WHIRLPOOL AD50G1

Purchased at Lowe’s several years ago, this has been a good investment for our family. We live in a multi-level wood home with a concrete basement. We run the humidifier only when necessary in an effort to keep energy costs low. We use it frequently to hasten drying of carpets and floors or when there has been a lot of rainfall to keep our wood home in a balanced state of humidity.

The machine is very easy to use, the controls are simple and easy to see. The removable bucket has a handy fitting on the side for the attachment of a garden hose should you need to run the machine for an extended period of time. Without using a drain hose the bucket cuts off when the water level reaches one of the two settings: High or Low.

If you have a particularly humid condition or an extended period of use, the drain feature is great! The unit can be loud if in operation near living spaces. Ours is normally kept in the basement, though occasionally it is used to hasten the drying of carpets after we have shampooed them. Heat is another drawback related to use in living areas. The unit can put out a lot of noise and heat making conversation uncomfortable. Considering the rarity of use in living spaces this is not an issue for us. It works so well when we need it!

A couple of annoying things about the way the bucket is designed: the bucket sensor and the hose fitting. Sometimes when the bucket starts to fill, it will trip the “bucket missing” sensor and cut off the machine, so you need to prop a book or other heavy object against the bucket to keep it in contact with the sensor.

Also when a hose is not attached to the drain fitting it has to be sealed in some fashion. We lost the cap shortly after purchasing the machine, but have managed to keep it from leaking by using a 2-liter bottle cap on the hose fitting, works like a charm!

Rating: 4 out of 5
Pros: effective and easy to use
Cons: Heavy to move, bucket can shift easily turning off the machine.