6 Best Dehumidifiers for Basements to Keep Dampness Out

As the lab assistant at the Good Housekeeping Institute, Nik (he/him) works with all of our Labs to develop testing protocols and manage data collection and analysis. Before joining Good Housekeeping in 2022, Nik worked in the labs of MIT and Regeneron, working on projects ranging from chemical inventory and reporting to the development of bioassays. He holds a degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University.

The best dehumidifiers for basements in 2023

These dehumidifiers will help you get rid of one monster in the basement: moisture.

A front-runner that pulls moisture from the air efficiently, and in diverse temperatures, up to the point you desire.

Between asking Alexa to dry up your basement and doing a lot of stat tracking, you’ll love this offering from GoveeLife.

If your basement is just mildly too damp, this number-1 customer pick can handle the job.

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›

If you have a basement, you may have a problem with humidity, and the best way to handle that issue is with dehumidifiers for basements. But dehumidifiers need to cool air down to work, and, based on the simple fact that hot air rises, we know that basements tend to be cool. They also tend to be a bit damper than what the average dehumidifier encounters, meaning they’ll not only need to filter more water out of the air, but they’ll need to dispose of more of it. As a result, finding the best dehumidifiers for basements can take some sorting and searching, so we did that task for you.

• Best overall:Frigidaire 50-Pint 3-Speed Dehumidifier
• Best for large basement:VEAGASO 70 Pints Dehumidifier
• Best smart:GoveeLife Smart Dehumidifier for Basement
• Best quiet:Bublue DH1 Pro
• Best for cold:Honeywell Portable AC, Heater, and Dehumidifier
• Best budget:MAPOOR Dehumidifier for Basements

How we chose the best dehumidifiers for basements

Through and through, the best dehumidifiers for basements need to be able to remove large amounts of water and deal with cool temperatures better than the rest. Still, we wanted to give readers a wide variety and some choices that had excellent qualities that would support different kinds of homes.

The best dehumidifiers for basements: Reviews and Recommendations

The following choices represent the best dehumidifiers for basements while still providing quality across a number of other categories. No matter what your individual situation, you should be able to find a product amongst those on this list. While the overall best is exemplary of the class and representative of what a dehumidifier can do in a basement, other items on the list are still worth checking out as they may pull ahead in their own niches.

Note that manufacturer specs may label their water tanks in gallons, liters, or other units. Here, we have converted all units to pints for your convenience so you can compare the maximum removal capacity of the unit with the size of its tank. While you can’t necessarily expect to get the max pull each day, it will help you gauge how labor-intensive manual draining might be in a way that isn’t misleading or confusing.

Best overall: Frigidaire 50-Pint 3-Speed Dehumidifier

Why it made the cut: This is a solid product from a solid brand—it’ll take you through most situations.

Specs

• Removal capacity: Up to 50 pints/day
• Water removal: Drain / reservoir (16.9 pint tank)
• Size: 16 x 24.25 x 12.2
• Energy Star-certified: Yes

Pros

• Works in rooms up to 3,000 square feet
• Can work down to 41 degrees Fahrenheit
• Adjustable humidistat
• Remote control

Cons

Frigidaire’s 50-Pint 3-Speed Dehumidifier is a well-rounded machine that should keep the vast majority of customers happy. Its 50-pint collection is appropriate for most basements and is the sweet spot between power and pricing that you’ll find reflected in most of the best dehumidifiers for basements. Features like multiple fan speeds, a built-in humidistat, and a timer shutoff are nice to see, too.

You can set the Frigidaire to continuously drain if you have the right tubing and a spot to drain at. If that is too much effort, the 2.11-gallon tank (that’s 16.9 pints) will serve you just fine. Like most dehumidifiers, the machine will automatically shut off when the water bucket is full. However, if you’re paying attention to detail, you’ll note that it can draw 50 pints a day from the air in the right conditions. This means that when you initially start using this product, you may need to dump the bucket several times daily to maximize efficiency. However, after your basement reaches a sort of equilibrium, this will likely change.

