Dehumidifier Energy Use: Reading Wattage and Ratings

What energy consumption means on a listing

A dehumidifier listing may print several energy words: watts, amps, or an efficiency rating such as Energy Factor or Integrated Energy Factor. These are the maker's stated details, the same details the buying guides on this site compare. The site does not run a unit or measure its power draw, so it never states a wattage figure, an hourly cost, or a bill amount.

When a listing names a wattage figure, that number is the electrical draw the maker prints for the model. The maker's page is the place to read the full figure and the conditions it is stated under. The guides here explain the term and then send you to the maker for the number.

• Read the watts figure on the listing or maker's page as a stated detail, not a promise of what your outlet will see.
• Compare 2 units by what each maker states, then read the maker's manual for how the unit cycles.

Wattage and compressor cycles

A compressor dehumidifier draws power while the compressor and fan run, then switches off when the humidistat senses the set point. That on and off pattern is a cycle. The wattage the maker prints describes the draw during operation, but the energy used over a day depends on how often the unit cycles on and off, which the listing does not state.

The Department of Energy's dehumidifier page explains that the current rating metric includes the energy the unit uses after it cycles off. That matters because a unit that sits at the set point for part of the day still draws a small amount while it waits. Read the maker's manual for how the cycles are controlled and when the compressor runs.

For a model with a pump, the pump is an additional motor that draws power only when it moves water. A listing that says "pump included" does not state how often the pump runs. That detail belongs to the maker's page and the manual; the pump benefits guide explains the shopping side of that choice.

Energy Factor versus Integrated Energy Factor

The Department of Energy defines the efficiency rating for dehumidifiers. The older metric, Energy Factor (EF), measured how many liters of water a unit removes per kilowatt-hour while it was running. The newer metric, Integrated Energy Factor (IEF), replaces it and includes the energy the unit uses when it has cycled off, so it better reflects what a unit does across a typical day. The change took effect with the 2019 standards.

The ENERGY STAR testing page states that the new procedure rates portable dehumidifiers at 65 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 80 degrees, which reflects a basement setting and means the capacity figure is usually smaller than under the old procedure. That is why a listing may carry 2 capacity figures: one from the older measure and one from the newer. A maker that states the rating standard on its page lets you read which figure you are looking at.

The efficiency metric is stated in liters per kilowatt-hour. A higher figure means a more efficient unit in general terms, but this site does not convert figures between standards and does not state a number itself. Read the maker's page for the metric and the standard it uses.

Energy Star as a program

Energy Star is a voluntary program run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. The ENERGY STAR dehumidifier page states that certified models use more efficient refrigeration coils, compressors, and fans and remove the same amount of moisture as a similarly sized conventional unit while using 20% less energy. That statement is the program's description, not a promise made by this site.

A listing may say Energy Star or may not. A listing without the mark is simply one where the seller did not state it. To check whether a specific model is certified, the ENERGY STAR product finder on the program's site is the authoritative step. The best Energy Star dehumidifier guide lists picks by stated details, including the mark.

The site explains the program from the program's page and never promises a cost figure or a savings amount. For the difference between a certified and a non-certified listing, the energy star versus non-energy star article walks through the shopping comparison.

What the site cannot say about energy

This site has no measured energy data for any unit. It does not state a running cost, a wattage figure, a decibel level, or a savings amount. The energy words in an article are explanations of listing terms, and the numbers live on the maker's page and on the ENERGY STAR product finder.

When a maker's page states wattage or an efficiency rating, read the conditions that sit next to the figure, such as the room temperature or the measuring standard. Those conditions are the maker's own, and they are part of the stated detail. For the continuous drain and pump choices that affect how long a unit runs, the drain options article explains the shopping side.

If you want a model that carries the Energy Star mark, start with the Energy Star guide. If your need is a specific room, the best dehumidifier guide sorts the picks by pints per day and drain type.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

Can this site tell me the running cost of a dehumidifier?

No. The site has no measured energy data and does not state a cost, a wattage figure, or a bill amount. The maker's page is the place to read the wattage the maker prints for the model.

What is Integrated Energy Factor?

It is the Department of Energy's newer efficiency rating for dehumidifiers. It measures liters of water removed per kilowatt-hour and includes the energy the unit uses after it cycles off. The older Energy Factor metric did not include that standby draw.

Why does one model have 2 capacity figures?

The old and new DOE procedures use different rating conditions. The new procedure rates portable units at 65 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 80 degrees, which usually gives a smaller capacity figure. A maker that states the standard on its page lets you read which figure you are looking at.

Should I buy an Energy Star certified model?

The Energy Star program states that certified models remove the same moisture as a comparable unit while using 20% less energy. The decision is a shopping one: read the stated details on the listing and the maker's page, and confirm the mark in the ENERGY STAR product finder.

What does wattage on a listing tell me?

It is the electrical draw the maker prints for the model during operation. It does not state how often the compressor cycles on and off, which is what determines energy use over a day. Read the maker's manual for the cycle behavior.