A dehumidifier is a small refrigerator with a fan, and in a bedroom it runs for hours while you sleep. So it is fair to want the quietest dehumidifier you can find. The trouble is that the quietest-looking figures in this category belong to machines that barely remove any water, and the capacity figures are even less reliable than the noise figures.
We read the product pages, spec sheets and manuals for twelve dehumidifiers, and checked each one against the ENERGY STAR product finder. Eleven publish a noise figure of some kind. Only two makers, Frigidaire and GE, say which fan speed their figures describe. Here is what is published, and which machine to buy.
Our 6 picks are listed above, with full specifications for each.
What dehumidifier makers publish about noise
ENERGY STAR certifies dehumidifiers for efficiency and does not rate noise. Every decibel figure here comes from the maker, and none states a measuring distance or a test standard.
The makers fall into three groups.
- A figure for each fan speed. Frigidaire's spec sheets list low, medium and high. The 22-pint Wi-Fi model is 43, 46 and 49 dBA. GE lists low and maximum: 43 and 45 dBA for its 22-pint unit, 46 and 49 for the 35-pint.
- One figure, no speed. Danby says 48 dB. hOmeLabs says 47 dB for its 25-pint unit and 38 dB for its 8-pint unit. Waykar puts 33 dB in the product name.
- Nothing. Midea publishes no noise figure for the Cube on its US product page.
A single figure with no fan speed is hard to use. Frigidaire's own range shows why: its cheaper 22-pint model lists 47.5 dBA on low, and its Wi-Fi model lists 43. Those are both "quiet" 22-pint dehumidifiers from one brand, four and a half decibels apart at the speed you would use at night.
This is where the category gets slippery, and it matters for noise, because the quietest claims are attached to the most generous capacity claims.
Since June 2019, the Department of Energy has tested portable dehumidifiers at 65°F, where it used to test at 80°F. ENERGY STAR explains that the cooler temperature reflects a basement, and that a unit tested the new way will report a smaller capacity.
Some makers still quote capacity in far warmer, wetter air.
- Waykar sells the PD160B-PRO-B as a 34-pint dehumidifier, with the conditions stated in its specifications: 95°F and 90% humidity. ENERGY STAR lists the same model number at 10.16 pints a day under the standard test.
- hOmeLabs leads with "64 pint" for its 25-pint unit. The 64 is a maximum at 95°F and 90% humidity.
Neither maker is hiding the conditions. But a bedroom is not 95°F at 90% humidity. The ENERGY STAR product finder lists every certified model's capacity under the same test, and it takes a minute to check.
Why the 33 dB units cannot dry a room
Two units in this guide publish about 33 dB: the Eva-Dry EDV-1100 and the Pro Breeze mini. Both are thermoelectric. They have no compressor, which is why they are quiet and why they draw only about 22 watts.
They also remove very little water. Eva-Dry's manual gives approximately 8 ounces a day, measured at 86°F and 80% humidity. Pro Breeze's manual gives approximately 9 ounces in similar conditions. That is about half a pint. A 22-pint compressor unit removes more than forty times as much, in cooler test conditions.
They have a place: a wardrobe, or a cabinet under a sink. In a bedroom with a damp problem, they will run all day and change nothing.
What size does a bedroom need?
ENERGY STAR's sizing table is simple. For a small to medium room, under 2,000 square feet:
- Slightly to moderately damp, where the room feels damp and smells musty at times: 20 to 30 pints a day.
- Very damp, where damp spots appear on walls or floors: 25 to 40 pints.
- Wet, where walls or floors sweat: 30 to 50 pints.
So a 22-pint unit suits most bedrooms, and a 35-pint unit suits a basement bedroom with a real damp problem.
Setting up a dehumidifier to run quietly
Flat, sturdy surface. Danby's manual says a surface that is not flat and sturdy could result in excessive noise and vibration.
Leave clearance. Danby asks for 16 inches at the air outlet, front and rear, and 8 inches at the sides. ENERGY STAR says units without a top-mounted discharge should stand away from walls and furniture so air can circulate.
Close the room. ENERGY STAR says doors and windows should be closed while the unit runs, so it dries the room efficiently.
Use the low fan speed at night. On Frigidaire's figures, low is 6 dBA quieter than high.
Mind the temperature. ENERGY STAR says that below 65°F frost can form on the coils, which makes the compressor cycle on and off. In a cold room, look for a unit rated for low temperatures.
How much should you spend?
Under $60 buys a thermoelectric mini unit for a closet.
Around $175 buys the small hOmeLabs unit, with its 38 dB claim and 8 pints at warm test conditions.
Around $200 to $240 is where the real choice sits: the 22-pint units from GE, Frigidaire and Danby. The quietest published figures in this guide are in this range, so there is no reason to spend more for noise alone.
Around $270 buys a 35-pint unit, which you need only if the room is very damp.
Mistakes buyers make
Buying the lowest decibel figure. The lowest figures belong to units that remove half a pint a day, or to makers who give no test conditions.
Trusting the pint figure in the product name. Check it against the ENERGY STAR product finder, which uses one test for every model.
Comparing a single figure with a per-speed table. Danby's 48 dB and Frigidaire's 43 to 49 dBA may describe much the same machine. We cannot tell, because Danby does not name the speed.
Ignoring the bucket. A small bucket fills fast, and a full bucket stops the machine. GE's 22-pint unit has a 7-pint bucket, and Frigidaire's holds 1.7 gallons.
Putting a standard unit in a cold room. Below 65°F, frost on the coils makes the compressor cycle on and off without removing moisture.
How we chose
We read the manufacturer's product page for every unit, and the spec sheet or manual wherever one is published. We recorded each noise figure in the maker's own words, with the fan speed it describes whenever the maker says. We looked up every model in the ENERGY STAR product finder, and used its capacity figure, measured under the Department of Energy test, wherever a listing exists. We compared type, bucket size, drainage and warranty.
We did not measure decibels ourselves. We ranked units with a figure for each fan speed above units with a single figure, and we set thermoelectric mini units apart, because their capacity puts them in a different class. We have kept this guide to noise and capacity, and we make no claims about damp and health.
