Keep Your Basement Mildew Free With The Best Basement Dehumidifier
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hOmeLabs Energy Star Basement Dehumidifier -
Vremi Basement Dehumidifier -
TOSOT Basement Dehumidifier -
Midea Basement Dehumidifier -
Pro Breeze Mini Basement Dehumidifier -
Buyer's Guide
No one likes that musty basement smell, but that smell can indicate other things like the potential for mold to grow in your basement and even the ruining of your furniture from too much moisture. These unwanted events can be easily prevented with the right basement dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers draw humidity out of the air with a fan to keep your space smelling and feeling clean. The best basement dehumidifiers should be able to rid your basement space of any moisture issues, but there are a couple other things to keep in mind like shape, size, and special features like drainage or square footage coverage. We have put together a list of the best basement dehumidifiers in 2021 to help your decision making and keep your basement fresh.
hOmeLabs Energy Star Basement Dehumidifier
- Removes up to 22 pints per day
- Sleek, modern design
- Includes drain hose and outlet
- Just a dehumidifier and no AC support
Vremi Basement Dehumidifier
- Auto shut-off, auto defrost, and memory feature
- Easy maintenance with a washable filter and slide-out drain tank
- Covers a wide 4,500 sq ft
- Can release a lot of heat during operation
TOSOT Basement Dehumidifier
- Real-time monitoring and silent operation
- Safe and Energy-Star efficient
- Outage restart, auto-run, and real-time monitoring modes
- Not the most attractive design
Midea Basement Dehumidifier
- Easy-carry dump bucket, and washable filter with alerts
- Continuous drainage with a garden or drain hose
- Turbo fan mode for added cooling
- No carrying handle or mobile features
Pro Breeze Mini Basement Dehumidifier
- Portable size
- Generally Quiet
- Will not dehumidify large areas
Here are the best basement dehumidifiers of 2021
hOmeLabs Energy Star Basement Dehumidifier - Best Basement Dehumidifier Overall
With a clean exterior and modern styling, this tall unit fits in with any decor, even new-age man-caves. It dehumidifies 1,500 sq ft of space until the tank is full, then it shuts down.
- Removes up to 22 pints per day
- Sleek, modern design
- Includes drain hose and outlet
- Just a dehumidifier and no AC support
While it doesn’t cover as wide an area as some of the larger units, this one does offer incredibly easy to use operation. Once activated, it runs continuously on its 24-hour cycle until the tank is full, then it shuts down. For those that don’t want to empty a reservoir, it comes with a drain hose and outlet.
Vremi Basement Dehumidifier - Runner Up
This formidable machine covers an impressive 4,500 sq. ft. of space, and captures 50 pints of moisture per day. It’s easy to use, has a straight-forward design, and includes built-in wheels and handles.
- Auto shut-off, auto defrost, and memory feature
- Easy maintenance with a washable filter and slide-out drain tank
- Covers a wide 4,500 sq ft
- Can release a lot of heat during operation
This unit has one of the best and most elegant designs overall, even for such a large device. The glossy finish gives it a more premium aesthetic and meshes well with the clean white and grey coloring. It removes up to 50 pints of moisture from a space per day and can cover up to 4,500 sq ft total, which includes additional rooms provided they are not sealed off. It runs for 24-hours or until the tank is full, and will run endlessly if a drain hose is installed. Moreover, it’s fairly easy to clean.
TOSOT Basement Dehumidifier - Honorable Mention
This system can dehumidify up to 4,500 sq ft of connected space, with real-time humidity monitoring to ensure enough moisture is pulled from the air. It’s ultra-quiet, and Energy-Star compliant.
- Real-time monitoring and silent operation
- Safe and Energy-Star efficient
- Outage restart, auto-run, and real-time monitoring modes
- Not the most attractive design
What’s excellent about this unit is that it offers real-time monitoring for large spaces and even some connected rooms. Once activated it will work to keep an even humidity level across up to 4,500 square feet. So, not only is it ideal for large basements and garages, it can cover the rest of the home, too. The drain bucket is easy to empty, or it can be attached to hoses to auto drain. The washable air filter is easy to remove and clean. Moreover, it’s lightweight and easy to move around a residence or property.
Midea Basement Dehumidifier - Consider
This ultra-quiet unit offers a variety of convenient features and alerts that make operation that much simpler. It has a cleaning alert, auto-restart, auto defrost, washable filter, and more.
- Easy-carry dump bucket, and washable filter with alerts
- Continuous drainage with a garden or drain hose
- Turbo fan mode for added cooling
- No carrying handle or mobile features
One of the best features is a turbo fan mode that provides a little extra cooling support thanks to the boost in airflow. It will continuously drain and dehumidify, as long as the tank isn’t full. The tank is easy to empty, but it can also be auto-emptied by attaching either a garden hose or drainage hose. The visible water level, washable filter, filter cleaning alerts, and easy maintenance tasks all make keeping the machine running hassle-free.
Pro Breeze Mini Basement Dehumidifier - Best for the Value
This mini humidifier covers up to 150 square feet and can remove nine ounces of water per day. It operates quietly and is suited for bathroom, basement, garage, and even office use. It features an auto shut off function for safety and to save energy.
- Portable size
- Generally Quiet
- Will not dehumidify large areas
This dehumidifier measures a diminutive 7 x 6 x 11 inches in size with a 16-ounce water tank.
