A basement is an important part of the home for many people. Not only does this become a great refuge during storm conditions like tornadoes, but a basement can be used as a gaming room, storage area or even as an additional living space. For many homeowners, it is as important of a space as any other in the home. Because of its location and the fact that majority of the basements are below ground, it is common that humidity and moisture will build up in this living space. Because of the damp conditions, it is easy for such things as mold and mildew to take hold due to the amount of moisture, which not only leads to damage to your home but creates unsafe health conditions. This is why it is imperative that you take the kind of steps to control this moisture buildup in your basement.The perfect solution is the basement dehumidifier. This handy appliance can remove excess moisture from the air, not only creating a moisture-free environment, but also keeping temperatures regulated so it is much more comfortable in the basement area as well if you have a basement, this is the kind of appliance that is absolutely mandatory. But you need to consider certain things before buying a basement dehumidifier to find the best unit as per your individual needs.

Contents

Why Should You Trust Us?

As with any review you will read online, it is extremely difficult to determine whether you can trust the author of that review or not. Before writing this review, our group had read literally hundreds of these kinds of reviews, always wondering if you could trust the person who wrote them. After all, can you be sure that the person who wrote the review has the expertise to make this assessment? Can you be sure that they are being paid to give a positive critique of one product over the others?

These are the kinds of things that concerned us and so, as we put together this basement dehumidifier review, we wanted to make sure that you can have confidence that the information you are receiving is trustworthy and accurate. This is why we conducted a four-year process of considering over 20 different basement dehumidifiers so that we could give you an accurate review.

We wanted to find the best dehumidifier for basement, so we have gone through reviews, tested products, and reviewed the performance of the top models on the market, narrowing it down to the top 10 dehumidifiers. This evaluation is based upon over 55 hours of research on the web, spending time testing the actual products to see how well they perform in standard basement conditions, and comparing features of these dehumidifiers to one another.

The main purpose of our evaluation was to give you a solid review so that you would know what is the best basement dehumidifier for your home or business. We want you to have peace of mind knowing that the products that we recommend are ones that offer you features that put it above the others, as well as ones that customers have found to be exceptional.

What Exactly Is Meant by a Basement Dehumidifier?

If we are going to tell you what the best dehumidifier for basement is, then the best place to begin is with an explanation of what a basement dehumidifier is. These appliances are used in large areas, such as basements, garages, or crawl space units, locations where the temperatures are usually less than what you would find throughout the rest of the home but where humidity and moisture are likely to build up.

The purpose of the basement dehumidifier is to remove the excess moisture by removing the condensation from the air and draining it through a hose or reservoir where it is removed from concern.

The truth is that a damp, musty basement can be a serious health risk to your family and it can lead to damage to your home. Moisture can turn to mold and mildew which can damage walls, carpeting, and ceiling tiles, and also cause respiratory issues for you, your family, and your pets. As moisture continues to blossom, this can lead to would and other substances becoming rotted, rusted, and even bring insects and other little critters that can cause problems for your home.

Getting one of the best quality basement dehumidifiers can help to control this moisture buildup and create a much healthier environment for you and your family. You don’t want to see your home damaged or your family get sick, and this is why this appliance is so vital for your home.

When Do You Need a Basement Dehumidifier?

While it is always good to have this kind of appliance in your home, there are definitely instances where you should find that it becomes an even greater priority. If you are noticing such things as unusual odors, that it is more damp or humid in your basement area, or condensation is building up on cold services, you may be having an issue where looking for the best dehumidifier for basement areas becomes absolutely essential.

This is not the only kinds of issues you should be looking for, however. If you are seeing that there is frost or ice buildup around cold services, that you can see such things as rotting or decay on the walls, flooring, ceiling, or other structures within your basement, or if there is peeling or cracking of paint then you may have a very serious issue. Looking for a basement dehumidifier system is extremely important, and is why we are making this recommendation to you.

