Types of dehumidifiers

Dehumidifiers typically work via condensation or desiccants, with condensation models being the most common and most effective. Among condensation dehumidifiers, some smaller units can only be drained manually, where the reservoir tank must be removed and emptied periodically. (Most dehumidifiers will shut off when their reservoir becomes full.) 

Many larger units are also built with the option for a drain hose attachment, where the dehumidifier can drain continuously through the hose directed to a sink or floor drain. While this primarily relies on gravity, some units also include a drain pump so that condensation can be directed upward to a sink for frequent emptying and draining.

Dehumidifier size and volume

Most dehumidifiers are classified according to their reach, the square footage you can expect to dehumidify, as well as their volume, usually measured in how many pints or gallons of water per day it can pull from the air. The typical reach for average floor model dehumidifiers is between 1,500 and 4,500 square feet, with the capacity usually between 20 and 70 pints — or 3 to 10.5 gallons — of water per day. However, this capacity does not necessarily indicate the volume of a given model’s reservoir. In order for the dehumidifier to pull the maximum number of pints/gallons per day from the air, the unit must be allowed to continuously drain via a hose, or the reservoir must be drained manually as often as necessary.

As for the size of the dehumidifier itself, if you’re trying to dehumidify an average size room in your home, (i.e. not a closet or bathroom,) dehumidifiers are typically going to be placed on the floor, and have a relatively large footprint. Those on this list are, on average, about 12 inches deep by 15 inches wide, with a height of about 24 inches. There are smaller units available that can sit on a counter, dresser or desktop, but those will typically only be effective for dehumidifying small, enclosed spaces and have a significantly smaller capacity for collecting condensation.

Dehumidifier features

In addition to reach and capacity, you may want to consider a number of other features when shopping for a dehumidifier. Certain models have smart-enabled capabilities, meaning you can monitor and control them remotely when they are connected to your home Wi-Fi. Models with pumps allow you to drain the water upward into a sink without relying on gravity. A defrost function might be an attractive feature if you are running your dehumidifier in a damp and cold environment. Dehumidifiers can also have a wide variety of controls, including sleep timers, custom humidity settings and multiple speeds.