A basement that’s too humid can become filled with molds and mildews. Exposure to mold spores may eventually cause allergic reactions, including sneezing, coughing, and headaches. This is why you should choose the best dehumidifier for the basement.
We’ve tested 23 products before compiling the selection of the 5 best dehumidifiers for the basement. We have reviewed features such as the coverage area so that you can choose according to the area of your house. Also, we have tested the dehumidification performance of these products, since dehumidifiers for basements need to be ready for harsh environments. As a result, we decided to make the Tosot 50 Pint Dehumidifier our Editor’s Choice.
More features: quiet operation at 52 dB; LED display control
The Tosot dehumidifier offers whisper-quiet operation as it works with a sound level of 52 decibels which makes it perfect for households with infants. Once the moisture level of the basement reaches 60%, mildew, mold and a variety of allergies start to breed. The dehumidifier keeps the humidity level under control in order not to let it happen. The model comes with an EER rating of 2.0 which is enough to state that this unit is environment-friendly and it saves a lot of energy. With the smart technology in this machine, you can set it up on auto-start at 50% which will reduce energy consumption.
On a continuous usage, the drain bucket will require drainage at every five hours. So, it comes with a ¾-inch threaded garden hose which you can connect into the draining hole in your basement. If you do not have a drain outlet in your basement, the drain bucket comes with a capacity of two gallons. Also, it offers a swivel handle which makes the drainage process of the bucket spill free.
The power outage restart function of this dehumidifier is very convenient and practical. As in case of a power outage, this unit resumes its operation as soon as the power is restored. Also, all the selected settings are returned to the last working state saving you the effort to rush every time an outage occurs. Tosot offers a complete one-year warranty over this product.
More features: remote control system (controller bought separately); works at low temperatures
If you are looking for a powerful dehumidifier, then the AlorAir model described as a basement and crawl space dehumidifier is just the perfect pick. It comes with a pump and has an excellent dehumidification performance which can remove moisture of up to 198 pints a day. This is the best dehumidifier for basement with a pump in the list. The hot gas valve system for defrosting is very effective for regions with low temperature. Also, the premium technology used in HGV helps it to keep working efficiently and continuously even at the time of the defrosting process.
The internal corrosion protection minimizes the chances of corrosion and Freon leakage helping this product to sustain for long. The epoxy technology enhances the coil life and saves it from oxides, sulfides and hydroxide corrosions.
The product comes with a five-year warranty which also includes after sale services. The bottom legs are accommodated with a nice set of rolling wheels which comes in handy when you have to move this bulky dehumidifier around your household. It operates in the range of 35% to 95% of humidity in the surrounding.
You can connect it with a remote control module which will let you manage the functions of this dehumidifier from anywhere in the house. The bypass air sensor in the product lets the clean air go out of the filter easily. Also, if you have an outlet nearby, you can connect an air duct to this product, and it will pass the dusty air through it.
One of the features that are uniquely present in this dehumidifier is the module that lets this dehumidifier work even at low temperatures.
More features: low energy consumption, CE and UL approved
Users have found this model to be the best dehumidifier for a small basement. The size of this product is very well suited for small and medium-sized houses. As for the performance of its dehumidification, it is quite low and counts up to 0.5 pints of liquid per day.
This dehumidifier comes with the whisper-quiet technology which lets it work effectively at just 35 decibels of sound. The water reservoir provided in this product is quite small and can collect up to 16 ounces of water at max. Nevertheless, fear not, as the auto shut-off technology saves you from the hassle of running towards the basement to spill the bucket empty. The indicator lights allow the user to check the position of various functions without any trouble.
If your basement has an outlet to pass water, then you can connect this humidifier with a rubber tube. It will pass the collected water through the water displacement hole. The fan in the motors has 3×3 inches of brushless motors which run on direct current. This helps to save a lot of power consumption. This model has the CE and UL certifications, so you do not have to worry about its effectiveness.
More features: LED display indicates humidistat, settings, fan speed, timer, filter alert, and more
If you have a house measuring around 4,500 square feet, then this is one of the best dehumidifiers for your basement. This model is very compact and easy to handle. The dehumidification performance of this product is excellent as it removes 70 pints of moisture per day therefore maintaining the environment of your basement effectively. The power of this dehumidifier helps you to remove various moisture-related issues such as mildew, mold, dust, allergies and bad odors from the air of your house.