What you should be aware of is that a humidity level greater than 50 percent is a cause for concern. If you live in an area where humidity is known to be an issue during certain times of the year, that it is likely that this can lead to higher condensation levels within your basement. You will be surprised at how the best dehumidifier for basement on the market can make your home a lot safer and more comfortable for you to live in.

How to Determine the Right Capacity of Dehumidifier You Should Buy?

While getting a dehumidifier is a great idea, getting the right capacity of dehumidifier is important as well. You want to make sure you get an appliance that is a whole basement dehumidifier in terms of the space that needs to be covered, but if you have a smaller sized area then you may not need a large capacity option.

If you are wanting to know what capacity dehumidifier you need, here is some important information to consider:

Moderately Damp Conditions – if you have a basement that is moderately damp, then what you need is a dehumidifier that can handle 10 pints of water removed from the air in a 500 square-foot area. For every 500 additional square feet you need at least four additional pints in terms of capacity, so a 1500-sq. ft. area would require a dehumidifier that could remove 18 pints of water.
Very Damp Conditions – if the conditions are extremely damp, where the amount of humidity is quite noticeable, then you will need something that can extract 12 pints per 500 ft.² of water, where every additional 500 ft.² adds 5 pints.
Wet Conditions – For conditions that are wet, where there are noticeable puddles or pockets of water, such as around the shower area, then you will need a dehumidifier that can remove 14 pints of water for 500 ft.². Each additional 500 ft.² requires an additional 6 pints of capacity.
Extremely Wet Conditions – if you are in an area where your basement may flood at times or you may have water buildup for other reasons, then you need the highest level capacity dehumidifier. This should remove 16 pints of water for the first 500 ft.², and add 7 pints for every additional 500 ft.².

Now that you know what is the right pint capacity of the dehumidifier you are going to purchase, you can consider having a look at our reviews of other dehumidifiers depending on your requirements. In this article, we will be only reviewing top 10 basement dehumidifiers:

What Is My Recommended ACH & CFM?

Two terms that you will want to be familiar with related to basement dehumidifier reviews ratings are ACH and CFM.

ACH:

ACH stands for air changes per hour, which tells you the amount of air that will pass through the dehumidifier each and every hour. This rating tells you what airflow is needed to properly remove moisture from a specific area.
Extremely Wet:- when humidity levels are somewhere between 90% and 100%, you may see puddles or standing water. This is when you need an ACH of six.
Wet:- when humidity levels are between 80% and 90%, where you may see wet spots, stains, mold, or mildew, the ACH needs to be five.
Very Damp:- humidity levels of between 70% and 80% are recommended to use an ACH of four. Here you will see such things as moisture on the walls, floor, or smell mildew.
Damp:- when humidity levels are between 60% and 70% and ACH of three is recommended. Here, the room will smell musty and it may feel damp in the air.

CFM:

CFM is determined by multiplying the cubic square footage of the room by the ACH level, and then dividing that number by 60. If you discover that you are unable to find a basement dehumidifier system that meets the CFM level required that you then by two different appliances.

What to Look for in the Best Dehumidifier for Basement?

Now that you have an idea about the usefulness of a dehumidifier, knowing which option you want for yourself is really important. This is why it makes sense to know what are some of the different features that make for a good dehumidifier and also how it works.

Low Temperature Operation:

The ability to operate in lower temperatures means that the dehumidifier is able to remove moisture out of the air in temperatures as low as 33°F. You may not have your basement or garage area reach temperatures this low, but still may need a dehumidifier that operates in 55°F or around that temperature.

Auto Defrost:

If you are needing to operate your dehumidifier in an area where you expect the temperature to be below 40°F, then you need an auto defroster that will help to keep coils from becoming frozen so that water does not build up in it.

Automatic Restart:

If the power should go off for some reason, having an auto restart that will automatically reactivate the dehumidifier once power is restored is something you may find necessary.

