Best Dehumidifiers With a Pump

1. How We Picked

A dehumidifier with a built-in pump solves one specific problem: getting water out of a basement that has no floor drain at or below the unit. Instead of relying on gravity, a small pump inside the machine pushes condensate up through a hose to a sink, a window or a drain line above the floor. That is the feature we evaluated first, and it narrowed the field quickly.

We looked only at units whose pump is built in and designed for continuous use, not models that merely offer a gravity drain port. We then compared them on the numbers that decide whether a pump install works: the rated vertical lift, the length of hose included, whether a gravity drain port remains available as a backup and what owners report about pump reliability after a season or more of running.

Capacity and efficiency came next. Every portable here is rated at 50 pints per day under the 2019 Department of Energy test at 65°F and 60% humidity, which is the current, realistic standard for basement use. We favored ENERGY STAR certified models because a basement dehumidifier can run many hundreds of hours a year, and efficiency differences add up. We also noted which units publish a low-temperature operating limit, since many pump buyers have unfinished basements that run cool.

Finally, we included one unit that is not a portable at all. Crawl spaces and cold basements are exactly the places where a pump is most needed and where portables most often fail, so we added a compact crawl space unit with a built-in pump for readers in that situation.

If you do have a floor drain close by, you may not need a pump at all, and our guide to the best basement dehumidifiers covers excellent units without one. Pumps add convenience, but they also add a part that can fail.

2. Do You Actually Need a Pump?

The first question is not which pump dehumidifier to buy but whether you need a pump at all. Gravity drainage is simpler, quieter and more reliable, because there is nothing to fail. If you can run a hose downhill from the dehumidifier to a floor drain, sump pit or utility sink drain, a unit without a pump will do the same job with fewer moving parts.

Gravity drainage has one firm requirement: the hose has to fall the whole way. Any section that rises, sags or loops will trap water, and the flow will stop. That usually means the drain must be lower than the unit's drain port, which on most portables is only a few inches off the floor. You can raise the dehumidifier onto a sturdy stand to gain a foot or so of fall, and that trick alone solves many installs.

You need a pump when the only available drain is above the unit: a laundry sink, a basement window, a condensate line or a drain on the floor above. You also need one when the nearest floor drain is so far away that a gravity hose would cross walkways or would not maintain its slope. Our guide on how to drain a dehumidifier without a floor drain walks through every option, including external condensate pumps that you can add to a unit without one.

There is a middle path worth knowing about. A dehumidifier with both a built-in pump and a gravity port gives you a fallback. If the pump fails, you can switch to gravity or add an external pump rather than going back to emptying a bucket. The Frigidaire in this guide has that feature, and we consider it a genuine advantage.

If you choose a pump, accept that it is a maintenance item. Pump dehumidifiers need their hose and pump inlet kept clean, and they reward owners who check them occasionally. If that sounds like a chore, spend the effort instead on finding a gravity route.

3. Our 6 Top Picks

Five of these are 50-pint portable dehumidifiers rated under the current 2019 DOE standard, all ENERGY STAR certified and all with a built-in pump designed for continuous drainage. The sixth is a compact crawl space unit with a pump for spaces that run too cold for any portable. They are ranked for the most common situation, a damp basement with a laundry sink or window as the only drain. Before you choose, measure the vertical rise to your drain point and check it against each unit's pump rating.

1

Midea Cube 50-Pint Dehumidifier with Pump

50 Pints (2019 DOE), Built-In Pump, Up to 4,500 Sq Ft

Best Overall

4.3 (3,000 ratings on Amazon)

The Midea Cube looks unusual, and the design has a point. The unit telescopes: collapsed, it is a compact cube that is easy to store; extended, the lower section becomes a large water reservoir that holds far more than a typical bucket. The pump version adds a built-in condensate pump that Midea rates to push water about 16 feet vertically, which is enough to run a hose up and out of a basement window, over a laundry sink rim or into a drain line well above the floor. It is rated at 50 pints per day under the current 2019 DOE test at 65°F and 60% humidity and is sold for spaces up to about 4,500 square feet, which in practice means a large, damp basement rather than a whole house. It is ENERGY STAR certified, and Midea's Cube line has carried the program's Most Efficient recognition, which matters for a machine that may run several hours a day all summer. App control and voice-assistant support let you check the humidity and pump status without going downstairs. The trade-off is complexity. The telescoping body and the pump are more parts than a simple box dehumidifier has, and pumps are the component that most often fails on any portable. Keep the hose clear, clean the pump screen when you clean the filter, and it is the easiest recommendation here.

