Dehumidifiers

Midea is a large Chinese electronic appliance company that has existed since 1968. It has over 160,000 employees worldwide and has an extensive product range from refrigerators to large HVAC systems. 

In a recent survey from Consumer Reports, Midea was included as one of the most reliable based on a survey of their members, so I was very excited when the Cube arrived.

Most residential dehumidifiers have a similar design: a rectangular box with a small bucket at the bottom. With the Cube, Midea has chosen a completely different technique that, as you can guess from the name, uses a cube as a bucket, allowing for a much bigger water bucket than the traditional design. 

The Midea Cube was launched in 2019, which means it is a reasonably new dehumidifier design. Since then, it has been very popular with consumers, so we were keen to test and review it for ourselves.  

I am reviewing the 50-pint model (MAD50PS1QWT) with a built-in pump, which is recommended for spaces up to 4500 square feet. This model is usually found for just under $300, but smaller versions go down to $200 for the 20-pint version.

The lowdown on the Midea Cube

“The best home dehumidifier for those who can’t use an external drain which has plenty of design features that make it an easy device to live with.”

— Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

If you don’t have the time to read my full review, then check out the key things you need to know about this dehumidifier to see if it’s a good fit for you:

A simple black cube that you can stack up

The large drainage bucket in the Midea Cube means you won’t need to make as many trips to the sink to get rid of the water removed from the air.

One thing I really like about this dehumidifier design is that you can save a ton of space when not using it by putting it inside the water bucket. This means that when storing, you will take up a lot less space than a traditional design.

You get the option of white or black. Personally, I like how well the black Cube looks; it easily fits into the surroundings in a place like a basement (which is where I have my Midea Cube).

You can see how different the design looks when comparing it to the similar-sized devices from Honeywell and Frigidaire. The entire box beneath can hold water, so you can really see how much extra water this device can hold compared to competing brands. 

The main fan is at the top of the device and a control panel is underneath. It includes a screen that gives you the level of humidity in the air as a percentage.

The control panel comes with buttons for adjusting the desired humidity and choosing the pump type. You also get a setting for selecting how high you want the bucket to fill up — if you think the full 4.2 gallons will be too heavy to empty easily, you can reduce this so the device will only fill up half the bucket. Finally, you also get a timer button, meaning you can run the device for several hours.

Another great feature of the Midea Cube is the pump. When the Cube is in pump mode, the water the dehumidifier is pulling from the air can be simply pumped from the device into a drain through a pump drain hose that is included in the box.

I was pleased to see how clear the instructions were on the Cube itself:

My not-so-great experience setting up the Midea Air app

To set up the app mode, you will need to connect the Midea Cube to your phone by holding the power button for three seconds. From there, it’s all about getting the Midea Air app set up on your smartphone.

Honestly, it was not easy setting up the Midea Air app on my iPhone. 

For starters, you can’t use it on a 5ghz WiFi – even if your router can provide for both 2.4 and 5 GHz on the same network, you must create a WiFi connection that only has 2.4 GHz. They make this clear in the app, but this could be a total pain for people, especially those with a router from their internet provider that might not provide an easy way to set this up. 

The next issue I encountered was when I tried logging in using my Apple account. It did allow me to set up the app using this login, but when I tried to add the Midea Cube, it failed every time. 

I was able to set it up with a standard email address login, but feel that they should remove the ability to use third-party login choices if they don’t work.

The setup involved several steps as the app connected to the onboard WiFi, and then finally, you chose the WiFi you want to use to control the dehumidifier. 

Compared with setting up the smart App with Levoit or Dyson, this was far from easy. I would love to see this improved in future iterations. 

There was also a concerning alert when I finally set up the app that said that the Midea Air app was no longer being updated and asked me to move to a different app than the one that was included in the material that came with the Midea Cube. You can still use the current Midea Air app, but it was concerning that they were not providing updates and I worry that, at some point, this app may no longer work. 

Once I was in the app and connected to my Midea Cube, I was happy with the overall design and UX. The Midea Air app includes features that are unavailable on the control panel, such as the estimated time when you will need to empty the water bucket.

Setting the bucket level is also much easier with a simple visualization inside the app vs the numbers on the onboard control panel.

While the installation was far from easy, I could see myself using this app daily versus the on-board buttons because it saves me a trip down the basement.

Two filters to keep the device free of dust

The Midea Cube has two filters, one on each side of the device. This is a unique feature not found in many dehumidifiers.

A big issue for all types of dehumidifiers is ensuring that no dust or particles get into the device, as this can reduce the device’s efficiency and lead to faults over time. 

Most residential-style dehumidifiers use just one filter, so it was good to see the Midea Cube comes with two filters, one on each side. 

Both filters use mesh to block small particles from entering the device and are easy to remove and clean. The dehumidifier also has a light to alert you when it’s time to clean the filters.  

As a rule of thumb, it’s recommended to clean the filters every 2-3 weeks when the dehumidifier is used, as dust can accumulate quickly, especially in a location like a basement.

The filters are easy to remove by just pulling them from the side. The best thing is that you can remove them fully to allow you to clean them thoroughly. Here is a video to show you how simple it is to do this:

The Midea Cube took 6 minutes to reduce the humidity in our testing tent

This powerful dehumidifier took only 6 minutes to reduce the air in our test tent from 65% to 45%

We tested the Midea Cube in a Gorilla Shorty Tent with a width and length of 3 feet and a height of 4.92 feet. This testing space has a volume of 44.28 feet, and this small space allows us to test all sizes of dehumidifiers in the same space. 

