Dark And Damp? The Best Dehumidifier For Basement Rooms

A dehumidifier is a great tool to have around your home. As the name suggests, it sucks air in from one end, strips the moisture from it, and blows the same air back into circulation.

If your home has a room that feels damp (generally a problem in basements) then the purchase of a dehumidifier can be a great way to fix the problem, and avoid other costly repairs or health issues down the line (as a result of mould, for example).

A dehumidifier can also help keep food like cereal and bread stay fresher for a longer period of time, especially in naturally humid environments.

What's the best dehumidifier for the basement?

What should you look for in a dehumidifier?

You might want to think about noise and ensure yours won’t keep the household up, since usually if you’re running one it tends to need a few hours to make an impact.

You’ll also want to think about size and keep it small enough to be stored conveniently, but big enough to do the job at hand.

Let’s look at some different types of dehumidifiers.

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Top 10 Best Dehumidifier For Basement Rooms

Size Matters

Mini dehumidifiers are great for small places. If you live in a condo or apartment, and they are the best dehumidifiers for small basements and other small rooms. 

Don’t be fooled by their small size though. These little units can pack a punch and do a great job.

A bigger machine can, of course, tackle a much larger space. They also have the ability to hold a lot more water in their buckets, so they can typically run longer before needing to be emptied.

It’s best to buy a unit that fits the spaces you’re using it in so you don’t spend more than you need to.  don’t try to make a unit operate longer or for bigger spaces than it was designed and built for.

Rechargeable Dehumidifiers, Batteries, and Plug In

Rechargeable types of dehumidifiers don’t need to be plugged in to operate, and they don’t run on batteries.

Instead, you plug it in to charge just like a lot of our other devices these days (phones, music players, and laptops to name just a few). It runs on the charge for hours before needing to be plugged in again.

They’re great for being moved around easily and in spaces where an outlet might not be available.

A battery operated dehumidifier will be easily moved around too, although you’ll need to keep a good supply of batteries around and refresh them from time to time.

A plug-in unit will need to be kept close to an outlet, although this isn’t typically a hindrance as any room in your home should be equipped with a variety of them.

Dehumidifiers With Built In Drains

If you’re tired of emptying out buckets of water from your dehumidifier, you might want to look into this type.

With its built in drain pump and drain outlet, you simply hook it up to a hose and pump the water outside where it can be absorbed into the ground.

Alternatively, pump it into a nearby drain and avoid the back breaking task of emptying those heavy buckets once and for all.

Some feel that these types are the best dehumidifiers for basements, as you tend to have a drain right in the vicinity.

Dehumidifiers With Auto Shut-off

These are certainly handy if you’re setting up the dehumidifier and heading off to work for the day, or if you want to run the unit all night long.

Once the bucket is full, the unit will shut itself down, saving you from facing a terrible situation once you arrive home at the end of the day.

Once you’ve emptied the bucket, it can start up again and the auto shut off will be once again activated.

Refrigerant Dehumidifier

A dehumidifier like this takes air in and passes it over coils which cool it to such a degree that any water turns to condensation.

The water is then collected in a pan, which is emptied by the homeowner or, in some models, automatically drained through a drain outlet, usually at the back of the model.

Dessicant Dehumidifier

A dessicant dehumidifier pulls air in through a rotor which contains moisture wicking dessicant material.

The water in the material is then heated and turned back into water, typically to be ducted out of the environment.

The dehumidified air is blown back into the room.

Temperature Operation

There are dehumidifiers that operate at a certain temperature no matter what, while others give you the option of selection different temperatures, or even have a built-in sensor so that they save energy by operating at low temperatures only.

If you’re trying to save money or are sensitive about your energy usage, look for a product that advertises low energy consumption specifically.

Brands

There are numerous brands of dehumidifiers on the market today, but whether you’re familiar with Eva-dry, Frigidaire, Keystone, or one of the many other brands available, you should look at specific factors of the dehumidifier.

What's the extraction rate? 

What are the running costs and how easily can the unit be moved around?

If you’re not going to move the unit often, perhaps weight won’t be an issue, but if you plan on using it in several rooms or even over different floors in your home, you don’t want to strain yourself in the process.

Another factor to consider is noise. A quiet hum can fly under the radar, but you’d hate to be kept awake at night.

