34 out of 34 people found this review helpful.
No Surprise. It Really Dries
Date of Review: Sep 9, 2009
The Bottom Line: We like the Soleus so much that we're going to buy another one. Just be sure to buy a model with an adequate capacity for your needs.
One of the “benefits” of our new high efficiency heat pump is that it doesn’t run as often as the old one, but it also doesn’t dehumidify nearly as well either. Since we’ve had to progressively lower the thermostat temperature to get comfortable, I got the bright idea to try adding a dehumidifier to the mix. The 45-pint LG did suck a lot of water out of the humid indoor air, but at the price of its loud vexing noise. I returned the loud LG to Home Depot and ordered the SoleusCFM 25 from Newegg the same day. Thinking that I was going to use the new unit in our bedroom, I bought a unit with a smaller capacity than I would eventually need. I have absolutely no regrets, however, about choosing the Soleus brand.
The Soleus CFM 25 25Pint Portable Dehumidifier
Why Soleus? As I usually do, I spent lots of time and energy researching dehumidifiers. Consumers Reports highly rated the LG dud that I returned to the store. Since Soleus models got such a preponderance of positive reviews from consumers on Amazon, Epinions, and the Newegg sites, I opted to go with that brand. The Soleus 25 seemed to have a slight edge in positive comments over its 40-pint sibling, so I bought the 25-pint Soleus.
Features –
Lightweight, portable design
Adjustable humidistat
Low temperature operation – down to 36 degrees
Automatic defrost
Whisper quiet operation
Automatic Shut Off with bucket full indicator
Large Capacity front removable water bucket
Magnetic float – will not become stuck with mineral deposits
Environmentally friendly – Uses no CFC refrigerant
One year LIMITED warranty
Numbers-
Capacity – 25 pints or 12 liters a day
Weight – 27.5 pounds
Power consumption – 220 W (Larger models consume more power.)
Water tank capacity – 6 liters
Dimensions – 15.5” by 10.25” by 21”
Real Warnings from the owner’s manual-
DO NOT use the unit near edible items, objects of art, or scientific materials.
DO NOT submerge the unit in water.
DO NOT sit or stand on the unit.
The Spud Experience
Set up out of the box was simple and easy; a quick look through the owner’s manual is hardly a prerequisite. I like that air is vented from the top of the unit, allowing placement within eight inches of walls. The three power levels: medium, high, quiet are all no louder than a fan set on its lowest speed. One has to hear the near silence of the quiet mode to believe it. Only one of three humidity levels may be chosen ; dry (50%), medium (60%), and moist (70%). Since our house already maintains an uncomfortable 70% humidity level, we keep the Soleus set on the dry setting. Continuous dehumidification is also an option. A tank full indicator light glows brightly to alert the user to empty the water tank.
The unit is sleek and attractive. It rolls smoothly on our hardwood floor and is inconspicuous in its corner of the living room. The carrying handle on the top of the cabinet and its lightness of being make this unit very portable.
On the first day out of the box we tried the Soleus in our bedroom; the thinking was that if the humidity were significantly lowered there, we could nudge up the temp on the thermostat. An unexpected flaw in that plan was the increase in room temperature brought about by the dehumidifier. We decided that 78° was too high, even with the lowered humidity.
Next I placed the Soleus in our living room. Though we appreciate the incredible quiet of this machine, the large area and high ceiling overwhelms its 25-pint capacity. There has been a decrease in humidity in the living room as indicated by the humidistat on our weather station, but not to the degree I had sought. Most likely my next purchase will be the 40-pint Soleus that I should have bought to begin with.
Final comments-
I heartily recommend the Soleus dehumidifier. The 25-pint model is not intended for large open areas and may disappoint. However, after running our Soleus for several weeks in the living area, we did notice a drop in humidity and a significant improvement in our comfort.
The unit is incredibly quiet and is suitable for living areas.
Emptying the water tank is easy, but it would be easier if the unit were elevated. I’d thought about placing it on a stool, though the dehumidifier’s wheels would have to be removed first. So far I’ve experienced no spills.
On the water tank is a slender, vertical water level gauge. Since it’s so close to the floor, the gauge is hard to “read.” I keep a small flashlight nearby to enable seeing the water level. Even with the flashlight, this is only possible with the flashlight held at just the right angle.
While inspecting the unit out of the box, I noticed a gap on the side where the two halves of the unit fit together. A tab was misaligned. I used a long screwdriver to pry the two halves apart in order to reengage them. Problem solved.
The owner’s manual advises one to wait at least half an hour before emptying a full tank because there may be some dripping of water. I never wait more than ten minutes and have had no problems. The worst that can happen is having to wipe up a minimal amount of water with a paper towel. As far as I can see, there’s no danger of damaging your dehumidifier with a premature ejection of the filled water tank.
So far we love the Soleus 25-pint dehumidifier. My only regret is that I didn’t choose a Soleus with a larger capacity. Determining the longevity of the Soleus is a work in progress.
Footnote – In the basement I have a dehumidifier running constantly. It’s close to thirty years old, has a metal cabinet, and receives little if any attention from this owner. Yet every summer I just plug it in and it works, a little noisily, but it works. After reading all the complaints by consumers about their short-lived dehumidifiers, I had to think that today planned obsolescence is inherent in many designs.
