Frigidaire FAD301
Hisense DH50
Hydrofarm
Ecoseb Desiccant
Caframo Air Dryer
There aren’t many boat dehumidifier reviews on the net. It’s unusual because excess humidity on pleasure craft can be devastating, leading to the buildup of mold or mildew, which can be ruinously expensive to get rid of. We aim to remedy that. We’ve taken a look at a number of the best dehumidifiers for boat use on the market today, and selected one that we think will serve you the best.
In order to help you make an informed purchasing decision, however, we’ll outline the major contenders we looked at. Our top pick is the Frigidaire FAD 301 NWD 30-Pint Dehumidifier, and we’ll explain why in just a moment, but before we go into the details of that one, let’s take a look at some of the other contenders for the top spot, so you can have full information when making your own decision.
Some Basics - Size Does Matter
Space really matters on boats when choosing a dehumidifier. If you have a small boat (fishing, center console, cuddy cabin, etc.), a small capacity (15-pint/day) dehumidifier, or even a Warm Air Circulator will do the job just fine (provided you use covers). For bigger boats and vessels (sailboats, yachts, cruisers, trawlers, etc.), you will need to consider more efficient and sophisticated solutions of 30+ pints/day and above. But, generally speaking, something in the 30-50 pint a day range will be all you’ll ever need, even in the most extreme conditions. Anything more than that is simply overkill. Below you'll find our top picks divided in both categories: for bigger and smaller boats.
For Bigger Boats and Vessels - Most Efficient Boat Dehumidifiers
The following dehumidifiers are the most efficient solution if you need to remove humidity from cruiser-type crafts or even if you're looking for fast results. They're in the 30-50 pints per day range. They're light, small and portable.
Winner - Frigidaire FAD301NWD 30-pint Dehumidifier 2023
We selected the Frigidaire FAD301NWD 30-pint Dehumidifier as our top pick. With a feature set comparable to the models above, plus the legendary Frigidaire name behind it, it’s just the best of the bunch in our view. Water extraction capabilities here run 30 pints a day, which is more than adequate for the vast majority of pleasure craft owners, although again, it should be stressed that if you have a larger boat, you might want to consider one of the models mentioned above with a higher daily extraction capability. Nonetheless, in terms of overall performance and feature set, the Frigidaire wins by a nose. We simply view it as the best dehumidifier for boats in class.
Hisense 50-Pint Dehumidifier
At the high end of the spectrum is the Hisense DH50. This is a great model, and can easily be considered the best boat dehumidifier being capable of extracting a whopping 50 pints of moisture a day from the air. It’s true that some owners of especially large pleasure craft may need a model like this, but they’ll be in the minority.
Still, it’s too good a unit all around not to give it a mention here, and if you happen to own a relatively large boat, then this is probably the one you want. For a majority of users, however, it’s likely that this one falls under the heading of “too much of a good thing.”
Even so, for what it is and what it does, it’s well priced with a great feature set. Surprisingly, despite the massive moisture extraction capabilities from a unit so small, it sips power too, meaning that you can use it with confidence, even while out on the water.
Again, there’s no condensate pump, but it’s got a drain tube, so if you keep it either near your sink, or someplace where you can safely vent the water, you can operate the machine continuously. It’s relatively quiet too, so you won’t have to worry about it making an unbearable racket as it strips the excess moisture from the air and protects your investment.
Hisense 50-Pint Dehumidifier
Hydrofarm Active Air Dehumidifier
This one’s actually designed for use in greenhouses, but there’s nothing that says it can’t pull double duty on your boat! It’s got a fairly robust 43 pint per day extraction capacity, which is outstanding, and with its durable construction, washable filter, and front loading water tank, it’s also easy and convenient to both move around and use.
Like the Hisense, it has a built-in drainage port, which means that if you’ve got a place for the water to drain safely, you can operate the device continually. Energy efficient, and quieter than you might expect from such a robust machine, it’s a solid choice.
Hydrofarm Active Air Dehumidifier
For Smaller Boats
If yours is a small watercraft, like some fishing or water-sports type, you will do just fine with a 15-pint dehumidifier like the one we show below. But if you're just wanting to dry things up cheaply, and with no rush, a warm air circulator, like the Caframo, can help.
Ecoseb Desiccant Dehumidifier for Boat
Simple and effective, the EcoSeb DD 122 EA has lots of what you’d want in a boat dehumidifier. Its compact size makes it ideal for that particular application, and where you otherwise might not consider a fifteen-pint capacity, that’s actually fine for a number of smaller pleasure craft.
More is generally better, which is the major reason it didn’t make our top pick, but it’s well worth considering if you’ve got a smaller boat, and/or live in a fairly dry, arid area (say, for example, if you’ve got a boat on a lake in Arizona, this would be ideal for you).
It sips power, is highly portable and easy to move around, and it’s easy to empty when the reservoir gets full. Most dehumidifiers of this size don’t come with a built-in condensate pump, so that’s not at all surprising.
All things considered, this would be a solid pick for big segments of the market, although its small extraction capacity will leave people living in more humid climates wanting.
EcoSeb DD 122 EA
Caframo Air Dryer – for Small Boats and Cuddy Cabins
The Caframo Air Dryer is an AC powered compact Warm Air Circulator that goes very well with ventilated smaller cabins and boats. It is basically a small fan with a resistance heater, both well protected inside an aluminum case. It’s a great addition for a boat due to its low corrosion, weight and size. It is energy efficient, drawing less current than a 100 watt light bulb. It circulates a slightly warmed current of air throughout the vessel in a convection cell. By doing that, it keep dampness and moisture from forming on surfaces and keeps you from getting that kind of mildew-moldy surface. It works well as a boat dehumidifier since it is very inexpensive to leave running 24/7. Doesn’t draw much electricity and moves a lot of air which will keep condensation down. If what you're looking for is mostly drying your boat's carpet, this will be the one for you; all you'll need is to run it for 24 hours. Bear in mind though, that this is not technically a dehumidifier, so, in order for it to work, you'd need good ventilation to let the warm wet air out.
Final Thoughts on Boat Dehumidifier Reviews
After going through our Boat Dehumidifier Reviews you should have a pretty good idea of which is the right solution for you. In brief, if you have a small boat, with a cuddy cabin, a 15-pint dehumidifier like the Ecosab will do the job efficiently and quick. If yours is a smaller craft, and you just want to dry a carpet, the Caframo Air Circulator could be a good affordable fix (always making sure your cover has an exit for the warm humid air).
For bigger boats, our pick is the Frigidaire FAD301NWD, since it's proven to be durable, efficient, and more compact than its newest sibling (the FAD504NWD). But, in essence, any of our top three choices will stand the test. At the end of the day, though, your personal preference and needs should determine which route to go. If you're still undecided or need to research a bit more, we recommend you follow the link below to access a broader list of solutions and market feedback:
Related Articles
Sources and Official Brand Websites:
Frigidaire | EcoSeb | Hisense | Hydrofarm | The Ensign