This is our buying guide on the best low temperature dehumidifiers in 2023. Below is a quick summary of our top recommendations. Scroll further down to read our in depth, hands on reviews, for each humidifier.
hOmeLabs Energy Star
- 1.6-gallon water tank
- Removes up to 50 pints per day
- Built-in wheels and handles
- Quiet fan
- Easy To use
- Intuitive control panel
- Best-written manual EVER
- Continuous draining
- Built-in pump compressor
- Turbo mode
- 24-hour cycle until the tank is full
Frigidaire Dehumudifier
- It works fast
- Quiet
- Happy with spaces from 500 square feet upwards
- Build quality is magnificent
- Design is ultimately user friendly
- Easy to clean
- Easy to maintain
- Exceptional runtime
- Superior water reservoir capacity
- Continual drainage option
- Consistent humidity levels, even under extreme conditions
- Does exceptionally well in temps below 50 degrees
Black + Decker BDT50WTB
- Covers up to 4500 square feet
- Removes up to 50 pints of moisture per day
- 14.3-pint tank
- Washable mesh filter
- Environmentally friendly with an Energy Star rating
- Water level indicator
- 3.28-foot drain hose
- Audible alert when the water reservoir is full
- Top mounted control panel
- Adjustable humidistat
- 4 casters for easy moving
In this article, we review the best low-temperature dehumidifiers.
A low-temperature dehumidifier is designed to operate in temperatures below 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the temperature drops this low, water begins to freeze on the evaporator coils of the unit.
The ice buildup starts to interfere with airflow and this, in turn, can cause a fan motor to burn out.
With this in mind, we had our team set up conditions where the ambient temperature was artificially dropped to 50 degrees and below, and tested several dehumidifiers under these conditions.
We also set up conditions of 70-degree temperatures to compare warm and cold atmosphere performance.
The dehumidifier that came out tops was the Frigidaire. The build quality and the design are superb. It is easy to clean and maintain, has a long runtime, and wasn’t affected by the drop in temperature at all.
Keep reading as we bring you the results of our tests, and also the winners in our best budget dehumidifier, and best premium dehumidifier categories.
Frigidaire Dehumidifier
BEST OVERALL
At a glance
The design and manufacturing standards of this Frigidaire are superb. And in the freezing conditions, it held its own without a hiccup.
We tested it under normal conditions (above 70 degrees) first, and then took it into our artificially cooled environment. There was no noticeable difference between the speed at which it dropped humidity in the cold and the rate of dehumidifying in the warmer conditions.
Design
The durability of this dehumidifier shines through in both the quality of the materials used in its manufacture and the features the designers decided to include.
The unit is easy to maintain, the runtime is simply exceptional, and the water reservoir capacity is excellent.
Water Tank Capacity
Dehumidifiers in this Frigidaire’s class typically have 14-pint water reservoirs. This unit has a 16.9-liter water reservoir. It puts it ahead of the pack in runtime between refills.
In both the warm and cold tests, the water never iced up, and the runtime never decreased.
Runtime
The Frigidaire ran its usual 36 hours between refills in the below-50 conditions, and the above-70 temps too. The difference was negligible. The dehumidifier seemed to prefer colder temperatures.
When we ran it in the cold with continual drainage, we had one problem – the drainage hose kept on icing up. The humidifier itself had no problems at all.
Coverage
The Frigidaire is ideal for areas of 750 square feet and above. Our cold-weather simulation happened in a slightly smaller area – around 500 square feet.
In both the 50-degree, 500 square feet space, and the 70-degree, 750 square feet area, the Frigidaire reached optimal levels of around 43% moisture in the atmosphere in 10 minutes and maintained those levels with virtually no fluctuation.
Noise
The Frigidaire FFAD5033W1 turned out to be as quiet as a cat on tippy toes.
Again, its noise levels in both the warm and cold conditions were 100% stable. All the other units on test with the Frigidaire use downward exhaust technology, and they were all noisier. The Frigidaire exhales upwards, a feature the company claims contributes to the remarkably low noise levels.