While speaking of efficiency, one thing to note is the Frigidaire’s ability to work at temperatures as low as 41 degrees Fahrenheit. This is great for families that have briefly cool periods during the year, but remember that even the best dehumidifiers for basements still won’t get the maximum water withdrawal rate at this temperature.

It doesn’t have WiFi or smartphone connectivity, which we would have liked to have seen at this power and price range. Still, if you don’t have a home filled with smart-home devices, and use your basement regularly enough, you’ll enjoy and trust this product to get the job done. And, if operating the machine from afar (such as lowering its fan speed during TV watching) is important to you, it includes a remote.

Best for large basement: VEAGASO 70 Pints Dehumidifier

Why it made the cut: If you want maximum power at a good price, here it is.

Specs

• Removal capacity: Up to 70 pints/day
• Water removal: Drain / reservoir (8.5 pint tank)
• Size: 10 x 11 x 20 inches
• Energy Star-certified: Yes

Pros

• Advanced backlit display and control panel
• Reservoir beeps when full
• Quick toggle child lock
• Humidistat for 33% to 80% humidity is good for any purpose

Cons

• Relatively expensive
• Small water tank

The VEAGASO is made for intense drainage for larger areas, handling basements up to 5,500 square feet in size. It’ll pull 70 pints per day in the perfect climate (95 degrees Fahrenheit, 90% humidity), so it can service real problem areas quickly. Remember that even under non-ideal circumstances, a dehumidifier like this will have more pull than others.

You’ll like the VEAGASO’s backlit display and convenient control panel. On it, you can set your ideal humidity level, fan speed, choose which part of the house you’ve put your dehumidifier in (yes, there is a basement choice), and set the child lock with a single tap. It’ll also light up when the air filter should be changed and flash red, beep, and automatically shut off once the reservoir bucket is filled to capacity.

Speaking of the bucket, it is probably the only negative aspect of the highly-regarded VEAGASO dehumidifier. It’s considerably smaller than the water removal capacity, so human effort can possibly become a bottleneck in your humidity removal efforts if you use it over the drainage system. Still, there’s hardly a better value-for-the-price 70 pints unit out there.

Best smart: GoveeLife Smart Dehumidifier for Basement

Why it made the cut: If you want to monitor your basement’s humidity from afar, you can do that with GoveeLife.

Specs

• Removal capacity: Typically 50-70 pints/day, but can hit 109 pints/day.
• Water removal: Drain / reservoir (16-pint tank)
• Size: 11.61 x 15.35 x 24.41 inches
• Energy Star-certified: Yes

Pros

• App, voice, and touch panel control
• Good water removal even without being a hot room
• 1.6-foot drainage hose included
• App lets you control dehumidifier and monitor results easily

Cons

For those who want smartphone and assistant integration, as well as some stat tracking, GoveeLife offers quite a few premium dehumidifiers that will do the trick. This one, the Smart Dehumidifier for Basement, pulls out between 50 and 70 pints of water per day, depending on mode and environment. At 86 degrees Fahrenheit and 80% RH, it can even get out 109 pints/day. It works in 4,500 square-foot basements but is most effective up to 900 square feet.

We particularly like how many options there are for controlling the GoveeLife. It has a touch panel for immediate control. However, it really shines with its app assistant, which will give you details of the room’s humidity over time, including across the hours of the day. You’ll get alerts when the tank is full, can set your desired basement humidity and run times, and can toggle features such as auto restart (which turns on the machine again after power outages).

Even more “smart” is the ability to integrate with your smart home system. If you have an Alexa device, Google Assistant, or IFTTT system with voice control, you can control it using those, as well as voice commands. It also receives firmware updates over-the-air via a WiFi connection.

Best quiet: Bublue DH1 Pro

Why it made the cut: It is designed to stay at a decent noise level.

