Review of Frigidaire 70 Pint Capacity Dehumidifier, Model FAD704TDP (savings, bill, quality)

[reviewer]

This is a very attractive, large capacity dehumidifier. The 70 pints in its name refers to the amount of water it can draw from the air in one day.

When looking for a dehumidifier, the features to consider are: tank size, water removal, energy efficiency, noise levels, and humidistat accuracy.

The tank size on this model is excellent. There is an internal water tank, and an alert to let you know when the tank nears capacity. The appliance will shut off automatically when it is nearly full. The water bucket is located at the front of the unit, which makes it easy to access and remove. There's a carrying handle and a splash guard on the bucket. It's possible to connect a drain hose if it needs to operate continuously, routing it to empty in a shower drain, sink drain or other convenient spot. Otherwise, it can be made to drain into a bucket that gets emptied regularly.

It works well for damp basements, preventing mold and mildew from taking hold. It also has an anti-microbial filter to eliminate bacteria from the air. When it needs changing, the filter is removed by sliding it out of the bottom of the unit.

There's a humidity control so that you can designate the exact amount of humidity you want in the room. This is important if you have something precious, like a piano, that needs the air quality to be just right - neither too dry nor too humid. The controls are easy to read and are conveniently located on the bottom front of the machine.

The vibration level is lower on this model than on others, which may account for its lower noise levels. Still, it may be too noisy to sleep with in the same room, depending on your tolerance for white noise. There are side handles on the unit that make it convenient to carry from place to place, and caster wheels for rolling it around. It's important, after first taking it out of the box, to let it sit for an hour before running it.

This appliance has ranked high on Consumer Reports. It is rated 'excellent' for water removal, and 'very good' for humidistat accuracy, energy efficiency and noise.

The dehumidifier has an Energy Star certification, so it uses less energy than other brands. The appliance can be run in conjunction with - or instead of - an air conditioner, since part of an a/c's job is to dehumidify. With an MSRP of $205, the savings on the electric bill could pay for this unit in several months' time.