Now that you’re armed with some new information, let’s look at some specific dehumidifiers and what helped them make it to our best dehumidifier review!

This dehumidifier is pet safe and safe to use around small children as well.

Its spill and mess free, and contains no harmful toxins.

The charged life lasts a pretty amazing 20 to 30 days before needing to be plugged back in and will charge overnight, ready to be used the next day.

Because you won’t need to plug it in while using it, this unit is a great option for several spaces in your home and is very lightweight.

It will dehumidify an area of up to 333 cubic feet and customers noted that after purchasing these units lasted over 10 years with no issues!

Frigidaire is a pretty common household name.

No doubt you have other products in your home made by this reputable company.

Their low-temperature operation will save both money and energy.

The unit comes with a built-in timer and control lock.

At 70 pints per day, it will haul a lot of water from a room and works to protect your home from and eliminate mould and mildew, killing harmful bacteria in the process.

If you have allergies and difficulty breathing in your home, this just may be the ticket.

Another hefty workhorse, Keystone’s dehumidifier will remove up to 70 pints of water from the air per day, in a room up to 4500 square feet.

It's one of the best dehumidifiers for larger basements.

It has a conveniently lit up LED display and a built-in 24-hour timer.

In the event of a power outage, your Keystone product will automatically save your settings and continue on once power is restored.

It also has 3 settings to choose from; normal, turbo and auto-defrost.

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This smaller sized dehumidifier by Ivation is super silent. You probably won’t even hear it while it’s operating.

It comes with not only the standard removable bucket, but also a removable air filter that you can wash and reinstall.

There's a handy “tank full” indicator light and the unit will shut off automatically once the water reservoir has been filled.

The small size of this unit means that it’s easy to store and great for small places where a bigger unit will simply not fit.

Looking for a dehumidifier that saves you from the labour of emptying heavy buckets of water?

Look no further than the Friedrich with built-in drain pump!

This great model includes a drain pump that can pump vertically or horizontally, depending on your needs, and there's a continuous drainage option with it’s’ drain outlet in the rear.

It comes with a 24-hour timer and plugs into a standard 115V electrical outlet.

As if you needed any more convincing, this one is Energy star qualified.

You’ve just read through our 5 top dehumidifiers, but we’ve got 5 more for your perusal.

These ones simply can’t be overlooked, especially if you’re looking for the best dehumidifier for your basement.

With whisper quiet technology, this just might be the quietest dehumidifier on the market.

The compact size ensures that it will fit into small places so you can conveniently tuck it into corners and keep it from underfoot.

The indicator light will let you know when the bucket is full, but the Gurin also comes equipped with a safety auto shut off.

Low energy consumption!

Another small but powerful unit by Ivation.

This one is great for more speciality jobs should you need it (boat, attic, antique car). 

However, it works just as well in the basement or any other room you need to remove humidity from.

This also features a super convenient and health boosting removable and washable air filter.

Far different from the others on the list, this simple gel dehumidifier dessicant pack is super absorbent.

It will protect those items frequently stored in your basement, such as cameras, telescopes, and tool boxes.

Wonderful for small spaces where a standard dehumidifier wouldn’t stand a chance of fitting into.

For tiny spaces up to 200 feet, try out Ivation’s ERSDM18 mini.

The quiet operation means it will run silently doing its job without bothering anyone, day or night.

Despite the tiny size, this unit will run a full two days of nonstop operation and then automatically shut off when the tank is full.

Another dehumidifier that I just had to include and specifically for use, again, with items typically stored in the basement.

Protect your gun safe or any other small enclosure with this miniature and self-sufficient (no buckets to empty or hoses to drain) dehumidifier made specifically for spaces up to 100 cubic feet.

With a lifetime warranty, GoldenRod definitely stands behind its product.

To Sum Up...

Protecting your home from extra humidity can not only make it a more comfortable environment but will also decrease health risks. 

If your allergies flare up around the home, it could well be due to bacteria, mildew or even mould in the space.

Removing the humidity will help to kill existing issues and prevent future outbreaks.

Your food (think rice, salt, cereals and bread) will all stay fresher with reduced humidity, and your clothes and blankets, linens and floor coverings will stay fresher and dryer as long as your dehumidifier is doing its job.

Try one of the dehumidifiers on our list for improved health and condition of your belongings!