When shopping for a dehumidifier, you'll notice two separate capacities listed: the moisture removal capacity and the tank capacity. The moisture removal capacity refers to how much water the device can remove from the air in 24 hours, while the tank capacity is how much the tank can hold—usually far less than the moisture removal capacity.The larger and/or more humid your basement is, the . Typically, you’ll find capacities anywhere from 1 to 60 pints per day. Keep in mind, the listed amount doesn’t directly correlate with how much water will be removed from the air. If the air in your basement is already close to the humidity setting you choose, the dehumidifier won’t pull its maximum capacity out.A dehumidifier’s tank size will determine how much collected water the unit can hold. Smaller dehumidifiers like the only hold around 3 pints of water, while larger tanks can hold up to 34 pints. The bigger the tank is, the less often you’ll need to empty it. Larger tanks aren’t always better, though, since they become very heavy once filled with water.Most dehumidifiers offer timer features or will automatically turn off once the tank is full. If you plan on running your dehumidifier consistently and collect the water through the tank instead of a drain hose, you’ll want to plan on emptying the tank once a day to keep it running., We tested the best dehumidifiers for basements including large and small dehumidifiers, dehumidifiers with a pump, budget and energy-efficient models., The best dehumidifiers aren't just champs at removing moisture from air. They’re also quiet and energy-efficient. Here are some of CR's top-rated dehumidifiers..