Specs

• Removal capacity: Up to 50 pints/day
• Water removal: Drain / reservoir (8.4-pint tank)
• Size: 13.78 x 9.25 x 22.76 inches
• Energy Star-certified: No

Pros

• 40dB noise reduction
• Sleep mode toggle
• Sturdy drainage pipe

Cons

If you use your basement quite a lot, adding a loud piece of equipment isn’t really an option. Bublue understands your issue and designed this dehumidifier around operating in a quiet way that has passed customer scrutiny. Additionally, there is a sleep mode if you happen to be a nighttime basement dweller.

The Bublue DH1 Pro is quite efficient at pulling water out of the air, with customers reporting having to dump the tank rather frequently. If possible, use the included drainage pipe to empty the machine. You can roll the DH1 Pro to your outlet on its wheels, which is good since there are a few complaints about how surprisingly heavy this dehumidifier can get. On the bright side, you won’t have to worry about it being knocked over.

Best for cold: Honeywell Portable AC, Heater, and Dehumidifier

Why it made the cut: As a heater, AC, dehumidifier combo, this can actually eliminate the cold.

Specs

• Removal capacity: Up to 51 pints/day
• Water removal: Drain
• Size: 15.2 x 18.1 x 29.4 inches
• Energy Star-certified: Yes

Pros

• Provides year-round comfort
• All your air-altering needs in one machine
• Heats the air to provide better dehumidification environment

Cons

Dehumidifiers don’t work as well in cold environments. Even the ones that can work in colder environments don’t work well there. As a result, the best option is to have a heater in your basement alongside one of the best dehumidifiers.

But what do you do when you don’t have the room or outlets for a heater and dehumidifier in your basement? One option is the Honeywell Portable AC, Heater, and Dehumidifier. It’s a device that can take on all of the tasks required to handle a room’s air. Admittedly, this dehumidifier is more expensive than other options and doesn’t have the same robust dehumidifier features you might expect. But, it isn’t trying to be the best humidifier for basements; it is going for being a whole lot more. Our recommendation is to pick this item if you really need the space or hookups for other things, or have a really tiny basement, but to go for other options if you can.

Best budget: MAPOOR Dehumidifier for Basements

When you search for dehumidifiers for the basement, you usually find machines that cost at least $100 and, quite often, over $200. However, the MAPOOR Dehumidifier for Basements (and other parts of the home) consistently shows high customer satisfaction at a low price.

While it doesn’t suck out as much moisture as high-end devices—you really can’t skimp on this kind of thing if you have a huge moisture problem—it is ripe with features. From sleep mode and timing mode to automatic frost shut down if you hit 35 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, the MAPOOR really has it all.

So, if your basement humidity is just a touch out of range, and you have a smaller basement, grab the MAPOOR Dehumidifier for Basements to save yourself some money. It’s small as well, so can be easily moved about the home to where it is needed most. Additionally, the tank is large enough to hold a couple of days worth of liquid, making this one of the best dehumidifiers for basements in the sense of removal capacity to tank capacity ratio.

How humidifiers work

Understanding the true difficulties of getting a good dehumidifier for your basement helps to understand the process by which standard dehumidifiers work.

Naturally, dehumidifiers are machines with dozens or hundreds of interlocking parts. Instead of going into overly complex detail, we’ll highlight the key parts you need to know about in everyday operations, especially when selecting dehumidifiers for basements. With that in mind, here are the basic steps:

1. Moist air from the basement is drawn into the machine and cooled.
2. The cooled air’s moisture begins to condensate out, like water on the outside of a glass of ice water.
3. This water is collected by a reservoir or pumped out.
4. The drier air is reheated and released back into the basement.

Using dehumidifiers in the basement

Understanding the process by which dehumidifiers work shows us a couple of the difficulties that occur when using them in the basement.

Airflow and circulation: Windows, doors opening and closing, vents, and people walking to and fro circulates the air about most rooms quite well. In a closed basement, largely used for storage? Not so much.

