Dehumidifiers: Expert and User Reviews

Our AssessmentConsumerReports.org editors evaluate 29 dehumidifiers, ranging in capacity from 45 to 74 pints. Editors rate each model for water removal at various temperatures and humidity levels, humidistat accuracy, energy efficiency and noise level at the highest setting. The highest-rated models are excellent at water removal. Editors ultimately recommend five large-capacity and six three medium-capacity units -- some based on testing and others based on their similarity to tested models.

Our AssessmentAllergyBuyersClub.com tailors its product selection to consumers who suffer from allergies. Expert reviewers rate each dehumidifier on various factors, including moisture removal, noise level, operation in low temperatures, drainage and energy use. However, it is not clear whether the dehumidifiers have been subjected to any hands-on testing. While several basement and home dehumidifiers receive perfect 5-star overall ratings, none of the quieter bedroom humidifiers earns more than 4 stars. The editors' top pick for both basement and home use is the 90-pint Aprilaire 1710A, which can cover an area up to 2,000 square feet and operate in temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Reviews from owners are also available on this site, though most dehumidifiers have only a handful.

Our AssessmentAmazon.com is the best source we've found for reviews on a wide variety of dehumidifier brands. The 70-pint Frigidaire FAD704DUD receives a solid rating of 4 stars out of 5 from more than 300 owners; however, it still is not as highly rated as its predecessor, the now-discontinued Frigidaire FAD704TDP, with 4.5 stars overall from more than 400 owners. We also found excellent reviews (though not as many of them) for the Sunpentown SD-65E. Two wireless mini dehumidifiers, the The Eva-Dry E-500 and Eva-Dry E-333, receive 4-star ratings from more than 100 owners each.

Our AssessmentWalmart.com stocks about two dozen dehumidifiers by numerous manufacturers, but most receive fewer than 10 reviews from owners. However, two Frigidaire models -- the 50-pint Frigidaire FAD504DUD and the 70-pint Frigidaire FAD704DUD -- receive high overall ratings (at least 4.5 stars out of 5, on average) from 50 users or more. We also found generally positive reviews for the GE ADEW50LP, a Wal-Mart equivalent to the GE ADER30LQ.

Our AssessmentThis online retailer specializes in large-capacity dehumidifiers than can remove moisture from a whole house, large basement or crawl space. They offer brands like Santa Fe and Aprilaire that cost more than $1,000. The Santa Fe Classic, a whole-house dehumidifier with a capacity of 110 pints per day, receives a near-perfect rating of 4.7 stars out of 5 from more than 100 owners. The Aprilaire 1750A, Santa Fe Advance and Santa Fe Compact are the highest rated among dehumidifiers for crawl spaces. User reviews on this site tend to be more detailed and technical than those on other retail sites. The site also has an FAQ discussing the benefits of whole-house dehumidifiers and how they stack up against the less expensive portable models.

Our AssessmentSears.com sells a wide assortment of dehumidifiers, but only a dozen or so have any reviews posted by consumers. Kenmore models receive the largest share of reviews -- some enthusiastic, others less so. While the 50-pint Kenmore 50501 receives an overall rating of 4 stars out of a possible 5 from more than 80 users, the 70-pint Kenmore Elite 90701 receives a lukewarm 2.5 stars out of 5 from about 70 owners, many of whom complain that the pump is unreliable. The 70-pint Kenmore 511101 and 35-pint Kenmore 511000 both receive a middling overall rating of 3.5 stars. Although these small-capacity units work well, owners say, they are noisy and awkward to use.

Our AssessmentThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) measures dehumidifier efficiency in liters of water removed per kilowatt-hour of energy consumed. Dehumidifiers that are Energy Star-qualified must be 15 percent more efficient than models with a comparable capacity. The site provides a downloadable list of all humidifiers that meet Energy Star requirements. By comparing the higher-capacity models on this list to lower-capacity models, you can see that larger dehumidifiers are generally more efficient than smaller ones.

Our AssessmentNewegg.com, an online retailer that specializes in electronics, offers a limited selection of dehumidifiers (about a dozen models in all). However, none of the currently available models has accumulated more than about 15 reviews. Therefore, we have not relied on this site for recommendations, though we have consulted it as an additional source of information about models that are well-rated at other sites.

Our AssessmentFewer than 20 dehumidifiers are sold at BestBuy.com, and fewer still receive any reviews from users. The only model we found with a significant number of positive reviews is the Frigidaire FAD504TDB, which appears to be Best Buy's version of the discontinued Frigidaire FAD504TDD. The newer version of the same model, the Frigidaire FAD504DUD, gets fewer reviews, but they are still generally positive.