Quick Review Summary

The Haier HM70EP is an inexpensive built-in pump 70 pint dehumidifier. If you’re considering this dehumidifier it’s probably because of its low price, not only compared to other built-in pump 70 pint units, but also compared to other 70 pint dehumidifiers, in general. This unit retails for just over $200 (approx.). The top rated Frigidaire FFAD7033R1 is almost $50 (approx.) more expensive, and it doesn’t include a built-in pump. The next least expensive built-in pump 70 pint dehumidifier on the market, the SPT SD-72PE, is almost $40 (approx.) more expensive than the HM70EP. Other than its price, the other big positive for this dehumidifier is the rate at which it removes humidity. It is one of the best performing dehumidifiers in our moisture removal tests.

So it includes a built-in pump, removes moisture quickly, and it’s much more inexpensive than other top rated 70 pint dehumidifiers without its functionality or low price. Why then, is the HM70EP not then the clear choice if you’re looking for a large capacity built-in pump dehumidifier? In one word, durability. As we’ll cover in much more detail later on in this review, the HM70EP is one of the most poorly constructed dehumidifiers we’ve tested, and we’ve tested close to 50 dehumidifiers so far. Other issues are its poor energy efficiency and its poor performance in our noise output tests. These problems in addition to other issues are covered in full detail in our full review below.

Performance Test Results

Energy Efficiency

The HM70EP was the worst performing 70 pint dehumidifier among the 16 units we’ve tested thus far in our energy efficiency test. It is also the worst performing 70 pint dehumidifier with a built-in pump. It was measured to draw 667 watts of power at approximately 50% relative humidity. Compare this power draw to that of the other four built-in pump 70 pint dehumidifiers we’ve tested – 600 watts for the SPT SD-72PE, 610 watts for the Hisense DH-70KP1SLE, 620 watts for the Friedrich D70BP, and 655 watts for the Delonghi DD70PE.

Although it’s not much more power hungry than the Delonghi, the 50+ watts difference in power draw between the HM70EP and the SPT and Hisense is substantial – at least enough to justify choosing either one of those units over the Haier should you be prioritizing energy efficiency in your purchase decision.

The fact that the Haier draws as much power as it does, even in mild humidity, also substantially reduces the appeal of its low price. Yes, you will be paying less for this dehumidifier out of the box, but over time, according to our tests, you’ll be paying more for this dehumidifier in electricity costs than any other built-in pump dehumidifier we’ve tested.

Noise Output

The Haier was also one of the worst performing 70 pint dehumidifiers we tested in our noise output tests. At close range (measuring noise output right above the unit’s control panel) it placed in 15th place out of the sixteen 70 pint dehumidifiers we tested on both high and low fan speed. At longer range (measuring noise output 10 feet away from the dehumidifier) it placed 15th on high fan speed and dead last in 16th place on low fan speed.

If you’re looking for a built-in pump dehumidifier that’s also quiet, you definitely want to look elsewhere. To give you a better of idea of just how big the difference is between the HM70EP and some of the better performing built-in pump dehumidifiers we tested we’ll compare it to the SPT SD-72EP. At close range on high fan speed the Haier was measured to produce 73.6 dB of noise while the SPT was measured to produce only 59.6 dB of noise. At long range also on high fans speed the Haier was measured at 56.6 dB and the SPT was measured at 50.4 dB. If you’re looking for a quiet dehumidifier with a built-in pump, the SPT is definitely a much better option. It also is one of the more inexpensive built-in pump units we tested.

Moisture Removal

In contrast to its performance in our energy efficiency and noise output tests, the HM70EP performed very well in both of our moisture removal tests. It placed 4th and 5th, respectively, in each test, out of sixteen 70 pint dehumidifiers we tested. It was the best performing built-in pump dehumidifier we tested. To lower the humidity in a 50 sq ft room from 90% to 40% relative humidity took the HM70EP only 9 minutes and 57 seconds. To lower the humidity in the same room from 80% to 50% RH took only 5 minutes and 11 seconds. Compare these results to the next best performing built-in pump dehumidifier – the SPT took 11 minutes, 28 seconds (a substantial difference) in the first test and 5 minutes, 17 seconds (not as big of a difference) in the second test.