Special Features
This dehumidifier has an easy-to-clean, washable Filter that captures dust from the air and keeps the dehumidifier working optimally.
It also features custom humidity control – something that proved valuable as we moved the unit between the warm and frigid conditions. Although the unit did most of the work itself in the automatic setting, we were able to tweak settings to suit the conditions.
The continuous drain option comes standard with this Frigidaire. Once you run the dehumidifier with this option, you don’t have to refill the water tank at all. And the unit will run for as long as there is power.
When the water reservoir is full, the unit shuts itself off to prevent damage.
The water tank is front-loading and has a handle and splash guard. We haven’t seen a less cumbersome refilling system on any other unit we’ve tested.
The unit also has castor wheels – moving it from one area to another is easy and spill-free.
While we were testing the unit in cold conditions of around 50 degrees, the manufacturer says the Frigidaire can handle temperatures as low as 40 degrees. After testing the unit extensively, we believe them!
The Frigidaire FFAD5033W1 simply does most things better than any of the other units we ran during this test. The dehumidifying speed is far superior, the water collection reservoir is larger, it has a continual drainage option, the noise levels are lower, and the unit’s build quality is simply something to write home about.
Pros
- It works fast
- Quiet
- Happy with spaces from 500 square feet upwards
- Build quality is magnificent
- Design is ultimately user friendly
- Easy to clean
- Easy to maintain
- Exceptional runtime
- Superior water reservoir capacity
- Continual drainage option
- Consistent humidity levels, even under extreme conditions
- Does exceptionally well in temps below 50 degrees
Cons
- The unit is big and somewhat bulky
hOmeLabs Energy Star Dehumidifier
BEST BUDGET
At a glance
The packaging on this unit was well thought out. The box slides out, which means you don’t have to try to lift the dehumidifier from the packaging.
The hOmeLabs also has easy-maneuvering handles, and caster wheels to move it from one room to another.
Design
The hOmeLabs Energy Star Dehumidifier is bright white and easy to clean. The exterior picked up smudges during the unpacking process and all it required was a wipe-down. Once we moved it into the cold room, condensation formed in places, and the water mixed with ambient dust to form smears. Again, an easy wipe-down was all that was required.
The hOmeLabs features a simple and intuitive user interface on the control panel. The electronics didn’t seem to notice the cold in the below-50 test conditions.
Operating the dehumidifier is simple.
Like the Frigidaire, the hOmeLabs has a continual drainage option. In this case, it is on the back of the dehumidifier. Running the tubing is a little more difficult than we anticipated – until we consulted the manual. Also, in the cold conditions, we did have some ice crystals forming where the pipe connects to the unit, but none of this was serious enough to interfere with the dehumidifier’s operations.
In an excellent piece of design inspiration, hOmeLabs decided to attach the cap to the dehumidifier with a plastic tether. Losing or misplacing the cap is no longer an option – and there are certain members of the testing team (they know who they are) who were eternally grateful for this feature.
The setup couldn’t be easier. But do keep the manual around. It is filled with practical advice that will only make your humidifier run better.
Water tank capacity
The water reservoir on this hOmeLabs unit is 6 liters. Place it, and leave it. The dehumidifier will warn you when the water tank is full.
If you decide to use the continual drainage option, setup is easy too. The drainage port is easy to access – it’s on the back of the unit – and you only need to attach a ¾-inch garden hose.
Coverage
The hOmeLabs 70-pint dehumidifier will extract moisture from the atmosphere in spaces up to 2500 square feet. It is the most perfect unit for living rooms and open-plan spaces.
Noise levels
The silent operation of hOmeLabs dehumidifiers is fast becoming the stuff of legends. A hardly audible hum from the unit is all there is. There is almost no noise from the fan, and it was hands-down the quietest unit in its class.
Special Features
To clean, simply rinse the water reservoir every fortnight. The filter needs cleaning every month. A warning light will notify you when it’s time to pay attention to the filter. Generally, that will be after around 250 hours of continuous use.
