Last updated: October 29, 2026. We corrected two claims against ENERGY STAR’s certified-dehumidifier database. First, the “512 W vs. 978 W” Midea-vs-Frigidaire gap compared a bench measurement with a nameplate maximum: ENERGY STAR rates Midea’s Cube 50 at 515 kWh a year and Frigidaire’s current FHDD5034Y1 at 521 kWh. Second, AEOCKY’s “80 pints on 280 W” is a 95°F/95% RH marketing figure, and no AEOCKY on ENERGY STAR’s list exceeds 44.94 pints a day under the DOE test. We also replaced the “2.6% Most Efficient” figure with ENERGY STAR’s own count (123 of 547 certified portables) and added a model-by-model kWh table.
Quick Answer: Most portable dehumidifiers average roughly 230-560 watts while the compressor runs: about 230-260 W for a 20-22 pint room unit and 400-560 W for a 50-pint basement unit. Whole-house ducted units can pull 800-1,400 W. ENERGY STAR rates a typical 50-pint model, such as Midea’s Cube 50 or Frigidaire’s FHDD5034Y1, at 515-521 kWh a year, which is about $95-96 at the EIA’s August 2026 average of 18.44 cents per kWh. Day to day, a 500-watt unit running 8 hours costs about $0.74. To predict the power bill, compare ENERGY STAR’s efficiency rating (liters per kWh) and annual kWh, not the pint number or the amps printed on the label.
A dehumidifier’s box advertises pints per day, and its nameplate lists amps, but neither number tells you what it costs to run. The figures that do are the Integrated Energy Factor (IEF, liters of water removed per kWh) and the annual energy use that ENERGY STAR publishes for every certified model. Here’s what those numbers look like for real units.
Electricity use by the numbers
- 230-560 watts: the average running draw of most portable dehumidifiers. We derived it from ENERGY STAR’s capacity and efficiency ratings at DOE test conditions (65°F, 60% relative humidity), from about 234 W for Midea’s 20-pint Cube to about 488 W for a 50-pint unit. Dehumidifier Buyer’s Guide’s bench tests at 50% RH measured 512-560 W for 50-pint models.
- 18.44¢ per kWh: the U.S. average residential electricity rate as of August 2026, per the U.S. Energy Information Administration, up from roughly 16.5¢ earlier this year.
- 515 vs. 521 kWh a year: ENERGY STAR’s rated annual energy use for Midea’s Cube 50 (MAD50S1QWT) and Frigidaire’s FHDD5034Y1. Both are rated 2.01 L/kWh, and the gap is about $1.10 a year. The often-quoted “978 watts” for the older Frigidaire FHDD5034W1 was an 8.5-amp nameplate figure, not a measurement.
- 2.01 L/kWh: the minimum Integrated Energy Factor a 25-50 pint portable unit needs to carry the ENERGY STAR label under the current Version 6.0 specification. Units above 50 pints need 3.30 L/kWh, and units up to 25 pints need 1.70.
- 123 of 547: the certified portable dehumidifiers that also meet ENERGY STAR’s stricter Most Efficient criteria, about 22.5%, per ENERGY STAR’s certified-product dataset on October 29, 2026.
What different sizes actually draw
| Capacity | Typical running wattage | kWh at 8 hrs/day | Cost per day* | Cost per month* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-30 pint (compact) | 230-360W | 1.8-2.9 kWh | $0.34-$0.53 | $10-$16 |
| 50 pint (standard) | 400-560W | 3.2-4.5 kWh | $0.59-$0.83 | $18-$25 |
| Whole-house / ducted | 800-1,400W | 6.4-11.2 kWh | $1.18-$2.07 | $35-$62 |
*At the EIA's August 2026 national average rate of 18.44¢/kWh, assuming 8 hours of actual compressor run time a day. Local rates range from about 12¢/kWh in Idaho to over 50¢/kWh in Hawaii.