This model has also been tested by Energy Star and was found to remove 50 pints of water, which means it will be powerful enough to keep even a large area (up to 4500 sq. ft.) clear of humidity. 

Noise levels test results

Noise is a key feature for a device like a dehumidifier as you will likely have to run it continuously, so if it’s overly loud, this could create a problem. Thankfully, the Midea cube is a fairly quiet device, considering the amount of water it can remove in 24 hours. 

But noise can be subjective, so I made sure to include a video of the device running so you can hear for yourself:

The cost to run a Midea Cube: $446.78 per year

When buying a dehumidifier, upfront costs are important but you also need to be mindful of long-term costs.

Considering that a dehumidifier is an air conditioning unit in reverse, they can be power hungry and energy usage is higher with more powerful devices. 

While the total cost of running this device is on the high side, considering the amount of water it can remove, this is one of the most efficient devices on the market. With 1.8 liters of water removed for every kWh of energy, ENERGY STAR has certified this device. 

If you don’t have a large space, you can reduce long-term costs by choosing a smaller device such as the 20 or 30-pint mode. Be sure to match the water removal level to the size and space of the location you want to reduce humidity.

Bottom line: Is the Midea Cube worth it?

An innovative design that is one of the best home dehumidifiers on the market

The Midea Cube is one of the best dehumidifiers we have reviewed for those looking to reduce humidity in their home.

It’s priced well, considering the features and water removal rates, and it comes from a brand that has been making appliances for a long time. 

While we had some issues with the WiFi setup, its smart features worked well and made it easier to use the device in the long term. 

I would prefer to see a warranty that covers the dehumidifier for longer than just one year. Still, this is my favorite dehumidifier for consumers looking for a large water bucket that won’t need emptying all the time.

Moiswell is a specialist dehumidifier brand that produces large crawl space and commercial dehumidifiers, from 145 pints to 320 pints per day.

According to their website, the Moiswell brand belongs to Hongkong lnofia Technology Co. Limited, a company registered in Hong Kong in 2022.

As with all the dehumidifier reviews we produce here at HouseFresh, we bought the Moiswell 145 pint with our own money and tested its water removal ability and performance over time. We often will update our reviews if things change, such as when our pump died on our hOmeLabs 4000 dehumidifier last month.

The lowdown on the Moiswell 145 pint dehumidifier

“Commercial grade dehumidification without the professional price tag. The Moiswell 145 Pint dehumidifier is a great option for those who want to look beyond standard big box style residential dehumidifiers.”

— Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

Designed with crawl spaces in mind

Its height is 13.3 inches, which is small enough for even the tightest crawl spaces.

I am currently using it on my basement floor as I haven’t got around to mounting it on my floor joists. It weighs 70 lbs (or nearly 32 kg), so I will need help from someone else to mount it.

That being said, I was glad to see Moiswell added handles at the top of the dehumidifier, making it easier to move around – yes, it is still heavy but the handle bars make picking it up A LOT less challenging.

When I first unboxed the Moiswell 145 Pint dehumidifier, I immediately noticed how much smaller it is compared to the other residential dehumidifiers we tested here at HouseFresh. 

Just to show you one example, check out the hOmeLabs 4000 – a residential air purifier that is super popular right now:

It looks nice but the honest truth is that the hOmeLabs 4000 would be way too big for any crawl space, so if you’re looking for a dehumidifier for a tight space, then the Moiswell is your best bet:

The control panel is really straightforward. It has four buttons, one for switching on/off, two for adjusting the humidity target and a timer function, so you can set it up to work for a specific amount of time.

I have connected the Moiswell to a Philips Hue Smart Plug, which means I can treat it like another smart home gadget. This allows me to fit the Moiswell into my existing automated routines for the house, plus it means that I can turn the dehumidifier on/off from anywhere as long as I can access the internet. 

Washable filter with a pump and drain

All dehumidifiers need to keep dirt from entering the unit, as it can cause damage and lead to failure in the future. 

The Moiswell Defender MP70 avoids this by making the washable filter slide out easily for cleaning.

After using this dehumidifier in my basement for two months, I have to say that the Moiswell has a good-quality filter. It is much better than what you get with most of the residential dehumidifiers we have reviewed. 

I look forward to using the internal pump. You can use the gravity drain to connect a hose that will flow if you don’t go against gravity. 

With the pump option, you also have an internal pump that can move the water vertically up to 16.5ft, which is excellent for use in basements where the drain is often higher than the basement floor. 

The Moiswell 145 Pint dehumidifier also offers you the option of using an external pump, allowing you to move water anywhere, depending on the pump’s power. 

It’s worth noting that these commercial-style dehumidifiers save space by not having a water bucket, so you will need a hose to remove the water. There is no option just to have the unit collect internally.

I am excited to see how well the pump performs over the long term, as after less than 12 months, our hOmeLabs dehumidifier pump failed, and I saw that this happens quite a bit with residential-style units. 

I hope this dehumidifier has a higher-quality pump and won’t fail me, but I will update this review if it does.

The Moiswell Defender MP70 lowered humidity levels in my basement within 24 hours

I tested the Moiswell Defender MP70 in my very damp basement built in the 1890s. This space regularly gets very damp, reaching up to 74.1% humidity. Since the hOmeLabs pump failed, my basement had accumulated a lot of humidity, so it REALLY needed drying out. This set the perfect conditions for a test.

I used the internal pump to move water to an external drain outside my basement and was glad there was no water bucket to change. It would likely need changing multiple times a day. 

