My $50 dehumidifier failed after 2 months in my basement

I bought this cheap dehumidifer from a big box store to dry out my basement after that wet spring we had. Figured it would do the job for the summer at least. But after just 8 weeks the thing stopped pulling any water out of the air. I checked the filter, cleaned the coils, nothing helped. My basement started smelling musty again and I noticed a little mold on some old boxes. I ended up spending $200 on a better model and it's been running solid for 3 months now. Should have just saved up for the nicer one from the start. Has anyone else had a budget appliance fail way too fast in this humid Cleveland weather?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenixb3420d ago

Get a warranty extension or pay a little more upfront. I've been through three cheap dehumidifiers in my own basement over the years, and they all died the same way. The smaller compressors just can't handle constant running in a wet space like yours. Most of those budget ones are made to run a few hours a day, not 24/7 in a damp basement. You're better off grabbing a mid-range unit from a brand that offers a multi-year warranty, it'll actually hold up.

adamthompson21d ago

Read somewhere that cheap dehumidifiers use smaller compressors that burn out fast in humid basements.

lucasschmidt21d ago

My buddy bought one of those $80 units off Amazon and it crapped out after three months, just stopped pulling water completely. He ended up just running a fan down there instead (which worked okay honestly).