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What a dehumidifier costs to run
Updated
Take the watts from the listing, multiply by the hours it runs each day and by 30 days, then divide by 1,000. That is kWh per month. Multiply by the rate on your electric bill and you have the cost.
Running cost calculator
Leave the rate blank to see kWh only. A unit with a working humidistat cycles on and off, so 24 hours is the worst case, not the norm.
The picks at 12 hours a day
Twelve hours is a fair guess for a damp basement in summer. A unit in a wet space may run nearly nonstop at first, then settle down once the space dries out.
| Model | Listed watts | kWh per month at 12 hours a day |
|---|---|---|
| AlorAir Sentinel HD55 | 460 | 166 |
| hOmeLabs 50 Pint | 322 | 116 |
| Waykar | 270 | 97 |
| Midea Cube 20 Pint | 214 | 77 |
| Ivation Desiccant on high | 470 | 169 |
| Ivation Desiccant on low | 280 | 101 |
The Pro Breeze Mini draws 23 watts. Left on around the clock it uses about 17 kWh a month. That is cheap to run, but look at what you get for it: about half a pint a day. Per pint of water, it is the most costly machine on this site. The numbers are on the compressor vs desiccant page.
The AlorAir listing shows its power as "460 watt-hours". I read that as 460 watts.
What Energy Star means here
- Energy Star dehumidifiers must remove more water per kWh than the federal minimum. The measure is called the integrated energy factor, in liters per kWh. Higher is better.
- You can look up any model and its energy factor in the product finder on energystar.gov. Do that instead of trusting a badge in a product photo.
- Of my picks, the Midea Cube and the Waykar listings say Energy Star. I did not see it on the two hOmeLabs listings the day I checked.
Ways to use less power
- Set 45 to 50 percent, not "continuous". The EPA suggests keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50. Driving a basement down to 35 percent costs a lot more and gains little.
- Close windows and the basement door to outside. Otherwise you are drying the whole neighborhood.
- Clean the filter. A clogged filter makes the unit run longer for the same result.
- Size it right. A unit that is too small runs all day and still misses the target. Use the size calculator.
- Stop water at the source. Gutters, downspout extensions and a covered sump do more than any machine.
One side effect to expect: a compressor dehumidifier gives off heat. The air coming out is warmer than the air going in, so a small closed room will warm up a little.