The Best Dehumidifiers for Basements, According to Our Testing

Though they narrowly missed our winners list, these tested models also have a lot to offer.

• GE 50-Pint Dehumidifier with Pump: This GE is a capable pick for chilly basements, thanks to its auto-defrost function, which automatically shuts off the unit if frost starts to form on the coils. 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.
• Midea 35-Pint Dehumidifier: Unlike the Cube, this Midea looks and functions like a standard dehumidifier. It does a solid job of removing water from the air in medium-sized spaces effectively and quietly. The 33-pound dehumidifier sits on wheels for easy transportation from room to room, though at nearly 25 inches tall, it's on the bulky side.
• hOmeLabs 22-Pint Dehumidifier: Our experts say this 22-pint model will do a capable job of removing moisture from the air in small- to mid-size spaces. It's the smallest unit from our tests, so it's a great option if you're working with a tight space, like a basement bathroom or home office.

Product analysts and test engineers at the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab continuously survey the marketplace and manufacturers to identify basement dehumidifiers that consumers nationwide are most likely to find in stores and online. For this report, we selected reliable brands for testing across various size categories to cater to 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 the amount of water each dehumidifier collects over 48 hours.

Our engineers also use a decibel meter to measure the sound level of each machine when running at its maximum fan speed. Usability is another important aspect of our evaluation, which occurs both in the Lab and in the homes of consumer testers, allowing us to test basement dehumidifiers under real-world conditions.

Our pros also assess factors such as portability, the intuitiveness of the model's display and controls, and ease of cleaning, including how easy it is to wash the dehumidifier's filter and empty the water reservoir. Finally, we evaluate each brand's customer service by contacting their helplines with a pretend problem and taking note of how quickly it is remedied by the representative.

Here are a few factors to keep in mind when searching 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. If you have a smaller space, you might want a smaller unit. 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 cold 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 (pictured) 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: Look for easy-access reservoirs and filter indicators that make it easier to maintain your machine. Also consider auto-humidistats, which can sense the moisture in the air and turn off when a desired level is reached. Because basements tend to be cold, you might want to check for a low-temperature setting or auto-defrost function to help ensure the unit runs properly in cool spaces.

A dehumidifier is 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.

While a dehumidifier cannot get rid of mold, it can help prevent it by removing moisture from the air that mold spores need to thrive, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Though you're never going to get rid of every last spore in the home, by using a dehumidifier to keep humidity levels below 55%, you’ll make it difficult for mold outbreaks to reach a level where they start causing health problems.

Dan DiClerico 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. In his role as Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab Director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, he oversees our continuous in-home, survey-based consumer testing for dehumidifiers, which allows us to evaluate these devices in real-world conditions.

GH Institute Data Engineer Nikolas Greenwald 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.