Quick Answer: The best Black+Decker dehumidifier for most basements is the 50-Pint with Pump (BDT50PWTB) — covers up to 4,500 sq ft for around $300-360 and drains itself continuously instead of filling a bucket. For a bedroom or small apartment, the 20-Pint (BDT20WTB) covers up to 1,500 sq ft for roughly $80-150. Before you buy, know two things: the identical 30-Pint model (BDT30WTB) has listed for $149.99 at Home Depot and $279.99 at Ace Hardware — an 87% gap for the same unit — and Black+Decker’s name is absent from both major dehumidifier recall lists that cover 13 and roughly 20 other brand names, respectively.
Black+Decker is a household name for power tools, not humidity control, and “black and decker dehumidifier” is a genuinely sizable search with no dedicated roundup on this site until now. The brand’s current US lineup runs four models across 20-, 30-, and 50-pint capacities, all ENERGY STAR certified per Black+Decker’s own product pages. Before the model-by-model breakdown, two facts worth knowing up front: Black+Decker doesn’t appear on either of the two largest dehumidifier recall lists in US history, and at least one current model’s price varies by nearly 90% depending on which retailer you buy from.
Black+Decker dehumidifiers at a glance
| Model | Best for | Capacity | Coverage | Pump | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black+Decker 50-Pint with Pump (BDT50PWTB) | Best overall | 50 pints/day | Up to 4,500 sq ft | Yes | about $300-360 |
| Black+Decker 20-Pint (BDT20WTB) | Best for a bedroom or small apartment | 20 pints/day | Up to 1,500 sq ft | No | about $80-150 |
| Black+Decker 30-Pint (BDT30WTB) | Best for a mid-size room | 30 pints/day | Up to 3,000 sq ft | No | $149.99-279.99 |
| Black+Decker 50-Pint (BDT50WTB) | Best large-capacity without a pump | 50 pints/day | Up to 4,500 sq ft | No | about $199-280 |
Prices reflect current retail listings and shift often — check the live price on Amazon before ordering.
Black+Decker dehumidifiers by the numbers
- 87%: the price gap between Home Depot’s $149.99 listing and Ace Hardware’s $279.99 listing for the identical Black+Decker 30-Pint (BDT30WTB) — same model, nearly double the price depending on where you buy it.
- ~20: the number of brand names covered by the CPSC’s 2021 New Widetech dehumidifier recall (roughly 2-2.4 million units sold 2009-2017), including Danby, Amana, Whynter, Edgestar, Friedrich, Haier, and Honeywell — Black+Decker’s name is not on that list, per CPSC.gov.
- 4,500 sq ft: the maximum coverage rating on Black+Decker’s largest current models (both 50-pint units), per the brand’s own product specs — the ceiling for a single unit before this site’s best dehumidifier for basement guide recommends splitting a space into zones.
- 14.3 pints: the internal bucket capacity on the non-pump 50-Pint (BDT50WTB), per Black+Decker’s spec sheet — meaning the bucket fills well before the unit’s rated 50-pint daily pull in humid conditions, which is exactly the gap the pump model (BDT50PWTB) is built to close.
1. Black+Decker 50-Pint with Pump — Best Overall
Black+Decker 50-Pint Dehumidifier with Pump (BDT50PWTB)
- Covers up to 4,500 sq ft — Black+Decker's largest current coverage rating, matched only by the non-pump 50-Pint below.
- Built-in pump pushes water out through a hose instead of relying on the 14.3-pint internal bucket, so it keeps running unattended in a basement.
- Top-mounted electronic control with an adjustable humidistat (35-80%) and an LED display for the current reading.
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For a full field of pump-equipped options across every brand, see our best dehumidifier with a pump guide.
2. Black+Decker 20-Pint — Best for a Bedroom or Small Apartment
Black+Decker 20-Pint Dehumidifier (BDT20WTB)
- Sized for a single bedroom, home office, or small apartment rather than a basement — Black+Decker's smallest current model.
- ENERGY STAR certified, with auto shutoff and a full-bucket indicator so it won't overflow unattended.
