
Does A Dehumidifier Use A Lot Of Electricity
The modern dehumidifiers are a lot more energy efficient and do not use a lot of electricity. In fact dehumidifiers use less electricity compared to an air conditioner.

How Does a Dehumidifier Work?
Dehumidify or dehumidification
This means to pull out or remove the water vapor from the air. Dehumidification is the process of eliminating atmospheric moisture in various ways. The basis of mechanics of dehumidifiers is the chosen method
There are two types of dehumidifiers. A refrigerant and a desiccant dehumidifier.
Refrigerant dehumidifier
A refrigerant dehumidifier uses pretty much the same mechanism as your home refrigerator. A cold metal plate on which moisture from the air condenses cools the air that comes in contact. A fan draws the room air over to the cold coil(s).
The liquid water droplets that form during this process drip into a water tank in the dehumidifier. The relative humidity in the room/home goes down to normal levels. The unit will then turn to standby.
Refrigerant dehumidifiers are most effective at typical room temperatures. I have noticed that their performance declines when conditions are cooler. This decline in efficiency is because ice crystals form on the metal cooling plates.
I have also noticed that once the temperature falls below 65°F/18°C, there is remarkable inefficiency. After this point, you need a higher-performing unit which tends to push up the price. So if you need a dehumidifier to use in a room with low temperatures, this may not be the best option.
Desiccant dehumidifier
Desiccant, or absorption dehumidifiers use a desiccant to absorb water from the air. A desiccant is a material that absorbs water. You’ve likely seen a small pack of crystals labeled “silica gel.” You find them in boxes, cameras, computers, and other gadgets.
How Does It Work? A desiccant in a dehumidifier works as follows:
A wheel made of desiccant spins through the incoming air stream and absorbs moisture. A part of the wheel passes through a stream of heated air throughout the rotation cycle. This “reactivates” the desiccant by removing moisture.
The condensed water is then collected in the dehumidifier’s collection tank. Otherwise it empties out through a hose. This type of dehumidifier is often smaller and lighter than refrigerant dehumidifiers. Most desiccant dehumidifiers are portable units.
The advantage of a desiccant dehumidifier is that it can work at lower temperatures. You might want to consider this model if you’re looking for a dehumidifier for a very cool space. , such as a garage or workshop.
Cost To Run A Dehumidifier Calculator
Enter the dehumidifier amps and cost per kwh and click the CALCULATE BUTTON.
For example, 2 amps and 0.10 or ten cents per kwh for the cost of electricity.
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When looking into buying a dehumidifier and you want to use less electricity, a larger dehumidifier is cheaper. Smaller dehumidifiers use more electricity because they have to run longer. A larger dehumidifier will work a lot faster at removing moisture.
A larger dehumidifier is cheaper to run as compared to smaller one.
Brand Name | Size | Cost Example – Electric | Cost Per Pint |
Examples | (Pints) | (8 hrs a day for 1 month) | |
LKNJLL Small Dehumidifier | Small | 2.59 | |
Ivation 13 Pint Dehumidifier | 13 Pint | 11.26 | $0.87 |
Meaco 17 Pint Dehumidifier | 17 Pint | 15.55 | $0.91 |
COLZER 50 Pint Dehumidifier | 50 Pint | 9.22 | $0.18 |
Honeywell 70 Pint Dehumidifier | 70 Pint | 27.36 | $0.39 |