What can we learn from these results? The Haier appears to be a good choice if the rate at which you want to remove humidity is your number one priority in making your purchase decision. For severe humidity problems (90%+ humidity) in which you want the final humidity to be very low (under 40% humidity) it is substantially faster at removing humidity than the other 70 pint built-in pump dehumidifiers we tested. If your humidity problem is less severe (under 80% humidity) and you don’t need the space you’re dehumidifying to be exceptionally dry, then the difference between the Haier and the other built-in pump units we tested isn’t as pronounced.

Hygrometer Accuracy

Unfortunately, the Haier was closer to its performance in our first two performance tests than its performance in our moisture removal test in our hygrometer accuracy test. The Haier was measured to read the ambient air’s humidity 4 to 6% below its actual humidity. For example, if the actual humidity in the room was 54% the Haier would read the humidity to be between 48% and 50%.

Why is this a problem? See our discussion of hygrometer accuracy and why it’s important here.

Included Features, Functionality, Build Quality, Warranties, and Value

Durability (Build Quality)

General Impressions

Haier is a fairly well known brand although it’s not exactly known as a brand that produces very high quality appliances. Observing and inspecting the HM70EP, we immediately noticed that the unit appears to be built of much lower quality materials than some of the more highly rated 70 pint dehumidifiers we’ve tested. The most obvious eyesore on this dehumidifier is its control panel. The faceplate for the control panel is made of very low quality plastic. The finish on the face plate looks like someone spray painted it by hand in the factory . The buttons are small and feel flimsy and the LEDs that illuminate when selecting different modes, fan speeds, etc. are also very low quality (they look dull compared to the LEDs we see on most other dehumidifiers we’ve tested). The point here is that by just looking at the unit’s control panel alone, it immediately becomes apparent that the priority when manufacturing this dehumidifier was to make it as cheaply as possible, using lesser quality parts for the sake of being able to sell this dehumidifier at a lower cost.

Consumer Feedback

Consumer feedback confirms our own observations as half of the reviews for this dehumidifier are negative (consumers leaving either 1 or 2 star feedback). This unit hasn’t received many reviews and therefore the sample size isn’t quite sufficient for us to only rely on these reviews to tell us how durable this unit is. However, after taking this small sample of consumer reviews and combining it with our own observations, it’s clear to us that the HM70EP is one of the less durable and less reliable 70 pint dehumidifiers on the market.

Overall Category Score

Shoddy build quality and a high negative review rate forces us to give the HM70EP a well below average 2/5 for durability. If you’re looking for a reliable built-in pump 70 pump dehumidifier, our recommendation would be the Delonghi DD70PE with a negative review rate of 21% (compared to 51% for the Haier). While the Hisense had the lowest negative review rate (14%) of the five built-in pump units we tested it has other issues (which we cover in our review) that compel us to give the nod to the Delonghi should you be looking for a reliable built-in pump dehumidifier that’s also a decent performer in other categories.

Adjustability

Humidistat

The HM70EP’s humidistat can be adjusted in 5% increments, standard for this size class (70 pint dehumidifiers).

Timer

This unit’s timer can be set in 1 hour increments up to 24 hours, which makes it slightly less adjustable than other 70 pint units on the market which can be set in half hour increments up to 10 hours and then 1 hour increments from 11 hours up to 24 hours.

Number of Fan Speeds

The HM70EP features two fan speeds, as does the majority of the sixteen 70 pint dehumidifiers we’ve tested.

Extra Modes

This unit does not feature a continuous mode or an auto mode. To read about why these two modes might be helpful to you click here.

Overall Category Score

The HM70EP has below average timer adjustability (less important), an average number of fan speeds, and a below average number of extra modes (more important). Below average performance in two of four rated categories earns this unit a below average 3/5 for adjustability.

Versatility

Set Humidity Range

The HM70EP features an above average set humidity range as it can be set to as low as 30% relative humidity and as high as 90% RH. Note that because this unit has a fairly inaccurate humidistat which reads the ambient air’s humidity 4 to 6% below what it actually is, should you set this unit to 30% RH (which is the lowest it will go), you will only be able to achieve 34 to 36% relative humidity in the space you’re dehumidifying.

