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Buying guide

Choosing a Dehumidifier: Pint Ratings, Drainage and Energy Use

By iPickOne editorial team · Published · Reviewed

Short answer

Size the dehumidifier to the room's area and how damp it is: ENERGY STAR's chart points to 20–30 pints per day for a room under 2,000 sq ft that is slightly to moderately damp, 25–40 if it is very damp and 30–50 if walls sweat. The five Amazon-listed models below are rated 22 to 50 pints per day on the same current DOE test (ENERGY STAR data), so their pint numbers compare directly. Pay for a built-in pump only if a bucket or a gravity hose will not work: of these five, only the Honeywell TPFIT50PWK is confirmed by its maker as having one; for the others we say “pump: not stated”.

Illustration of a portable dehumidifier next to a water drop
Illustration by iPickOne. Typical product type, not a specific model.

Who should pick what

Side-by-side comparison

Five Amazon-listed dehumidifiers on the same fields (ENERGY STAR data; pump from the maker page where one was read)
CriterionFrigidaire FHDD2233Y1Whirlpool WHAD251AWhOmeLabs HME0089Honeywell TPFIT50PWKHisense ALDH50KP26
Rated capacity22.27 pints/day24.84 pints/day32.46 pints/day49.66 pints/day49.89 pints/day
Efficiency1.70 L/kWh1.85 L/kWh2.01 L/kWh (best in this row)2.01 L/kWh (best in this row)2.01 L/kWh (best in this row)
Energy use276 kWh/yr (best in this row)283 kWh/yr343 kWh/yr516 kWh/yr526 kWh/yr
Built-in pumpNot stated (the ENERGY STAR data has no drain field)Not stated (the ENERGY STAR data has no drain field)Not stated (the ENERGY STAR data has no drain field)Yes: built-in drain pump, drains vertically or horizontally up to 15 ftNot stated (the ENERGY STAR data has no drain field)
Connected (smart)NoNoYesYesNo
ENERGY STARYesYesYesYesYes

All capacity, efficiency and energy figures come from ENERGY STAR's certified-product data. “Not stated” means the source we read has no figure; we did not fill gaps from retailer listings. Highlighted = best value in the row: highest CADR, IEF, CEER, run time or suction; lowest yearly energy use or weight. Sources for every figure are listed under “Sources” below.

At a glance

Yearly energy use, kWh: lower is cheaper to run

Frigidaire FHDD2233Y1 276 Whirlpool WHAD251AW 283 hOmeLabs HME0089 343 Honeywell TPFIT50PWK 516 Hisense ALDH50KP26 526

Water removed per day, pints

Frigidaire FHDD2233Y1 22.27 Whirlpool WHAD251AW 24.84 hOmeLabs HME0089 32.46 Honeywell TPFIT50PWK 49.66 Hisense ALDH50KP26 49.89

Efficiency (IEF), L/kWh: higher is better

Frigidaire FHDD2233Y1 1.7 Whirlpool WHAD251AW 1.85 hOmeLabs HME0089 2.01 Honeywell TPFIT50PWK 2.01 Hisense ALDH50KP26 2.01

How we compared: key criteria

  1. Pints per day, and which testDOE changed the test in June 2019 to 65°F air, so a current rating is smaller than a pre-2019 rating for a similar machine; ENERGY STAR's rough conversion is an old 50 pints ≈ 30 pints today. The pint figures in our table are ENERGY STAR's data under the current test, so they compare directly with each other — but not with the older “50-pint” on a box or an old unit.
  2. Room area and dampnessENERGY STAR's chart (rooms under 2,000 sq ft): slightly to moderately damp 20–30 pints; very damp 25–40; wet 30–50. Over 2,000 sq ft: 30+, 40+ and 50+. It also says it is better to oversize than undersize.
  3. How the water leavesA bucket needs emptying; a hose uses gravity to a drain; a built-in pump pushes water out a window or into a sink. Do not assume a “P” in a model number means a pump: only the Honeywell TPFIT50PWK is confirmed (up to 15 ft by the maker page). For the other four, pump is not stated in the sources we read.
  4. Efficiency and running energyENERGY STAR reports an integrated energy factor in liters per kWh (higher is better) and an annual kWh estimate. The 22–25 pint units here sit at 1.70–1.85 L/kWh; the 32- and 50-pint units at 2.01. A larger unit uses more energy per year (343–526 kWh) because it removes more water.
  5. Cool-room operationENERGY STAR notes frost can form on the coils below 65°F and stop the unit removing moisture. Only Honeywell's page gives a range (41° to 90°); for the others check the manual.

Our picks

Small room: lowest running energy

Frigidaire FHDD2233Y1 22-pint dehumidifier

  • 22pints/day
  • 276kWh/yr
  • 1.70L/kWh

Why we'd pick it: 22.27 pints per day at 1.70 L/kWh and an estimated 276 kWh per year — the lowest energy use of the five, enough for a slightly to moderately damp room.

Skip it if… the room is large or very damp, or you want continuous drainage: this size is the smallest here and the sources do not state a drain option.

View on Amazon — Frigidaire FHDD2233Y1 22-pint dehumidifier on Amazon.com

Small-to-medium room: best small-class efficiency

Whirlpool WHAD251AW 25-pint dehumidifier

  • 25pints/day
  • 283kWh/yr
  • 1.85L/kWh

Why we'd pick it: 24.84 pints per day with a 1.85 L/kWh energy factor, the highest in the small class, at an estimated 283 kWh per year.

Skip it if… your room is very damp — step up to the 32-pint class — or you need a pump, which the sources do not state.