Honeywell 90 Pint Dehumidifier | 90 Pint | 15.26 | $0.17 |
Aprilaire 95 Pint Dehumidifier | 95 Pint | 23.04 | $0.24 |
BlueDri 150 Pint Dehumidifier | 150 Pint | 21.02 | $0.14 |
CADPXS 180 Pint Dehumidifier | 180 Pint | 16.99 | $0.09 |

Best Energy Efficient dehumidifiers
Brand and Size: Ivation 13 Pint Dehumidifier Area: around 200 to 400 sq ft. Features: Desiccant, Lightweight, User Friendly, Multiple Drainage Options Suited for: Closet, RV, Washroom, Small Room, Kitchen, Bathroom, and more | |||||
Estimated Cost To Operate | |||||
Current in amps | 3.91 | Time On (Hrs) | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate |
Voltage | 120 | Daily | Weekly | Monthly | |
Power Factor | 1 | 4 | 0.19 | 1.31 | 5.63 |
Watts | 469.2 | 8 | 0.37 | 2.63 | 11.26 |
Kilo Watts | 0.47 | 12 | 0.56 | 3.94 | 16.89 |
Cost kWh | 0.10 | 16 | 0.75 | 5.25 | 22.52 |
Cost per Hr | 0.047 | 24 | 1.13 | 7.88 | 33.78 |
Brand and Size: Meaco 17 Pint Dehumidifier Area: around 200 to 400 sq ft. Features: Desiccant, Unique Design, Continuous Drain Suited for: Closet, RV, Small Room, Kitchen, Bathroom, and more | |||||
Estimated Cost To Operate | |||||
Current in amps | 5.4 | Time On (Hrs) | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate |
Voltage | 120 | Daily | Weekly | Monthly | |
Power Factor | 1 | 4 | 0.26 | 1.81 | 7.78 |
Watts | 648 | 8 | 0.52 | 3.63 | 15.55 |
Kilo Watts | 0.65 | 12 | 0.78 | 5.44 | 23.33 |
Cost kWh | 0.10 | 16 | 1.04 | 7.26 | 31.10 |
Cost per Hr | 0.065 | 24 | 1.55 | 10.89 | 46.66 |
Brand and Size: COLZER 50 Pint Dehumidifier Area: around 600 to 1200 sq ft. Features: Drain Hose, Continuous Drainage, 3 Modes, Easy to Operate, Portable, Dry Mode Suited for: Room, Bedroom, Garage, Basement, and more | |||||
Estimated Cost To Operate | |||||
Current in amps | 3.2 | Time On (Hrs) | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate |
Voltage | 120 | Daily | Weekly | Monthly | |
Power Factor | 1 | 4 | 0.15 | 1.07 | 4.61 |
Watts | 384 | 8 | 0.31 | 2.15 | 9.22 |
Kilo Watts | 0.38 | 12 | 0.46 | 3.22 | 13.82 |
Cost kWh | 0.10 | 16 | 0.61 | 4.30 | 18.43 |
Cost per Hr | 0.038 | 24 | 0.92 | 6.45 | 27.65 |
Brand and Size: Honeywell 70 Pint Dehumidifier Area: around 800 to 1600 sq ft. Features: Energy Star, Smart, Easy to Use, Easy to Maintain, Save Energy, Save Money Suited for: Basement, Garage, Warehouse, Whole House, and more | |||||
Estimated Cost To Operate | |||||
Current in amps | 9.5 | Time On (Hrs) | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate |
Voltage | 120 | Daily | Weekly | Monthly | |
Power Factor | 1 | 4 | 0.46 | 3.19 | 13.68 |
Watts | 1140 | 8 | 0.91 | 6.38 | 27.36 |
Kilo Watts | 1.14 | 12 | 1.37 | 9.58 | 41.04 |
Cost kWh | 0.10 | 16 | 1.82 | 12.77 | 54.72 |
Cost per Hr | 0.114 | 24 | 2.74 | 19.15 | 82.08 |
Brand and Size: Honeywell 90 Pint Dehumidifier
Area: around 1200 to 2600 sq ft.
Features: Compact, Energy Star, Built In Humidity Control,
Suited for: Basement, Garage, Warehouse, Whole House, and more
Estimated Cost To Operate | |||||
Current in amps | 5.3 | Time On (Hrs) | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate |
Voltage | 120 | Daily | Weekly | Monthly | |
Power Factor | 1 | 4 | 0.25 | 1.78 | 7.63 |
Watts | 636 | 8 | 0.51 | 3.56 | 15.26 |
Kilo Watts | 0.64 | 12 | 0.76 | 5.34 | 22.89 |
Cost kWh | 0.10 | 16 | 1.02 | 7.12 | 30.53 |
Cost per Hr | 0.064 | 24 | 1.53 | 10.68 | 45.79 |
Brand and Size: Aprilaire 95 Pint Dehumidifier Area: around 1200 to 2600 sq ft. Features: Compact, Efficient, Easy to access, Low Maintenance Suited for: Basement, Garage Crawl Space, Whole House, Industrial Use, and more | |||||
