The 2019 dehumidifier test

DOE's current dehumidifier test (10 CFR 430, subpart B, appendix X1, required since June 13, 2019) runs portable units at 65°F and 60% relative humidity, close to a basement. The older test ran at 80°F, where any unit pulls more water out of the air. So a unit rated 50 pints on the old test rates about 30 pints/day on the new one, by ENERGY STAR's estimate, with no change to the machine. Of 562 portable dehumidifiers certified to DOE as of 2026-11-03, the median is 35 pints/day.

Certified figures: DOE Compliance Certification Database, as of 2026-11-03. Test conditions: 10 CFR 430, appendix X1.

Key findings

• 562 portable dehumidifier basic models are certified to DOE under the 2019 test as of 2026-11-03. Their median capacity is 35 pints/day and their median efficiency is 1.89 L/kWh.
• 137 of 562 portable dehumidifiers certify between 49.5 and 50.00 pints/day, just under the 50.01 line where DOE's minimum efficiency jumps from 1.60 to 2.80 L/kWh. Only 13 certify above 50 (DOE data as of 2026-11-03).
• 75 of 253 dehumidifiers in DOE's 25 pints/day and under class file an efficiency within 0.05 L/kWh of the federal minimum of 1.30 (as of 2026-11-03).
• A dehumidifier certified near 50 pints/day uses a median 12.03 kWh a day running nonstop at DOE's test conditions, about $2.18 a day at 18.16 cents/kWh, the US average for August 2026 (EIA). One near 35 pints/day uses 8.72 kWh, about $1.58.
• 88 of 612 DOE dehumidifier basic models are filed under two or more brand names, and one unit (basic model D026W-50Pt3M) is filed under 25 brands (as of 2026-11-03).

Source: DOE Compliance Certification Database (dehumidifiers), data as of 2026-11-03.

What changed in the 2019 test?

The air the unit is tested in, and the efficiency figure. Appendix X1 sets the room at 65°F dry bulb and 56.6°F wet bulb, which is 60% relative humidity. The old appendix X used 80°F dry bulb and 69.6°F wet bulb, also 60% (DOE final rule, July 31, 2015). Cooler air at the same relative humidity holds less water, so there's less for the coil to pull out. ENERGY STAR puts it plainly: the "15°F reduction in testing temperature" means a unit will "likely report a smaller capacity than when tested to the old procedure" (ENERGY STAR).

Why 65°F? In the 2015 rule, DOE said it expects the average ground temperature during the dehumidification season to be close to 65°F, which is what a basement sits at. Whole home units got their own condition: 73°F dry bulb, 63.6°F wet bulb.

IEF is liters of water removed per kWh, and it counts standby and off mode power as well as running power. The current appendix runs the test to AHAM DH-1-2022, the industry method, with DOE's conditions on top (appendix X1).

What does an old pint rating equal now?

ENERGY STAR's rough conversion for portable units, which it says varies by model. The right column counts units certified at about that figure today.

Conversion: ENERGY STAR, dehumidifier testing and capacity. Counts: portable units certified within half a pint of the figure or range, DOE data as of 2026-11-03.

How many pints do certified dehumidifiers really remove?

Here's the whole field of 562 portable units by the pints/day each one certified. 15 records whose filed figures sit far outside their class are left out, and so are the 35 whole home units (median 82.13 pints/day, tested at 73°F).

Running cost: medians, running nonstop at DOE's test conditions, at 18.16 cents/kWh, the US average residential price for August 2026 (EIA Electric Power Monthly, table 5.6.A). A month is 30 days.

141 units certify at 20 pints/day or less (median 9). At the other end, 137 of the 166 units between 45 and 50 sit in the half pint from 49.5 to 50.00. Only 13 certify above 50.

Why do so many stop at 50 pints?

A portable dehumidifier made since June 13, 2019 has to reach 1.60 L/kWh if it certifies 25.01 to 50.00 pints/day, but 2.80 L/kWh at 50.01 or more (10 CFR 430.32(v)). That's a 75% jump in required efficiency for one hundredth of a pint. The filings line up right under that line.

How efficient are certified dehumidifiers?

Minimums: 10 CFR 430.32(v)(2). Whole home units have their own, set by case volume.

The small class is where units hug the floor: 75 of 253 file within 0.05 of 1.30. In the middle class only 3 of 296 do, and the median there is 1.91. Above 50 pints, 10 of 13 file within 0.05 of the 2.80 minimum.

