Spring 2020 Update: This page remains only for archival purposes. Any information relating to low capacity dehumidifiers can now be found here.
2014 Buyer’s Guide
We’ve included our buyer’s guide for 2014 below for your reference. Despite the fact that many of the comments we make below have lost their relevance (due to new information and data we’ve obtained in recent testing), there may be bits and/or pieces of useful information you can still glean from them today.
We preface this buyer’s guide by noting that we’ve tested and reviewed only three 30 pint dehumidifiers so far. We note here that the three units we did review are not the three best rated units on the market. These three units are, however, readily available at your local brick and mortar retail store. We will be purchasing better rated 30 pint units to review and test in the coming months. Below we’ll discuss our findings and recommendations regarding the three units we have tested and hope to add more information to this page as we continue to review other 30 pint dehumidifiers on the market in the future.
The three 30 pint dehumidifiers we did test are the GE ADEL30LR, the Haier DM32M-L, and the Hisense DH-35K1SJE5. We preclude our discussion of these three units with a recommendation. Should you be interested in purchasing a smaller, lighter, less expensive dehumidifier a 30 pint unit may very well serve your purposes quite well. However, it is our recommendation that you strongly consider spending the extra $20 to $30 it would take to upgrade to at least a 50 pint unit. Most 30 pint dehumidifiers retail for around $160. For under (approx.) $200 you can purchase one of our top rated 50 pint units (the Frigidaire FAD504DWD retails for about $195) or even a top rated 70 pint unit (the Keystone KSTAD70B retails for about $190). We suggest you read either our 50 or 70 pint dehumidifier buyer’s guides for information on the best rated units in each size class.
Again, before we discuss the units we tested, we want to make it clear that the units we did review are not the best rated 30 pint dehumidifiers on the market. If you’re looking for a top rated small capacity unit consider the same brands that provided the top rated 50 and 70 pint units. We would recommend that you check out either the Frigidaire or Danby 30 pint units and carefully read over their respective consumer reviews. Although we haven’t tested them yet either the Frigidaire FAD301NWD or the Danby DDR30A2GP should be a great choice if you must buy a 30 pint unit. Frigidaire units were top rated in both our 50 and 70 pint dehumidifier reviews. The Danby DDR50A2GP was one of the best rated 50 pint units we tested.
With that being said, let’s take a brief look at the 30 pint dehumidifiers we did test. We will only take a quick glance, as these units are not recommended good buys in the 30 pint category. Let’s get to it.
Of the three units we did test, the Hisense and GE units were by far superior to the Haier 30 pint unit. The Haier was the worst performer in all but one of our four real world performance tests. It was the least energy efficient and took the longest time to dehumidify our test environment. The Haier was also the only dehumidifier we tested that features a mechanical knob to adjust the set humidity level. We discuss this unit’s few strengths and many weaknesses in detail in its review which you can read here.
The GE ADEL30LR is a much better option, although we noted in our review that it has received an unusually high number of negative (1 or 2 star) consumer reviews. The unit is quite portable, features three fan speeds instead of two (for greater adjustability), and was also the most quiet 30 pint dehumidifier we tested.
Finally, the Hisense DH-35K1SJE5 outperformed both the Haier and the GE in most of our real world performance tests. It removed moisture more quickly than both other units and it was also the most energy efficient 30 pint dehumidifier we tested. Of the three units we did test, we would recommend the Hisense over the GE and definitely over the Haier as the best option available should you have to buy a dehumidifier at a local brick and mortar store.
Have a question or comment? Let us know below.
My 30 pint homelab dehumidifier was set to 45% humidity. It has been continuously running over 24 hours but never get that 45% humidity now that it is raining outside. Is there a need to buy a larger capacity 50 or 70 pint to be ab le to get 45% humidity?
Yes, if your smaller capacity unit is not getting to the humidity levels you want we recommend a larger unit. Since you already have a smaller unit you may be able to get away with simply buying an additional smaller unit and running both units at the same time.
My bedroom has humidity levels of about 70% daily, and gets my nose stuffed and that gives headaches. I want to dehumidify the room effectively with some not expensive device. Which one would you suggest? Thanks for your help!
Any of our top picks will work for your application.
I looked at a couple of the above mentioned dehumidifiers, and wonder if they are run by electricity. I didn’t see any comments to that effect above, nor did I find info on the box that the dehumidifier comes in. The store clerk could not answer my question either. Also, would the appliance sit on the floor?
Than you.
All the compressor based units we’ve tested run on electricity. Depending on the weight and size of the unit you can place it on the floor or up on a table or stool.
We a Delonghy 30 pint Dehumidifier. Somehow dos not find water in the tank I don`t know why? What is the problem ? What do I do wrong?
We recommend you contact the manufacturer directly to troubleshoot this issue.
How do I clean/maintain a 30pt Honeywell Dehumidifier? All I have been doing for the past few summers is continually emptying water from the reservoir at the bottom. I detect a very faint mildew or mold smell when I take the reservoir out to empty it. Thank you.
You can clean the water reservoir with warm water and detergent. You should also make sure that the unit is completely dry before you put it into storage.
Thank you very much! I did that and the smell is gone!
Hello,
Interesting and clear reviews.