Cool air: Basements have cool air, typically around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, yet cooling is an essential part of the dehumidification process and essential for condensation. According to GE Appliances, dehumidifiers are unlikely to work in a satisfactory manner below 41 degrees Fahrenheit. While dehumidifier use will naturally heat a basement to some degree, some advocate for using a heater alongside dehumidifiers for more efficient moisture removal. This same combo might be beneficial for your basement if your basement is particularly cold. We recommend the non-infrared options among these space heaters for this purpose.

Capacity

Knowing how dehumidifiers work also illuminates the most confusing word involved in their usage: capacity.

In one way, “capacity” refers to a dehumidifier’s ability to remove moisture from the air. This is typically expressed as a maximum amount of water able to be pulled in a day from ideal (or average) circumstances. It’s an engineer’s standard term for the work being done by this style of machine.

In another way, “capacity” is used for the size of water storage tanks in models that use those instead of direct drainage. It’s just the most natural way to talk about reservoirs for liquids, much the same as you might talk about a gas tank’s capacity.

Unfortunately for the consumer, manufacturer resources (and, indeed, guides) do surprisingly little to differentiate the two forms of “capacity” in a way that isn’t confusing. To do our part in keeping things straight, we’ve done our best to refer to the first form of capacity as “removal capacity” while discussing tank size separately.

What to consider before buying dehumidifiers for basements

Despite the simple operating process outlined above, dehumidifiers for basements are actually quite complex from a customer’s perspective. Part of this is due to the jargon issues outlined above, but there’s also quite a bit of water logistics to plan out before you make a purchase.

Removal capacity

Higher removal capacity is nearly always better, but you’ll likely have to pay extra for the highest removal capacity possible. You should also remember that removal capacity reflects the ability of the dehumidifier to draw water out of the air in ideal temperatures and humidities.

This means that a cool basement will likely not reach removal capacity. Additionally, as the machine does its job, the humidity in the room will lower. As a result, once you’ve run your dehumidifier for a while, there is a high likelihood of reduced daily removal numbers unless there is a consistent high influx of humidity.

All this being said, a 50-pint-per-day removal capacity is likely the sweet spot for most basements. You can crank that up to 70 pints in extreme cases or down to 30 pints if your goal is to just take the edge off of a looming issue. If you have a very mild problem (and a small basement) even less will do.

You should also note that there are several reasons why a dehumidifier will automatically shut off over the course of a day, which will also reduce removal capacity. One large one is if your water disposal technique is a manually removable reservoir and it gets full. Learn more about this in the next section.

Water disposal technique

There are two methods by which dehumidifiers for basements dispose of water, and they both have drawbacks. While it is usually better to focus on the positives, water disposal has the most potential to cause you trouble as you work with a dehumidifier in your basement.

Automatic drain: A system that collects water and channels it through a drainage hose. If you have a sink or some other place to run the water to, it can be great. If you don’t, you might need to do some tinkering and spend extra time and/or money on the dehumidifier’s installation. Another pain point of this style is the possibility of hoses or plumbing leaking.

Reservoir tank: This style of dehumidifier has a tank, usually in the form of a built-in water bucket, in the bottom half of the dehumidifier. As the dehumidifier pulls water out of the air, it fills. It’s up to you to dump it. This can be a huge pain and takes manual work.

Interestingly, dehumidifiers for the basement have a water removal capacity many times higher than the tank’s capacity, meaning you could (theoretically) need to take several trips to get maximum water removal from your dehumidifier throughout the day. Nearly all dehumidifiers with a tank have an automatic shut-off feature for when it gets too full. Also note that the tank size is typically measured in gallons or liters, but we have converted this to pints for the items in this article so you can compare the dehumidifiers’ ability to withdraw water from the air with their ability to store said water.

Most dehumidifiers for the basement have both a drain and a reservoir tank, giving you more choices.

Humidity level settings

In our review of the best humidifiers, we started by reminding people in very general terms that the EPA advises an internal humidity level between 30% and 50% for our homes. That article dealt with one half of the issue, and this deals with the other. However, both share one common thread:

You don’t want to overcorrect and run into the opposite problem.