To measure the humidity levels over time, I used my Govee WIFI humidity sensor that tracks current humidity every minute. Using this data, I can share below how the Moiswell 145-pint dehumidifier helped to reduce humidity levels to a comfortable level:

Noise levels test results

When running, the Moiswell 145 Pint dehumidifier generated up to 58dB, so you can’t hear it on the ground floor. I liked that the sound was continuous as it helped to blend into the other sounds around. 

But sound levels are a personal thing, so feel free to check out the video of the Moiswell Defender MP70 running in my basement: 

The cost to run a Moiswell 145 Pint dehumidifier: $541.37 per year

Dehumidifiers use a process similar to air conditioners and can use much more electricity than expected. It’s a little tricky to measure the exact amount of electricity a dehumidifier will use, depending on the current humidity conditions and settings you set up. 

The dehumidifier must run harder to reduce the humidity if it’s very humid. When it reaches the target level, it will stop until the humidity levels increase again. 

When we tested the Moiswell 145 pint when it was in humid conditions, it pulled 514.96 watts, which, if we assume it will run for 24 hours per day every day of the year, will be $541.37 which I think is likely much higher than will be your usage but worth keeping in mind as these large commercial units do use a lot of energy.

Bottom line

I am impressed with how well the Moiswell Defender MP70 dehumidifier reduced the humidity in my 2000 sqft damp basement. The product looks well made, and while it doesn’t have any smart features, I could make it smart by connecting it to my Philips Hue system. 

If you have a sizeable damp basement, this commercial unit would be a better investment in the long term, especially considering how many residential-style units with pumps fail. 

If any issues arise, I will continue to update this update, but as of now, this is a powerful, well-built unit for a price that makes it much more affordable than better, well-known brands.

The main use case for this dehumidifier was to keep my growing tent free of excess humidity – I didn’t want to have something that took a lot of space but I also needed a unit that I could trust to deal with a large amount of humidifier as it would be located in our basement.

I will be honest, DeLonghi is not a brand I expected to run into in regards to dehumidifiers, as they are normally known for their coffee machines. But I read about the company and learned that they have significant history manufacturing heaters and air conditioners, so it makes total sense that they would move into the world of dehumidification.

As with all our hands-on reviews here at HouseFresh, I bought this unit with my own money, so I have no biases to give a better review than I would under normal circumstances. I also completed a series of tests in my own basement to assess the performance of the De’Longhi DEX214F in real-life conditions.

Right, let’s break down my first-hand experience using the De’Longhi DEX214F dehumidifier. I have been using this unit since September 2021, so I feel confident to give both a short-term and medium-term review of my experience.

The lowdown on the De’Longhi DEX214F

“The De’Longhi DEX214F is a mid-priced dehumidifier and can deal with 14 liters of water in a 24-hour period. If you are looking for a premium dehumidifier for a small to medium-sized room and are based in Europe, you should consider getting a De’Longhi DEX214F.”

— Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

The specifications

Clean design lines in a compact size

I know that looks are not the main focus for most people but it is something we like to assess when we know that a unit is going to be in a room all the time.

The Italian heritage is clear with this dehumidifier. The design of the De’Longhi DEX214F is a lot more aesthetically pleasing than most dehumidifiers we have tested. 

With its pearly white color and curves, the DEX214F breaks the mold used by other manufacturers who tend to release boxy dehumidifiers that are heavy and difficult to maneuver.

The handle is built into the main part of the unit, making it easy to move the dehumidifier from room to room if you need to do it. This is made even easier thanks to the low weight of this dehumidifier (only 24.9 lbs/11.3 kg when the tank is empty).

Unlike bigger units, it does not include a wall mount, so you can only use your De’Longhi DEX214F in cases where you have space to place it on the floor.

I doubt anyone is going to buy this dehumidifier for looks alone, but it is great to see the care De’Longhi took to make this unit look good when compared to the competition.

Another aspect of design that I always like to review is the control panel. After using the DEX214F at home for over six months, I am happy to report that this is one of the simplest units I have come across in terms of menu options.

The DEX214F also comes with a DRY mode 👕, which is very handy for speeding up the drying of laundry as it sets the dehumidifier to run at its top speed for a short period of time.

You will also get two indicator lights: one to let you know when the tank is full and another one to indicate that the room temperature is too low so the unit is operating at low-temp to ensure the dehumidifier doesn’t ice up.

If you’ve never used a dehumidifier before, these controls will be simple enough to ensure you can just switch on your unit and forget about it – until it’s time to empty the water tank at least!

Underwhelming double filtration technology

I would never recommend you use a dehumidifier to clean the air in the room as an air purifier will always be a better appliance for that specific job. That said, I was happy when I read that the De’Longhi DEX214F came with a double filter system as air filtration technology should keep out particulate matter that might damage the parts inside the unit.

The double filter in the DEX214F is comprised of a dust filter and a replaceable allergen filter for picking up smaller particles.

The dust filter is fine and covers the entire air intake but I wasn’t impressed with the allergen filter.

The problem is that the “allergen filter” is very very small and only protects the air coming from one section of the air intake, so it is basically useless. 

Overall this was one of the weakest areas for this particular dehumidifier. I hope that De’Longhi looks at a more effective allergen filter for future models, such as the large filters used in British-made Ebac dehumidifiers.

The De’Longhi DEX214F lowered humidity levels in our test tent within 10 minutes

As I briefly explained earlier in this review, I ran three tests on the De’Longhi DEX214F in my basement to assess its performance in real-life conditions.