Estimated Cost To Operate | |||||
Current in amps | 8 | Time On (Hrs) | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate |
Voltage | 120 | Daily | Weekly | Monthly | |
Power Factor | 1 | 4 | 0.38 | 2.69 | 11.52 |
Watts | 960 | 8 | 0.77 | 5.38 | 23.04 |
Kilo Watts | 0.96 | 12 | 1.15 | 8.06 | 34.56 |
Cost kWh | 0.10 | 16 | 1.54 | 10.75 | 46.08 |
Cost per Hr | 0.096 | 24 | 2.30 | 16.13 | 69.12 |
Brand and Size: BlueDri 150 Pint Dehumidifier Area: around 2600 to 3500 sq ft. Features: Convenient, Water Damage Restoration, Water Extraction Capability Suited for: Basement, Crawl Space, Whole House, Industrial, Commercial, Garage, and more | |||||
Estimated Cost To Operate | |||||
Current in amps | 7.3 | Time On (Hrs) | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate |
Voltage | 120 | Daily | Weekly | Monthly | |
Power Factor | 1 | 4 | 0.35 | 2.45 | 10.51 |
Watts | 876 | 8 | 0.70 | 4.90 | 21.02 |
Kilo Watts | 0.876 | 12 | 1.05 | 7.36 | 31.54 |
Cost kWh | 0.10 | 16 | 1.40 | 9.81 | 42.05 |
Cost per Hr | 0.0876 | 24 | 2.10 | 14.72 | 63.07 |
Brand and Size: CADPXS 180 Pint Dehumidifier | |||||
Estimated Cost To Operate | |||||
Current in amps | 5.9 | Time On (Hrs) | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate |
Voltage | 120 | Daily | Weekly | Monthly | |
Power Factor | 1 | 4 | 0.28 | 1.98 | 8.49 |
Watts | 708 | 8 | 0.56 | 3.96 | 16.99 |
Kilo Watts | 0.708 | 12 | 0.85 | 5.95 | 25.49 |
Cost kWh | 0.10 | 16 | 1.13 | 7.93 | 33.98 |
Cost per Hr | 0.0708 | 24 | 1.69 | 11.89 | 50.97 |
Brand and Size: BlueDri Airbourne Cleaner Area: around 200 to 800 sq ft Features: Air Purifier, Low Pressure Drop, Superior Efficiency, High Dust Holding Capacity Suited for: Whole House, Construction Sites, Sewage Remediation, Water and Fire Damage Restoration | |||||
Estimated Cost To Operate | |||||
Current in amps | 2.5 | Time On (Hrs) | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate |
Voltage | 120 | Daily | Weekly | Monthly | |
Power Factor | 1 | 4 | 0.12 | 0.84 | 3.60 |
Watts | 300 | 8 | 0.24 | 1.68 | 7.20 |
Kilo Watts | 0.3 | 12 | 0.36 | 2.52 | 10.80 |
Cost kWh | 0.10 | 16 | 0.48 | 3.36 | 14.40 |
Cost per Hr | 0.03 | 24 | 0.72 | 5.04 | 21.60 |
Brand and Size: MIDEA Dehumidifier 10000 BTU Area: around 400 sq ft. Features: Fast Cooling, Innovative Features, Easy Installation, Energy Efficient Suited for: Room, Office, Bedroom, Apartment, School, and more | |||||
Estimated Cost To Operate | |||||
Current in amps | 8.2 | Time On (Hrs) | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate |
Voltage | 120 | Daily | Weekly | Monthly | |
Power Factor | 1 | 4 | 0.39 | 2.75 | 11.81 |
Watts | 984 | 8 | 0.79 | 5.51 | 23.62 |
Kilo Watts | 0.984 | 12 | 1.18 | 8.26 | 35.42 |
Cost kWh | 0.10 | 16 | 1.57 | 11.02 | 47.23 |
Cost per Hr | 0.098 | 24 | 2.36 | 16.53 | 70.85 |
Brand and Size: MIDEA Dehumidifier 12000 BTU Area: around 500 sq ft. Features: Fast Cooling, Innovative Features, Easy Installation, Fresh Air Vent Control Suited for: Room, Office, Bedroom, Apartment, School, and more | |||||
Estimated Cost To Operate | |||||
Current in amps | 4 | Time On (Hrs) | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate | Cost Estimate |
Voltage | 120 | Daily | Weekly | Monthly | |
Power Factor | 1 | 4 | 0.19 | 1.34 | 5.76 |
Watts | 480 | 8 | 0.38 | 2.69 | 11.52 |
Kilo Watts | 0.48 | 12 | 0.58 | 4.03 | 17.28 |
Cost kWh | 0.10 | 16 | 0.77 | 5.38 | 23.04 |
Cost per Hr | 0.048 | 24 | 1.15 | 8.06 | 34.56 |
To get the best energy efficient dehumidifier and the right information, visit Cost to run a dehumidifier.