View on Amazon — Whirlpool WHAD251AW 25-pint dehumidifier on Amazon.com

Mid-size: very damp room, bucket or hose

hOmeLabs HME0089 32-pint dehumidifier

  • 32pints/day
  • 343kWh/yr
  • 2.01L/kWh

Why we'd pick it: 32.46 pints per day at 2.01 L/kWh; ENERGY STAR data lists it as connected (smart) capable.

Skip it if… the space is wet or very large, or you need a pump: drain type is not stated in the data we read, and we could not read the maker's page.

View on Amazon — hOmeLabs HME0089 32-pint dehumidifier on Amazon.com

Wet space with no drain: confirmed built-in pump

Honeywell TPFIT50PWK 50-pint dehumidifier with built-in pump

  • 50pints/day
  • 516kWh/yr
  • 2.01L/kWh

Why we'd pick it: The maker page lists a built-in drain pump that drains vertically or horizontally up to 15 ft, 51 dBA, 40.48 lb and a 41°–90° operating range; ENERGY STAR data gives 49.66 pints per day at 2.01 L/kWh.

Skip it if… a floor drain is within hose reach, or you want a long warranty (1 year limited). Honeywell's own store lists this model as discontinued, and its page prints both 50 and 70 pints on different lines without naming the test — we use ENERGY STAR's 49.66.

View on Amazon — Honeywell TPFIT50PWK 50-pint dehumidifier with built-in pump on Amazon.com

50-pint class: efficient, pump not confirmed

Hisense ALDH50KP26 50-pint dehumidifier

  • 50pints/day
  • 526kWh/yr
  • 2.01L/kWh

Why we'd pick it: 49.89 pints per day at 2.01 L/kWh and an estimated 526 kWh per year; listed with ENERGY STAR for the US since January 2026.

Skip it if… you specifically need a pump: pump is not stated in our sources, we found no Hisense US product page, and retailer listings disagree on whether it has one.

View on Amazon — Hisense ALDH50KP26 50-pint dehumidifier on Amazon.com

Downsides and when not to buy

  • Pint ratings from before June 2019 are not comparable with current ones; the figures here are all on the current test, but a box or old manual may not be.
  • Drain type and maximum pump lift are not in ENERGY STAR's data, and several maker pages could not be read, so some comparisons are blank rather than guessed.
  • A dehumidifier treats symptoms: if walls are wet or water seeps in, ENERGY STAR's “wet” row is a size guide, not a fix for the leak.

When the pricier option isn't worth it

A built-in pump or smart controls are worth paying for only if you will use them. If the unit sits next to a floor drain, a hose removes the daily bucket without a pump; for a small, slightly damp room a 50-pint unit mostly adds weight and annual energy (516–526 kWh against 276–283 kWh for the 22–25 pint units).

Who should skip this product type

Skip a portable dehumidifier for a whole-house problem: ENERGY STAR says whole-home units are normally installed through the home's ducts by an HVAC professional, which is a different purchase.

Extra costs, installation and compatibility

Ongoing costs
ENERGY STAR says a certified dehumidifier uses 20% less energy than a similarly sized conventional unit. Annual kWh estimates are in the table; we do not print electricity costs because they depend on your local rate and run time. Check each manual for filter care.
Installation and space
Allow room for airflow and a route for the hose. For a pump model, the destination is a sink or a window; Honeywell lists up to 15 ft of drain lift for the TPFIT50PWK. Ask the maker before planning a long run for any other model.
Compatibility
The Honeywell page lists 6.6 A / 710 W and prints no voltage; for the other units voltage is not in our sources. Check the nameplate and your outlet before buying. Variants: Honeywell also sells the TPFIT50WK (no pump listed) in the same 50-pint class — make sure the model you open on Amazon ends in PWK if you want the pump.

Frequently asked questions

Why does a dehumidifier I saw rated 50 pints show 30 pints here?

DOE changed the test procedure in June 2019 to use cooler air (65°F instead of 80°F). ENERGY STAR says there is less water to remove in cooler air, so current ratings are lower; its rough conversion is old 50 pints ≈ 30 today.

What size dehumidifier does a damp 600 sq ft room need?

ENERGY STAR's chart for rooms under 2,000 sq ft says 20–30 pints per day if the space is slightly to moderately damp, 25–40 if very damp and 30–50 if wet. It adds that oversizing is better than undersizing.

Will a dehumidifier work in a cold room?

Frost can form on the coils below 65°F, ENERGY STAR says, which can stop moisture removal. Honeywell lists 41° to 90° as the operating range for the TPFIT50PWK; check the manual for any other model.

View on Amazon

Links to Amazon.com are plain product links. We may earn a commission in the future if we join affiliate programs; this never decides what we recommend. Prices and availability change, so we don't print them — check the current details on Amazon. See our Affiliate Disclosure.

Research method, sources and review date

Research-based comparison: we compare manufacturer specifications, user manuals and published guidance, and note where a figure is a manufacturer claim. We do not test products in a lab. Capacity, efficiency and energy figures come from ENERGY STAR's certified-product data (queried 2026-11-06); pump, noise, weight and warranty come from a manufacturer page only where we could read one (Honeywell). Sizing and test guidance comes from ENERGY STAR. How we compare · Editorial policy

Sources

Last reviewed · Next scheduled review . Spotted an error? Tell us.

Update log

  • — Rebuilt (IPK-BUILD-5) around models confirmed to exist on Amazon.com. Figures come from ENERGY STAR certified-product data and, where we could read one, the manufacturer page; where a source does not state a figure we say so. Models not found on Amazon.com were removed from the picks.
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