August 20, 2026, 09:54 AM
NOCkidBasement Dehumidifier Advice, probably AprilAire vs Santa-Fe:
Our Honeywell unit took a crap in less than 3 years. It appears that the vast majority of dehumidifiers today are "throwaway" units that will last a year or two, with the possible exception of of a few companies that are made in the US. Unfortunately they are about 5X the cost of the Chinese models.
I'm considering biting the bullet and springing for a Santa-Fe or AprilAire 70pt. Our basement is about 1000 square feet and tends to be a bit damp, no water leakage. The unit would not be connected to a duct, no pump needed, just a drainage hose.
The Santa-Fe has a 6 year warranty, and the AprilAire 5. I wanted to know if anyone has experience with these companies, and if the durability is worth the extra expense.
Any advice appreciated.
August 20, 2026, 10:53 AM
MattWThey are both owned by the same parent company. That being said, I’d personally lean towards the Santa Fe line.
August 20, 2026, 10:57 AM
smlsigInteresting. In the residential construction world Aprilaire is considered top of the line…
August 20, 2026, 10:57 AM
snwghstI have 2 aprilaire E100 (attic) and E070(mother in law suite basically a basement area under main raised house). they are beasts and handle Louisiana humidity with ease
August 21, 2026, 09:50 AM
nhracecraftMy neighbor has an AprilAire E080 Pro...This one -->
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPXRPBBGQuite simply, it kicks ass! He's had it for a few years now and he raves about it's performance. I want one...

August 21, 2026, 12:07 PM
gpbst3My first dehumidifer lasted about 2 years and was less than $200. The second one was cost about $225 and I bought the $30 Amazon 3 year warranty. Its going on 7 yrs old. Just last week the low fan setting quit working but it still works on high.
Its really a crap shoot anymore. What's the difference if you buy the expensive unit and it breaks a month out of the 5 yr warranty. Or buy 3 of the cheap $150 ones and and they last a year or two each.