In today’s Pelonis Dehumidifier Review I will cover feedback, specifications, and my analysis of the most popular Pelonis dehumidifiers: PAD50C1ABL, PAD40C1AWT, PAD30C1AWT, and PAD20C1AWT.
The Pelonis brand is known as a manufacturer of quality fans and space heaters, but they also offer a range of portable dehumidifiers. The most recent line of dehumidifiers by Pelonis includes five models with moisture removal capacity ranging from 20 to 60 pints.
In our experience, different pint capacity is ideal for different size coverage areas as we will discuss below. But in general, the larger capacity is more versatile and works faster.
These current Pelonis dehumidifiers feature most of the same design and functionality, except for the daily moisture removal and water bucket capacities. The 20, 30, 40, and 50-pint units are all Energy Star certified for energy efficiency, while both the 50- and 60-pint models come with a built-in pump.
Despite a lot of research, there just aren’t as many reviews in English language online stores for these Pelonis dehumidifier models compared to other brands. But if you already have good experience with other Pelonis products, feel free to check out their dehumidifiers too – we cover the specifications of their lineup in detail below.
Note: If you’re looking for more popular dehumidifier brands where more customer reviews are available, check out our picks for best dehumidifier brands here.
Pelonis Dehumidifier Reviews
Pelonis PAD60C1AGR
Pelonis PAD50C1ABL
If you’re looking for a high-capacity portable dehumidifier that can handle the most humid rooms, Pelonis offers 50-pint and 60-pint dehumidifiers. Both models feature an easy-to-use control panel with an adjustable humidistat, 24-hour timer, as well as Comfort, Continuous, and Turbo modes.
The design is not too different from other brands, with convenient built-in wheels and two side handles for easy movement. The 60-pint features a smaller but wider build found in older dehumidifiers, along with a top exhaust, as opposed to the side exhaust in the rest of the Pelonis units. These high-capacity dehumidifiers are ideal for a humid basement, garage, grow room, or a large living room. The standard auto shut-off, auto restart, and auto defrost functions also ensure worry-free operation.
The 50-pint dehumidifier model comes with a small 1.6-gallon water tank. In extremely humid spaces, you may have to empty the tank up to four times a day. The 60-pint, on the other hand, has almost 3.1 gallons tank capacity. If you don’t want to manually drain water, you can use continuous drainage via gravity. More conveniently, you can use the built-in pump that comes with these models.
Pros
• Energy Star rated (50-pint)
• With built-in pump
Cons
• Small water tank
• Check the price of the 60-pint and 50-pint units at Menards.
Pelonis PAD40C1AWT
Pelonis PAD30C1AWT
Both the 40-pint and 30-pint models have the same electronic controls, digital display, and indicator lights as the 50-pint unit. Both are also Energy Star rated with IEF 1.8L/kWh.
The 40-pint has the same build as the 50-pint with the exact same tank capacity. Meanwhile, the 30-pint dehumidifier has a more compact build and a much smaller water tank. With a 6.3-pint capacity, it’s one of the smallest water tanks in a 30-pint dehumidifier. However, a lot of people may opt to use continuous drainage. Simply attach a standard garden hose (not included) to the drain hose outlet and direct the other end of the hose to a drain lower than the unit.
Pros
• Energy Star certified
• Good for medium-sized damp spaces
• Continuous draining option
Cons
• Small water tank
• Check the price of the 40-pint and 30-pint units at Menards.
Pelonis PAD20C1AWT
If the 30-pint dehumidifier is still too big for your room, Pelonis also offers a 20-pint (or 22-pint) unit. Like the other larger units, it is Energy Star certified, with a 1.57 IEF (integrated energy factor). It’s recommended for a living room, bedroom, or any smaller area with moderate dampness.
This 22-pint dehumidifier has the same physical size as the 30-pint unit, down to the 6.4-pint water tank. This is on the small side even for a 22-pint unit. Since it has the same design and construction, you’ll also find the same features and functionality. Compared to other 20 to 22-pint dehumidifiers, this unit is not the most compact and portable.
Pros
• Energy Star certified with high IEF
• Good noise levels for bedroom
• Continuous draining option
Cons
• Not the most portable for its size
• Check the 20-pint price at Menards.
Key Features of Pelonis Dehumidifiers
Digital Controls
Pelonis dehumidifiers feature a top control panel with a digital display, soft touch buttons, and LED indicator lights.
Digital Humidistat
The Pelonis dehumidifier has an adjustable humidistat to allow your dehumidifier to cycle on and off to maintain your desired humidity level. The two-digit display shows the set humidity level from 35% to 85%, then the room humidity from 30% to 90%, both in 5% increments. When the humidity is lower than your setting, the unit will stop operating. It will start running again when it senses humidity higher than your setting.
Timer
Pelonis dehumidifiers also allow you to set a timer to automatically start or stop operation after one to 24 hours. To program the unit to automatically turn on, press the Timer button when the unit is off. The ON indicator light above the TIMER will illuminate. To program the unit to automatically shut off, press the button when the unit is on. The OFF indicator light will illuminate. While setting, you can see the number of hours on the digital display.
Turbo Mode
The Turbo button controls the fan speed. Press to select Turbo fan speed for maximum moisture removal. The indicator will light up when operating at Turbo speed. For quiet operation, press the button once again to set the fan to normal speed.
Continuous
The Continuous button enables continuous dehumidification. The indicator light will illuminate when using the continuous operation. When operating in Continuous mode, you cannot set the humidity level. Press the button again to start manually setting.
