Customer Reviews

Soleus Air CFM-40 40-Pint Dehumidifier with Humidistat

5 star:		(359)
4 star:		(113)
3 star:		(44)
2 star:		(57)
1 star:		(150)

 

 

I installed this unit in my basement about 8 months ago, and it has been working flawlessly ever since.

Things I noticed:

If the power goes out, the unit will NOT turn back on automatically (as some other units do.)

If you want to use the continuous drainage (which I highly recommend) via a hose, you have to punch out a plastic disc on the side of the unit. I would have designed a screw-type plug that was replacable, but they didn't think of that. Anyway, once you punch the quarter-size disc out it's out forever.

If you choose to use the continuous drainage feature, you will need to pick up a hose with an inner diameter of 15mm (.59" or just over half an inch.) I went to the local DIY center and found some clear tubing that has worked well.

The unit can operate down to 2-degrees C (36-degrees F), which will be great for continuous operation in the garage to keep the tools from rusting.

Has three fan settings: med, high and quiet. "Quiet" really is quiet, and could probably work just fine in a bedroom. Though, it does warm the room it's in. How much it warms it depends on the humidity setting.

Four settings: The humidty level (humidstat) can be set to "continuous dehumidification" (which is the default setting), 50%, 60% and 70%. The fan will continue to run but the dehumidification processor will turn off when it reaches the selected humidity level. Cool. I mean, that's when the fan will just blow room-temp air.

A full drainage tank will stop the unit and illuminate a "tank full" indicator light.

The unit is not that heavy -- maybe for some, but not nearly as heavy as some people make it sound. It's 30.8 pounds.

According to the instructions: You will need at least 21 cm (about 8 inches) of clearance in front, behind and side to side. Air blows out of the top of the unit, so you'll need to make sure it's clear as well.

There are movable louvers on the top to direct the air straight up, 45-degrees or almost straight ahead.

Power consumption: CFM-25E is 220W // CFM-40E is 330W

I highly recommend this model dehumidifier.

***15-month UPDATE: It is still working like a champ! We haven't had one single problem with it, and I don't foresee ever really having one in the near future. I've been running this thing nonstop and it has only required me to clean the filter on the back (which takes 5 minutes.) It has remained as quiet as the day I bought it. It's awesome!

I purchased this dehumidifier for mainly basement use, but wanted one quiet enough for use upstairs if needed. And, boy is this thing quiet. My refrigerator is louder. I also own a Fedders 45 pint unit and a Whirlpool 65 pint noise maker. The Fedders (Maytag) was the quiet champ untill I purchased the Soleus Air CFM-40E. The Whirlpool removes an amazing amount of water, but can be heard UPSTAIRS when running in the basement. So it is used only when needed. The Soleus Air is so quiet I have to go down the basement stairs and visually check to see if the unit is on. Can't say that for many dehumidifiers. My only complaint is that the fan is always on, even when it has reached the set humidity level. This prevents the short cycling the others do, on for 2 minutes off for 2 minutes or so, but I think prevents an Energy Star certification. At 2.9 amps it draws significantly less than the Fedders 5.6 amps and the Whirlpool's 7.9 amps.

The Soleus Air works great (so far) upstairs in the spring, when it is cool but damp, like the weather this week. Here in Wisconsin it is in the 60's but rainy, so the house is humid. Running the central air is not necessary since the house is not hot. So I use a dehumidifier, which makes the house seem less clammy. I would recommend the Soleus Air CFM-40E to anyone who is looking for a small, really quiet, relatively light, medium capacity (40pint) dehumidifier that simply does what is supposed to do (remove water from air) with out excess noise.

*******3 Year Update******
This dehumidifier has been working flawlessly for 3 years of nearly constant use. Other than cleaning the filter and the occasional collection tank clean out, maintenance has been minimal. I still can not get over how quiet this unit is, and it has not gotten any louder with age. I highly recommend this product, yes it is not cheap, but it works really well, and is very well built. Highest possible recommendation.

