The Waykar 34-pint is the value pick for small to medium basements. It is Energy Star Most Efficient certified, runs at a whisper-quiet 33 dB on low, and costs far less than the 50-pint smart units here. Reviewers from Tom's Guide to Heating News Journal praise its efficiency and quiet. Its 34-pint capacity and lack of a pump make it less suited to very large or below-grade basements, but for a moderate, drainable space it delivers excellent value.
Full review
Real-World Performance
The Waykar 34-pint is built around efficiency and quiet rather than peak drying speed. It removes up to 34 pints of moisture per day at peak conditions and is rated for spaces up to 2,000 sq ft, which comfortably covers small and medium basements. Heating News Journal's review highlighted its combination of efficient moisture removal and ongoing energy savings, and around 85% of owners rated it positively for effective humidity reduction and quiet operation.
For a moderate basement that is damp but not severely wet, the Waykar keeps humidity in a safe band without the bulk, noise, or cost of a 50-pint unit. It uses a rotary compressor and holds a target humidity steadily once it reaches it. It will be slower than the Midea Cube or GE APER50LZ in a very large or very humid space, which is the predictable trade-off for its smaller capacity.
Efficiency and Running Cost
Efficiency is the Waykar's headline. It carries an Energy Star Most Efficient certification, the top tier of the program, and Waykar states it uses roughly 45% less energy than a conventional dehumidifier. For a basement appliance that runs for many hours a day through a humid season, that efficiency directly lowers the electric bill, and it is the main reason the unit punches above its price on value.
Because a dehumidifier's lifetime cost is dominated by electricity rather than purchase price, a Most Efficient rating on an inexpensive unit is a genuinely strong combination. You pay less up front than for the 50-pint smart units in this roundup and less to run it month to month, which is exactly what makes it the value pick here for the right size of space.
Quiet Operation
The Waykar is the quietest unit in this roundup, rated at 33 dB on its low fan speed, quieter even than the Honeywell TP50WKN. That low noise floor makes it well suited to a basement that doubles as a bedroom or office, where a louder unit would be a constant distraction. Reviewers across Tom's Guide and Heating News Journal specifically called out its quiet operation as a defining strength.
At 33 dB the unit is closer to a soft whisper than a hum, which is unusual for a dehumidifier of any size. For light sleepers or anyone who works in a converted basement space, that quietness is a real, daily benefit and one of the clearest reasons to choose the Waykar over a noisier high-capacity unit when your space does not demand the extra pints.
Drainage and Maintenance
The Waykar offers two drainage modes: empty the 0.66-gallon tank manually, or attach the included hose for continuous gravity drainage and unattended operation. For a basement with a drain at or below the unit, the continuous option means largely hands-off running. A reusable, washable filter keeps maintenance costs to nothing, rinsing clean under a tap rather than needing replacement cartridges.
The limitations to plan around are the small tank and the absence of a pump. The 0.66-gallon reservoir fills quickly in a damp basement if you are not using the hose, so continuous drainage is the way to run it. And because there is no pump, it cannot lift water to a higher drain, so a below-grade basement with an elevated drain will need a pump-equipped unit instead.
Where It Falls Short
The main constraint is capacity. At 34 pints the Waykar is smaller than the 50-pint units here, so in a very large open basement or one with a serious moisture problem it has to work harder and dries more slowly. Buyers should be honest about how big and how wet their basement is; for a large, very damp space the Midea Cube is the better tool despite its higher cost.
The lack of a pump and the small tank also limit how truly unattended it can be in a difficult basement, and the base warranty is one year (extendable to two on registration). None of these are flaws so much as the natural boundaries of a smaller, cheaper unit, and within those boundaries the Waykar performs well.
Who It's Best For
Choose the Waykar 34-pint if your basement is small to medium, you want the lowest running cost and the quietest operation, and you can use a gravity drain or do not mind emptying the tank. It is the best value here for a moderate basement, a converted basement bedroom, or an office where efficiency and quiet matter more than raw capacity.
Step up to a 50-pint unit like the Midea Cube or Frigidaire Gallery if your basement is large or severely damp, or to a pump-equipped model if your drain sits above the unit. But for a manageable, drainable basement on a budget, the Waykar delivers the efficiency and quiet that matter most at a price the bigger units cannot touch.
Strengths
- +Energy Star Most Efficient certified, using about 45% less energy than conventional units
- +Quiet 33 dB operation on low, the quietest figure in this roundup
- +Best value here at around $169, well below the 50-pint smart units
- +Dual drainage: manual tank or continuous hose for unattended running
- +Covers up to 2,000 sq ft, plenty for small and medium basements
Watch-outs
- −34-pint capacity is smaller, so it is slower in very large or very damp basements
- −No built-in pump; gravity drainage only via the included hose
- −Small 0.66-gallon tank fills quickly without a hose
- −1-year warranty (2-year extension on registration)
How it compares
The smallest-capacity and cheapest unit here, the value alternative to the 50-pint Midea Cube and Frigidaire Gallery FGAC5044W1 when your basement is moderate in size. It is quieter than every other unit in this roundup, including the Honeywell TP50WKN, but lacks the pump of the Midea Cube and GE APER50LZ.
Who this is for
At a glance: Small to medium basements on a budget where energy efficiency and quiet matter more than maximum capacity, and a gravity drain or occasional emptying is fine.
Why you’d buy the Waykar 34-Pint Energy Star Most Efficient Dehumidifier
- Energy Star Most Efficient certified, using about 45% less energy than conventional units.
- Quiet 33 dB operation on low, the quietest figure in this roundup.
- Best value here at around $169, well below the 50-pint smart units.
Why you’d skip it
- 34-pint capacity is smaller, so it is slower in very large or very damp basements.
- No built-in pump; gravity drainage only via the included hose.
- Small 0.66-gallon tank fills quickly without a hose.
Rating sources
“Quiet 33dB operation suits bedrooms and offices, with two drainage options for long-term operation in damp basements.”
“Combines efficient moisture removal with ongoing energy savings thanks to its 2025 ENERGY STAR Most Efficient certification, with quiet 33 dB operation and compact design.”
“2025 ENERGY STAR Most Efficient, uses 45% less energy than traditional models, removing up to 34 pints per day for spaces up to 2,000 sq. ft.”
Our 4.3 score is the average of these published ratings. Ratings marked * were derived from the reviewer’s written analysis or video transcript — the publisher didn’t print an explicit numeric score, so we inferred one from their own words. Click through to verify. More about methodology.
