How Tos
Practical guides for using appliances and understanding the measurements behind a product review. These guides draw on my fan and dehumidifier testing in the warehouse where I live with 28 rescued cats and store appliances.
On this page: Estimate electricity cost · Fan wattage readings · Dehumidifier modes · Water tank sizes and handles.
How to estimate a dehumidifier’s electricity cost
Use the power reading and the electricity rate on your own bill. A wattage reading describes power at that moment; a meter’s accumulated kWh reading tells you the energy used across a complete session.
- Divide the wattage by 1,000 to convert it to kilowatts.
- Multiply by the hours of use to estimate kWh, assuming the same power draw throughout.
- Multiply the kWh by your electricity rate per kWh.
Example: A steady 300 W for three hours uses 0.9 kWh. At an example rate of ₱12 per kWh, that costs ₱10.80. A compressor that cycles on and off will change the total, so measure a full session for a closer estimate.
See my dehumidifier wattage readings and running-cost comparison.
Measured fan power use in watts
The figures below are the power readings from my own fans. Power draw changes with the speed setting.
Acerpure F1: 1.014–1.098 W at the lowest speed; 26.29–26.41 W at the highest speed.
Acerpure F2: 1.633–1.791 W at the lowest speed; 24.33–29.32 W at the highest speed.
Midea 16-inch: 1.344 W at the lowest speed; 25.66–26.06 W at the highest speed.
See the full wattage tables by speed · Read the testing method
How to choose a dehumidifier mode
For routine humidity control, check whether your model can maintain a chosen humidity target automatically. Continuous operation keeps dehumidifying beyond that target; laundry modes and fan settings vary between models. Check the manual for the controls on your own unit.
See how the modes and controls worked on the units I tested.
How to compare water tanks before buying
Check the removable tank’s capacity and whether it has its own carrying handle. A handle on the whole appliance is a separate feature. The advertised 12L or 20L dehumidification figure is not necessarily the water tank’s capacity.
See the tank photos and which tested models have carrying handles.