The best part about this dehumidifier is that the maintenance it requires is quite low. It weighs just 40 pounds and can fit very easily in any corner. The unit comes with amazing features like energy-saving mode, auto shut-off, timer, and more, all this adds to the charm of this product. It is perfect for those who cannot check the water tank of the dehumidifier every day as it offers 1.3 gallons of reservoir space. The product comes with a manufacturer warranty of one year.
This product features four durable rolling caster wheels which enhance its overall mobility. The LED display interface is well accommodated with all the necessary information. It displays stats like the humidity level of the basement, reservoir and filter alerts, eco-frost alerts, and more. The Ivation dehumidifier also offers a hose drain from which let the water escape into the drainage system through a pipe.
More features: sleep mode noise is below 35dB; two modes
This model is the best dehumidifier for a small basement. Despite having the smallest dimensions in the list, this dehumidifier performs exceptionally well as it offers coverage of up to 2500 square feet. It comes with two modes – normal and sleep. Normal mode is suitable for daytime when you want to reduce the moisture faster. Whereas, sleep mode is perfect for evening and night usage as it saves you from the noise of the dehumidifier and produces only 35 decibels.
The auto shut-off feature in this dehumidifier stops the unit’s operation as soon as the water capacity of the tank reaches its peak. This compact dehumidifier can store up to 0.18 gallons of water in one go. The dehumidification performance of this model is around 0.74 pints of moisture in one cycle of drainage. It weighs about 1.2 pounds so you can carry it where ever you feel the need is most. This model does not have an in-built compressor which makes its usage field broader than most of the other appliances in the list. The OXA dehumidification technology in this product makes the environment of the usage area free from must, damp and bad odor.
A dehumidifier is an important entity that saves your basement and households from a variety of diseases, therefore, purchasing a dehumidifier for the basement of your house requires a keen approach. Otherwise, you will end up buying a product which would not satisfy you completely. We hope that you will find this list of FAQs helpful and effective when you go shopping.
There are certain things that you must give a good look upon before going for the purchase of your basement’s dehumidifier. It is advised to choose the idlest one after taking all your requirements into account. As per our approach, we found following points that you should check before buying a dehumidifier for household purposes.
One of the most important features that you should emphasize upon on your purchase is the area of the dehumidifier’s coverage. The reason behind this is that if you don’t buy the right product according to the requirement, it will not be as effective as you want it to be. Suppose, you bought a dehumidifier which is suitable for an area of 2,200 square feet, such as the AlorAir Basement/Crawlspace Dehumidifier, for a basement of a total area making up to 3,000 square feet, the only thing that will happen is dissatisfaction. The same concept goes for choosing an overpowered dehumidifier, as it will consume much more electricity than any relevant product.
Dehumidification performance is the numerical variable used to define the amount of moisture a dehumidifier will reduce in a certain period of time. You should choose the idol model by checking if the product meets your requirement or not. Suppose your basement is sadly cursed with very high moisture level all the time, you should be going for a dehumidifier which can reduce a high amount of moisture in a day. So, if you have the same issue, you should go for the heavy machines such as the Ivation 70 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier.
Another important aspect that you should check while purchasing a dehumidifier is an inbuilt pump. Pump serves as a great ally of your dehumidifier as it saves you from the trouble of running to the basement several times a day to drain the water. Not many dehumidifiers are in the market that offer an inbuilt pump setup. So, this is the part where AlorAir Basement/Crawlspace Dehumidifier again excels in our list of the best dehumidifiers for a basement.
If you are also a part of this era’s hectic culture then choosing a dehumidifier with a large water tank capacity is quintessential. The purpose of this water tank is to store off the collected moisture of the basement’s surrounding in the form of water. Some dehumidifiers come with small water tanks while some of them are huge, like the Tosot 50 Pint Dehumidifier, so you have to make the right decision as per your requirement. For those who have an outlet in the basement that they can use as the way to transfer the collected water in the drainage, you can go for both the small and the medium tank capacity dehumidifiers. But, in the opposite case where you do not have the liberty to use any outlet then you should choose a dehumidifier with large water tank capacity such as. This will save quite some time as you would not have to come running multiple times every day, all the way to your basement to drain the water bucket.
