Eva-Dry EDV-2200 Review

Review Summary

The Eva-Dry EDV-2200 is a large sized thermo-electric dehumidifier, capable of removing about 20 ounces of moisture per day. It features the same Peltier technology present on every other thermo-electric dehumidifier on the market. It’s this “technology” that facilitates dehumidification. We were unfortunately not able to test the EDV-2200 for review and thus do not have any noise output or in-house moisture removal rate test results to analyze. Instead, we’ll rely on this unit’s manufacturer specifications and its multitude of consumer reviews to help us compare it to other similarly priced units we did actually test, namely the Ivation IVADM35 and the Ivation IVADM45. We’ll also compare it to its smaller sized counterpart, the EDV-1100, which we also tested for review.

Manufacturer Specified Moisture Removal Rate

The EDV-2200 is rated by its manufacturer to be able to remove up to 20.5 ounces of moisture per day. This is more than double the moisture removal rate of the EDV-1100 which is rated to remove up to 8 ounces of moisture per day. Compared to other larger sized thermo-electric dehumidifiers, the EDV-2200 has essentially the exact same moisture removal rate as the Ivation IVADM35 which has a daily moisture removal capacity of 600 mL or 20.3 ounces. The Ivation IVADM45 is slightly more “heavy duty” with a daily moisture removal capacity of 25 ounces.

Note that all of the values given above represent the maximum moisture removal rate for each dehumidifier in “ideal conditions”. Ivation, Eva-Dry, Gurin, and most other thermo-electric dehumidifier manufacturers all use the same “ideal conditions” of 86° F and 80% RH in specifying maximum moisture removal rate for their thermo-electric dehumidifiers. Should the environment in which you plan on using any one of these dehumidifiers be substantially hotter, colder, less humid, or more humid than the manufacturer specified “ideal conditions” of 86° F and 80% RH (relative humidity) you should expect a lower moisture removal rate than what is advertised.

This means that if you plan on using the dehumidifier in a cold basement or a hot storage unit or garage its efficiency will be greatly reduced. You should expect the EDV-2200 to remove well below its advertised maximum moisture removal rate of 20.5 ounces per day in these types of environments.

Power Draw

Power draw for the EDV-2200 is standard for its size class. It draws exactly the same amount of power as both the IVADM35 and IVADM45 – 72 watts. Not surprisingly, smaller less heavy duty thermo-electric units draw less power. The EDV-1100, for example, draws less than a third as much power as the EDV-2200. It draws only 22 watts of power. Similar mini thermo-electric units have a similar power draw. The Gurin DHMD-210 draws 22.5 watts of power while the super efficient IVADM10 draws only 13.5 watts of power.

Note that in comparing one particular thermo-electric dehumidifier’s overall performance to another, power draw and its accompanying energy cost is a negligible factor. Compressor based dehumidifiers draw hundreds of watts of power. Thus, in comparing one compressor based dehumidifier to another you definitely want to compare each unit’s power draw. The 30 pint Frigidaire FFAD3033R1, for example, draws 320 watts of power. The top rated Frigidaire FFAD7033R1 draws a whopping 745 watts of power. The FFAD3033R1 costs about one dollar in energy costs to run continuously for 24 hours. The FFAD7033R1 costs over $2 in energy costs to run continuously for the same amount of time. In running one unit compared to the other you’re looking at an approximately $30 difference in energy cost to run each unit for a full month.

This type of discrepancy in energy cost is only present when comparing large capacity compressor based dehumidifiers to small capacity compressor based dehumidifiers. In comparing the difference in energy cost between running a large sized thermo-electric dehumidifier vs a mini thermo-electric dehumidifier, you’ll find that the difference in energy cost is very small – maybe a 2 or 3 dollar per month difference in energy cost at most. The bottom line is that you shouldn’t let any particular thermo-electric dehumidifier’s power draw dictate your purchase decision. The 72 watt power draw of the large thermo-electric dehumidifiers we tested appears to be much more than the very low 20 or so watt power draw of the mini-thermo-electric units we tested. But this difference is negligible in terms of monthly energy cost. Regardless of which unit you buy (large or small), it will have little to no impact on your monthly power bill.

Durability (Build Quality)

The EDV-2200 uses the same Peltier technology that every other thermo-electric dehumidifier we’ve tested and reviewed uses. As we discuss in our thermo-electric dehumidifier buyer’s guide, this type of technology is, in certain respects, more reliable than compressor based technology.