Operating Temperature Range

This unit’s manual states a minimum operating temperature of 41° F with no maximum temperature explicitly stated. 41° F is fairly standard for this size class and really all compressor based dehumidifiers. While other units may come with manufacturer specifications that claim lower minimum operating temperatures (36° F on the Kenmore KM70), this does not mean that they can operate at those temperatures efficiently. Frost, which limits efficiency, can build up on a dehumidifier’s evaporator coils in conditions as warm as 55+° F.

Gravity Drainage

A gravity drain hose is not included with your purchase of this dehumidifier. However, you can use a standard garden hose to drain condensate just as well. Simply connect a garden hose to the back of the dehumidifier (after removing the drain cap) and you’re all set to drain using gravity.

Built-in Pump

Perhaps the most important feature of this dehumidifier is its built-in pump. A 16 ft drain hose is included with a special attachment that connects to the back of the dehumidifier (at a different spot than where you connect a garden hose for gravity drainage). The attachment on the drain hose simply clicks into place and doesn’t require any additional tools or accessories to connect. Note that while a 16 ft hose is included, the manual for this unit explicitly states that you shouldn’t drain to any location more than 14 ft above the dehumidifier. Thus, at whichever location you’re draining to, make sure that there’s at least 2 ft of hose that’s either directed downward or horizontal.

Another even more important note is the fact that the built-in pump will not activate until the collected condensate in the condensate collection bucket reaches a certain level (the “correct level” according to the manual). There is no “Pump” button to press to activate the pump system.

Overall Category Score

The HM70EP features an above average set humidity range (which proves to be less impressive due to the inaccurate built-in hygrometer), a standard operating temperature range, a standard gravity drainage setup, and a built-in pump which is a definitely plus for this unit in this category. We give it a perfect 5/5 for versatility.

Extra Features

Temperature Reading

The HM70EP does display the temperature and the temperature reading can be toggled between displaying degrees Celsius and degrees Fahrenheit.

Defrost

Another very useful extra feature is this unit’s defrost capabilities. An automatic deicer will turn off the unit’s compressor and only allow its fan to run if ice builds up on the dehumidifier’s evaporator coils. The compressor will then be automatically turned back on when the deicer senses the correct operating temperature for the dehumidifier. There is also a defrost light that turns on when the deicer is activated.

Check Filter

This unit does not have a check filter light. You will have to keep track of the approximate number of hours the unit operates and then check/clean the filter according to how often the manual recommends that you do.

Overall Category Score

Two out of the three subcategories for the extra features category are much more important than the third. Thankfully, the HM70EP performs well in the important categories and only disappoints in the much less important category. In other words, it performs very well in the subcategories that matter -temperature reading (helpful) and defrost (very helpful) – and only performs poorly in the subcategory that doesn’t matter much at all – check filter. We give the HM70EP an above average 4.5/5 for its very helpful extra features.

Ease of Use

LED Display Clarity

We discuss this unit’s control panel in detail in the “Durability” section above. The bottom line is that we found the control panel on this unit to be of a very low quality.

That being said, is the control panel low quality? Yes, definitely. Is it easy to read and use? Yes, definitely. Even though the buttons and LEDs are low quality we can’t mark this unit too low for ease of use because they’re still easy to use and read.

Setup Difficulty

Setup difficulty on this unit is fairly standard for its class. Our only negative remark here is that the bucket full light is somewhat ambiguous as the LED that illuminates to show that the bucket is full is marked by an exclamation mark inside a triangle. It doesn’t actually say “Bucket Full” like most other dehumidifiers we’ve tested. If you haven’t read this review or skimmed over the manual you might think there’s a general problem with the dehumidifier the first time this light illuminates.

Filter Removal Difficulty

This unit features a bottom-slide out air filter, which is fairly standard for this size class. There are dehumidifiers that have more easily accessible air filters (the Honeywell DH70W, for example) but you won’t be removing the filter very often so this is definitely not an issue that should dictate which dehumidifier you buy.