I currently have 5 dehumidifiers in different locations, and this one is the strikes the best balance of efficiency, reliability, effectiveness, and quietness. There are other models that can pull more moisture out of the air more quickly, but they are invariably much louder and MUCH more expensive to run.

(November 2006) I joined one of the other reviewers in apologizing for being compelled to praise a dehumidifier. When our loud old humidifier finally died, I spent many frustrating trips buying and returning louder replacements (think of a 747 jet at take-off) dehumidifiers to various big-box stores.

Then I found the Soleus. It was quieter (I guess maybe 30-40db), as efficient, and smaller than anything else we could find on the market. When I plugged it in, I frankly did not think it was running - as it was that quiet. Despite its silent running it filled the bucket faster than any other one I had tried. It was also more energy efficient than the other standard brands. Even if the bucket empties slightly different than standard dehumidifiers, it could hardly be simpler.

I do agree there is an inconvenience when one has to return larger items like this from mail order and not a store. However, making returns to Home Depot or Lowes is no picnic either these days. But in this case, I would urge folks to take the chance if you cannot find it elsewhere.

I would say if you have no concern about the noise, one could go with other models. However, if you have to live in proximity to the dehumidifer - this model ought to be at the top of your list.
----
(December 2007) To update the original review, 1 year later, the dehumidifier was still working quietly. Although when the temperature was below 60(F)degrees it lost efficiency and would ice up. However, most dehumidifiers do not work well in cold temperatures.
----
(May 2008) - Well the icing up eventually caused the thermostat to blow (or vice versa) and the unit died in May 2008. It would only run on continuous mode but then would ice up making it non-functional. I could not blame cold temp any longer as the basement was now 70 degrees. Thus the unit lasted about 18 months. While I was disappointed (and would remove a star or two if Amazon would let reviewers do that), I had to say it was very good when it worked. I replaced it with a more traditional noisy dehumidifier, since I did not want to buy a humidifier every year and a half. The new one worked fine but noisily. I had to admit that I missed the quiet of the Soleus.

My comment at the time: If you want to take the risk and it works you probably will have the quietest dehumidifier on the market. But it might not last judging from my own experience and what I see from other reviewers.

Epilogue - Well the noisy replacement (Danby) died in January 2009. (To their credit Danby provided a full refund). I had, however, hated the loud noise of the Danby, so I gambled again on the Soleus. I decided NOT to revise my prior review until I had at least 6 months of operation on the Soleus to report on. Now, 8 months later, it is still working flawlessly filling a full pan of water every 24 hours, sometimes faster. It is still whisper quiet. One change I have made, is to be sure to turn it off when the relative humidity gets low, i.e. I turn it off if in a 24 hour period I don't see water collecting in the pan. Given my jinx with dehumidifiers, I did something I never ever do, I bought an extended warranty for it. So knock wood, I once again have a functioning dehumidifier, and one that can be in the same room with me and I can still hear the TV or stereo.

We have spent this summer attempting to find a tolerable dehumidifier. Of the 5 brands we brought into our home, the Soleus CFM40 and CFM25 were the only ones reasonable to use in a space where people live. It is truly quite. It actually pulls the water out of the air. It does not leak. It does not produce astounding amounts of heat.

It's draw backs are: 1. Even though it is weighs about half that of dehumidifiers using traditional compressor technology, it is still rather hard to move due to having casters instead of wheels. 2. The water catcher is more cumbersome to remove with grace than in other brands.

This company is one to avoid. After reading postiive reviews which I now believe to have been planted by the company and its marketing folks, I ordered one. After waiting for the supposedly back ordered CFM-40, we were delighted when it arrived and we installed it in the basement. For the first few days it worked really well, then started to lose its ability to pull water from the air. The manual suggested cleaning the filter, which we did - though it appeared not to be dirty.

A day or so later the unit stopped working entirely. Contacting Soleus cusomter service was an ordeal, but finally a technician called and we went through some steps on the phone. He said they'd send a replacement unit, but that we'd have to pay to ship ours back to Soleus. We did so.