When you are in the market in search of a dehumidifier, you will find a large variety of products that will come with multiple settings options such as, working modes and collection speed. This is the time when the customers get into the dilemma. So, choose the product as per your needs. Normally, two or three settings are allowing you to choose the exact speed.
Choose a product with such options only when you have a concern regarding the sound that a dehumidifier will produce, and the amount of energy it will consume. Some models offer an eco mode (as seen in the Ivation 70 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier) allowing you to reduce not only your basement humidity level, but also the energy bills.
For those of you who want their dehumidifiers to work constantly all the time, it is better to choose one with the continuous drain option, such as the Tosot 50 Pint Dehumidifier or the AlorAir Basement/Crawlspace Dehumidifier. This feature allows a flow of water to leave the dehumidifier module on a constant basis. Such models come with a drainage hole on the bottom of their water tank. This is a great feature which is quite handy for those who have a drainage outlet available in the basement area.
Whenever you buy any item for your household, product’s dimensions and weight play a critical role in the purchase. In the case of dehumidifiers, this aspect becomes more important as you might use dehumidifiers in your basement as well as other places too. So, choosing one with better mobility might be a great asset for you. So, before the final purchase, you should check the dimensions and weights of the product and go as per your availability. For instance, if you’re searching for a very compact model to use in a small basement, go for the Gurin Thermo-Electric Dehumidifier.
One thing that might not affect you immediately but offers great significance in the long run is the warranty of the dehumidifier. Some people consider this as a deal breaker.
A longer warranty period not only gives you a sense of security and satisfaction but also saves your funds in case your dehumidifier hits the rock bottom and you require fixing for it.
Dehumidifiers like AlorAir Basement/Crawlspace Dehumidifier might be a great pick if you are looking for the best dehumidifier with an extended warranty.
These days dehumidifiers come with a variety of inbuilt features which you should give an emphasis upon:
LED / LCD indicators: Some dehumidifiers come with an LCD display of all the functions and stats related to the product while some of them are represented in the form of LED indicators. LCD displays are more compact and easy to access as compared to LED indicators. LCD displays the stats which a user can read without any prevalent know-how. But, LED indicators offer information with a variety of blipping pattern. LED dehumidifiers are relatively cheap than those with LCD panels.
Defrost: Some of the dehumidifiers for basement come with an auto defrost module while others have regular defrost modules. The difference between the two should be judged according to your basement’s regular temperature. If your basement has a pretty low temperature, then you should go for a dehumidifier with auto defrost. But, if your basement is not that cool on a regular basis then even a manual defrost module enabled dehumidifier will work just fine.
Auto shut-off: Power consumption is the very first thing that comes to our mind when we go for the purchase of any electronic product. Dehumidifiers that come with an auto shut-off feature are very efficient as the user can set the base value of auto start and once the basement’s humidity reaches to that level the machine will start automatically. So, it saves the energy that might have been wasted for using it at times when humidity is quite low. Also, this feature adds some peace of mind regarding possible leakage when you don’t use the continuous drainage option: the unit will shut down when the water tank is full.
Molds can cause serious health issues, including the black mold. Basements are the most neglected part of a household. Thus, the chances of moisture boosting up the creation of molds in the basement area are a real threat, both to health and your house. You can follow these tips to keep your basement mold-free:
Dehumidifiers come with a variety of features and modes, and here are the three that impressed us most of all.
Dehumidification performance is the crucial feature when it comes to the unit’s overall effectiveness evaluation. So, this makes the Tosot 50 Pint Dehumidifier the best dehumidifier for basement mold, in our opinion. It excels in almost every category as it has a coverage area of up to 3,000 square feet, the dehumidification performance of 50 pints a day and the water reservoir capacity of two gallons.
Water tank storage capacity plays a great role in the overall effectiveness, and thus, the AlorAir Basement/Crawlspace Dehumidifier is the second best-rated dehumidifier for the basement as it offers a spacious water tank of 16 ounces.
Whereas, the best ratio when it comes to dimensions and product’s effectiveness, Gurin Thermo-Electric Dehumidifier is the perfect fit for the title of the best portable dehumidifier for a small basement and is also our budget pick. It offers almost all the features that are required, and all of them are combined in a compact design.