Manual Clarity

The manual for this dehumidifier is clear and to the point. We didn’t find any issues with it.

Water Tank Size

We couldn’t find any literature/online resource with specifications that showed the size of this unit’s water tank.

Overall Category Score

Despite the fact that the buttons, LEDs, etc. for this unit are low quality, they’re still easy to use and settings are easy to input on this dehumidifier. Filter removal difficulty is average, manual clarity is average, and this unit’s water tank size is, for now, not available. We give the HM70EP a slightly above average 4/5 for ease of use.

Portability

Weight

The HM70EP weighs in at 46.1 pounds, making it one of the heavier 70 pint dehumidifiers we tested. If you’re looking for a portable built-in pump solution we recommend the SPT SD-72PE which weighs substantially less at only 40 pounds. The 50 pint SPT SD-52PE weighs only 37 pounds. If portability is very important to you, you can also purchase a 30 pint dehumidifier (weighing approximately 30 pounds) and buy a condensate pump separately.

Handles

This unit doesn’t have a top handle but it does have side handles.

Cord Storage

This unit does not come equipped with a cord storage solution.

Overall Category Score

This is not the dehumidifier to get if portability is important to you. It’s heavy, only has side handles (no top handle), and doesn’t come equipped with cord storage to make it more easily transportable. We give it a below average 3/5 for portability.

Warranty (Manufacturer’s)

The HM70EP comes with a standard warranty for this size class. It comes with a full 1 year warranty and an additional 4 year warranty on the unit’s sealed system.

Value

Perhaps the HM70EP’s strongest point is its price point. At just over $200 (approx.) it is the least expensive built-in pump 70 pint dehumidifier on the market (at the time of this review). Of all sixteen 70 pint dehumidifiers we tested, only the Keystone KSTAD70B at about $190 is more inexpensive than this Haier and the Keystone doesn’t include a built-in pump. The next most inexpensive built-in pump 70 pint unit we tested is the SPT SD-72PE which retails for around $240.

As far as value is concerned, the HM70EP is a great buy. If value was our only concern then the HM70EP would not only be the best built-in pump 70 pint dehumidifier we tested, but it would be the best 70 pint dehumidifier on the market, period. But, value and price isn’t everything as we discuss in our final thoughts below.

Final Thoughts

Yes, the HM70EP is inexpensive compared to other dehumidifiers with similar functionality. But, it’s still an approximately $200 investment. $200, for most, is a large amount of money. And we don’t want you wasting your money, so here is why we don’t recommend you buy this dehumidifier.

$205 (approximately) for a built-in pump 70 pint dehumidifier is very tempting, but this dehumidifier has some major flaws and one fatal flaw, which we’ll discuss first. First and foremost, the truth is that this dehumidifier simply isn’t very durable. We’ve tested sixteen 70 pint dehumidifiers over the last few years and we can tell you from firsthand experience that this is one of the most poorly designed and poorly constructed dehumidifiers we’ve tested thus far. Consumer feedback, while there’s not a lot of it, further confirms our own observations. Consumers don’t leave negative feedback for products unless they really have serious problems with it. And this dehumidifier has received an alarmingly high percentage of negative reviews.

Outside of poor reliability, this dehumidifier is also not very energy efficient and it’s also not very quiet. If you’re still stuck on the HM70EP’s $205 (approx.) price tag, consider the fact that over time you’ll be spending more than the difference in this unit’s price and the price of alternative options in higher energy costs. As far as noise output is concerned, if you’re looking for a quiet dehumidifier, look elsewhere.

On the positive side of things, the HM70EP did perform very well in our moisture removal tests. In fact, it was the fastest at removing moisture out of the five built-in pump 70 pint units we’ve tested. It also has a temperature display and defrost capabilities – important features that are far from standard in this size class.

Still, we cannot recommend this dehumidifier. If you’re dead set on buying a 70 pint dehumidifier with a built-in pump we suggest that you read each of our reviews on the built-in pump dehumidifiers we tested, and decide for yourself which shortcomings you can live with, and which you find unacceptable. Alternatively, you can also purchase the top rated FFAD7033R1 and purchase a condensate pump separately.