A compressor based dehumidifier contains a pressurized refrigerant in a closed pressurized system. This system consists of a compressor, condenser, evaporator, an expansion valve, and tubing that connects each part of the system. In addition, a compressor based dehumidifier normally comes equipped with an electronic control panel that sets fan speed, humidity levels, and different modes. What you have in a compressor based dehumidifier is a lot of parts with a lot of complexity (at least compared to what we discuss below).

A thermo-electric dehumidifier has a far more basic design. It’s comprised of a Peltier module, two metal heat sinks, and a fan – that’s it. These parts are basic in themselves and the way in which they work together is also very basic (compared to the sealed pressurized system of a compressor based dehumidifier). Most thermo-electric dehumidifiers also do not come equipped with a control panel. Most don’t have a hydrostat or a built-in hygrometer. What you have then in a thermo-electric dehumidifier are few parts that lack complexity.

This lack of complexity results in an appliance that is inherently more reliable than its competition. Thermo-electric dehumidifiers are inherently more reliable than compressor based dehumidifiers. This doesn’t mean that they always are. What it means is that they should be. There’s simply a lot more that can go wrong on a compressor based unit – its hydrostat can break, its built-in hygrometer can fail, its compressor can fail, its refrigerant may need to be recharged, if there’s any leak in the system it will need to be fixed, etc. All that can really fail on a thermo-electric dehumidifier is its fan. The heat sinks can’t break and the Peltier module should have a lifespan of several decades.

The bottom line is that if you buy the EDV-2200 you’re buying an appliance that should last a long time. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles or close to the moisture removal capacity of even the smallest compressor based dehumidifier, but, for these very same reasons, it also has superior reliability.

Ease of Use

Setup Difficulty

Due to its very basic design, this dehumidifier couldn’t be easier to use. To begin using it, simply plug it into a wall outlet and hit the on/off switch to turn it on. A green LED labeled “on” will illuminate letting you know the dehumidifier is on and operating correctly. After a few days of dehumidification the unit’s water tank will fill up to capacity. When this happens the dehumidifier will shut off automatically and a yellow LED labeled “full” will illuminate. This is your cue to turn off the dehumidifier, remove the water tank, empty it, and replace it. You can then turn the dehumidifier back on for another several days of continuous dehumidification.

Manual Quality

The manual for the EDV-2200 is well written and appropriately concise. Since it lacks the multitude of modes and settings you’ll find on a compressor based dehumidifier, the manual for this thermo-electric dehumidifier only covers the few things that can be covered such as basic operating instructions, cleaning, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

Water Tank Size

The EDV-2200 has the exact same size water tank as both the Ivation IVADM35 and the Ivation IVADM45 – 2 liters or 68 ounces. With a daily maximum moisture removal rate of 20.5 ounces you can expect to empty the EDV-2200′s tank once every 3 to 7 days, depending on how much the environment you’re dehumidifying deviates from the “ideal conditions” set forth by the manufacturer specifications. If the environment you’re dehumidifying is close to 86° F and 80% RH the dehumidifier will remove very close to the maximum of 20.5 ounces of moisture per day. 68 divided by 20.5 is equal to approximately 3 to 4 days. Thus, in this case, you’d need to empty the tank once every 3 to 4 days. If the environment you’re dehumidifying is much colder (let’s say 50° F) and/or much more or less humid than 80% RH (let’s say 60% RH) then you can expect this unit to dehumidify at a rate closer to 10 to 15 ounces of moisture removal per day. 68 divided by 10 is equal to approximately 6 to 7 days. Thus, in this case you’d need to empty the unit’s tank once every 6 to 7 days.

The EDV-1100 removes much less moisture per day than the EDV-2200 (it removes only 8 ounces of moisture per day) and so, not surprisingly, it comes equipped with a much smaller water tank. The EDV-1100′s water tank capacity is only 16 ounces. To compare the rate at which you’d have to empty each unit’s water tank let’s look at their performance in ideal conditions (at maximum efficiency). The EDV-2200′s 20.5 ounce daily moisture removal capacity and 68 ounce water tank results in your having to empty its tank once every 3 to 4 days. The EDV-1100′s 8 ounce daily moisture removal capacity and 20 ounce water tank results in your having to empty its tank once every 2 to 3 days. Thus, all other things being equal, you will need to empty the EDV-1100′s tank more frequently than you will need to empty the EDV-2200′s tank. Thus, at least in terms of water tank removal frequency, the EDV-2200 is the more convenient dehumidifier to use as it will require that you tend to its daily continuous operation less frequently.

Portability

There are parallels that can be drawn between thermo-electric dehumidifier power draw and portability. Just like large thermo-electric dehumidifiers draw more power than small or mini thermo-electric dehumidifier, large thermo-electric units are heavier than their smaller less heavy duty counterparts. But, just like thermo-electric dehumidifiers, in general, draw very little power overall (especially compared to compressor based units), they also, in general terms, are very light and portable (again, especially compared to their compressor based counterparts).