The first test was the dehumidification performance test, where I ran the DEX214F inside a Gorilla Grow Shorty Grow tent (3ft x 3ft) placed in the most humid area of my basement.

In the graphic below, you can see how quickly the humidity was reduced after switching on the dehumidifier:

It took less than 10 minutes to reduce from 71% to under 30% relative humidity, which is to be expected in a small space but still impressive to see. By the way, I used a Govee Wifi hygrometer to measure the temperature and humidity levels. What I like about this device is that you set it and then easily pull data in one-minute intervals.

In the graph above, you can see how effective the onboard humidity detector is. You will see that the sensor detected rising humidity levels, and once they hit a high level (60%), the DEX214F automatically switched on to full power till humidity levels dropped.

Every time humidity levels exceeded the average, the onboard humidity detector picked up those levels and switched on the unit until the desired humidity was reached.

It’s worth mentioning that this is a test we have designed to test humidifiers in a controlled space (our grow tent). It is a small space, and most people wouldn’t even consider using a dehumidifier inside a tent, but in terms of our testing, I was pleasantly surprised by the dehumidification performance of the DEX214F.

The only downside was remembering to remove the water, as the 1.2L bucket gets filled pretty quickly in very humid conditions, and my basement is ridiculously humid.

Noise levels test results

When running at its top mode, the De’Longhi DEX214F hit a maximum of 40 dB. This is equivalent to a refrigerator humming in the background.

We’ve recorded a video where we take the dehumidifier from mode to mode so you can listen to the associated noise levels with your own ears, as I understand that noise levels are a personal thing.

The cost to run a De’Longhi DEX214F: $206.04 per year

As part of my testing, I used a power meter to see how much power was used when the dehumidifier was on standby mode (not actively removing water) and found that it used 1.5W (left), which is around $2.1 per year, assuming the average utility rate in the U.S. of $0.12/kWh.

Once the dehumidifier detects an increase in humidity, it will go into full power mode, and as you can see in the image to the right, it increased to 195.6W, which is $206.04 per year (U.S. average utility rate of $0.12/kWh).

The reality is that most people won’t need to run their dehumidifier non-stop for 24 hours a day every single day of the year. But by looking at these figures, you can clearly see the financial benefit of an automatic system that reduces usage when the humidity target is reached.

Bottom line

If you are looking for a premium dehumidifier for a small to medium-sized room and you are based in the European region, you can’t wrong with the De’Longhi DEX214F.

It’s not without its faults, such as the tiny “allergen filter” but these cons are minor when weighed in the context of this unit’s performance. The power of this dehumidifier more than makes up for these minor issues.

De’Longhi is not a company name I would have connected to powerful dehumidifiers, but now that I have tested one of their units firsthand, I am impressed. I would be interested in future models from this company, and I have high expectations for its long-term usage. I do hope they make these dehumidifiers available in America soon.

hOmeLabs is a brand managed by Aterian that is listed on the Nasdaq and is responsible for 2000 products ranging from dehumidifiers to air purifiers. I first became aware of the hOmelabs 50-pint model with a pump when I analyzed the best-selling dehumidifiers on Amazon. 

This model stood out as the biggest seller of last year with over 40k reviews with an average review of 4.7 — not easy for a product like a dehumidifier prone to faults. The main aim of this specific model is to bring a high capacity of dehumidification, including a pump but for far less money than you would usually pay. 

The hOmelabs 50-pint with pump can often be found for less than $250, while a similar unit from a brand like Honeywell with the same size and pump is over $350. hOmeLabs promises the same level of performance for $100 less, so I was super excited to test it for myself and see if it lives up to the hype. 

The lowdown on the hOmeLabs 4000 sq. ft. dehumidifier

“Top-level performance for $250 typically only found in the $350+ range. If you have a damp basement and can use the pump, this is the dehumidifier to get in 2023”— Danny Ashton, Founder & Senior Writer

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Don’t want to read my full review? Then get my low down on what I think about the hOmeLabs dehumidifier:

The specifications

This model stands out with the amount of dehumidification power for far less money than many other competitors with similar specs:

Looks good, and it’s easy to use

Any dehumidifier is unlikely to win a design award, but the hOmeLabs 50-pint with pump looks good and has a super simple menu system. You can change the humidification target level at 1% variations.

I preferred the hOmeLabs menu to the Honeywell, as I found the icon-only buttons unclear with the Honeywell model. The hOmeLab uses text and icons, and I could quickly know what each button did without requiring me to check the web.

The hOmeLabs dehumidifier has a high-quality mesh that stops large particles and insects from entering the cooling coils. There is also an alert to inform you when to keep this clean, which alerts me every three months.

Unlike other dehumidifiers we have tested, this unit doesn’t use any filter beyond the dust/insect mesh, and I don’t think this is such a bad thing. The main goal of a dehumidifier is to reduce humidity; if you are looking to clean the air of pollutants or odors, then you are much better off with a dedicated air purifier. 

No need to drain daily

One of the highlights of this particular unit was the inclusion of the pump.

If you have ever used a dehumidifier, you will know that a real pain can be emptying the water bucket daily. This is fine for smaller rooms like a bathroom, but for a basement with a significant damp issue, you might be draining the water twice daily with a unit that can pull out 50 pints of water in 24 hours.

This dehumidifier comes with an extended 16.4ft hose that is long enough for most situations; I was able to have mine pump out water to a drain outside my basement.