Digital Humidistat/Built-in Hygrometer:

If you are wanting to ensure that a level of humidity and temperature is achieved, then having a digital humidistat or hygrometer can be of great advantage. This will let you know what level has been achieved, and in many of these dehumidifiers, you are able to set a condition where the appliance will shut off once that is reached.

Auto Shutoff:

If you don’t want your dehumidifier running all the time, then an auto shutoff may be what you are looking for. This can be set to shut off after a certain period of time or one a certain level of humidity and temperature is achieved.

Water Collection Bucket:

If you are not intending to set up your dehumidifier so that water is dispensed to a drainer out the window, then you need a water collection bucket that will properly hold the amount of water you need depending upon the condition in your basement area. This may mean that you need to look into such things as the best 70-pint basement dehumidifier, 60-pint basement dehumidifiers and the like to see what works for you and how much water can be stored in the dehumidifier.

Drainage System:

Maybe you need to run your dehumidifier continuously and so using a water collection bucket does not work. You may need to find the best dehumidifier for basement system that enables you to be able to run a tube out of the dehumidifier that will deposit the water in a drain or out a window.

Dirt Floors Cleaning Ability:

Not every basement has a tile, cement, or other constructed floor type. Some still use dirt, which can be counterintuitive in terms of the success of the dehumidifier. If you have a dirt floor, you want to make sure that your dehumidifier is able to remove moisture from dirt.

Noise Level:

Many dehumidifiers can be quite noisy, which may be of no consequence to you, but can be disturbing to some who don’t want the constant droning of the dehumidifier running. You will want to make sure that the noise level is something that is acceptable to you, or look for the best dehumidifier for basement that isn’t a noisemaker.

Pint Capacity:

The pint capacity is the amount of water that can be removed from the air in a 24 hour period of time.

Coverage Area:

The coverage area is the amount of cubic or square footage that the dehumidifier is able to successfully work to be able to remove water from the air.

Timer:

Some look to do run their dehumidifier for short periods of time, and so the use of a timer would enable you to be able to control how long the dehumidifier was running.

Should You Upgrade Your Dehumidifier?

An important question that many people ask related to the current dehumidifier that they own is whether they should buy a new one or not. A lot of people like to buy the new shiny object, and so when they see a more powerful dehumidifier they think that they should spend the money on it.

The truth is that if your current dehumidifier is doing the job for you then there is really no reason to upgrade. However, if you are finding that it is filling up way too quickly, causing it to shut off because the water collection bucket is filled up within eight or 10 hours, or the amount of moisture it removes in the air is not adequate enough, then it may be time to upgrade. Let your needs and your ability to pay for a new dehumidifier guide your conscience.

How We Picked and Tested

If a new basement dehumidifier is what you were looking for, then we have already given you some outstanding information to consider. However, we want to spend a little time explaining to you how we came up with our top 10 list.

Are process of choosing our list began with doing some practical testing using a number of volunteers. They examined how effective the different basement dehumidifiers are under various circumstances, spending four years collecting data and reporting the information that they recorded on the over 20 different dehumidifiers that were tested. While none were found to be perfect, there were clearly some that proved to be better than others.

In addition, our team examined a number of consumer reports dehumidifiers for basements reviews as well as basement dehumidifier reviews ratings to see how these different products for rating in comparison to one another. This helped to give us a more conclusive determination as to what is the very best.

After gathering all of our data, we developed a guide as to what would be the key factors that would rate one dehumidifier over another. This included such things as pint capacity, low temperature operation, auto restart, coverage area, auto shutoff, wheels, exterior assembly, air filter, appearance, weight, and much more. We examined 38 different features, comparing how each rated against one another, so that we could come up with a conclusive basement dehumidifier review that you can count on.

In addition, we examined how consumers felt about each individual product. This not only included finding how quickly customers reviewed the product once they had purchased it, but also how enamored they were with their new dehumidifier.