You mention a “set of shortcomings” affecting the FAD301NWD. Yet this model seems to be generally getting very high ratings (based on large number of reviews on Home Depot or Lowe’s webistes). I like the fact that the FAD301NWD has analog controls rather than electonic ones.
Thank you,
G. LEDUC
I live in WI so it does not get super humid. I don’t have a large house maybe 1300sq ft. I was thinking of putting this in my basement and letting it run on contiunus operation as I have a drain I can put it by. Last one I had was a Danbury that lasted a little over a year and died. Do you think this Frididaire would be a good one to buy for my use in my house for a WI summer?
While the 30 pint FFAD3033R1 will certainly work for your application we recommend that you read our general buyer’s guide. In that guide we discuss all of the reasons why we prefer larger capacity units over smaller capacity units even for less demanding applications such as yours.
So you think it’s worth the extra $60 bucks to go to the 70 pint? Would you recommend the extra $25 on top of it also for the 2 year replacement warranty?
We do feel the extra cost is worth it for both the 70 pint model and the extended warranty, provided the total cost falls within your budget. Otherwise, the 30 pint unit, even without an extended warranty is still a great purchase.
I just bought the Frigidaire FFAD7033R1 dehumidifier and notice when I take out the bucket to dump the water, the unit keeps dripping water even though the bucket is not engaged. I tried turning the unit off and then taking out the bucket, but that doesn’t help either. Did you notice this during your testing of this unit. It is literally only 1 week that I have had this dehumidifier and I’m concerned about this leaking.
We recommend that you wait a few minutes after the unit shuts off before removing the bucket if you want to be absolutely sure that no water will drip down. Rest assured that this is a normal “problem” for almost all dehumidifiers on the market – a direct result of the way that they’re designed. It’s near impossible to remove the water tank immediately after shutting the unit off without some water dripping down onto the bottom of the unit.
Hello – Thanks for all the good information. In July 2017, I’m moving into a one-bedroom basement apartment which has had summer humidity problems in the past. Here in Montreal, the main issue is the occasional heat wave, where the temperature can get up to 30-35 degrees Celsius, with very high humidity. Winter humidity isn’t usually an issue, as the (dry) heat is on – and I use a humidifier. I considered a dessicant humidifier (quiet), but decided that generating heat is not what I want in the summer.
BTW – the only AC option for the windows in the new apartment is a portable AC and I fear the noise. Apparently, previous tenants have not used an AC (only a dehumidifier).
So I’m looking at the 30-pint Frigidaire unit FFAD3033R1. I see that you often recommend a 50 or 70 pint version over the 30 pint. My new apartment has a bedroom (10′ x 13′), a living room/kitchen (24′ x 12′) plus a small laundry room and bathroom. Which size would you recommend? The initial cost isn’t a big deal (the 50 pint is only $30. more on amazon.ca), so I’d be considering noise output and efficiency. Thanks so much for the help – Michael
BTW – have you looked at the Bionaire PureQuiet Dehumidifier (42 pint). It’s $329 on amazon.ca. So pricey, but perhaps a lot quieter?
If noise output is your biggest concern we recommend the 30 pint FFAD3033R1. It’s slightly more quiet than its 50 and 70 pint counterparts. If energy efficiency is your biggest concern we would recommend the 70 pint FFAD7033R1. Our testing shows that it’s the most energy efficient of the three. Finally, if you’re looking for a good compromise between noise output and energy efficiency our recommendation is the 50 pint FFAD5033R1.
We’ve yet to test or review the Bionaire PureQuiet Dehumidifier.
Many thanks – you provide a great service 🙂
I have a Hisense DH-35K1SCLE dihumidifier. If I set it on manual with a high humidity setting or lower setting it runs continuously without collecting additional water. I bought it 9/30/15 and started calling customer service on 11/18/15 with this complaint. Customer service did not have an answer. I called again on 11/7/16 with same complaint. No help. Problem persists. Any suggestions?
If the unit is still under warranty I would persist with customer service to have it either professionally repaired or replaced at the cost of the manufacturer. Even if it’s not still under warranty I would reference the earlier phone calls and persist that the problem be fixed at the manufacturer’s expense. Without inspecting the dehumidifier first hand there’s no way to properly troubleshoot the problem you’re experiencing.
Thank you for this excellent and well-written summary of your research. I am looking to buy a dehumidifer for my 3 year old son’s room. Our 100 year old rental house does not feel excessively damp but in the winter in Pacific Northwest we get so much rain, and on hot summer days it can get very muggy in that room due to south facing heat absorption. My hygrometer now is at about 50% but I’d like that to be 40 or lower to inhibit dust mites. the room is about 15 x 15. Will the Frigidaire 30pint be too loud for continuous operation at night? Not sure how loud 45 decibels is…. Would it be useful to run it in the daytime and then turn off at night? would another style dehumidifier be more suitable but effective? thanks very much
Whether the Frigidaire 30 pint is too loud for you to keep running overnight in your son’s room will depend on how light of a sleeper he is and whether he would be bothered by the fan “noise” the unit produces. By most people’s standards I’d say that the “noise” that this unit produces isn’t very loud and isn’t unpleasant either (because it’s only fan noise). Most people would be able to sleep with this unit operating in their room without issue.
For the size room and specific application you described the 30 pint FFAD3033R1 should work fine.