A Quick Note On Dehumidifier Capacity

The Aeocky RHEA-001 is marketed and sold as an 80 pint dehumidifier that can dehumidify rooms up to 4,500 sq. ft.

This is a bit of a stretch.

Aeocky is specifying capacity (80 pints/day) at 95°F and 90% RH.

Most other manufacturers specify capacity at 65°F and 60% RH according to testing standards mandated by the US Department of Energy (DOE).

At lower temperature and humidity, a dehumidifier is not able to remove nearly as much moisture nearly as quickly as it can at higher temperature and humidity.

And so, the “actual” capacity – at 65°F and 60% RH – for the RHEA-001 is closer to 25 pints/day.

This makes the RHEA-001 a “low capacity” or “small” dehumidifier. It is not a large capacity full size dehumidifier as its advertising might seem to indicate.

As such we will compare it to other low capacity small dehumidifiers in this review.

Performance Test Results

Energy Efficiency

The RHEA-001 has right around average power draw for a small compressor based dehumidifier. We measured its power draw to be 279 watts at 50% RH (Relative Humidity).

For comparison, the small Midea Cube (MAD20S1QWT) was measured at 262 watts. The Humsure AP25-2007EE (another small compressor based unit we tested) was measured at 285 watts.

When it comes to energy efficiency we also have to take into account moisture removal rate.

In our own moisture removal rate testing the RHEA-001 dehumidified faster than average for a small dehumidifier.

And so, we can deduce that this model has good energy efficiency for a small dehumidifier – with average power draw and a better than average moisture removal rate.

Noise Output

The RHEA-001 operates relatively quietly for a compressor based dehumidifier.

Right above its control panel its noise output was measured at 61.5 dB on high fan speed and 57.2 dB on low fan speed.

The top rated small Cube (MAD20S1QWT) was measured at 59.8 dB on high fan speed (slightly quieter) and 58.6 dB on low (slightly louder than the Aeocky).

Both models are significantly quieter than the top rated large Cube (MAD50S1QWT) which was measured at 66.4 dB on high fan speed and 65.4 dB on low fan speed.

Moisture Removal

This model has a manufacturer specified capacity of 80 pints/day.

We also conduct our own testing to compare moisture removal rate between different models.

This test is conducted in a 50 sq. ft. room. We raise humidity in the room to slightly over 90% RH (Relative Humidity) and then measure how long it takes the dehumidifier to lower humidity from 90% RH down to 40% RH.

The RHEA-001 did so in 14 minutes, 9 seconds. This result is good for second place among all of the small dehumidifiers we tested.

The top rated small Cube (MAD20S1QWT) completed the same test in 13 minutes, 25 seconds – which was the top result for a small dehumidifier in this test.

Hygrometer Accuracy

The RHEA-001’s built-in hygrometer is not very accurate according to our testing. It consistently gave a reading that was 7% more than the actual room humidity. Top rated units like the small Cube gave readings that were within 1% of the actual room humidity.

What does this mean in practice?

Well, should you set the RHEA-001 to a target humidity level of 50%, let’s say, it will cycle off its compressor at an actual room humidity of 57%. The small Cube will cycle off at an actual room humidity level of 51%.

Included Features, Functionality, Build Quality, Warranties, and Value

Durability (Build Quality)

General Impressions

This is a strong point for the RHEA-001. It’s built very well with very high quality parts for a “small” dehumidifier.

It features a very high quality LCD display, the body of the dehumidifier is made of a high quality plastic, so is its water tank, and so on and so forth.

Consumer Feedback

There are some negative reviews that complain about this model’s durability/reliability, but there are very few such reviews compared to positive reviews for this unit.

Overall Category Score

Overall, we give the RHEA-001 a 4.5/5 for durability.

Adjustability

The RHEA-001 features two fan speeds and five different modes – continuous, sleep (low fan speed continuous with reduced control panel illumination), set humidity, dry (high fan speed continuous), and auto (target humidity is automatically set between 45% and 55%).

It also has a timer that you can set in 1 hour increments up to 24 hours.

Overall Category Score

Overall, we give this model a 4.5/5 for adjustability.

Versatility

Set Humidity Range

You can manually set a target humidity level between 40% and 80% on the RHEA-001. This is a more limited range than that of most competitors.

The top rated small Cube (MAD20S1QWT) can be set between 35% and 85%. Another small competitor, the Waykar JD025CE-80, can be set between 30% and 80% RH.

Operating Temperature Range

The manufacturer specifies an “operating temperature” range of 41° to 95° F in this model’s manual. It also uniquely adds that it’s “recommended” that the unit be used in a temperature range of 50° to 95° F. Most competitors don’t make this extra “recommendation”.

Gravity Drainage

The RHEA-001 comes with a hose that you can connect to a port on the back of the dehumidifier to drain it. It also comes with an adapter you can use to connect a garden hose (instead of the included hose).

Built-in Pump

This dehumidifier does not have a built-in pump.

Overall Category Score

Overall, the RHEA-001 scores a 4/5 for versatility.

Extra Features

Temperature Reading

This dehumidifier does not display room temperature – it only displays room humidity and target humidity.

Defrost

Like most competitors, the RHEA-001 will cycle off its compressor and only run its fan if ice builds up on its evaporator coil. When “defrost” mode is activated “HC” will display on its control panel.

Check Filter

The RHEA-001 does not have an LED that illuminates to alert you when it’s time to clean its air filter.

Overall Category Score

Overall, this dehumidifier earns a 4.5/5 in the category.

Ease of Use

LED Display

This model’s LED display has a very high quality look to it. It even emits different colors depending on the current humidity reading in the room (blue if RH at <45% RH, green at 45%-65% RH, and orange at >65% RH).

Setup Difficulty

Our only real complaint here is that the control panel’s touch screen buttons would sometimes feel slightly unresponsive if you pressed them repeatedly in quick succession.

Filter Removal Difficulty

We didn’t have any trouble removing this dehumidifier’s air filter.

Manual Clarity

The manual is well written and well illustrated.

Water Tank Size

The RHEA-001 has a built-in water tank with a capacity of 1.45 gallons, or 11.6 pints. This is a fairly average size for a “small” compressor based dehumidifier.

The one outlier in the “small dehumidifier” category is the small Midea Cube. Its tank is more than twice as big – with a capacity of 3.2 gallons, or 25.6 pints.

Overall Category Score

Overall, the RHEA-001 scores a 4/5 for ease of use.

Portability

With a weight of 35.8 lb. the RHEA-001 is slightly heavier than most other small compressor based dehumidifiers we’ve tested. Even the small Cube – with its massive water tank – weighs only 33.3 lb.

The Aeocky does have side pocket handles that you can use to pick it up and it does have casters on the bottom for you to push it around.

It also has a strap on the back that you can use to keep its power cord secure for storage.

Overall Category Score

Overall, mostly because it’s heavy for a “small” dehumidifier, we give the RHEA-001 only a 3.5/5 for portability.

Warranty (Manufacturer’s)

The RHEA-001 comes with a 3 year warranty, which is two years longer than the industry standard of one year. The small Cube, for example, only comes with a one year warranty.

Value

The RHEA-001 is a terrible value, if only because it’s priced like a “large” high capacity dehumidifier when it’s really a “small” low capacity dehumidifier.

An argument could be made that there’s some value in its above average build quality and in its 3 year warranty (vs the industry standard of 1 year), but the biggest factor that should impact price is moisture removal rate.

And it just doesn’t remove moisture very fast relative to its price. It should be priced as a sub $200 low capacity dehumidifier when it’s sold and marketed as a mid $200 high capacity dehumidifier. This makes it a terrible value overall.