Our Top Ten Products

After examining and comparing all of the different dehumidifiers that we reviewed, we came up with a conclusive list as to which are the very best based upon the 38 most important features we found with this product. While no single basement dehumidifier is absolutely perfect, we believe that we have found the best dehumidifier for basement for you by providing you with the top 10 list of the very best options on the market today.

To be able to review this entire list, we ask our readers to like this post on their social media account. This will give you complete access to the overall review.

Our No. 1 Choice: hOmeLabs 9 Gallon (70 Pint) Dehumidifier

Number 1 Pick

hOmeLabs 9 Gallon (70 Pint) Dehumidifier

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Stellar features but reasonably priced

hOmeLabs 9 Gallon (70 Pint) Dehumidifier

The HomeLabs 9 Gallon dehumidifier offers 70 pint moisture removal per 24 hour period for areas between 2,500 and 4,000 square feet.

Why We Picked Our No. 1 Choice

Of the over 20 dehumidifiers tested, this proved to be our number one choice because it provided the highest number of positive features of the 38. This product not only operates at low temperatures, but is an energy saver which can also save you money in the long run. The capacity for moisture removal and a 24 hour period of time is 70 pints and can handle spaces between 2,500 to 4,000 ft.² at room temperatures from 41°F to 95°F. The dehumidifier provides a continuous drain option, a 24-hour timer, auto shutoff and auto defrost. This is also certified by Energy Star as an energy-saving appliance.
This also proved to be the best dehumidifier for basement options because of its price range. Costing about $200 made it one of the more affordable options, as it is the second lowest price in comparison to all basement dehumidifiers tested.
Customer reviews were also quite important. Within the first day of purchase, 20 different positive reviews were posted and 30 positive reviews came within three days of purchase.
This dehumidifier provided a unique blend of the most important and effective features related to our list, and it can be operated in turbo mode. This helped to really make it stand out.

Detailed Review

Pint & Coverage capacity:

This particular category covers the amount of water that can be removed and a 24 hour period of time as well as the overall coverage area that the dehumidifier is expected to remove water from. In the case of the hOmeLabs9, this offers 70 pints of moisture removal per 24-hour and a 2500 to 4000 square-foot cover area, making it one of the very best on the market in both categories.

Defrost mode:

The defrost mode category relates to whether the dehumidifier offers an auto defrost to keep the coils from becoming frozen in cooler temperatures. In the case of this dehumidifier, it offers an auto defrost.

Operating temperature range – the operating temperature range is the temperature at which the device will operate. In some dehumidifiers, if the temperature is too high it may be unable to keep up with the amount of moisture in the air or if the temperature is too low it may not be able to function because of frozen water buildup. This dehumidifier offers an effective range of 41°F to 95°F.

Drainage functionality:

Virtually all dehumidifiers you by will come with a water container that will store the moisture taken out of the air. However, some come with the ability to drain the water through a pipe or tube connected to the dehumidifier so that it can continue to run without the reservoir becoming filled. This dehumidifier offers a 12.8-pint container and the ability for continuous drain operation.

Timer and other helpful settings:

In purchasing a dehumidifier you may find that the best dehumidifier for basement option is one that comes with a large number or a diversity of options. This dehumidifier not only comes with a humidistat, but a timer, removable filter, and even a two-year warranty. There is even a touch control panel that makes setting the dehumidifier controls extremely easy to do.

Auto Restart & Timer:

One concern that many have related to their dehumidifier is what will happen if the powers should suddenly go out in their home. While the dehumidifier does not work during this time, if you are a person who wants to ensure that it comes back on when power is restored then you need an auto restart. You may also be someone who wants a timer control that will run the dehumidifier for certain periods of the day or for certain periods of time before shutting off. This dehumidifier comes with an auto restart and a timer, giving you both functions.

Continuous mode:

Continuous mode enables you to continue to run the dehumidifier because you have a continuous drainage system and the appliance itself can handle the rigors of being able to run continuously for days. This dehumidifier is a tough one, that can handle the rigors of moisture removal while giving you the continuous drainage option so you don’t have to worry about the reservoir filling up.