It is perfectly at home in areas up to 2500 square feet. This kind of dehumidifying footprint makes it the ideal unit for large open-plan areas, and living rooms. It will also work well in unheated basements in icy weather.
The hOmeLabs has a sleek, clean look, built-in castor wheels and handles, and a quiet fan that won’t disturb your sleep.
The unit is super-easy to use. Adjust to your ideal moisture setting, and let it run its continuous 24-hour cycle until the tank is full. The unit will automatically shut off until you empty the water reservoir. There’s also a drain hose outlet for continuous draining.
This hOmeLabs dehumidifier reduces moisture through its built-in pump compressor. It also features a Turbo mode that increases fan speed from Normal Air to High Air for maximum moisture removal. This feature worked equally well in both the cold and warm test conditions.
The hOmeLabs automatically finds the ideal humidity levels on auto mode and keeps the goal humidity to around 55% if the ambient temperature is cooler than 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If the room is warmer than 77 degrees, the humidity level will automatically be set to 45%. The dehumidifier will then maintain those levels without any input from you.
Who’s it for
The hOmeLabs 70-Pint Dehumidifier is a wallet-friendly choice if you’re looking for an easy-to-use continuous drainage dehumidifier.
Pros
- 1.6-gallon water tank
- Removes up to 50 pints per day
- Built-in wheels and handles
- Quiet fan
- Easy To use
- Intuitive control panel
- Best-written manual EVER
- Continuous draining
- Built-in pump compressor
- Turbo mode
- 24-hour cycle until the tank is full
Cons
- Leaky if not assembled correctly
Black + Decker BDT50WTB
BEST PREMIUM
At a glance
The Black
The Black + Decker covers areas up to 4500 square feet, will remove up to 50 pints of moisture per day, and has an extended runtime due to the 14.3-pint tank. It removes dust from the atmosphere too.
A warning light and audible alarm warn when the water tank needs to be emptied.
Unlike many commercial dehumidifiers, this unit uses environmentally friendly R4110a refrigerant to protect the environment.
Design
The Black + Decker BD50WTB’s timer gives you ultimate control. First, a timer can be set. This feature works in increments of 30 minutes up to the ten-hour mark. From there to 24 hours, you can set the increments in one-hour intervals.
The humidity levels can also be set in 5% increments.
Water Tank Capacity
The BDT50WTB’s water tank has a capacity of 14.3 pints. The size of the water reservoir yields long runtimes without the need to empty it. There was no issue at all with the water tank in the cold test conditions even when the temperatures dropped below the 50-degree mark.
Runtime
Depending on the humidity levels in the atmosphere and the way you set up your unit, the Black + Decker should run for 36 hours or more.
Coverage
The manufacturer recommends this unit for areas up to 4500 square feet. It is effectively a whole-house dehumidifier. And, as far as coverage is concerned, the warm and cold testing environments made no difference to the unit’s performance at all.
Moisture extraction capacity
In both the cold room and the warmer test environment, the Black + Decker was able to reduce the humidity from 90% to optimal levels in under ten minutes.
Noise levels
Other units we ran in this test were quieter than the Black + Decker, but it pays to bear in mind this is a more powerful dehumidifier. The only aspect of the noise that became disturbing after a while, was the fan, and this only happened when we were running the unit at higher speeds.
Special Features
The Black + Decker automatically starts to defrost the coils when the temperature drops below certain levels. (We could never figure out exactly at what temperature that starts to happen.)
It also has a check-filter indicator which takes much of the think-work out of running this unit. The mesh filter is washable, and the Energy Star rating makes it eco-friendly.
Pros
- Covers up to 4500 square feet
- Removes up to 50 pints of moisture per day
- 14.3-pint tank
- Washable mesh filter
- Environmentally friendly with an Energy Star rating
- Water level indicator
- 3.28-foot drain hose
- Audible alert when the water reservoir is full
- Top mounted control panel
- Adjustable humidistat
- 4 casters for easy moving
Cons
- Noisier than other units