Pros

• Built-in pump rated to lift water about 16 feet vertically, enough to reach a first-floor sink or a basement window
• Unique nesting design stores compactly and extends to a much larger tank when you are not pumping
• ENERGY STAR certified, with the Cube line carrying Most Efficient recognition
• App and voice-assistant control for a unit that often lives in a room you rarely visit
• Lighter and smaller than a traditional 50-pint box unit

Cons

• The telescoping body and pump add parts that a basic unit does not have
• Pump hose length is not prominently published, so measure your run and buy extra tubing if needed

The Bottom Line

The best all-round pump dehumidifier for a typical basement: strong lift, good efficiency and a design that makes the bucket nearly irrelevant.

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4

GE 50-Pint ENERGY STAR Dehumidifier with Built-In Pump (APER50LZ)

50 Pints (2019 DOE), Built-In Pump, 16-Ft Hose

Best Smart Controls

4.2 (1,500 ratings on Amazon)

GE's 50-pint pump model is one of the few that ships with a hose long enough to be useful straight out of the box. The included 16-foot hose means you can usually reach a laundry sink or a basement window without a trip to the hardware store, and that is exactly where many first-time pump installs stall. It removes 50 pints per day under the 2019 DOE standard, it is ENERGY STAR certified, and it includes GE's Smart Dry mode, which compares the humidity you set with the humidity in the room and adjusts fan speed to match. In practice that means it runs quietly once a basement is close to its target rather than blasting at full speed. Automatic defrost shuts the compressor off and keeps the fan running when frost builds on the coil, which helps in a cool basement. The unit also sounds an alarm when its internal water storage is full, which is an important signal on a pump unit because it usually means the pump or hose has stopped moving water. At about 24 by 15 by 11.5 inches, it has a smaller footprint than most 50-pint units. The main reservation is that it has fewer owner reviews than the Frigidaire or Honeywell, so its long-term pump reliability is less well documented. It is fairly priced for what you get, not a bargain.

Pros

• 16-foot hose included, so you can reach a sink or window without buying extra tubing
• Smart Dry mode adjusts fan speed to the difference between the set and actual humidity
• Automatic defrost cycles the compressor off while the fan clears the coil
• ENERGY STAR certified
• Compact footprint at about 24 by 15 by 11.5 inches

Cons

• Fewer owner reviews than the Frigidaire and Honeywell, so long-term pump reliability is less proven
• Premium pricing compared with similar 50-pint pump units

The Bottom Line

A well-equipped pump dehumidifier that ships with everything you need for the drain run, at a price that is fair rather than cheap.

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5

hOmeLabs 4,500 Sq. Ft. ENERGY STAR Dehumidifier with Pump

50 Pints (2019 DOE), Built-In Pump, 16.4-Ft Hose

Best Budget

4.4 (6,000 ratings on Amazon)

hOmeLabs sells one of the most popular budget dehumidifiers on Amazon, and the pump version keeps the formula: 50 pints per day under the 2019 DOE test, ENERGY STAR certification and a price that usually undercuts the big appliance brands. Unlike some competitors, it ships with a 16.4-foot pump hose, so you can run water to a sink or out a window without buying extra tubing. You press a pump button to switch from the bucket to pump drainage, and from then on it runs continuously. In large, damp basements, owners consistently report that it pulls humidity down to the 45% to 50% range and keeps it there. The trade-offs are the usual ones for a value brand. hOmeLabs does not clearly publish a pump lift height, and the build quality is a step below Midea and Frigidaire, with more owner reports of pumps that quit after a season or two of heavy use. Our advice is simple: on the day it arrives, set up the full hose run you intend to use, fill the tank and confirm the pump clears it. If it cannot handle your vertical rise, return it while you can. If it can, it is a lot of dehumidifier for the money, and the large owner base means answers to most problems are only a search away.

Pros

• Usually the lowest price of the 50-pint ENERGY STAR pump units
• Comes with a 16.4-foot drain hose for the pump, so the drain run is covered
• Very large owner base on Amazon, which makes troubleshooting help easy to find
• Simple push-button pump activation and continuous-drain operation
• Solid real-world performance in large, damp basements

Cons

• Pump lift height is not clearly published, so test your vertical run before relying on it
• Build quality is a step below Frigidaire and Midea, and owners report more variation unit to unit

The Bottom Line

The value pick when you need a pump and do not want to pay for app control, with the caveat that you should test the pump the day it arrives.