The features offered with this residential dehumidifier make it the ideal choice. If you are wanting a top-notch product that works within your budget then you will find that there is really no other choice for you. Simply a great choice for those who need an efficient option that will cover a large basement or storage area.

Pros:

High-quality product with budget-friendly price
Provides exceptional features like auto shutoff/restart, rotary control, auto defrost, continuous drainage, etc.
Portable
Low noise production
Low temperature dehumidifier
Anti-tilt protection

Cons:

The unit is prone to malfunction if mishandled during drainage

Our Runner-Up Pick: Frigidaire 70-Pint Dehumidifier with Effortless Humidity Control

Second Choice

Frigidaire 70-Pint Dehumidifier

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Energy Star rated dehumidifier

Frigidaire 70-Pint Dehumidifier

The Frigidaire 70-Pint Dehumidifier features Ready Set controls and continuous drainage operation to maintain comfortable humidity conditions in your basement.

Our team also found this to be an exceptional basement dehumidifier. There are many positive features, simply not as many as that of our top choice. However, it did receive a number of positive reviews, as its top 30 reviews all came within two days of people purchasing and receiving the appliance. The removal capacity is 70 pints and it comes with a number of features that you will really like, including electronic controls, digital humidity readout, a 24-hour timer, and is also Energy Star rated. What really put it into the second slot was the fact that it is a little more expensive than our pick.

Detailed Review

Pint & Coverage capacity

This is a 70-pint dehumidifier with the coverage area greater than 2500 ft.².

Defrost mode

There is an auto defrost, so should the temperature reach temperatures that could cause the coils to freeze the auto defrost will kick in to stop this from occurring.

Operating temperature range

The low temperature range to this dehumidifier is 41°F while the upper range is 95°F.

Drainage functionality

There is a 13.1-pint container included in the dehumidifier and it also offers a continuous drainage operation.

Timer and other helpful settings

There are a lot of great features included in this dehumidifier, including an adjustable humidistat, three different fan speeds, a lower noise level, a full tank alert system and much more.

Auto Restart & Timer

There is an auto restart and timer included. This Frigidaire dehumidifier also offers an adjustable humidistat to control when the devices on.

Continuous mode

Because of the continuous drainage option, you are able to run this dehumidifier in continuous mode.

It is really the cost that separates this from our top option. The fact that it comes with a 113.1-pint container and operates in a rather expansive temperature range makes it a great choice, and one that you will find ideal if it fits within your budget. We did love the fact that this dehumidifier comes with the Ready Set Controls, which makes it incredibly easy to operate and maintain comfortable conditions in your basement or other areas.

Pros

Offers Ready-Select Controls.
Has 24 positive features.
Great in low temperature settings.

Cons

Does not come with an auto restart.
No coverage area specified.

Affordable & Efficient: Keystone KSTAD50B Energy Star Dehumidifier, 50-Pint

Affordable Pick

Keystone KSTAD50B Energy Star Dehumidifier

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Great features at budget-friendly price

Keystone KSTAD50B Energy Star Dehumidifier

The Keystone is a cost-efficient dehumidifier that boasts of a 50-pint capacity per 24 hour of use with a coverage of 3,000 square feet.

This is the best dehumidifier for basement because it actually provides the lowest price of all the different products we tested. You can doubtlessly choose this product if you’re worried about the cost of buying and maintaining a dehumidifier. There are many great features associated with this appliance, making it a quality choice at its price. It has a capacity of 50 pints per 24 hours, but its coverage area is quite extensive, up to 3000 ft.². The features for this dehumidifier include an auto defrost mode, a continuous drainage option, and it even comes with a hose for the continuous drainage. As far as customer reviews, it received its first positive ratings within 10 days of purchase, its second 10 positive reviews within three days after that, and its third set of 10 within seven additional days. There is an LED display, it includes a 24-hour timer, and the transparent water level indicator makes it easy to determine if the water bucket needs to be emptied.