pick Frigidaire’s 50 pint model as the best bet. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Very energy efficient. We used one of those electricity usage meters on dehumidifiers we tested and this one used the least amount of electricity compared to others.

• Excellent performance. This dehumidifier impressed us in our tests, lowering the humidity in a very dank basement to a comfortable 48% after running for about 7 hours. Then it kept the humidity at that level even when it was foggy outside.

• Nice design touches. We liked the cord hooks and hide-away handle for this model. And notice the filter is located on the outer part of the machine—that makes it easier to remove and clean.

• Easy to hook up the drain hose—the push-in connector automatically seals and locks.

• Quiet. We measured this unit at 51 decibels, which is among the quieter models in our tests.

What Needs Work

• Green plastic drain hose cover is no fun. Even though the directions are stickers on the unit, we still found it tricky to move the plastic drain hole cover. You have to push back on a grey ring to remove the plug . . . which wasn’t easy.

Best For Basements: SHINCO 5,000 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier with Pump, Energy Star Rated, for Large Rooms and Basements

Many dehumidifiers with built-in pumps can get rather pricey. Good news: we found this model delivered solid performance . . . at a price that is much easier on the wallet.

Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Large capacity tank. This model holds 7 liters of water—that’s more than many others we researched for this article.

• Easy to set up.

• Settings remembered after power failure.

• Good overall performance.

• LED display screen with easy-to-use controls.

• Sleep timer with two to four hours.

• Simple enough to move from room to room with wheels. 

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• Heavy. At 43 lbs., you won’t wanted to haul this in or out of a basement frequently!

• Louder than other models recommended in this article.

• Instructions could be clearer.

• Return air runs hot. This dehumidifier might be best for fall or winter use rather than summer.

• Drain hose is a small, clear tube. That’s smaller than other dehumidifiers we researched, which have larger hoses.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families 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.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!