The Takeaway:

1. For Bigger Boats: Frigidaire FAD301NWD Dehumidifier

2. For Smaller Boats: Ecoseb Desiccant Dehumidifier

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 looked at several of the best dehumidifiers for boat use today and selected one that we think will serve you the best.

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

Boat Dehumidifier air dryer Reviews

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 into both categories: for bigger and smaller boats.

For Bigger Boats and Vessels – Most Efficient Boat Dehumidifiers

The following dehumidifiers are the most efficient solution 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.

Our Pick: Frigidaire FAD301NWD 30-pint Dehumidifier

We selected the Frigidaire FAD301NWD 30-pint Dehumidifier as our top pick. With a feature set comparable to the models above and the legendary Frigidaire name behind it, it’s just the best. Water extraction capabilities here run 30 pints a day, which is more than adequate for most pleasure craft owners. However, again, it should be stressed that if you have a larger boat, you might want to consider one of the above models with a higher daily extraction capability. Nonetheless, the Frigidaire wins by a nose regarding overall performance and feature set. We view it as the best dehumidifier for boats in class.

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Runner-Up: 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 capable of extracting 50 pints of moisture a day from the air. 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 mention it 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, this one likely falls under the heading of “too much of a good thing.”

Even so, it’s well-priced with a great feature set for what it is and does. Surprisingly, despite the massive moisture extraction capabilities from a unit so small, it also sips power, meaning that you can use it confidently, even while out on the water.

Again, there’s no condensate pump, but it has a drain tube, so if you keep it 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 making an unbearable racket as it strips the excess moisture from the air and protects your investment.

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Also Great: Hydrofarm Active Air Dehumidifier

This one’s designed for use in greenhouses, but nothing 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. Its durable construction, washable filter, and front-loading water tank make it easy and convenient to 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.

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For Smaller Boats

If yours is a small watercraft, like some fishing or water sports type, you will do fine with a 15-pint dehumidifier like the one we show below. But if you want to dry things up cheaply and with no rush, a warm air circulator, like the Caframo, can help.

Our Pick: Ecoseb Desiccant Dehumidifier

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. Where you otherwise might not consider a fifteen-pint capacity, that’s actually fine for a number of smaller pleasure crafts.

More is generally better, which is the major reason it didn’t make our top pick. Still, 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 can easily empty when the reservoir gets full. Most dehumidifiers of this size don’t have a built-in condensate pump, so that’s not 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.

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Runner-Up: Caframo Air Dryer

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 to 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. Doing that keeps dampness and moisture from forming on surfaces and keeps you from getting that mildew-moldy surface.

It works well as a boat dehumidifier since it is inexpensive to leave running 24/7. It 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 that this is not technically a dehumidifier, so 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 quickly. If yours is a smaller craft, and you want to dry a carpet, the Caframo Air Circulator could be a good, affordable fix (always ensure 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, your personal preferences 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:

References & Resources