You need to connect the hose to the connector at the back and press the pump button when using the pump. The pump means that you can have the hose go higher as it will not require gravity, as you will be able to pump the water to another location.

Intuitive control panel

The display screen shows the room’s current humidity level and you can then set your preferred target humidity up to a maximum of 80%. Once the dehumidifier detects hitting the desired humidity level, it automatically reduces power levels and the electricity you use.

The pump button is vital if you want to use the pump as you need to press it, or the unit will just use the water tank. 

The timer allows you to have the dehumidifier on for a set amount of time, from 1-24 hours, which will switch off the dehumidifier after a set time. I’m sure this might have some use case. 

Personally, I prefer to set the humidity rate and let the machine decide when to be on or off. 

The hOmeLabs 4,000 sq ft lowered humidity levels in my basement within two weeks

This hOmeLabs dehumidifier can work up to 4000 square feet, so I tried it in my 2000 square foot very damp basement. My house is relatively old, so the basement gets very damp (90%+), so this is an excellent test for a unit with this level of performance. 

I set up the unit with the included hose, which is long enough to connect to an outside pipe and drain. This is great as all the water absorbed from the air is pumped outside without the need of emptying the tank continuously. I had previously tested other smaller units in my basement and found I was emptying the tank twice per day, which was a pain and usually led to me spilling a little water every time.

To test the level of the humidifier, I used my Govee WIFI humidity sensor, which allows me to track the humidifier over time and export the data to show the change over time. 

Before turning on the hOmeLabs, my basement showed 90+% humidity, so I set the hOmeLabs to 65% to see if we could hold this humidity level in the short and long term.

I switched on the dehumidifier on the 8th of October 2022, and you can see how quickly it reduced the initial humidity level from 90% down to the desired 65% by the 15th of October. Within two weeks, I saw significantly lower humidity levels. 

Once it reached 65%, I didn’t switch off the unit. You can see how effectively it kept my basement’s humidity levels in the 50-60% range, which is much healthier than before. My wife, who suffers from asthma, now finds it much easier to spend time in the basement when before, she would have problems after just a few minutes down there.

I ran the test for a number of months (between October and January) and in that time, I had two alerts to clean the filters and no issues with the pump or with the unit switching off, even when we went away for four weeks along the way.

Overall, I was super happy with its dehumidification performance both in the short and long term. 

Noise levels test results

The hOmeLabs 50-pint dehumidifier has a maximum sound level of 53dB, similar to a refrigerator. While certainly not silent, it doesn’t stand out too much. Use a dehumidifier using a target humidifier level. 

You will find that the unit is not on full power all the time except when it’s used for the first time and will often come on and off as needed, which helps to reduce the amount of sound generated. 

Sound levels are always personal, so we have produced a short video of what our hOmeLabs dehumidifier sounds like in our basement:

The cost to run a hOmeLabs 4,000 sq. ft. dehumidifier:  $528 per year

The maximum amount of power that this dehumidifier will draw from the power is 520 watts, which, if we assume it’s using this level of power all the time, will equate to $44 per month according to the Department of Energy’s appliance energy calculator.

When not running at full power (once humidity levels had been reached) the dehumidifier used between 14.9 watts at the lowest and 74.7 watts at the highest — much less than what you will see when you first use the dehumidifier in a very damp location, but something to consider when using longterm as it won’t cost as much as you might think.

Dehumidifiers can certainly use a lot more power than many people expect. Still, for many uses, the unit will not draw maximum capacity as it will switch to a lower power mode when it reaches the level of humidification required.

Bottom line

I had high hopes for the hOmeLabs 50-pint with pump dehumidifier and I’m glad to say that it met those expectations. Certainly, there could be some improvements made to its pump and hose and it would also be good to see this unit come with a handle and an app for your smartphone. 

Still, for the price, it’s hard not to recommend this dehumidifier for any homeowner with a damp room that can utilize the pump function. It does the job well, is easy to live with the sound levels and won’t cost too much electricity. 

Its main competitor is the Honeywell  [TP70PWK] dehumidifier, which has a handle and higher capacity for removing water but, at $100, is a hard choice over this hOmeLabs model. 

Ebac (or Elliott Brothers Air Control) is a British company founded by John Elliott and his brothers in 1972. Within seven years, Ebac went on to reach a £1m turnover, becoming the leading UK brand for dehumidifiers.

Many of the dehumidifiers on the market are aimed at the United States or Asia and are designed for those particular climates, but Ebac is a specialist UK dehumidifier brand and that is the reason why I chose to review the Ebac 3850e.

I live in the middle of a national park in England, and our home is a stone house built in the 1870s. This means that we face high humidity levels all year round due to continuous rain and the fact that our stone home has been standing for over 150 years. Our situation requires a dehumidifier running 24/7.

Before I take you through my review, let me mention that we bought the Ebac 3850e with our own money, as we do with all the hands-on reviews we publish here at HouseFresh. We have no relationship with Ebac, so we can be completely unbiased in our assessment of this dehumidifier.

The lowdown on the Ebac 3850e

“I live in the middle of a national park in England, and our home is a stone house built in the 1870s. This means that we face high humidity levels in our home that require a dehumidifier running 24/7. The Ebac 3850e has been running non-stop in our dining room since the end of 2021, and we have experienced zero issues. That is a testament to the quality built and efficiency of this device.”

— Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

Compact design with the perfect water container

A simple, white dehumidifier with a tank that you are likely to have to empty every day

I mean, it’s a dehumidifier. It won’t win any interior design awards and it might clash with the décor of your home, but I personally like the curvy lines and the compact size.