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6

AlorAir Sentinel HD35P Dehumidifier with Pump

35 PPD at AHAM, 70 PPD Saturation, Built-In Pump, Works to 33.8°F

Best for Crawl Spaces and Cold Basements

4.3 (700 ratings on Amazon)

Every other unit in this guide is a portable dehumidifier designed for a basement that someone uses. The HD35P is different: a compact, metal-bodied crawl space dehumidifier with a built-in condensate pump, and it is the right pick when the space is colder or harder to reach than a typical basement. AlorAir rates it at 35 pints per day at AHAM conditions and 70 at saturation for spaces up to about 1,000 square feet. The AHAM number is measured at 80°F rather than the 65°F used for portables, so it is not directly comparable, and in a warm finished basement a 50-pint portable will outwork it. Where it wins is in the cold. It is rated to keep running down to 33.8°F, while portables typically bottom out in the low 40s and lose much of their capacity well before that. It is ENERGY STAR certified, it includes both a pump hose and a longer gravity hose, and its listed maximum noise level is 55 dB. For an encapsulated crawl space or a cold, unfinished basement where the unit will run unattended for years, it is a better tool than any portable here. If your crawl space is larger or wetter, see our full guide to crawl space units for the bigger models.

Pros

• Rated to operate down to 33.8°F, far below any portable in this guide
• Built-in condensate pump plus a separate gravity hose, so it works with or without a drain
• ENERGY STAR certified with a metal, low-profile body designed for crawl spaces
• Designed for years of unattended continuous running rather than a single season
• Relatively quiet at a listed 55 dB maximum

Cons

• Its 35-pint AHAM rating means less capacity than the 50-pint portables in a warm basement
• Costs noticeably more than a portable of similar rated capacity

The Bottom Line

Skip the portables if the space is a crawl space or a basement that runs cold, and buy this instead.

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4. Lift Height, Hose Runs and Where the Water Goes

The key pump spec is vertical lift, the height the pump can push water above the unit. Most 50-pint pump dehumidifiers are rated for roughly 15 to 16 feet. Midea rates the Cube pump at about 16 feet, Honeywell rates the TP70PWKN at about 15 feet, and GE and hOmeLabs include hoses of 16 feet or more. Lift ratings are measured under ideal conditions, so plan to use no more than about two-thirds of the rated figure.

That still leaves plenty of room for real installs. A typical basement window sits 6 to 7 feet above the floor, and a laundry sink rim is about 3 feet. A drain line in the floor joists above is usually 8 to 9 feet up. All of those are comfortably within range. Where people get into trouble is sending the hose up to a first-floor sink and then across a long horizontal run, where the combination of height and hose length adds resistance.

Hose matters as much as the pump. Use the hose supplied or one of the same inner diameter, keep it as short as practical, avoid kinks and tight bends and secure it so it cannot slip out of the sink. Where it discharges into a sink, clip it to the rim so the end sits above the water line and cannot siphon or fall out. Where it goes outside, keep the end clear of the foundation and protect it from freezing.

Think about the discharge point as a system, not an afterthought. Water pumped into a laundry sink is fine as long as the sink drains freely. Water pushed out a window should land at least a few feet from the foundation on ground that slopes away, or it will find its way back into the basement you are trying to dry.

5. How Built-In Pumps Fail and How to Prevent It

Built-in pumps are the component most likely to fail on a portable dehumidifier, and most failures follow a few predictable patterns. Understanding them turns a pump unit from a gamble into a reliable machine.

The most common problem is a clog. Dehumidifier condensate is clean at first, but it runs over coils and through a reservoir that stays warm and wet, and over time a slimy biofilm forms. That slime collects on the pump inlet screen and inside the hose. Flow slows, the pump runs longer, and eventually the unit reports a full tank or a pump error and stops. Cleaning the pump screen and flushing the hose every few months prevents most of these failures.

The second is a blocked or frozen discharge. A hose that is kinked, crushed behind furniture or run outside in freezing weather stops flowing, and the pump either runs dry or shuts down. Route the hose where it cannot be stepped on, avoid tight bends and bring outdoor lines inside or insulate them before winter.

The third is air lock and siphoning. If the discharge end sits below the water in a sink, or the hose loops downward after rising, water can siphon back or trap air. Keep the discharge end above the waterline and make the path simple: straight up, then gently across and down.

The last is simple wear. Small pumps that cycle every few minutes for months on end eventually wear out, which is one more reason to prefer a unit with a gravity port as backup. Test the pump on day one by running the unit until it pumps, and check it again at the start of each humid season. If it fails, an external condensate pump can take over in most cases.

6. Pint Ratings and Sizing

Every portable dehumidifier sold since 2019 is rated under the Department of Energy test at 65°F and 60% relative humidity. Older models were rated at 80°F and 60%, and because cooler air holds less water, the same machine now carries a smaller number. The Honeywell in this guide is a clear example: it was sold for years as a 70-pint unit and is now labeled 50 pints. The machine did not change.

