Energy Star vs Non-Energy Star Dehumidifiers

What the Energy Star mark means on a listing

The ENERGY STAR mark is a certification program run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. According to the ENERGY STAR page for dehumidifiers, a certified model uses more efficient refrigeration coils, compressors, and fans to remove the same amount of moisture as a similarly sized conventional unit while using 20% less energy. Certified models exist for both portable and whole-home dehumidifiers.

The mark is a statement about the model, not about your room or your bill. It says the unit passed a defined efficiency measurement, not that it will change how your basement feels. Read the mark as one detail on a listing, alongside capacity, pump, and drain hose. See the best dehumidifier reviews for how these details appear in a review.

Reading the mark in a dehumidifier title

Some listings put "Energy Star" directly in the title. That is a clear statement of certification. Other listings do not name the mark, even if the model is certified. The absence is not a rejection; it is simply an unstated detail.

On this site, a review builds every statement from the title and the bullet list. When the title does not name Energy Star, the review does not claim the mark. You can see this in the way each pick lists "not stated by the seller" for missing details. Read energy factor versus Energy Star rating for the difference between the two terms.

To confirm a model's certification, open the maker's page or the ENERGY STAR product finder. The product finder is the authoritative list of certified models.

The measurement behind the mark

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) defines how dehumidifier capacity and efficiency are measured. Capacity is reported in pints per day at stated conditions. Efficiency is reported as an integrated energy factor (IEF) in liters per kilowatt-hour. As of June 2019, all dehumidifiers are rated with an IEF value based on a new measurement procedure that uses a cooler condition, 65°F instead of 80°F, to better reflect a basement setting.

This cooler measurement means a unit with a 70-pint rating under the old procedure may show a lower pint figure under the new one. The ENERGY STAR page for capacity gives a table with old and new approximate capacities. When you compare two listings, make sure both are using the same measurement era, or the pint figures are not directly comparable. Read dehumidifier energy consumption in watts for what that number means on a listing.

The Energy Star mark is tied to the IEF. A title that names the mark tells you the model meets the ENERGY STAR efficiency level, but it does not give you the exact IEF number. To see that number, read the maker's specification page.

What a title without the mark does not tell you

A dehumidifier title that omits "Energy Star" tells you nothing about efficiency. The maker may have left it out for space, or the model may not be certified. You cannot assume either way.

This site's reviewing rule is that a detail is only stated when the title states it. So a review of a non-marked listing will not say whether the unit is efficient. The reader's job is to take the question to the maker's page and read the IEF or the ENERGY STAR finder.

For guidance on moisture and mold in a home, read the EPA and CDC mold pages listed in the sources.

Comparing a certified title with an uncertain one

When you have two listings, one that names Energy Star and one that does not, you can compare the details both state: capacity group, pump, drain hose, kind, and area. You cannot say one is more efficient than the other unless both give an IEF number or both name the same certification.

The ENERGY STAR program's 20% figure is a claim about certified models as a class, not a promise for a specific listing. For a specific unit, the only reliable comparison is the IEF value on the maker's page.

You can also compare the pint figure if both are reported under the same DOE measurement era. If one appears to be an older rating, ask the maker which procedure it uses. For certified models in the 50 to 99 pint group, see the best Energy Star dehumidifiers.

Questions to take to the maker's page

Before you decide between a titled Energy Star unit and one without the mark, write down these questions for the maker: Is this model ENERGY STAR certified? What is its integrated energy factor in liters per kWh? Under which DOE measurement procedure is the pint figure reported? Does the certification cover the model as sold, or only a specific configuration?

Answers to these questions let you compare two listings by something concrete instead of by name. The site's reviews only use stated details, so these answers belong on the maker's page, not in a review.

Then match your answers to the buying guides on this site, which organize models by capacity group and use.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

Does a title without Energy Star mean the unit is less efficient?

No. It only means the title omits the mark. Many certified models are sold without the mark in the title. Check the maker's page or the ENERGY STAR product finder.

Can I compare two units by their Energy Star marks?

Only if both titles name the mark. If one does not, you cannot assume anything about its certification. Compare stated capacity, pump, and drain details instead.

What does the pint figure have to do with the Energy Star mark?

Capacity and efficiency are separate measurements. The pint figure comes from the DOE measurement procedure; the mark comes from the integrated energy factor. A unit can have a high pint figure and not be certified.

How do I find out if a specific model is Energy Star certified?

Open the ENERGY STAR product finder for dehumidifiers, or read the maker's specification page. Do not rely on the listing title alone.

Why do some listings show a lower pint figure than an older model?

Because DOE changed the measurement procedure in 2019 to a cooler 65°F condition. A similar unit may show a smaller capacity under the new procedure. The ENERGY STAR page gives a table of old and new approximate capacities.