Buyer's Guide
Basement dehumidifiers help you breathe comfortably by getting excess moisture out of the air in the basement. Basements are often susceptible to high humidity levels because of their proximity to the soil. Unvented clothes dryers and washing machines are also causes of high basement humidity. The product review above has given you foreknowledge of the best basement dehumidifiers. This buying guide concisely details the specifics of basement dehumidifiers. The types of basement dehumidifiers, factors to consider before making a purchase, and frequently asked questions about basement dehumidifiers are discussed.
What are the Types of Dehumidifiers?
Dehumidifiers can be categorized based on their mechanism of removing moisture from the air. Based on this categorization, there are three types of dehumidifiers.
Compressor Dehumidifier
A compressor dehumidifier contains a refrigerated coil and uses the condensation process to remove water from the air. The dehumidifier passes air over the refrigerated coil; this causes the air’s moisture content to condense like droplets on a cold bottle. The droplets are then emptied into a tank for disposal.
Compressor dehumidifiers are the most popular dehumidifier; they work well in warm climates and have low energy consumption. A downside of compressor dehumidifiers is that they make a lot of noise and are quite heavy.
Desiccant Dehumidifier
Desiccant dehumidifiers use desiccant materials fixed around a wheel to rid the air of moisture. A blower blows damp air into the dehumidifier, where the desiccant wheel absorbs the moisture. The wheel is then heated so that the trapped moisture drips out into a water tank. The dehumidifier subsequently releases the air into the room as dry, dehumidified air.
Desiccant dehumidifiers have the advantage of being smaller and lighter than compressor dehumidifiers. Compared to compressor dehumidifiers, they are quieter. The downside of desiccant dehumidifiers is the cost. They are more expensive than compressor dehumidifiers.
Peltier dehumidifiers
Peltier dehumidifiers are named after a French physicist, Jean Charles Peltier; they are also known as thermo-electric dehumidifiers. Peltier dehumidifiers draw in moist air over a heated sink. The air condenses as it passes over the heated sink. The water released by the dehumidified air drips into a water tank before dry air is now released into the room. Peltier dehumidifiers are usually small and work best in small basements.
What are the Things to Consider Before Buying Basement Dehumidifiers?
Considering the different types of dehumidifiers available, choosing the best dehumidifier for basements could be tricky. Below are the major factors to consider before purchasing a basement dehumidifier.
Basement Size
The first factor to consider when buying a dehumidifier for basements is the size of the basement. If you have a large basement to dehumidify, you will need a dehumidifier with the capacity to handle such a large space. Also, if the basement is small, a dehumidifier with high capacity will be overkill.
Portability
Another thing to consider before buying a basement dehumidifier is the dehumidifier’s portability. A portable dehumidifier unit can be moved to different areas in the basement for more effectiveness – a flexibility that fixed dehumidifiers lack. Portable dehumidifiers have casters that make it easy to wheel them around the basement.
Noise
Dehumidifiers cleanse the air and make the basement more habitable. However, a downside of dehumidifiers is the noise they make, which could be quite discomforting. Therefore, you should consider the level of noise the dehumidifier makes before buying a dehumidifier for your basement.
Drainage
The moisture that dehumidifiers absorb out of the air in your basement has to go somewhere. Usually, dehumidifiers come with a tank that collects the water. However, the unit shuts down once the tank is filled up. Emptying the tank regularly may be challenging for people with a tight schedule. Thus, the bigger the tank, the better for the user. Alternatively, some dehumidifiers allow you to attach a hose to the collection tank to empty the water into a floor drain.
Adjustable Humidistat
A dehumidifier with an adjustable humidistat gives you more control over the humidity level in the basement. It allows you to alter your humidity preference under different weather conditions.
Energy Efficiency
A major concern for users has been the cost of running a dehumidifier. With new models of dehumidifiers, this concern is gradually being laid to rest. It would be best if you were on the lookout for models that are energy efficient.
Extra Features
There are other extra features that are useful additions to a dehumidifier for basements. For example, a dehumidifier with the automatic shut-off feature will detect when the basement’s humidity level is ideal and shut off by itself. This feature helps to save running costs. Also, a dehumidifier with the auto-reset feature remembers your settings from previous use. This feature is helpful in the event of a power outage. These extra features make it easier to use basement dehumidifiers.
How Much do Basement Dehumidifiers Cost?
The price of dehumidifiers for basements ranges between $40 and $2500. Overall efficiency and availability of extra features affect the price. Basement dehumidifiers within the $200 and $1,000 range offer a balance between cost and efficiency.
FAQs
Q: How long should you run a dehumidifier in the basement?
A: There are no strict rules as regards how long a basement dehumidifier should run. It depends on the dehumidifier’s capacity and how much moisture it has to get rid of.
Q: Where should the dehumidifier be placed in the basement?
A: The best place to place a basement dehumidifier is the area of the basement with the highest humidity level. If the humidity is evenly spread across the basement, the center of the basement will be a good place for it.
Q: Will a dehumidifier get rid of the basement smell?
A: Yes, a dehumidifier will get rid of the basement smell. A dehumidifier rids the basement of the rotting smell that accompanies mold and mildew.
Q: Will a dehumidifier kill mold in the basement?
A: The simple answer is no. A dehumidifier may not be able to kill existing mold, but it helps prevent the formation of new ones by reducing the humidity in the basement.
