How to Choose the Best Dehumidifier?

Types of Dehumidifiers

There are different types of dehumidifiers on the market. The most common type is a condensing dehumidifier, which pulls the absorbed air over refrigerated coils, which cools it enough the condense and separate the moisture. 

Other types include desiccant dehumidifiers, which use a water-absorbing material, and thermoelectric dehumidifiers, which operate with charged plates. Generally speaking, neither of these latter two types are as effective as condenser models, which is why we only recommend this type in our list. 

 

Capacity of Dehumidifiers

Small Capacity: These dehumidifiers typically have capacities ranging from 70 to 150 pints per day (PPD). They are suitable for small industrial spaces such as workshops, storage rooms, or small warehouses.

Medium Capacity: Dehumidifiers in this category usually have capacities between 150 and 300 PPD. They are suitable for medium-sized industrial facilities, including larger warehouses, manufacturing plants, or server rooms.

Large Capacity: These dehumidifiers have capacities exceeding 300 PPD and can go up to several thousand PPD. They are designed for large industrial environments such as distribution centers, food processing plants, pharmaceutical facilities, or large-scale manufacturing plants.

Custom or Modular Systems: In some cases, industrial settings may require custom or modular dehumidification systems tailored to their specific needs. These systems can be designed to handle extremely large spaces or unique humidity control requirements.

 

Features of Dehumidifiers To Look Out For

Pint capacity
The capacity in pints relates to how much moisture the commercial dehumidifier claims to absorb per day. The bigger the capacity, the larger and damper space it can handle.  

Bucket size
Pint capacity shouldn’t be confused with bucket size however. This specification indicates how much the internal bucket can actually hold before it will need to be emptied. The larger the bucket, the less often you will need to empty it.  

Drainage type
There are passive and pump drainage types. Passive types let you passively drain the water through a hose, or alternatively you can manually carry and empty the bucket yourself. Whereas pump drainage types will automatically pump the water out. Pumps are preferred as the water doesn’t need to rely on gravity alone to drain, so you can direct the hose into a sink or out of the window. However, these models do cost more than without. The pump dehumidifiers for basement can work continuously and free owners from pouring water tank frequently.

Energy Star Certification
It’s always useful to look out for Energy Star Certification as this guarantees savings in terms of energy and money. 

Humidity sensor
With a humidity sensor, your dehumidifier will detect relevant changes in the atmosphere and can automatically switch on and, in some cases, set its power accordingly. Those without a sensor will just be manually controlled.  

Frost sensor
A frost sensor will detect the formation of ice on the condenser coils. The dehumidifier will then shut off the compressor to give the ice a chance to melt. If it continues to run with frost on the coils, this can damage the parts and make the appliance work much harder to absorb any moisture. 

Auto restart
If the dehumidifier suddenly loses power, auto restart means it will automatically switch back on to its previous settings once power is restored. 

Number of speeds
This relates to how many speeds the fan has on the dehumidifier. The more speeds there are, the better as it gives you greater control and means excess energy isn’t wasted.