That said, this doesn’t mean that Ebac didn’t put any time into the design of this dehumidifier. Perhaps the point is that they put some thought into the internals and also the most important element of any dehumidifier: its water container.

That’s right, my favorite part about the Ebac 3850e is its bucket.

You might think nothing of it but if you have used as many dehumidifers as I have you will know that the worst part of having a dehumidifier is emptying its bucket. Usually these things are bulky and prone to spilling water everywhere on the trip to the sink.

But as you can see in the photo below, the bucket in the Ebac 3850e has been designed to be easy to carry without making big messes.

The bucket in the Ebac 3850e has been designed to resemble a watering can or a water container that can easily be removed without water spillages. I actually use it to water my plants, so the handle comes super handy.

You can see how the design of the bucket makes emptying super easy:

On the back of the unit, you will find the filter and the cable, which can be easily tucked in to keep things tidy.

In case you didn’t know, all dehumidifiers require some sort of filter system to protect the delicate internal parts of the device from being covered in dust or other small particles floating in the air.

The Ebac 3850e comes with a combination of filters that include both carbon and antibacterial filtration.

That means that your dehumidifier will be able to help clean the air at the same time it reduces moisture. Now, a dehumidifier will never be as effective at cleaning the air as an air purifier will, but this is a nice touch from Ebac.

You can see in the image below how chunky the carbon filter is:

The filter system used by Ebac is something that I hope other manufacturers imitate. It would be excellent if this becomes the standard.

By the way, this unit doesn’t come with a hose or wheels, but the good news is that this is something you care about, you can just buy them separately, costing around $18 (or £15).

Smart controls not found in other dehumidifiers

The screen of the Ebac 3850e can feel a little confusing at first but it’s actually pretty straightforward once you start using it.

When you first look at the menu system for the Ebac 3850e, it can be a little confusing, but once you have had a chance to play around, it’s pretty simple. 

One of the best features of the Ebac 3850e is the fact is the Smart Control mode. Most dehumidifiers allow you to set the humidity preference either as a specific percentage of humidity (like we saw in the Honeywell dehumidifiers) or as a set range (like we saw in the Delonghi dehumidifiers). 

According to Ebac’s marketing materials, there are three key elements of the Smart Control: humidity sensors that detect moisture levels, artificial intelligence that learns about the patterns of the moisture, and automatic settings that allow the dehumidifier to remove the right amount of moisture before it becomes a problem.

In simple terms, it means that rather than having a simple on-off mode, the Ebac 3850e continually keeps track of the levels of humidity and can make small adjustments to ensure your room is kept at the right level of humidity.

Ebac’s Smart Control results in a dehumidifier that consumes far less electricity compared to other non-smart dehumidifiers. Other dehumidifiers I have tested wait for humidity levels to reach higher levels before they kick in and this results in the devices working harder, consuming more electricity and generating more water. With Smart Control, Ebac helps you save money in the long run as your dehumidifier won’t be pushed as hard.

In the video below, I’ll take you through the different options on the display:

For most use cases you will just leave it on Smart Mode, and that will be the end of it.  You can adjust the fan system, but I found the Smart Mode to be fine for minor adjustments. 

The only other mode that I use on a regular basis is the Laundry Modem, which pushes the unit into a higher mode for a short period of time. It is perfect for when you have just put the laundry to dry. 

The Cost of Running the Ebac 3850e = $197.10 (or £156.95)

On the Ebac website, they mention that the unit costs 54 cents (43p) per day to run.

I’m assuming that due to the Smart Mode, Ebac has not shared specific watt usage, as it will vary dramatically depending on what the Smart Mode requires at the time.

Luckily, I used my trusted energy power meter to see how much actual energy the Ebac 3850e consumes when running at different modes. 

On the normal Smart Mode, my Ebac 3850e pulled 148.2 watts. When I switched it to its highest mode, this increased to 160 watts. So that would be 88 cents (or 70p) per day at the lowest mode and 94 cents (or 75p) per day at the highest level. 

One thing to consider is that most of the time, your dehumidifier will not be active (especially if you run it on Smart Mode), so the 54 cents (43p) per day estimate from Ebac is fair.

Bottom line: Is the Ebac 3850e worth it?

The two standout features are the Smart Mode and the anti-spillage water bucket. These two features deal with two of the biggest pain points of having a dehumidifier. 

I never thought I would get excited about a dehumidifier, but Ebac has done something very special with the 3850e.

With energy prices expected to increase, anything that can help to reduce bill costs is worth looking at. Most humidity issues don’t go away, so you will have to run your dehumidifier every single day, which can make these long-term costs quickly add up. The Smart Mode in the Ebac 3850e guarantees that your energy bill won’t be impacted as much as it would if you were to choose a different dehumidifier.

The Smart Mode combined with the clever design of the water bucket, makes the Ebac 3850e my go-to recommendation for anyone looking for a dehumidifier in the UK. 

You can buy this unit from Amazon, but I would suggest buying it locally from a shop. And if that is not possible, you can also buy it directly from Ebac.

On paper the pro breeze 500ml tank dehumidifier seems like the perfect dehumidifier – it’s tiny, silent, and costs less than $50. 

But there is also a major fly in the ointment – it just can’t remove enough water to have a meaningful effect on the environment.

I will show you some numbers from my experiments later in the review but let’s just look at the details from the Amazon product page. 

According to the details, it can remove 9 ounces of water per day – for those more visual, this is one of those small cups that come with an office water dispenser.

