Is an Efficient Dehumidifier Worth It in the UK? (2026)
With electricity at 26.3p per kWh in the UK, an efficient dehumidifier pays for itself in 1.8 years, even if your current one still works.
An efficient dehumidifier cuts electricity by 43%: about 540 kWh, worth £142.13 a year in the UK. Worth it now
- From
- Older dehumidifier, about 700 W, about 1,260 kWh a year
- To
- ENERGY STAR dehumidifier, about 400 W, about 720 kWh a year
- Usage
- 10 hours a day for six months
| Scenario | You pay | Payback | Net over its life |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replace a working dehumidifier now | £250.00 | 1.8 years | £887.02 |
| Replacing anyway: choose the efficient one | £60.00 | 5 months | £1,077 |
Prices are typical figures; type your own quotes above. Net over its life is the total saving over the years it lasts minus what you pay. It ignores inflation, interest and changes in electricity prices, which is conservative while prices are rising.
Our take
Worth it for a basement unit that runs for months on end. A humidistat set to 50% saves more than the upgrade does.
How the two models compare
| Inefficient | Efficient | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Older dehumidifier, about 700 W | ENERGY STAR dehumidifier, about 400 W |
| Electricity per year | 1,260 kWh | 720 kWh |
| Cost per year here | £331.63 | £189.50 |
| Over 8 years | £2,653 | £1,516 |
Usage behind these figures: 10 hours a day for six months. Basis: ENERGY STAR dehumidifiers remove about 15% more moisture per kWh than standard models; units from before the 2012 US standard are less efficient still. At 10 hours a day for 180 days. The Dehumidifier page prices the appliance at its own typical hours, which you can change there.
The same upgrade in other countries
| Country | Saving per year | Payback, replacing now | Payback, replacing anyway | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States (average) | $99.04 | 2.5 years | 7 months | Worth it now |
| United Kingdom | £142.13 | 1.8 years | 5 months | Worth it now |
| Germany | €199.80 | 1.3 years | 4 months | Worth it now |
| France | €108.05 | 2.3 years | 7 months | Worth it now |
| Australia | A$189.00 | 1.3 years | 4 months | Worth it now |
| Canada (average) | C$75.60 | 3.3 years | 10 months | Worth it when replacing |
Local electricity prices, with the same purchase price read in local currency, which is a simplification. The saving column is what matters: the higher the price of electricity, the faster any upgrade pays back.
Other upgrades in the UK, fastest payback first
- LED Light Bulbsaves £24.74 a year · worth it now
- Electric Water Heatersaves £806.97 a year · worth it now
- Pool Pumpsaves £369.53 a year · worth it now
- Wi-Fi Routersaves £27.64 a year · worth it when replacing
- Electric Sauna Heatersaves £446.65 a year · worth it when replacing
- Chest Freezersaves £81.59 a year · worth it when replacing
- Hot Tubsaves £672.48 a year · worth it when replacing
- Clothes Dryersaves £118.44 a year · worth it when replacing
- Air Conditionersaves £65.80 a year · worth it when replacing
- Refrigeratorsaves £113.18 a year · worth it when replacing
- Desktop Computersaves £80.80 a year · not for the electricity
- Space Heatersaves £236.88 a year · not for the electricity
- Electric Stovesaves £38.43 a year · not for the electricity
- Dishwashersaves £36.85 a year · worth it when replacing
- Washing Machinesaves £25.00 a year · worth it when replacing
- Televisionsaves £19.21 a year · not for the electricity