Which dehumidifier is best for you?

Which dehumidifier is best for you? »Play Video
Even after a beautiful weekend full of sunshine, you might still be dealing with the damp, moldy consequences of all the winter rain.


Thanks to her dehumidifier, Jill Ceraita now enjoys hanging out in her basement with her dog.

"Without the dehumidifier, my basement would be a place I would never go because the mold would just grow and grow," she said.

For a large basement like Jill's, Consumer Reports recommends a large-capacity dehumidifier.

Consumer Reports' tests included both large- and medium-capacity dehumidifiers. In this special temperature-and-humidity-controlled chamber, testers evaluate how much water a dehumidifier can remove every hour, and how much energy it uses.

"We found large-capacity dehumidifiers are generally more energy-efficient and will cost you less per pint of water removed," said Dan Diclerico of Consumer Reports.

That's important, because dehumidifiers use a lot of energy. Testers also monitored how accurately the dehumidifiers controlled humidity in the room. They found comfortable settings are anywhere from 30 and 60 percent.

When all the tests were done, Consumer Reports selected this large-capacity Soleus Air as Best Buy. It costs $225 and would be a very good choice if you have a basement like Jill's.

One last tip: Consumer Reports says if you suffer from allergies or asthma, it's important to set the humidity levels on a dehumidifier between 40 and 50 percent.