- The lowest entry price in the current B+D lineup, though it still appears at a range of prices depending on the retailer.
For the full range of small-room picks across brands, see our best small dehumidifier guide.
3. Black+Decker 30-Pint — Best for a Mid-Size Room
Black+Decker 30-Pint Dehumidifier (BDT30WTB)
- Steps up from the 20-Pint for a larger bedroom suite, home gym, or laundry room without jumping to a full pump unit.
- ENERGY STAR certified, same as the rest of the current B+D lineup.
- Genuinely inconsistent pricing — Home Depot has listed this exact model at $149.99 while Ace Hardware lists it at $279.99, an 87% gap worth shopping around before paying full price.
For how pricing on a single model can swing this much, see our dehumidifier size guide for what you’re actually paying for at each capacity tier.
4. Black+Decker 50-Pint — Best Large-Capacity Without a Pump
Black+Decker 50-Pint Dehumidifier (BDT50WTB)
- Same 4,500 sq ft coverage as the pump model above, at a lower price if you're fine draining via gravity hose or the 14.3-pint bucket.
- Two-speed fan and the same adjustable humidistat range as the pump version.
- Best for a basement near a floor drain, where gravity-drain is realistic and the pump's higher price isn't necessary.
For large-capacity options across every brand at this tier, see our best 50 pint dehumidifier guide.
The recall list Black+Decker isn’t on
Two separate recalls account for most of the dehumidifier-related fire-hazard headlines of the past decade, and Black+Decker’s name doesn’t appear on either:
- 2013 (reannounced 2016, 2017, and again in 2023): Gree-manufactured units sold under 13 brand names — roughly 2.5 million units across all brands, tied to over 450 fires and $19 million in property damage, per CPSC.gov.
- 2021: New Widetech-manufactured units sold under roughly 20 brand names, including Danby, Amana, Whynter, Edgestar, Friedrich, Haier, and Honeywell — about 2-2.4 million units made and sold between 2009 and 2017, recalled for fire and burn hazards.
That’s not a guarantee no Black+Decker unit will ever be recalled — it’s simply the current, verifiable state of the public record on CPSC.gov. If you’re buying secondhand or from an unfamiliar listing, it’s still worth checking the exact model number against the CPSC database regardless of brand.
How to choose a Black+Decker dehumidifier
- Size by coverage area (sq ft), not just the pint number. Both 50-pint models top out at 4,500 sq ft — that’s the practical ceiling before you need a second unit or a dedicated whole-house system.
- Decide if the pump is worth the premium. The BDT50PWTB’s built-in pump adds roughly $100 over the non-pump BDT50WTB, but it’s the difference between emptying a 14.3-pint bucket regularly and running unattended for weeks.
- Shop more than one retailer. The BDT30WTB’s $149.99-to-$279.99 spread shows how much the same Black+Decker model can vary — check Amazon, Home Depot, and at least one more source before buying.
- Confirm ENERGY STAR status on the listing. All four current B+D models carry the certification per the brand’s own spec pages, which should also show up on the retailer listing you’re buying from.
- Compare against other budget brands before buying. Our best budget dehumidifier guide cross-checks price-tier options like Frigidaire and hOmeLabs against brands like Black+Decker.
The bottom line
The Black+Decker 50-Pint with Pump (about $300-360) is the best overall pick for a basement — full 4,500 sq ft coverage that drains itself. For a bedroom or small apartment, the 20-Pint (about $80-150) is the right size and price. If you want the same 4,500 sq ft coverage without paying for the pump, the 50-Pint without pump (about $199-280) covers the gap. Whichever model you choose, shop around first — the 30-Pint’s documented $149.99-to-$279.99 spread shows real money is on the table — and know that Black+Decker’s name isn’t on either of the two major dehumidifier recall lists that cover several other brands already reviewed on this site. Compare the full field in our best dehumidifier pillar, size your space with our dehumidifier size guide, or confirm whether Amazon Prime is worth it for dehumidifier shoppers before you check out.