Nate Nagel wrote:

I can't imagine what problems may be had with a dehumidifier, it's a
rather simple device. I've not used any LG appliances, but I've seen
them in the stores and they seem well made.

Apparently NOBODY makes a good one these days, if you read the reviews
on Amazon or elsewhere online. Every single brand had what I considered
a high rate of negative reviews. Either there's a LOT of dehumidifiers
being sold and the number of people reviewing them is biased towards
those with serious problems (which is possible) or else they're all crap.

I have two cheap dehumidifiers I bought at Depot probably 5 and 6 years
ago, one is the Hampton Bay brand and another Maytag brand, I believe
both are made in China. One is in my shop and the other is stationed in
the house where it runs to help dry things after I do a carpet cleaning,
and runs in the spring and fall when I'm between heating and cooling
seasons to control humidity. Both work just fine.


I know that I bought a (fairly expensive, cost me $200) Frigidaire unit
and ended up taking it back because it wouldn't shut off. Of course,
that too was made in China... I just got my money back because a) I
found that the fan was supposed to run all the time, which I didn't want
and b) the display unit at the store worked the same way mine did -
appeared to run constantly regardless of humidity selection and wouldn't
shut off when you removed the bucket. And this was the brand that
seemed not to get so many negative reviews.

Well, that doesn't sound like a quality issues to me, it sounds like a
design issue that you just don't like. There is good reason for
continuous fan operation since it increases efficiency by taking
advantage of the remaining cold in the coils when the compressor shuts
off, as well as maintaining airflow past the humidistat so it's more
responsive and the room air is more consistent. Might be needed to get
an Energy Star rating too.


That's part of the reason for this thread; if I can't get a good quality
dehumidifier (and others seem to be noticing that the new ones suck as
well; used ones are impossible to buy on my local Craigslist. I've
responded to ads within minutes of their posting, and have been told
that I'm second or third in line) I might as well air condition the
place. I did search and there are some higher end light industrial
dehumidifiers but their cost is on the same order of magnitude as an A/C
system and I don't really have any assurance other than price and gut
feeling that they'd be better than the consumer models.

Certainly if the shop is well insulated and you have bonus room type
office space above it, there is adequate justification for fully
conditioning the space. I have a small window A/C unit in my shop now
and at some point when I finish upgrading and insulating I will likely
install a larger mini split heat pump so it's comfy year round and I
don't get rust films on my machines.