On May 21, 10:58*am, (Mike S.) wrote:
For years we have been using portable dehumidifiers in the basement
between May and September. This weekend I fired up the current one only to
note a return to the common pattern: the compressor runs but there is no
hot air exhaust or condensation because the tubing has corroded and
allowed the refrigerant to escape.

Over the last 10 years we've had perhaps 5 such units down there, making
the average lifespan ~ 2 years. Reading online reviews from actual
customers, it seems that for everything manufactured after the millennium
this is the usual pattern. And they all die in the same way.

We have usually been buying the most accessible brands; LG or the
LG-manufactured Kenmore units sold at Sears. Once Sears replaced a unit
when their repair depot deemed it to be beyond repair.

It occurred to me that perhaps we're buying the wrong brand. Web sites
that review these units seem to recommend Fridigaire, Danby, GE, or
Whirlpool. But then I read reviews from actual owners, and there are
similar complaints. Now most units are warranted for only a year, and the
cost of an extended warranty pretty much could be better spent on simply
buying a new unit every 2 years.

Are there ANY 70-pint portable dehumidifiers that last beyond 2 years, or
at least have a longer factory warranty?

A friend of mine had a Sears made by LG. The fan quit
working when it was about 3 years old. Since it was just
the fan and not knowing the sorry track record with these
units, we spent $40 on a new fan and I put it in. It lasted
less than a year. Still not having learned our lesson, we
ordered another one. That one smoked on start-up.
And no, there isn't any fancy electronics or anything that
could account for it. It's just a two speed AC motor with
3 leads. Finally looking online, there were countless
reports going back many years of the same kind of fan
failure. It shows that Sears and LG just don't have
any QC and don't give a damn.

He bought a new humdifier about 3 years ago, don't
remember what it was, but it was not Sears or LG.
As part of the negotiation, the store manager agreed to
match the low online price we had found, if we would
take the extended 3 year warranty for about $40
extra. Normally, think these are a waste, but for
dehumidifiers, at the right price, I think they are a good
idea. So, he bought it. About two years in, it failed.
He took it back to the store. They didn't have that
model anymore, but had a slightly higher capacity
model for $25 more. So, he paid the $25 and got a
brand new one.

That was about 2 years ago. It's still working. Think
it's a Frigidaire, but I can check for you. But don't know
that it really means much, because it's only been
running a year or two.... Like you, I've yet to hear of
one company that folks say last. But if I were you, I'd
price out the extended warranty on anything you buy.
For these, it could be a good idea.