The 8 Best Dehumidifiers Under $500 for Basements, Bedrooms and Whole Homes, Ranked & Reviewed

Our verdict: An Energy Star certified machine with an 80 pint per day maximum and 5500 square foot coverage.

The AEOCKY is a full-size dehumidifier with a listed 5500 square foot coverage, an 80 pint per day maximum capacity and Energy Star certification, in the $200 to $500 range.

It wins because it is the only machine here that matches the numbers on its label. A pint-per-day rating is the industry measure of how much water a dehumidifier removes, and 80 pints is a large-capacity class meant for damp basements and whole-floor use. Energy Star certification means a verified efficiency standard, which counts because a dehumidifier runs for hours. The cost is size and weight, and a price near the top of this guide.

Buy it if you need to dry a basement, a crawl space or a large open floor. Skip it if you only have a damp closet.

Capacity

80 pints per day max

Coverage

5500 sq ft listed

Certification

Energy Star

Bracket

$200 to $500

Our verdict: A 2000 sq ft unit with a continuous drain hose, 24-hour timer, child lock and auto defrost.

The Kesnos is listed for homes and basements, with a 2000 sq ft coverage, a continuous drain hose, a 24-hour timer, a child lock and auto defrost. The name suggests a 34-pint class rating.

The drain hose is the feature that changes daily life. A tank must be emptied by hand, often twice a day in a damp basement, but a hose runs the water to a floor drain or a sump and removes the chore. Auto defrost lets the unit keep working in cooler rooms, where coils otherwise ice up, and the timer lets you run it off-peak. It ranks second because its capacity is lower than the AEOCKY's, and the listing's title is cut off.

Buy it if you have a large room or a basement with a drain. Skip it if you need whole-house capacity.

Coverage

2000 sq ft listed

Drain

Continuous drain hose

Controls

24H timer, child lock

Protection

Auto defrost

Our verdict: A 101 oz tank unit sold with two rechargeable dehumidifying boxes for closets.

The TABYIK bundles a dehumidifier with a 101 oz tank and a two-pack of rechargeable dehumidifying boxes. The 101 oz tank is the largest tank in this ranking.

The bundle is a clever idea for a household with several damp spots: the main unit handles a bedroom or living space, and the rechargeable boxes sit in closets and cabinets where a machine will not fit. Rechargeable boxes absorb moisture and then dry out on a charger. The listing gives no coverage or pint rating, so you cannot judge how large a space the main unit handles.

Buy it if you want to treat a room and several small enclosed spaces at once. Skip it if you want a stated capacity.

Tank

101 oz

Bundle

2 rechargeable boxes

Use

Home and closets

Coverage

Not listed

Our verdict: A 98 oz tank and 1000 sq ft listed coverage for a standard room, at $50 to $100.

The KeepGlad lists a 98 oz tank and 1000 square feet of coverage, and costs between $50 and $100. It is the straightforward room-sized unit in the group.

A 98 oz tank holds roughly three quarters of a gallon, which is a useful buffer in a damp room, though it will fill fast in a very humid one. The 1000 sq ft figure is a seller claim, and a unit without a pint rating is better judged by the room's real conditions. It ranks fourth because the listing offers no extras such as a drain hose or a timer.

Buy it if you want a no-frills unit for a bedroom, office or small living room. Skip it if you want a drain hose or a sleep mode.

Tank

98 oz

Coverage

1000 sq ft listed

Use

Standard rooms

Bracket

$50 to $100

Our verdict: A 95 oz tank, 1000 sq ft coverage, a sleep mode and an auto shut-off for bedrooms.

The ToLife lists a 95 oz tank, 1000 sq ft coverage, a sleep mode and an auto shut-off, at $50 to $100.

A sleep mode is the reason to pick it over the KeepGlad. Bedrooms are where noise and lights hurt, and a mode that lowers fan speed or dims indicators lets you run the unit overnight. Auto shut-off stops the machine when the tank fills, which protects the floor. It ranks fifth because its core numbers are nearly the same as the KeepGlad's, and the price is the same.

Buy it if the unit will live in a bedroom. Skip it if you want a drain hose for a basement.

Tank

95 oz

Coverage

1000 sq ft listed

Mode

Sleep mode

Safety

Auto shut-off

Our verdict: A 95 oz tank and 1000 sq ft coverage with a 7-color ambient light.

The NineSky lists a 95 oz water tank, 1000 sq ft coverage and a 7-color ambient light, at $50 to $100.

The ambient light is a style feature, a soft glow that works as a night light in a nursery or a living room. It adds nothing to drying, and some sleepers dislike light in the bedroom, so check that it can be switched off. The core specs match its cousins, so the choice between this one and the ToLife comes down to taste.

Buy it if you like the lighting and want a room-sized unit. Skip it if you want features that help drying.

Tank

95 oz

Coverage

1000 sq ft listed

Lighting

7-color ambient light

Bracket

$50 to $100

Our verdict: A 95 oz, 1000 sq ft dehumidifier marketed as quiet, with a truncated listing.

The BEDRED lists a 95 oz tank, 1000 sq ft coverage and quiet operation, at $50 to $100. The title is cut off, so the full feature list is unclear.

It ranks seventh because the listing here shows only the headline numbers. An earlier compact BEDRED listing named semiconductor thermoelectric cooling, which is quiet but weaker in cool rooms, and that is worth asking the seller about before relying on a 1000 sq ft claim. Quiet running makes it a fit for a bedroom or office.

Buy it if silence matters and the room is warm. Check the cooling type and removal rate first.

Tank

95 oz

Coverage

1000 sq ft listed

Noise

Marketed as quiet

Bracket

$50 to $100

Our verdict: A compact 58 oz, 230 sq ft unit with safety features, for the lowest cost.

This compact dehumidifier lists a 1657mL (58 oz) tank, 230 square feet of coverage and safety protection, at $25 to $50.

It is here as the budget end of the range, and it is the only unit with a modest, honest coverage figure. A 230 sq ft claim suits a small bedroom or an office, and that is the right scale for a unit this size. It ranks last in a guide with a $500 ceiling because it cannot treat a basement or a large room.

Buy it if you have a single small room and want the lowest cost. Step up to the Kesnos or KeepGlad for anything bigger.

Tank

1657mL (58 oz)

Coverage

230 sq ft listed

Safety

Protection features

Bracket

$25 to $50