The new unit, identically to the first, failed a few days after it arrived. That was more than a month ago - and now Soleus customer service no longer lists a telephone number, and doesn't respond to e-mails.

Anyone who buys a product from this company is taking a huge risk. I'd avoid them.

I tried a Haier 65 pint and it was louder on its low setting than this one is on its high setting. The Haier also started short-cycling after about 5 days of operation. After that bad experience, I spent a couple of hours reading every review of dehumidifiers I could find, and decided to go with the Soleus based on the fact that it was supposed to be the quietest. WHAT A HUGE IMPROVEMENT over the Haier!

I would give this model 5 stars, but it has these "deficiencies" when compared to other models:

1. No temperature and humidity display. Ok, I agree, it doesn't affect the operation, but it's one of those things I did like about the Haier. Granted, on the Haier, all the display did was show me that the thing stopped working.

2. The hose connection needs to be punched out and is not a threaded connection for a garden hose, although my garden hose slips over the connection just fine when I cut off the hose end.

3. The unit does not return to "on" after power goes out. I really wanted this feature so that I could put the unit on a timer to run for x hours every day.

4. It's not Energy Star rated. It is only 330W though, which is much less than other similarly sized models.

In summary: Don't waste your time with all the other models available. The Soleus works fine and I can't hear it in the next room even when the fan is on HI.

PS: Look around and you may find a deal like I did. I paid just 139 at a big box.

We purchased this dehumidifier last summer and used it all season. We've been using it this season beginning last month, and it still works like a charm. I like it for several reasons.

First, it's very light for a humidifier, with a carrying handle which makes it easy to move from one room to another in our lower level. There are wheels, but I don't use them, since the weight of the unit is about the same as a medium size packed suitcase. My wife, who weighs a hundred pounds, uses the wheels.

Second, it's extremely quiet. The last dehumidifier we used (a Kenmore, admittedly much larger) was so loud we had to turn it completely off to hear the television. The Soleus has 3 fan levels, Medium, High and Quiet, with a light which indicates the setting. Quiet, as you'd expect, is the lowest fan setting, but set on High the fan noise is not audible across a normal size room unless you're listening for it. Truthfully, there isn't much audible difference between Medium and High, so I leave it on High.

Finally, it's simple to set up and use. There are electronic controls for each function, each clearly labeled. You set a humidity level of Dry to Moist with an intermediate level in between, again with a light which indicates the setting. There's also a setting to run continuously. I have no idea how accurate the humidistat is, or what is meant by Dry or Moist. We set ours on Dry, and after the first day there was a noticeable difference. The carpet is dry as a bone, the musty odor went away, and the room (a family room about 16' X 24') is comfortably dry.

The manual says the unit can pull 40 pints of water a day from the air. I have no way to tell if this is true. The reservoir tank fills in our house about every eight to twelve hours on High and Dry settings. This obviously varies somewhat with the humidity outside, and how well your air conditioning works, etc.

There is a simple float device which triggers a switch to shut off the unit just before the tank reaches capacity, which is about 12 pints, or about 1.5 gallons. A light indicates the reservoir is full (there is a water level indicator on the front, but I can't see it when the unit is sitting on the floor), and the unit shuts off.

You grab the sides of the reservoir with your fingertips where the tank fits into the bottom of the unit and pull straight out, and there is a nice handle on top of the tank to carry the container to empty it out. It's a little heavier than a full gallon milk jug, and I easily carry it with one hand. My wife is quite small and she has no trouble carrying or emptying the tank. When you slide the empty tank back into the unit it sort of clicks into place, and the unit automatically starts running again. Very simple. There's a hole in which to install a hose (not provided) for the unit to drain continuously, but we don't use it, finding the tank more manageable and less messy.

