How many watts does a dehumidifier use?

By Tom Calder · Figures checked 4 November 2026 · Costs at 26.32p per kWh (Ofgem cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026)

In short

A 12-litre compressor dehumidifier such as Meaco’s ABC 12L draws about 125W to 204W, more in a warmer, damper room; a desiccant model such as Meaco’s DD8L Junior about 330W. An hour costs about 3p to 9p at 26.32p per kWh.

A kettle coming to the boil beside a microwave and slow cooker in a warmly lit kitchen on a rainy evening

The numbers

Running watts: 125W to 330W
Amps at 230V (most): 1.4A
Energy an hour: 0.13 to 0.33 kWh; While running: Meaco ABC 12L compressor 125W to 204W, Meaco DD8L Junior desiccant 330W. The humidistat switches it off once the room is dry.
Cost an hour: 3p to 9p
Start-up surge, for planning: about 660W; Not a maker figure. BLUETTI’s 2–4× compressor rule applied to the 12L’s 165W headline figure, a planning number.
On a 1kWh power station: 2.5 to 5.5 hours
On a 2kWh power station: 4.5 to 11 hours

Costs use 26.32p per kWh, the Ofgem price cap's average Direct Debit electricity unit rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Your own rate is on your bill; on a fixed or time-of-use tariff it will differ.

How it’s used, and what that costs

Meaco gives the ABC 12L a headline 165W and a table showing 125W at 10°C and 60% humidity rising to 204W at 30°C and 80%. Desiccant dehumidifiers use a heated absorbent wheel rather than a compressor, so they draw more but keep working well in a cold room, such as an unheated bedroom or garage.

The honest bit

Set the humidistat to a sensible level rather than running it flat out: once the room is dry it switches off. Drying washing indoors is the most common reason to need one; see our dehumidifiers comparison for which type suits your home.

In a power cut: how long a power station would run it

A 1kWh power station: 2.5 to 5.5 hours. A 2kWh power station: 4.5 to 11 hours. These use the same planning method as our power station pages: capacity × 90% usable depth × 85% inverter efficiency, divided by the load plus about 10W the unit uses itself (BLUETTI’s UK formula).

Output matters as much as capacity. The 7 units around 1kWh we list supply 1,500W to 2,000W continuously, and the 6 around 2kWh supply 2,200W to 3,000W, so check a unit’s rated output covers 330W and its surge rating covers the start-up before you rely on it.

To size one for everything you’d want to keep running, use the sizer on our power stations comparison.