Dehumidifier electricity cost
Last checked 2026-10-03.
A worked example with made-up inputs (not any model's rating): 500 W while the compressor runs, switched on 8 hours a day with the compressor running 50% of that time, for 30 days, uses 60.0 kWh, plus the fan's use while the compressor is off, which this example leaves out because no manual here gives it. For the cost, multiply by your own price per kWh; the calculator does it when you enter one.
Electricity used = (the draw while the compressor runs × its running hours + the draw while it is off but the unit is on × those hours) × days, in kWh; multiply by your price per kWh. The second part matters because the fan keeps running when the compressor cycles off (Frigidaire manual).
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Calculator
Without JavaScript the calculator does not update; the worked example above shows the arithmetic. The share splits the switched-on hours once, into compressor-on and compressor-off hours; if you already entered only the hours the compressor runs, set it to 100%. The result is an estimate from your inputs, not a measurement and not an upper bound: a nameplate figure may not be the average draw, and a blank fan box leaves the off-cycle use out. None of the manuals read for the models below states their power draw, so no default here comes from them.
What the certified efficiency does tell you
IEF is litres removed per kWh under the DOE Appendix X1 test conditions. Dividing a pint (0.473176 L) by it gives the electricity per pint removed in that test. It is not a promise of your household cost: real rooms are colder or drier than the test, and use varies with the season.
| Model | IEF (L/kWh) | kWh per pint, test conditions | Rated power | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midea Cube 50 (no pump) | 2.01 | 0.235 | not stated by the maker | Amazon › |
| Midea Cube 50 with pump | 2.01 | 0.235 | not stated by the maker | Amazon › |
| Frigidaire FHDD5034Y1 | 2.01 | 0.235 | not stated by the maker | Amazon › |
Kinds of claim on this page: capacity and IEF are product evidence, ENERGY STAR certified values under the DOE Appendix X1 test (ENERGY STAR dataset, read 2026-10-03); drainage, hoses and operating temperatures are each maker's manual statement, a manufacturer claim; anything no source states is unknown. Recall check: the CPSC recall database on 2026-10-03 (CPSC recall database (saferproducts.gov recall API), product name 'dehumidifier': 18 recalls, 2001 to 2023); the three most recent (Midea-made, 2016; New Widetech-made, 2021; Gree-made, 2023) cover units sold up to December 2013, sold up to August 2017, and made 2011 to 2014 respectively. None names these models, which is not proof of safety: check your unit's model number and date code.
We tested nothing: no humidity, noise or energy measurements. Nothing here says a dehumidifier removes mold, fixes water coming in, or prevents illness, and makers' square-foot coverage figures are not independent evidence of what suits your room. Rated capacity is what a unit removes per day under the test's conditions, not what it removes every day of the year.
The models themselves: Frigidaire vs Midea Cube and with pump vs no pump.