The best in each class: AeroNova DH-YS018US25-A00 at 2.05 L/kWh (25.00 or less pints/day), AEOCKY LEO-003 at 2.21 L/kWh (25.01 to 50.00 pints/day) and Santa Fe Impact155 (basic model 155-P) at 2.89 L/kWh (50.01 or more pints/day). The full IEF ranking lists every unit.

How much does a dehumidifier cost to run?

Pints/day and IEF together give the energy: liters removed in a day divided by liters per kWh. A unit certified at 49.74 pints/day with an IEF of 1.95 (the medians for units near 50 pints) uses about 12.07 kWh a day running nonstop. At 18.16 cents/kWh, the US average residential price for August 2026, that's $2.19 a day or $65.76 for 30 days.

That's the ceiling. On a humidistat the compressor shuts off once the room reaches the setting, so real use is lower. Each model page shows this for its own figures.

35 pint vs 50 pint: which should I get?

Compare 2019 DOE figures, not box numbers. Among certified units, 95 certify between 33 and 37 pints/day and 137 between 49.5 and 50.

The 50 pint unit removes about 40% more water a day, at about the same energy per pint (2.43 kWh per 10 pints against 2.48). So for a given amount of water, neither costs more to run. The bigger one gets there sooner and runs fewer hours. On ENERGY STAR's chart (below), 35 pints covers a very damp space under 2,000 sq ft, and 50 pints is the top of the range for a wet one.

Is it better to undersize or oversize a dehumidifier?

Oversize. ENERGY STAR's buying guidance says so in as many words: "it's better to oversize than undersize" (ENERGY STAR). A bigger unit reaches the setting and cycles off. An undersized one runs nonstop.

Above 50 pints the running cost goes down, not up. The 13 units certified over 50 pints/day (median 60.01) use a median 10.14 kWh a day nonstop, less than the 12.17 kWh of units at 45 to 50 pints, because the 2.80 minimum makes them far more efficient. Per 10 pints, that's 1.69 kWh against 2.46. The largest certified portable unit is Santa Fe Impact155 (basic model 155-P) at 104.33 pints/day.

What size dehumidifier do I need for my square footage?

ENERGY STAR's sizing chart goes by how damp the space is, with one split at 2,000 sq ft (ENERGY STAR dehumidifier buying guidance):

ENERGY STAR's chart doesn't say whether its pints are on the old 80°F test or the 2019 test. So read it with 2019 DOE figures. If the chart was drawn on old pints, a 2019 figure of the same number is a bigger machine, and you've oversized, which is the safe side. In ENERGY STAR's words, very damp means damp spots on walls and floors. Wet means walls or floor sweat, or there's seepage.

What do PPD and AHAM mean?

PPD is pints per day, the water a unit removes in 24 hours at the test conditions. A pint is 0.473 liters, so 50 pints is about 23.7 liters, or a little over 6 gallons. AHAM is the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, the trade group that writes the DH-1 test method. DOE's appendix X1 runs that method at DOE's conditions, so a current "AHAM" figure and a DOE certified figure come from the same 65°F test. An older box can still carry an AHAM figure from the 80°F days, though. Each model page here links to the DOE record.

At what temperature does a dehumidifier stop working well?

Below about 65°F. ENERGY STAR warns that "frost can form on the condensing coils if the air temperature drops below 65 degrees," and suggests a unit specified for lower temperatures if the space usually falls below that (ENERGY STAR). The 2019 test runs at exactly 65°F, so the certified figure is a fair guide down to that point and no further.

What humidity is too high?

Above 60%. EPA's mold guidance says: "If possible, keep indoor humidity below 60 percent (ideally between 30 and 50 percent) relative humidity" (EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home). ENERGY STAR gives the same 30 to 50% range and suggests 30 to 40% in cold climates in the heating season, to keep windows from fogging (ENERGY STAR).

Is the same dehumidifier sold under different brands?

Often. 88 of 612 DOE dehumidifier basic models are filed under two or more brand names, 83 brands in all. The record with the most is basic model D026W-50Pt3M, filed under 25 brands (see every brand selling it). One basic model is one design with one set of certified figures, whatever the label (all same unit clusters).

Will the 2019 rules change?

Maybe the minimums, not the test. In May 2025 DOE proposed rescinding the 2019 efficiency minimums for portable dehumidifiers and returning to the levels set in statute (90 FR 20864, May 16, 2025). As of 2026-11-02 that was still a proposal. It doesn't touch appendix X1, so certified pints/day stay on the 65°F test either way.

• Dehumidifiers that really do 50 pints
• 25 to 50 pints
• Up to 25 pints
• Most efficient by IEF
• Whole home
• All by certified pints