To solve this, many of the best dehumidifiers for basements have an internal monitor that automatically shuts off the machine once the humidity arrives at a comfortable level. Others provide precise humidistats that allow you to fine-tune the humidity to your exact preferences. The former helps protect your dehumidifier and save energy, while the latter can be particularly useful if you use your basement for storing wine or have certain preferences.

Before you buy dehumidifiers for basements

As personal responsibility becomes increasingly important for protecting the environment, we’d like you to consider looking for an Energy Star-certified dehumidifier. Note that most dehumidifiers on the list above are Energy Star certified.

Saving energy can help reduce electricity used in your home and reduce environmental waste. Dehumidifiers that pass Energy Star’s energy efficiency requirements are rated to use (at minimum) 13% less energy than conventional models at minimum. While this might not sound like a lot, over the course of a year you get 1.5 months of operation for “free” if you use a certified dehumidifier in your basement. Also, note that some models use even less energy than this.

FAQs

Q: How much do dehumidifiers for basements cost?

Dehumidifiers for basements cost anywhere from just below $100 to over $500. For most homes, a good price will fall between $200 and $550, depending on the needs of the individuals who live there. It’s worth noting that great budget picks like the MAPOOR Dehumidifier for Basements are also amongst the highest rated for customer satisfaction.

Q: Can I leave my dehumidifier on all day?

If you have a good dehumidifier, you can leave it running all day. Nearly all dehumidifiers that use a water storage tank come with an auto shut-off feature once that tank gets between 80% and 90% full. It is also possible to come across dehumidifiers with humidistats that will shut off once the humidity reaches a desired level.

Q: How much water should a dehumidifier collect in a day in a basement?

A dehumidifier will collect an amount of water every day in a basement up to its “capacity” or maximum extraction amount. This is often measured in pints. The actual amount of water a dehumidifier will collect from your basement on a daily basis is highly dependent on many factors, including temperature, airflow, and even how often the dehumidifier’s tank is emptied.

Final thoughts on the best dehumidifiers for basements

• Best overall:Frigidaire 50-Pint 3-Speed Dehumidifier
• Best for large basement:VEAGASO 70 Pints Dehumidifier
• Best smart:GoveeLife Smart Dehumidifier for Basement
• Best quiet:Bublue DH1 Pro
• Best for cold:Honeywell Portable AC, Heater, and Dehumidifier
• Best budget:MAPOOR Dehumidifier for Basements

The best dehumidifiers for basements are typically characterized by their ability to pull a lot of water out of the air, their ability to dispose of said water satisfactorily, and the ability to have a lot of control over their functioning. As a result, the above dehumidifiers should work well for your basement over the long run.

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Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

6 Best Dehumidifiers for Basements to Keep Dampness Out

The basement is the most common location for a dehumidifier — and the toughest too. “Between the extreme humidity levels and often chilly temperatures, these below-grade spaces are a real torture test for dehumidifiers,” says Dan DiClerico, director of the Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

After testing more than a dozen dehumidifiers from leading brands over the past year, these are our recommendations for the best basement dehumidifiers.

Our top picks:

Best Overall Dehumidifier for Basements

LG Electronics PuriCare 50-Pint Dehumidifier with Clear Bucket

Best Value Dehumidifier for Basements

Midea Dehumidifier With Reusable Air Filter

Best Dehumidifier for Large Basements

Honeywell 50 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier

Best Dehumidifier for Finished Basements

Frigidaire FFAD3533W1 Dehumidifier

Best Dehumidifier for Cold Basements

GE 50-Pint Dehumidifier with Pump

Best Dehumidifier for Basements with Pump

Frigidaire High Humidity 50-Pint Capacity Dehumidifier

High humidity in the basement can affect the rest of the house, like condensation on windows, pipes and toilet tanks. Not only do the moist conditions feel gross, they can also make your home a more welcome environment for black mold, mildew and other allergens. The best dehumidifiers can drop your basement’s relative humidity down below 60%, the threshold at which bacteria, microbial agents and bad odors thrive. Dehumidifiers work by pulling moisture out of the air through a series of heat exchangers and a condenser that drops the temperature of the air below its dew point and then collects the resulting condensation in a tank.