Two things to keep in mind: One, the unit puts out heat because of its operation. Keep it in a vented place, and make sure the louvered vent on the top of the unit is open. The wider the opening the greater the discharge of heat. The heat output in our house, with the louver at its widest point, is about the same as running the air conditioner on fan in your car in summer, without the ac compressor running. In other words there is noticeably warm air venting out of the unit while it's running. It's not warm enough to be any danger to children or pets, but it might increase the temperature slightly in a very small room, and certainly in an enclosed space such as a closet.

And two, there is an air intake on the back of the unit with a simple air filter. The filter has to be removed and vacuumed periodically, or else no air can get through. Air is necessary for the unit to do its job properly, so you have to keep the filter clean. We do this about once a month, but we have a whole house filter on our furnace and air conditioner. The manual is quite clear and easily followed regarding set up, operation and maintenance.

This is the best dehumidifier we have ever used. I just bought a second one to use in our bedroom. I have no idea how long they last, but we're into our second season with no problems. I have seen reviews where the units reportedly did not work, or eventually malfunctioned, but we've never had a single problem. There is a one year warranty.

UPDATE JUNE 2011

We are still using this unit in June 2011, almost five years after we purchased it. I did have a problem with the second unit we bought, which stopped suddenly. I sent it back to Soleus, and they shipped me a new one, which didn't work from the beginning. So I am one for two on this model. I'm not sure how many years service one should expect from a dehumidifier, but we've had great luck with this since summer 2006.

***UPDATE: I hooked this up to the Kill-O-Watt EZ Electric Usage to see how much it was costing me to operate. $20 a month! (I pay $0.099/Kwh) Now, this $20 is for the unit being on 24/7 in the "continuous" dehydrating mode and on the "medium" setting, so if you only turn it some of the time YMMV. The 220W model will obviously cost less to operate.

I installed this unit in my basement about 6 months ago, and it has been working flawlessly ever since.

Things I noticed:

If the power goes out, the unit will NOT turn back on automatically (as some other units do.)

If you want to use the continuous drainage (which I highly recommend) via a hose, you have to punch out a plastic disc on the side of the unit. I would have designed a screw-type plug that was replacable, but they didn't think of that. Anyway, once you punch the quarter-size disc out it's out forever.

If you choose to use the continuous drainage feature, you will need to pick up a hose with an inner diameter of 15mm (.59" or just over half an inch.) I went to the local DIY center and found some clear tubing that has worked well.

The unit can operate down to 2-degrees C (36-degrees F), which will be great for continuous operation in the garage to keep the tools from rusting.

Has three fan settings: med, high and quiet. "Quiet" really is quiet, and could probably work just fine in a bedroom. Though, it does warm the room it's in. How much it warms it depends on the humidity setting.

Four settings: The humidty level (humidstat) can be set to "continuous dehumidification" (which is the default setting), 50%, 60% and 70%. The fan will continue to run but the dehumidification processor will turn off when it reaches the selected humidity level. Cool. I mean, that's when the fan will just blow room-temp air.

A full drainage tank will stop the unit and illuminate a "tank full" indicator light.

The unit is not that heavy -- maybe for some, but not nearly as heavy as some people make it sound. It's 30.8 pounds.

According to the instructions: You will need at least 21 cm (about 8 inches) of clearance in front, behind and side to side. Air blows out of the top of the unit, so you'll need to make sure it's clear as well.

There are movable louvers on the top to direct the air straight up, 45-degrees or almost straight ahead.

Power consumption: CFM-25E is 220W // CFM-40E is 330W

I highly recommend this model dehumidifier.

I have purchased items from Amazon for years and this is the first time I have felt compelled to write a review. I did a lot of research and thought this product would solve my problem. It was fine until it stopped working after 1.5 months of use. Soleus Air customer service agreed that I had received a defective product. They would replace it, but only when I returned the defective (heavy) unit at my own cost. I was rather surprised as we all agreed this unit was defective. The person I spoke with sugggested I write an email to "management" requesting my shipping be paid. I did but have had no response and it's been 2 weeks. I have a dehumidifier on its way to me, but they are holding my VISA number until I return the defective one.

What a disappointing purchase and experience with a company.