In comparison, the Honeywell TP30WKN can remove 600 ounces of water in the same period of time and can be regularly found for less than $200. 

On an ounce of water removed per $ – the Pro Breeze dehumidifier is $5.50 vs the Honeywell TP30WKN which is 33 cents per ounce! 

The performance per $ spent is massive but the biggest issue is that there seem to be no situations that would require such a small amount of water removal for most situations that require a dehumidifier. 

About our hands on tests

We don’t accept free units from manufacturers as we don’t want this to add undue pressure to give a more positive review than we would normally so we bought this Pro Breeze dehumidifier with our own money. As this review shows, if a unit doesn’t perform we would rather make this clear to consumers rather than just say it’s great as the vast majority of reviews out there (Google pro breeze dehumidifier review and you will see what I mean) our goal at housefresh.com is to make sure you end up with a dehumidifier that performs effectively for your budget/use case. 

Dehumidifier

Pro Breeze 1200 Cubic Feet

Capacity

7 ounces per day or a small water cup from an office water fountain

Technology

16 ounce water tank with 0.55kW energy usage over 24 hours

Recommended Room Size

150 sq. ft

Weight

2.4 Ibs

More information

Buy on Amazon

Price

$42.99

Dehumidifier

Pro Breeze 1200 Cubic Feet

Capacity

7 ounces per day or a small water cup from an office water fountain

Technology

16 ounce water tank with 0.55kW energy usage over 24 hours

Recommended Room Size

150 sq. ft

Weight

2.4 Ibs

More information

Buy on Amazon

Price

$42.99

Specifications:

• How much water can be removed per day: 9 ounces per day which is the same as a small water cup from an office water fountain.
• The size of the room recommended is 215 sq ft although in my tests I would suggest an even smaller space like a drying cupboard.
• It doesn’t include a filter as it probably doesn’t need it due to the small amount of air it can deal with.
• It has a tank capable of holding 1.2 pints or 500ml – which means it will need to be changed every 2 days or so if used continuously.

The Look

This dehumidifier is super small and light so doesn’t require a handle as it can easily be carried. 

It’s as simple as any dehumidifier can be with only two buttons – on and off.

This makes sense considering its level of performance and price as it would be unlikely to need to have a cut-off or dehumidification sensor as it would have such a small effect on the overall humidity of the room. 

Setup:

Out of the box, it’s pretty much ready to go once you plug in the cable. 

One thing to note is that the green on LED is super dim and hard to know if it’s on when in daylight. Combined with the quietness of this machine – it’s hard to know if it’s on or not.

Performance

As I noted in the introduction I did a test of this unit in a grow tent in my basement – which is 35 inches X 35 inches with a height of 4ft 11in to give us a total space of 44.25 square feet so well less than the 150 square ft recommended on the product page.

I used a Govee Wifi hydrometer to track the level of humidity over a period of 2 weeks.

I switched on the pro breeze dehumidifier from 8th September and then swapped it out for a larger dehumidifier on the 19th of September which accounts for the large drop as the larger Delonghi dehumidifier showed what a real dehumidifier will do in a small space like this. 

I certainly didn’t expect that this unit was going to perform super well compared with units that were 4 times more expensive but I did expect it to have some marginal effect on the humidity in such a small space. 

Sadly the results speak for themselves and I just can’t think of a scenario where this dehumidifier would be useful – even an RV or bathroom is a much larger space than my grow tent so I expect the results would be even worse. 

What I love:

• The price – it’s the cheapest dehumidifier on the market but as the review shows this does also come with downsides.
• It’s super small so could be used in a very small space if say you had an issue with damp in a kitchen cupboard

What I don’t like as much:

• Performance is just not enough for most practical use cases for a dehumidifier for most people.
• The green on LED is super dim and hard to see in daylight

Bottom Line

I really wanted to love this dehumidifier as its price and promise sounded like exactly what I needed for keeping my grow tent air dry without a large chunky expensive dehumidifier. Sadly it was too good to be true and as my tests showed it is near useless in most spaces you need a dehumidifier. 

If you do have a very strict budget then I would recommend something like the SEAVON 2000ml which can be found for less than $90 and able to remove way more water and has a water tank that is twice the size for not a lot of extra money. 

But in most other cases, I would recommend pushing your budget and going for a more traditional dehumidifier like the Honeywell TP30WKN which can be found for under $200 and is much heavier but is light years ahead with performance when it comes to removing water from the air. 

So sadly this is a dehumidifier that I would avoid unless you have a very specific case where you need a very small dehumidifier for a very small space.

Pro Breeze Dehumidifiers for Home,215sqft Small Dehumidifiers for Room,16oz Tank Portable Closet Dehumidifier Removes Humidity Mini Small Dehumidifier for Bathroom Dehumidifier for Bedroom RV Basement

• SMALL & COMPACT: Our lightweight and portable dehumidifier for home is capable of removing up to 9 ounces of water per day with a 16-ounce water tank capacity. Ideal size bathroom dehumidifier for rooms of 1200-2200 cubic feet (215 sq ft).
• SAFE AUTO SHUT OFF: Our dehumidifiers for bedroom are ideal in small spaces and rooms. When full, the dehumidifier will automatically shut off and the LED light will turn-on indicating the water tank needs draining
• ULTRA QUIET & EFFICIENT: Get the best of your dehumidifier for home and experience Whisper Quiet Operation in bedrooms, bathrooms and offices. Power usage of just 23W per hour! This dehumidifier has a running cost of just $0.07/day! The ideal solution to humidity in your home!
• EFFICIENTLY LOWERS HUMIDITY: Perfect dehumidifier for high humidity in your home, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, caravan, garage, closet. Like all mini dehumidifiers, optimal operating temperature is 59-86°F. It will not work below 41°F.
• AWARD WINNING BRAND: Pro Breeze is a world leader in small dehumidifiers for bathrooms, bedrooms, RV, Basements and was awarded one of America's Best Home and Garden Brands in 2022. Trust Pro Breeze - the only dehumidifier you need

$42.99

Buy on Amazon

In winter our home gets super damp so I wanted a way to control the humidity in the bedroom as my wife and child both suffer from asthma and excess humidity can be a trigger for them.