That matters when you compare reviews or older recommendations. A 70-pint dehumidifier from an older article is roughly equivalent to a 50-pint unit today, and a 50-pint unit from before 2019 is closer to 35 pints under the current test. When in doubt, look for the phrase 2019 DOE standard on the box or listing.

For most basements, a 50-pint unit is the right size. The large coverage figures on the box, such as 4,000 or 4,500 square feet, assume a moderately damp space and good air circulation. A very wet basement, one with a history of water intrusion or one in a humid coastal climate will need that capacity even at 1,500 to 2,000 square feet. It is also why nearly all pump dehumidifiers are 50-pint units: pumps are most useful on the machines that produce the most water.

Size up rather than down. A dehumidifier that is slightly oversized reaches the target humidity and cycles off, while one that is undersized runs constantly, wears out faster and never quite gets there. Our guide to the best basement dehumidifiers covers sizing in more depth, including when a whole-house system makes more sense.

7. ENERGY STAR and Running Costs

A 50-pint dehumidifier typically draws around 500 to 600 watts while the compressor runs. In a damp basement during summer, it may run 8 to 16 hours a day, and at typical U.S. electricity rates that works out to somewhere around a dollar or two a day at peak. Over a humid season, efficiency is worth real money.

ENERGY STAR certification tells you a unit removes more water per kilowatt-hour than the federal minimum requires, measured as integrated energy factor in liters per kWh. All of the portables in this guide are ENERGY STAR certified, and Midea's Cube line has also carried the program's Most Efficient recognition. Uncertified units are sometimes cheaper to buy but can cost more to run within a season or two.

The pump itself uses very little electricity. It runs for a few seconds each time the internal reservoir fills, and its consumption is a rounding error next to the compressor. Do not let the pump put you off an otherwise efficient unit.

The bigger levers are setpoint and air sealing. Setting the unit to 50% rather than 40% can cut run time substantially, and 50% is low enough to prevent mold and musty odors. Sealing obvious air leaks and fixing water intrusion reduces the load before the dehumidifier ever sees it. Our breakdown of how much electricity a dehumidifier uses has the full math for estimating your own costs.

8. Placement and Setup for a Pump Unit

Placement matters more with a pump unit than without one, because you are balancing two goals: putting the dehumidifier where it dries the most air and putting it where the hose run is short and simple.

Start with airflow. The unit should sit away from walls with at least a foot of clearance around the intake and exhaust, in a central location or near the dampest part of the basement. Do not tuck it into a closet or behind boxes, where it will mostly re-dry its own exhaust. Our guide on where to place a dehumidifier in a basement covers the common layouts.

Then plan the hose. Pick the drain point first, whether that is a laundry sink, window or drain line, and position the unit so the hose goes straight up and gently across with no loops. A short, simple run is more reliable than a long one, and the difference in drying is usually small if the unit is still reasonably central.

On setup day, fill the reservoir by running the unit until the pump cycles, and watch the full cycle. Check that water reaches the discharge point quickly and that the end of the hose stays put. Check again after a few days to catch slow leaks at connections and make sure the unit has not shifted. Set the humidity target around 45% to 50%, turn on auto restart if it is a menu option and put a separate hygrometer on the far side of the basement to confirm the reading.

Finally, make the filter and pump screen easy to reach. A unit that is awkward to service is a unit that does not get serviced.

9. Cold Basements and Crawl Spaces

Many pump buyers have exactly the kind of space where portables struggle: an unfinished basement that runs in the 50s for much of the year, or a crawl space under part of the house. Pumps are especially useful in those spaces, because they rarely have a convenient floor drain, but temperature changes which dehumidifier is the right tool.

Portable compressor dehumidifiers work well in the mid-60s and above. Below that, their coils start to frost, they spend more time defrosting and their real output drops well below the rated figure. Most portables are rated to operate into the low 40s, but a unit that can run at 41°F is not delivering its rated capacity there. In a basement that runs cool only in spring and fall, a good portable like the Honeywell is fine. In a space that stays cold, it will underperform.

Crawl spaces are a different category. They are cool, cramped and rarely visited, and the dehumidifier may need to run year after year without anyone checking on it. That is why purpose-built crawl space units use low-temperature coils, metal housings, long warranties and built-in pumps or drain connections. The AlorAir HD35P in this guide is one example, rated to run down to 33.8°F.

If your project is a crawl space, read our full guide to the best crawl space dehumidifiers before buying anything. It covers why the space needs to be sealed first, how to size a unit and which models handle cold air best.