You’d be hard pressed to find a thermo-electric dehumidifier that weighs more than 5 or 6 pounds. Larger units weigh in at the higher end of this range. The EDV-2200, for example weighs approximately 5 pounds. The IVADM35 and IVADM45 weigh about the same. Smaller units, quite unsurprisingly, weigh less. The EDV-1100, for example, weighs about 1 or 2 pounds. Similar mini units weigh about the same.

All thermo-electric units are also very small. The EDV-2200 is one of the “larger” thermo-electric dehumidifiers on the market and its barely more than a foot tall. Its exact dimensions are 14 inches high by 8.5 inches wide by 6.75 inches deep. Similar “large” thermo-electric units such as the IVADM35 and IVADM45 have similar dimensions. Smaller units are naturally smaller in size. The EDV-1100 is less than 9 inches tall with a slightly smaller width and depth than the EDV-2200.

The takeaway here is that, regardless of which thermo-electric dehumidifier you buy, you’re getting a very light and portable appliance. 1 pound is less than 5 pounds, but both 1 and 5 pounds are light. 9 inches is less than 14 inches but both lengths are small. Pretty much all of the compressor based dehumidifiers we’ve tested are over 20 inches tall. The EDV-2200, like every other thermo-electric dehumidifier on the market, is very light and highly portable. If you need to dehumidify multiple spaces you won’t have a problem moving this dehumidifier from one location to the next.

Warranty (Manufacturer’s)

The EDV-2200 does include a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty. You’ll need to visit the manufacturer’s website within 30 days of purchasing this dehumidifier to register it to be eligible for its included warranty.

Value

Comparing the EDV-2200 to the EDV-1100

The prices of many thermo-electric dehumidifiers fluctuate on almost a daily basis. At the time of our writing our EDV-1100 review, the EDV-1100 was priced at about $60 and the EDV-2200 was priced at about $80. At these price points the obvious choice between these two models is the EDV-2200. You get more than double the daily moisture removal rate at only 1/3 of an increase in price.

Currently, at the time of our writing this EDV-2200 review, the EDV-1100 is priced closer to about $50 while the EDV-2200 has gone up in price to about $100. At these price points the choice between these two units is much less obvious. You do still get twice the moisture removal rate in buying the EDV-2200 over the EDV-1100 but now you’re pay double the price for it. At current prices, we can’t really recommend one Eva-Dry unit over the other.

Comparing the EDV-2200 to other large sized thermo-electric dehumidifiers

This fluctuation in price also affects our recommendations as to which large sized thermo-electric dehumidifier you should buy. At the time of our IVADM35 and IVADM45 reviews the EDV-2200 was about $80. The IVADM35 was about $90 and the IVADM45 was about $100. With very similar performance (in terms of moisture removal rate and water tank size) among these three units, our recommendation would heavily factor in the cost of each unit. Thus, at these price points, our recommendation would most likely be the EDV-2200.

At current prices our recommendation changes. The IVADM35 is currently about $85 while the IVADM45 is still about $100. The EDV-2200 has gone up in price to about $100. At these price points our recommendation would be either the IVADM35 or the IVADM45. The IVADM35 is recommended as the best value while the IVADM45 is recommended if your space is large and/or humid enough to warrant its extra 5 ounces of moisture removal per day. At approximately $100 the EDV-2200 has the moisture removal capacity of the IVADM35 but the price of the IVADM45. At this price it isn’t recommended over either Ivation unit. For our IVADM35 review click here and for our IVADM45 review click here.

Large vs small in terms of value

All three large sized units we discussed above are priced much higher than the $40 (approx.) IVADM10 and Gurin DHMD-210 and the $50 (approx.) EDV-2200, but those units remove only 6 to 8 ounces of moisture per day while the IVADM35 and EDV-2200 remove up to 20.5 ounces of moisture per day and the IVADM45 removes up to 25 ounces of moisture per day. In terms of cost per ounce of moisture removal per day the IVADM35 is the best value, followed by the IVADM45, then the EDV-2200, and then all three mini thermo-electric units.

Final Thoughts

At its current price of $100 (approx.) the EDV-2200 is not recommended. It’s not recommended over the much lighter duty EDV-1100 and it’s also not recommended over the large sized Ivation IVADM35 or IVADM45. If, however, you can find it for around $80 our recommendations are exactly the opposite. At $80 (approx.) the EDV-2200 is recommended over the EDV-1100, the IVADM35, and the IVADM45.