When determining the best dehumidifiers for basements, we gave preference to high-capacity units with more “suction power” to pull the moisture from the air. We also looked for models with bigger tanks, which means you have to empty it less frequently.

After reading our reviews, you can find expert advice on what to consider when shopping for a dehumidifier at the bottom of this guide, along with details on how dehumidifiers work and how we test dehumidifiers. Looking for more ways to breathe easy? Check out our guides on the best air purifiers and the best humidifiers.

LG Electronics PuriCare 50-Pint Dehumidifier with Clear Bucket

LG Electronics PuriCare 50-Pint Dehumidifier with Clear Bucket

Pros

• Portable
• High capacity
• East-to-read controls
• Easy-to-monitor bucket

Cons

Large basements with high humidity (think pooling water on the floor or droplets on the walls and ceiling) need a big, powerful dehumidifier.

“This 50-pint LG was one of the fastest from our tests at pulling moisture from the air,” says DiClerico. It also has many of the user-features our experts look for, including an accessible water bucket with a splash guard and handle for easy dumping, as well as an intuitive LED control panel. You also have the option to connect a hose so the unit will drain continuously. Standing 26.2 inches tall and just shy of 50 pounds, this is the largest dehumidifier in our review, so it might not be the best choice for tight quarters. But its wheels make it fairly easy to transport from room to room.

If your basement is damp and cold, this unit works down to 41 degrees. But if your basement gets closer to freezing, our experts say to consider another unit. That’s because this LG lacks a frost control sensor, a feature found on other dehumidifiers that automatically shuts the unit off whenever ice crystals starts to form on its coils.

Capacity	50 pints
Weight	43.9 lbs
Dimensions	12.6″ x 16.8″ x 26.2″
Drainage	Bucket or hose (no pump)
Noise level at highest fan setting	48 decibels
Fan speeds	High, low

Midea Dehumidifier With Reusable Air Filter

Midea Dehumidifier With Reusable Air Filter

Pros

• Superb water removal
• Quiet operation
• Energy efficient

Cons

If you’re only dealing with moderate humidity in a small space, say the home office in a finished basement, you can save money on a mid-sized humidifier, like this 35-pint unit from Midea, a reputable manufacturer in the category, based on our extensive tests.

“This dehumidifier runs quietly while still pulling up to 35 pints of moisture from the air each day,” says Lab Assistant Nikolas Greenwald. It should do the job in spaces under 1,000 square feet that get damp, but not wet. The Midea sits on wheels, so even though it’s 33 pounds, it’s easy to move from room to room. It does stand at almost 25 inches though, so you might want to consider a more compact unit if you have a smaller basement space.

Capacity	35 pints
Weight	33.51 lbs
Dimensions	11.54″ x 15.94″ x 24.29″
Drainage	Bucket or hose (no pump)
Noise level at highest fan setting	54 decibels
Fan speeds	High (turbo), low

Honeywell 50 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier

Honeywell 50 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier

Pros

• Captures a lot of moisture in a hurry
• Easy to clean
• Clear, intuitive display

Cons

• Pricey
• Large enclosure takes up more space

If you’ve got a large, wet basement (we’re talking moisture collecting on the walls levels of wet), this Honeywell can pull 50 pints of water per day from the air. It’s also has the Energy Star label, so it’ll help keep the cost down as well as the room dry.

“The biggest differentiator with this dehumidifier is its onboard pump,” says DiClerico. “That means you can continuously drain up to 15 feet away to an elevated location, like a utility sink.” In our tests, we also found it very easy to take apart and clean thanks to the front-facing bucket with a handle, as well as easy to use with a clear and intuitive interface and digital controls.