I was attracted to the Honeywell brand as I have tested multiple air purifiers from them. Plus, Honeywell is a brand that has been going since 1906 so it inspired trust.

If you have ever looked on amazon.com for dehumidifiers it’s full of brand names that are often very strange sounding Chinese sellers selling generic units (COSVII, SEAVON, Donatello, LEEL, etc.) There is nothing inherently wrong with these units but for my bedroom dehumidifier, I wanted to go with a brand I trusted and had my back if anything went wrong and Honeywell provides a 5-year guarantee.

As with all the hands-on reviews we do here at HouseFresh, this unit was bought with our hard-earned money so we don’t have a bias to give a more positive review to keep the manufacturers happy. If this dehumidifier stinks, we have no problem with telling you so that you can find a model that does the job for your needs and budget.

The lowdown on the Honeywell TP30WKN

“If you are looking for a dehumidifier for a fairly small space like a bedroom, then the TP30WKN might be one of the best options available.

Sadly due to its popularity, the price can be higher than the usual retail price, so it is always worth checking it against large units like the TP50WKN as they sometimes can be found for the same or cheaper price.”

— Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

If you don’t want to read my full review, here are the things I like about this dehumidifier and the things I don’t:

The design

The TP30WKN includes a few key touches that make a big difference.

It looks like what you’d expect of a dehumidifier, with the control panel on top and the bucket accessible through the front.

You get a continuous drain tube so you don’t have to rely on the tank capacity (seven pints) and end up emptying the bucket multiple times per day.

Inside the box, you will also find two accessories you can use for mounting it on your wall. I didn’t mount it on my wall but it is definitely something useful if you plan to use it in one location 24/7.

I really like it comes with a chunky handle and wheels, as this makes it easy to move to another room – although, do make sure you empty the bucket as it is super heavy when it’s full of water!

All dehumidifiers need to pull air from the room around them so this also means they pull in any dirty, dust or other nasty things in the air. Thankfully this dehumidifier includes a filter so it catches these before they create problems inside the machine. You do need to keep it clean so remember to clean it on a regular basis.

Unlike air purifiers, dehumidifiers don’t clean the air but this also means you don’t need to spend extra on filter replacements.

From a day-to-day operation perspective, the TP30WKN is fairly simple to use:

From left to right, we have a filter clean light that will light up when the filter needs cleaning manually. 

Next, you get a button to adjust fan speeds. A tip: you will want maximum when you first use it and then reduce it during the night to keep the sound to a minimum. 

Then, you get a button to set the humidity level you want to achieve. So if you set it to 60% humidity, the TP30WKN will come on and off until it achieves this level. This means that you will spend less on electricity compared to setting it to run 24/7 on high.

You also get a timer button that allows you to set a timer for the device to automatically switch off, Next to that, you get a sleep mode button, which switches all the lights off.

Tip

When you first unbox it, the continuous drain pump hose is actually tucked inside the water tank. Make sure you remove it before turning on the dehumidifier – although the guys at Honeywell make this super clear with the instructions.

There are two options for this dehumidifier, the TP30WKN and TP30AWKN. The AWKN is the one that includes a smart app. If you have read my reviews, you will know I am not a big fan of apps for simple devices like this and this is no exception. The app requires details for registration and the app itself has very poor ratings on the Google Play store:

For the extra money that the “smart” version requires, I would just invest in a smart hygrometer sensor like Govee H5179 as it has a ton of features for less money than the “smart” version of the Honeywell 30 pint dehumidifier.

Cost of running the TP30WKN: $306.57 per year

If you use this unit with the supplied hose, it’s able to run continuously. If not, it will automatically shut off when the included 7-pint tank fills up – which will be more than twice every day, so it really becomes a chore if used in this way.

Based on our tests, it can remove 20 pints per day, which is around 10 large McDonald’s sodas — a fair amount of water.

When running 24/7, it will pull 276 watts on the lowest fan setting. This will translate to $306.57 per year, which isn’t bad when compared with older units that are used far more power to achieve the same level of dehumidification.

Bottom line: Is the Honeywell TP30WKN worth it?

It has everything you will need from a dehumidifier such as a timer, sleep mode, and a continuous hose for those wanting to use it all the time. 

30 pints is perfect for those wanting something that is still portable but doesn’t expect it to be able to dry out a large basement of an open plan room. If you do want a similar unit for a larger space, then check out the TP50WKN and TP70WKN which have 50-70 pint capabilities but are much larger and won’t be as easy to carry to different rooms.

The big issue for this unit is the supply chain issue with a lack of supply meaning that this unit regularly being out of stock and often priced higher than the bigger 50-pint units so be sure to do your research and don’t overpay. I honestly don’t think that smart edition – TP30AWKN is worth the extra $30 so just go for the standard model that is regularly priced at sub $200.