Comfort
While in Comfort mode, the indicator will light up and humidity cannot be adjusted manually. Instead, it will set the recommended humidity levels based on the ambient temperature.
Filter
Pelonis comes with a washable and reusable filter on the back of the air grilles to catch dust and other impurities as the air enters the unit. After 250 hours of use, the Filter light will illuminate to remind you to check the filter. Remove the air filter then wash with warm, soapy water and let it dry completely before reinstalling. Press the Filter button to reset the filter indicator and the light will turn off.
Ion
The 60-pint unit also features an Ionizer. Press the Ion button to activate the ionizer. Ions are dispersed into the air to bind with airborne chemical vapors and dust particles, weighing them down.
Draining Options
Tank Capacity
The Pelonis dehumidifier collects water in its tank, with a transparent water level indicator, auto shut-off feature, and a Full indicator light to notify you when you need to empty the tank. As mentioned, Pelonis has small tanks for each respective dehumidifier size. If the room has severe moisture issues, then you may have to empty the tank multiple times a day. If you don’t have the time for this, then it’ll be more convenient to use continuous drainage through drain hose or pump.
Drain Hose
Like other compressor dehumidifiers, Pelonis gives you an option for continuous draining. Just attach a standard garden hose to the drain outlet and make sure the unit is higher than the drain. Remove any knots or obstacles and ensure that the end of the drain hose is level with the floor drain. Remember to detach the hose if you want to use other draining options instead.
Drain Pump
If there is no avilable drain in the room you want to dehumidify, a condensate pump is the best solution. Most high-capacity dehumidifiers also come with an option to use a built-in condensate pump, like the 50-pint and 60-pint Pelonis units. It automatically pushes the collected excess moisture out of the unit vertically or horizontally. You can position the hose upwards to a sink or out into a window. Just press the Pump button on the panel to activate this function. If you want this added functionality for the smaller units, you can purchase an external condensate pump.
Getting the Right Size Dehumidifier
The Department of Energy determines performance ratings and the test standards for dehumidifiers. As of early 2020, dehumidifiers are tested at 65°F and 60% humidity, 15° lower than the 2012 standards of 80°F and 60% humidity. This new condition gives a more accurate representation of the dehumidifier’s actual performance in a basement setting. With the new standards in place, Pelonis now offers 20-pint, 30-pint, 40-pint, and 50-pint dehumidifiers.
Each unit has a recommended area of coverage, although Pelonis does not provide exact values for them. The right size for your space will also depend on its current conditions. Generally, for a slightly damp area within 1,000 square feet, a 20- or 22-pint unit may be enough. For a damper environment with the same dimensions, choose the 30-pint. To find more information on dehumidifier sizing, you may check this guide by Energy Star.
How Does Pelonis Compare?
Build Quality and Warranty
In terms of the build quality, Pelonis dehumidifiers are comparable to average dehumidifiers, but below the highly-rated dehumidifiers such as Frigidaire, hOmeLabs, LG, and Honeywell. The 20-pint to 50-pint models actually have a similar design as their corresponding hOmeLabs units. They feature the same control buttons on the top panel, along with the side exhaust and side handles. Like most dehumidifier brands, Pelonis offers an industry-standard one-year warranty. Read more about who makes Pelonis dehumidifiers. Most dehumidifiers, including Frigidaire and LG, provide a one-year coverage, hOmeLabs has two years, while Honeywell comes with a much longer five-year warranty.
Dehumidification Performance
Pelonis offers 20-pint, 30-pint, 40-pint, 50-pint, and 60-pint dehumidifiers, not unlike most other brands. All of these units are also Energy Star certified, which means they meet the requirements set by the EPA for energy efficiency in dehumidifiers. Similar to other compressor-based dehumidifiers, they are rated for low temperature operation down to 41℉ with an Automatic Defrost feature that prevents frost buildup on the coils. While a few other brands don’t have this feature, Pelonis includes an auto defrost indicator light on the control panel to let you know when the unit is currently defrosting.
Noise Output
Noise is a subjective factor, but you can expect compressor dehumidifiers to make a loud buzzing noise when operating. However, some brands have a better way of masking the compressor sound with more pleasing fan noise. On units with a top exhaust, the fan noise is distributed more evenly, producing a more pleasant noise than in side-exhaust units. Pelonis is relatively quiet considering it has a side exhaust. The manufacturer claims noise levels of 49 to 53 decibels, which is on the quieter side for compressor-based units typically ranging from 55 to 65 decibels.
Conclusion
Overall, Pelonis dehumidifiers seem to perform well in most conditions. These products are still relatively new to the market and there are currently no reviews we can analyze from online stores. Based on the specifications alone, they promise to be energy efficient and quiet in performance. This brand is also on the cheaper side with a lesser-known name in the dehumidifier industry. Nevertheless, the Energy Star ratings give you greater confidence that the products can help you save money in the long run.
One thing we didn’t like is the small water tanks in all these units. However, if you’d rather use a drain hose for continuous drainage, then the size of the tank may not be a big deal. Further, if you’re purchasing a dehumidifier for the automatic pump, then an external unit might be a better option. In most other brands, built-in pumps are not as durable and it’s safe to say the same for Pelonis dehumidifiers.
All things considered, Pelonis dehumidifiers, like any dehumidifier, can work effectively as long as they are used and maintained properly. To get the most out of your unit, make sure to always use the correct size for the room and follow the guidelines provided for upkeep and maintenance of your dehumidifier for a long period.