ENERGY STAR ratings for real models
ENERGY STAR publishes a rated capacity, efficiency and annual energy use for every certified dehumidifier, so you can compare models without guessing from wattage. These are the current listings for units we cover:
| Model | DOE capacity | IEF (L/kWh) | Rated kWh/yr | Annual cost* | Avg. running watts** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midea Cube 20 (MAD20S1QWT) | 20.16 pints/day | 1.70 | 249 | $45.92 | about 234W |
| Pelonis 22-pint (PAD22C1DWT) | 22.27 pints/day | 1.70 | 276 | $50.89 | about 258W |
| Pelonis 35-pint (PAD35C1DWTS) | 36.39 pints/day | 2.01 | 383 | $70.63 | about 357W |
| AEOCKY RHEA PRO (50-class) | 44.34 pints/day | 2.21 (Most Efficient) | 432 | $79.66 | about 396W |
| Midea Cube 50 (MAD50S1QWT) | 49.67 pints/day | 2.01 | 515 | $94.97 | about 487W |
| Frigidaire FHDD5034Y1 | 49.71 pints/day | 2.01 | 521 | $96.07 | about 488W |
| Pelonis 50-pint pump (PAD50P1ABLS) | 49.74 pints/day | 2.01 | 525 | $96.81 | about 488W |
*ENERGY STAR's rated annual kWh × 18.44¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026). **Our calculation: rated capacity converted to liters ÷ IEF, spread over 24 hours of continuous dehumidifying at DOE test conditions (65°F, 60% RH). Real draw rises in warmer, wetter air.
Two things stand out. First, the 50-pint models from Midea, Frigidaire and Pelonis are effectively tied: all are rated 2.01 L/kWh, and their annual estimates fall within 10 kWh, or under $2 a year, of each other. Second, the efficiency leader in this group, AEOCKY’s 50-class RHEA PRO, earns ENERGY STAR’s Most Efficient mark by removing about 10% more water per kWh than the 2.01 floor. That’s a real edge, but it’s worth about $15 a year against a Cube 50 at ENERGY STAR’s rated hours, not a halving of the bill.
AEOCKY 4500 Sq. Ft. (marketed as 80 pints)
- AEOCKY's 50-class models (RHEA PRO and LEO PRO) are rated 2.21 L/kWh and 432-438 kWh a year on ENERGY STAR, with the Most Efficient designation, the tier above base certification.
- The "80 pints" on the listing is measured at 95°F and 95% RH. Under the DOE's standard 65°F/60% RH test, no AEOCKY model on ENERGY STAR's list exceeds 44.94 pints a day. Size it as a 45-pint unit, not an 80-pint one.
- Listings quote 280 watts. ENERGY STAR's ratings imply roughly 400 W while the compressor runs at test conditions, so budget from the kWh figure instead.
Why the nameplate amps overstate the draw
The sticker on the back of a dehumidifier lists a rated current, often 8-9 amps on a 50-pint unit. That’s a maximum used for wiring and circuit sizing, measured at harsher conditions than a basement at 60% humidity. Multiplying it by 115 volts gives a number like 978 watts, which looks like a running draw but isn’t one. ENERGY STAR’s rated kWh and the IEF are measured under one standardized DOE test for every brand, which is why they’re the only fair way to compare two units on running cost.
Why your real bill is usually lower than the math suggests
The wattage-times-hours math above assumes the compressor runs continuously, but almost no dehumidifier actually does that. A humidistat shuts the compressor off once the room hits its target humidity, then cycles it back on as moisture creeps back up. A unit that averages 500 watts while running draws that much only while it’s actively pulling water, not for every hour it’s plugged in. That’s also why the first few days in a really damp basement or crawl space cost more than the weeks after. Once the space reaches its set point, the unit is only topping off rather than fighting a full moisture load.
Two things move the real number more than anything on the spec sheet: how leaky or humid the space is to begin with, and whether the humidistat is actually cycling the unit off. A broken or miscalibrated humidistat that never shuts off turns an efficient unit into an expensive one. See our dehumidifier maintenance guide if a unit seems to be running nonstop.
The bottom line
Pint rating tells you how much water a dehumidifier can remove. Its ENERGY STAR Integrated Energy Factor and rated annual kWh tell you what that costs. Today’s certified 50-pint units from Midea, Frigidaire and Pelonis all land around 515-525 kWh a year, about $95-97 at the national average rate. Even the most efficient 50-class unit we track saves only about $15 a year on that. The big savings come from sizing correctly and letting the humidistat cycle, not from chasing a nameplate wattage. If running cost matters more than sticker price, start with our energy efficient dehumidifier guide, use our dehumidifier size guide to avoid buying more capacity than the room needs, and check whether Amazon Prime is worth it for dehumidifier shoppers before you check out.