Capacity	70 pints
Weight	43.6 lbs
Dimensions	12.4″ x 15.75″ x 25.4″
Drainage	Bucket or hose (with pump)
Noise level at highest fan setting	51 decibels
Fan speeds	High, low

Frigidaire FFAD3533W1 Dehumidifier

Frigidaire FFAD3533W1 Dehumidifier

Pros

• Portable
• Works fast
• Front water bucket has handles for easy emptying

Cons

• High fan setting may be noisy in a small room
• No pump for elevated draining

We found that this unit from Frigidaire handles larger spaces well, and has a ton of simple, helpful features that make it a breeze to use and is great if you’re working with a large, wet basement that you want to get dry in a hurry . Its chord wraps around hooks on the back for easy storage and the drainage bucket has a built-in carrying handle that makes it easy to move around.

There’s an indicator that lights up red when the bucket needs to be emptied, or you can connect a hose for continuous drainage. Note that while it does have a hose, it doesn’t have a pump so you can’t drain the water into an elevated area, like down a sink drain or out of a nearby window. Clocking in at 40 pounds, the unit is a heavier one but the wheels make it easy to move around, so you can place it wherever you want.

Capacity	35 pints
Weight	40 lbs
Dimensions	15.97″ x 12.19″ x 24.25″
Drainage	Bucket or hose (no pump)
Noise level at highest fan setting	45 decibels
Fan speeds	High, medium, low

GE 50-Pint Dehumidifier with Pump

GE 50-Pint Dehumidifier with Pump

Pros

• Portable
• Pump allows constant drainage
• Can tackle 4,000 square feet

Cons

If the temperature reaches the freezing point in your basement, this GE is the dehumidifier for you, thanks to its auto defrost. This a sensor-based feature automatically shuts off the unit if frost starts to form on the coils, which can happen in cold basements. Dehumidifiers without this feature will continue to run without actually pulling any humidity from the air. At that point it’s just wasting energy and putting added stress on the compressor and fan.

While the powerful built-in pump was the standout feature from our tests, we were also impressed by how effectively the 50-pint unit pulled water from the air, especially on its highest fan setting. Weighing in at 44 pounds with a large housing, the dehumidifier is fairly bulky, but its wheels and handle made it easy to transport during our usability tests.

Capacity	50 pints
Weight	44 lbs
Dimensions	11.38″ x 14.76″ x 24.02″
Drainage	Bucket or hose (with pump)
Noise level at highest fan setting	51 decibels
Fan speeds	High, medium, low

Frigidaire High Humidity 50-Pint Capacity Dehumidifier

Frigidaire High Humidity 50-Pint Capacity Dehumidifier

Pros

• Built-in pump
• Can handle low temperatures

Cons

This 50-pint Frigidaire did a superb job of drawing moisture from the air in our test area, plus it has all the usability features our experts look for, including intuitive controls, an accessible water bucket and a washable air filter. “Its combination of value, performance and efficiency was among the best,” says DiClerico.

The Frigidaire also comes equipped with a pump that can push the water upwards so you can drain it off into a higher utility sink or out of a window. While it’s designed to operate down to 41 degrees, it doesn’t feature auto-defrost, so we don’t recommend it for basements that can get very cold.

Capacity	16.7 pints
Weight	47 pounds
Dimensions	24.25″ x 15.96″ x12.19″
Drainage	Bucket and pump (no hose)
Noise level at highest fan setting	N/A
Fan speeds	N/A

How we test dehumidifiers

Philip Friedman

Products experts and analysts at the Good Housekeeping Institute continuously survey the marketplace and manufacturers to identify the models that consumers nationwide are most likely to find in stores and online. For this report, we singled out reliable brands for testing across different size categories to cover every need and budget.

Hands-on testing begins in our Lab under controlled humidity and temperature conditions (similar to how other home air equipment is tested, including humidifiers and portable air conditioners). The key performance-based test measures how much water each dehumidifier collects in a 48-hour time period. Our engineers also use a decibel meter to assess how loud each machine is when running on its highest fan speed. Usability is another important part of our evaluation; it happens in the Lab, as well as in the homes of consumer testers, allowing us to test the dehumidifiers under real-world conditions.

