Energy Star vs Non-Energy Star Dehumidifier

What the Energy Star mark means on a listing

An Energy Star label on a dehumidifier listing tells you that the seller is stating the model is certified under the ENERGY STAR program, a voluntary labeling program run by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The ENERGY STAR homepage describes certified products as “the simple choice for saving energy.”

Certification is a stated detail, not a guarantee of performance from this site. When the mark appears in a title or a feature bullet, the seller has stated it. When it is absent, the seller has simply not stated it; that absence does not mean the model fails any rule, only that you cannot confirm the mark from the listing alone. To see certified picks, start with the Energy Star buying guide.

How certification is determined

The ENERGY STAR dehumidifier page states that a certified model uses more efficient refrigeration coils, compressors and fans to remove the same amount of moisture as a similarly sized conventional unit while using 20% less energy. That figure is the program's own statement about the category, not a running-cost figure for any single home.

How much energy a unit actually uses depends on the space, the conditions and how long it runs, details this site has no data for. The program's 20% figure is a comparison between a certified and a conventional unit of similar size, and it is the only energy statement made on that page.

Efficiency is measured by the integrated energy factor, in liters of water removed per kilowatt-hour of energy consumed. The Department of Energy defines the metric, and the ENERGY STAR page says a higher integrated energy factor means a more efficient dehumidifier. Unlike the older energy factor, the integrated energy factor includes the energy a unit uses when it has cycled off. The energy factor explainer walks through the term.

The federal efficiency floor

All dehumidifiers sold in the US must meet energy conservation standards set by the Department of Energy, as the DOE's consumer dehumidifiers page states. Certification under ENERGY STAR is voluntary and sits above that floor: the mark means a model has met additional criteria beyond the minimum standard.

The DOE also revised how dehumidifiers are measured. As of June 2019, the integrated energy factor replaced the older energy factor, and portable units are measured at 65 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 80, which the ENERGY STAR page says more closely reflects expected performance in a basement setting. The same page states that a unit measured under the new procedure will likely report a smaller pint capacity than under the old one. Treat a capacity figure on a listing as the seller's stated number, not a promise about your room.

When 2 listings show different pint figures for similar units, the difference may come from the measurement procedure rather than from the units themselves. The capacity guides group models by the stated capacity group.

Reading Energy Star and energy words on a listing

A listing may print “Energy Star” in the title or in the feature bullets, and it may also carry efficiency words such as “energy factor,” “integrated energy factor” or “L/kWh.” These are efficiency terms; the actual number belongs on the maker's page. A title that does not mention Energy Star or any efficiency term gives you no information either way.

If you want to confirm that a specific model is certified, the ENERGY STAR product finder lists certified models. That is a step you take yourself; the catalogue on this site can only reflect what the seller states in the listing.

How to read the energy words on a listing:

• “Energy Star” in the title or bullets: the seller states the model is certified.
• “Integrated energy factor” or “L/kWh” followed by a number: an efficiency figure; compare numbers across maker pages.
• No energy words: a missing detail; read the maker's page.

What this site cannot tell you about energy use

Nothing on a listing is a promise about an electric bill. This catalogue carries no measured energy use, no watts, no running-cost figures and no savings calculations. The phrase “Energy Star” is a program name, and the 20% figure on the ENERGY STAR page is the program's statement about the category, not a calculation for your home.

To compare 2 units by efficiency, read the integrated energy factor stated on each maker's page and compare the 2 numbers. The Energy Star requirements explainer describes the criteria in listing terms. The buying guides on this site compare stated details such as the Energy Star mark, capacity group, drain options and type.

Energy Star and the price tier

Certification is not a price promise. An Energy Star certified model can appear at a budget tier or a premium tier, and a model without the mark can carry a higher price than a certified one. Compare by stated details, not by the mark alone.

The buying guides group units by capacity, drain and use. The large space guide is a starting point for a big room, and the whole house guide covers permanently installed units.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

Does a non-Energy Star dehumidifier still have to meet an efficiency rule?

Yes. The Department of Energy sets minimum energy conservation standards that apply to all dehumidifiers sold in the US, as stated on the DOE's consumer dehumidifiers page. The Energy Star mark is a voluntary step above that floor.

What does the Energy Star mark mean on a listing?

It means the seller is stating that the model is certified under the ENERGY STAR program. It is a stated detail you read on the listing or confirm through the ENERGY STAR product finder.

Does Energy Star guarantee a lower electric bill?

No. The ENERGY STAR dehumidifier page states that certified units use 20% less energy than a similarly sized conventional unit, but actual energy use depends on the space, the conditions and how long the unit runs. This site has no running-cost data.

What is the integrated energy factor?

It is the efficiency metric for dehumidifiers, measured in liters of water removed per kilowatt-hour of energy consumed. A higher factor means a more efficient unit, and it includes the energy a unit uses when it has cycled off.

Why do similar dehumidifiers show different pint capacities?

The Department of Energy changed the measurement procedure in 2019, and portable units are now measured at a lower temperature, which the ENERGY STAR page says leads to a smaller reported capacity than under the old procedure.