What size dehumidifier for a 1,500 sq ft basement? Every ENERGY STAR model

ENERGY STAR sizing chart

ENERGY STAR's minimum capacity for a portable dehumidifier, in pints a day on the current test. A 1,500 sq ft basement is in the first column.

ENERGY STAR's own advice: "it's better to oversize than undersize". If you already own a dehumidifier, the water you empty each day is a better guide than any chart.

Old vs new pint ratings

Many sizing charts online still use pre-2019 numbers, so a "50 pint" recommendation can mean two very different machines. ENERGY STAR's conversion for portable units:

Every figure on this page uses today's test (DOE Appendix X1). ENERGY STAR notes that the change for any one model varies, and the maker may give a more exact comparison.

Every certified model of 20 pints or more

All 418 ENERGY STAR portable dehumidifiers sold in the US and rated 20 pints a day or more, largest first. Yearly cost is ENERGY STAR's certified kWh a year at the US average of 18.31 cents per kWh; the typical 30 to 39 pint model uses 374 kWh a year, about $68. Each row links to its ENERGY STAR record.

95 smaller certified portable models (under 20 pints) are in the CSV but not in this table. Models that are not ENERGY STAR certified are not in this data.

Related pages

• What size dehumidifier for a crawl space, with every ENERGY STAR whole-home unit
• What a space heater costs to run in your state, at the same EIA prices
• How long a power station runs a fridge or freezer, from ENERGY STAR energy use
• All decision tools

Method

1. Size. The ranges are ENERGY STAR's chart for portable dehumidifiers, copied as published. ENERGY STAR splits by dampness and by space under or over 2,000 sq ft; it does not give a figure per square foot, so neither do we.
2. Models. Every portable dehumidifier in the ENERGY STAR certified dataset with the United States among its markets and a capacity of 20 pints a day or more. Capacity is the DOE Appendix X1 figure ENERGY STAR publishes.
3. Old ratings. The conversion table is ENERGY STAR's approximation, not an exact formula.
4. Yearly cost. Certified kWh a year x the EIA US average residential price. Your cost scales with your own rate and how many hours the unit runs.
5. Not covered. We have not measured any unit, and real water removal in a cold basement will be lower than the rated figure.

Changes

• 2026-10-17: Published. 418 US-market ENERGY STAR portable dehumidifiers of 20 pints or more, from the dataset updated 16 October 2026; yearly cost at the EIA US average for July 2026.