MOISWELL Defender ME-7: running cost
The MOISWELL Defender ME-7 is certified by ENERGY STAR at 285 kWh a year, cheaper than most models in its category to run among dehumidifiers currently certified.
That $54 is priced at 18.8¢/kWh, the average of all 51 state rates this site tracks. Your own state's rate is one click away.
Efficient, or not, for a dehumidifier
Against the category average of 378 kWh/yr, this model uses 24.6% less, ranking 204 of 546 dehumidifiers tracked here for running cost. That average is drawn from all 546 dehumidifiers ENERGY STAR currently certifies, not an outside number, a $17/year gap from this model at the national rate. Full sourcing is in the sourcing notes.
Right next to it on the list
A rank or two either side of the MOISWELL Defender ME-7: MOISWELL Defender M7R ($54/yr, 285 kWh/yr), then MOISWELL Defender ME-7S ($54/yr, 285 kWh/yr).
Comparing MOISWELL's own models
Ranked 2 of MOISWELL's 24 certified dehumidifiers, this sits between the Defender M7R ($54/yr, the brand's cheapest) and the Marshal WP160 ($118/yr, its priciest).
Lifespan
NAHB's Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components does not publish a figure for dehumidifiers, so no lifetime cost is shown here rather than a guessed one. The annual and monthly figures above stand on their own.
Weighing a replacement
Efficient as certified dehumidifiers go, $54/year is a reasonable baseline if you're comparing what else is on the market.
Compare current ENERGY STAR certified dehumidifiers before buying.
If you're keeping it
A dehumidifier like the MOISWELL Defender ME-7 is a real household expense whether or not it needs replacing yet; a protection plan is one way to budget for a repair rather than a full replacement.
Where this number comes from
Two sourced numbers, nothing modeled: ENERGY STAR's certified kWh/yr for this exact model, and EIA's published state electricity rate. At rank 204 of 546 for running cost, see the dehumidifier category page for the rest of the field, or the guide to how much your state matters.