Dehumidifiers

Size a dehumidifier by the pints of water it removes per day under the current DOE test (65°F, 60% relative humidity), not by older 80°F ratings, which made the same unit look about a third bigger. A damp 1,000 sq ft basement typically needs a 30- to 35-pint unit; a wet one, 50 pints or more.

Drainage decides how much attention it needs: a bucket must be emptied, a hose drains to a floor drain by gravity, and a built-in pump lifts water to a sink or out a window. Crawlspace units are built to run continuously in cool, damp air.

Aim for 30 to 50 percent relative humidity in a basement. Below about 65°F, compressor dehumidifiers lose capacity and can frost; crawlspace and low-temperature models are made for that.

Before you buy

• Capacity. Pints per day at the current DOE rating.
• Area. The maker's rated square footage for your dampness level.
• Drainage. Bucket, gravity hose or built-in pump.
• Temperature. Cool basements and crawlspaces need low-temperature operation.

Every dehumidifier we cover

Figures are the makers' own, quoted with their conditions on each product page. Prices change; each product page links to the current price.