Danny as been writing about air purifiers for 10+ years. He is a major fan of home technology, which makes him the perfect person to test and evaluate products for HouseFresh
When you invest in a quality gun safe, you can rest assured your firearms are protected from any external forces, be it fire, theft, or curious children. But it’s equally important to recognize the threat from inside your safe. Namely, moisture.
Moisture is present in the air, no matter where you are or whatever the weather, so when you open the door to your safe, it is inevitable water vapor will get inside. Once inside and the door is sealed, moisture can have catastrophic effects on your weapons, ammunition, and accessories.
Rust, corrosion, and even mold will soon start to affect your valuables if moisture is not addressed. Yet a simple, sure-fire solution to eradicate this issue is to invest in a dehumidifier. By controlling the moisture levels and removing any excess water vapor from inside your safe, you can have peace of mind that your firearms will remain in top condition and will perform whenever called upon.
To help you in your search for the right dehumidifier for your safe, we’ve put together six of our top recommendations. Each machine is small enough to conveniently fit inside your safe, will work at its optimum inside the enclosed space, and costs under $50.00, which is a small price to pay to protect your firearms.
When putting together our recommendations, we utilized Consumer Reports and Fakespot to ensure genuine users were happy with their dehumidifier. By evaluating fellow users’ reviews, we were able to determine the best dehumidifiers to protect the contents of your safe.
1. Lockdown GoldenRod Dehumidifier Rod
The GoldenRod Dehumidifier Rod works to dehumidify your gun safe by eliminating condensation via heated air. It works in a non-destructive way to lower moisture levels that will, in turn, ward off rust build-up. Besides being gentle on the contents of your safe, the unit is also designed in a slim and unobtrusive way. It fits on the bottom half of your safe, remaining out of the way so that you don’t have to sacrifice any of the contents around to use it.
For this to work, it needs to be plugged in. So, the unit comes with a plug attachment that lets you run the 6ft. cord through the back of the safe, which is why the safe needs to be close to an outlet. Although the listed specs including how much cubic feet it protects is based on the 24 inch model, this dehumidifier rod is available in three other sizes. This is useful as you are better able to find the right size for your safe. Also, this comes with attachable legs for more versatile placement. The dehumidifier can work whether you need it more near the back or front of your safe.
- Technology Used: Dehumidifier rod
- Safe Size Suitability: 300 cubic feet
- Weight: 9.6 ounces
- Special Features: Attachable legs
What we love
- Features an easy and quick installation process
- Maintains consistent humidity levels
- Comes with a lifetime warranty
- Takes up very little room
We don't like this as much
- May require extra time to respond to abrupt temperature changes
- The unit can get warm, so the inclusion of a mount is welcome
2. Eva-Dry Wireless Mini Dehumidifier
The Eva-Dry Wireless Mini Dehumidifier is a unit built for portability and with small spaces like a safe in mind. With it being 100% cord-free while in use, the unit fits well at different angles inside gun safes of various sizes thanks to its ergonomic and sleek layout. The only time it will ever be plugged in is when you take the dehumidifier out of the safe in order to charge and dry out the beads.
On the notion of the beads, this unit has a unique operation in which it uses the silica gel beads to pull in airborne moisture. If the beads remain orange, it means that the unit is still working. However, once they turn green, it indicates that they have absorbed enough moisture and the unit is at capacity. This leakproof unit is a reliable option for a gun safe so that the area remains mess-free. As an extra bonus, it operates silently, so even if you open the safe, you won’t hear the unit running.
- Technology Used: Silica gel beads
- Safe Size Suitability: 333 cubic feet
- Weight: 14.4 ounces
- Special Features: Cordless design
What we love
- Doesn't take long to recharge
- It's easy to view the beads through the indicator window
- Absorbs humidity quickly in confined spaces
- Made from safe, non-toxic material
We don't like this as much
- Charging requires a whole outlet so nothing else can be plugged in with it
- Beads can get wet fast, so you may have to recharge the unit more than once a week if you experience high humidity consistently
3. Hornaday Silica Gel Dehumidifier
The Hornaday Silica Gel Dehumidifier is a portable dehumidifier useful for maintaining comfortable humidity levels in your gun safe. It is backed by absorbent desiccant crystals that work to pull in the excessive humidity surrounding the unit. This is designed ready-to-use as well, making it quick and simple to set up right away. No batteries or plug-in connection are required to use it until you need to recharge the crystals to dry them out.