We look at such factors as portability, how intuitive the display and controls are and ease of cleaning, including how easy it is to wash the filter and empty the water reservoir. Finally, we evaluate each brand’s customer service by contacting their help lines with a pretend problem and seeing how quickly it is remedied by the representative.

What to look for when shopping for dehumidifiers for the basement

Here are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a dehumidifier for your basement:

✔️ Size: If you have a large basement (or a particularly damp one), you’re going to want a bigger unit that can process more air. Dehumidifiers are sized based on how many pints of water they can remove in a day. The colder the space, the less water the unit pulls since colder air contains less moisture than warm air. Here’s a little guide to get you started:

• A small humidifier removes 20 to 25 pints of moisture at 65°F, or 30 to 40 pints at 80°F (about 400 to 600-plus square feet).

• A medium humidifier removes 30 to 35 pints of moisture at 65°F, or 50 to 60 pints at 80°F (about 800 to 1,000-plus square feet).

• A large humidifier removes 40 to 55 pints of moisture at 65°F, or 70 to 90 pints at 80°F (about 1,200 to 1,500-plus square feet).

✔️ Hoses and pumps: Some large capacity dehumidifiers come equipped with a hose connection so you don’t have to empty the machine regularly. A pump can send water to a sink or other place to siphon off, and many can move the water up to 15 feet.

✔️ Features: Things like easy-access reservoirs and filter indicators can make it easier to maintain your machine. Auto-humidistats can sense the moisture in the air and turn off when a desired level is reached. Basements tend to be colder, so you might want to check for a low temperature setting or auto-defrost function to help ensure the unit runs properly in cooler spaces.

How does a dehumidifier work?

Dehumidifiers are a system of two heat exchangers and a condenser. Air from the room is pulled into the first heat exchanger by its fan and exchanges heat with a refrigerant in the heat exchanger. This heat exchange causes the air to drop below its dew point (the temperature at which condensation starts to form). The resulting condensation is then deposited into the dehumidifier’s tank. The evaporated coolant then flows into a condenser where it’s returned to its liquid form and the heat it produced in the process is absorbed back by the air. This way, cold air isn’t coming off the dehumidifier. The air that leaves a dehumidifier will always be slightly hotter than the air that enters, as work is required to run the system.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

This guide was written by Abigail Bailey, who spent hours studying the Good Housekeeping Institute’s dehumidifier testing data and poring over recent user reviews online.

She also consulted GH Institute Lab Assistant Nikolas Greenwald, who led our latest round of dehumidifier testing. Before joining GH in 2022, Nikolas worked on projects ranging from chemical inventory and reporting to the development of bioassays in the labs of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. He holds a degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University.

This article was reviewed by Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab Dan DiClerico who oversees our in-Lab dehumidifier testing and has spearheaded numerous investigative reports on the topic of indoor air quality, working closely with outside experts from the government, industry and the home services space. He also oversees our continuous in-home, survey-based consumer testing for dehumidifiers, which allows us to evaluate these devices in real-world conditions.

Abigail (she/her) covers everything from kitchen gear to mattresses and smart blinds for the Institute, as well as assisting the General Manager in any number of projects. She graduated from Louisiana State University with a B.A. in creative writing, as well as earning her M.S. in publishing digital and print media from New York University. Before GH, she worked at LSU Press and The Southern Review literary magazine. In her free time you can find her quilting, cross-stitching or trying to figure out how to squeeze one more bookshelf in her tiny apartment.

As the lab assistant at the Good Housekeeping Institute, Nik (he/him) works with all of our Labs to develop testing protocols and manage data collection and analysis. Before joining Good Housekeeping in 2022, Nik worked in the labs of MIT and Regeneron, working on projects ranging from chemical inventory and reporting to the development of bioassays. He holds a degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University.

Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.