There is a humidity indicator on the dehumidifier too with a circular window so you can check on the color of the crystals at any time to see just how well the unit is working. Because of the reusable nature of this handheld dehumidifier, it is built to last you for a good deal of time. It is also built best for smaller to medium-sized gun safes. There are multiple ways you can set this up too, allowing the unit to accommodate various types of safes as well as any items you may have inside of the safe from documents to numerous guns and ammo.
- Technology Used: Desiccant crystals
- Safe Size Suitability: 333 cubic feet
- Weight: 13.44 ounces
- Special Features: Moisture indicator
What we love
- Operates safely with no overheating issues
- Compact so that it doesn't take up any valuable space
- Snap-on mounting brackets so you can place it on the wall in the safe
- Lasts a long time before needing to be recharged
We don't like this as much
- It is less obvious to notice the crystals changing color than an LED indicator light
- May take several hours to dry out the crystals
4. PEET Safe Dehumidifier Rod
The PEET Safe Dehumidifier Rod is designed to work silently as it lacks a fan, and it does it all while protecting your valuables, documents, and guns inside your safe. It comes with a separate plug, and with it meeting ETL safety standards, you can have peace of mind leaving this plugged in and running 24/7. Simply run it through the power access hole in your safe to get it up and running.
So how does this dehumidifier operate? The rod acts as a heating element to warm up the ambient air within the safe. This is very useful if you have a safe that is in an area known to be a bit colder such as a garage or perhaps inside your basement. It is specifically designed to handle cold temperatures or frequent fluctuations in temperatures.
- Technology Used: Dehumidifier rod
- Safe Size Suitability: 200 cubic feet
- Weight: 0.38 ounces
- Special Features: Silent operation
What we love
- Works well in safes with high humidity levels
- Non-bulky design so that it can slip at the bottom or back of a safe
- Available in two different sizes to accommodate various safes
- Comes with a complete 5-year warranty
We don't like this as much
- It may not lower humidity levels as much in warmer environments as it does in colder ones
- Warms the air in order to lower condensation, rather than completely removing moisture
5. SnapSafe Canister Safe Dehumidifier
The SnapSafe Canister Safe Dehumidifier works to protect the contents in your safe from rust and corrosion by sucking up excessive airborne moisture. It is filled with desiccant pellets that work to absorb all that moisture, keeping humidity levels low and warding off mold and mildew, so it is also effective at preventing harsh odors from developing inside the safe.
No batteries are required to use this dehumidifier. In fact, you don’t need any electrical items to use it unless you are using an electric oven to reheat it. It recharges in a standard household oven that is heated to 325°F. You should always know when it is time to reheat the canister when the cap indicator changes color and turns pink. It is an obvious indicator so that the dehumidifier will continue to perform at its best. As this unit is lightweight, it doesn’t take much to lift it and move it from place to place.
- Technology Used: Canister dehumidifier
- Safe Size Suitability: 57 cubic feet
- Weight: 32 ounces
- Special Features: Built-in recharge signal
What we love
- It isn't difficult to refresh the canister in the oven to dry it out
- User-friendly design with simple instructions for use
- Does well at keeping humidity levels low for weeks without having to be dried out
- Lasts for a good deal of time through multiple reheating sessions
We don't like this as much
- Has a bulkier design so it may not sit flush against a wall
- Regular cleaning of the canister should be undertaken to increase the longevity of the unit
6. Pro Breeze Wireless Mini Dehumidifier
The Pro Breeze Wireless Mini Dehumidifier is a portable dehumidifier that can perform just as well outside your safe as it does inside of it. This makes it highly versatile, working well in safes of different designs and sizes. The dehumidifier is also safe to handle as it is made using non-toxic material. So, in the event that it ever does spill, the silica gel inside is not harmful.
Monitoring the dehumidifier is very straightforward. Thanks to the circular indicator window, all you have to do is glance at the unit to check on the moisture levels. There is a color chart of sorts to refer to by the window that will tell you if the beads are closer to green, then they are moist with dark green indicating it’s time to recharge the unit. However, when they are orange, they are dry, and the unit is ready to use again.
- Technology Used: Silica gel
- Safe Size Suitability: 333 cubic feet
- Weight: 5 ounces
- Special Features: Circular indicator window
What we love
- Lightweight build so it's easy to move
- Discreet design so it can be set up and blend into the background
- Wire-free layout so there's no worry about anything getting tangled up
- Simple to set up and get started
We don't like this as much
- Care should be taken to ensure the unit is not overcharged
- The moisture capacity is on the lower end, so it is best to use this in smaller safes