The last 5 dehumidifiers I have purchased (3 Kenmore dehumidifiers and 2 Frigidaires) have all failed within 5 years of purchase and 2 of the 4 have failed within a year of purchase. In my experience the reliability of dehumidifiers in general has diminished greatly over the years. So every time I have to purchase another, I do the research all over again and I find myself going in circles. All brands seem to have similar complaints having to do with longevity.Consequently, I always purchase an extended warranty now. For the $40 or so that they cost, it gives you some peace of mind that at least you will be able to get a replacement if the dehumidifier should break down outside of the manufacturers warranty period.
My first Frigidaire dehumidifier was the FAD704TDP, purchased in April 2011. That lasted just slightly over a year before breaking down. The compressor failed. I was in luck because even though the 1-year warranty had just expired, the compressor was warrantied for 5-years. Whew, dodged a bullet there.
I had read elsewhere that Frigidaire was notoriously difficult to deal with regarding warranty repair/replacement. In my experience, what Frigidaire does instead of sending you a new unit is to "buy back" your old unit. You don't return it to them, they just send you a check. Fortunately Frigidaire "bought" my defective unit back from me and using the proceeds I was able to replace it with the FAD704DUD. Contrary to some peoples hassles with Frigidaire warranty issues, I had no problem whatsoever with my interaction with Frigidaire. The check was sent to me promptly and with no problems.
I did a lot of further research and decided that all manufacturers had their share of disgruntled customers so I decided to give Frigidaire another chance and purchased my second Frigidaire dehumidifier, the FAD704DUD 70 pint dehumidifier to replace the defective. That one was purchased June 2012 and is still working. However, I live in the North East and right now it's the tail end of winter so the dehumidifier, although it is plugged in and turned on, hasn't actually had to operate since the Fall of 2012. I'm assuming it will work just fine come spring and the ensuing damp weather. But given the history I've had with dehumidifiers, they seem to work no longer than 3-5 years before breaking down, I had an opportunity to get this FAD704DWD and did so even though the dehumidifier I bought last year seemingly still works fine.
The outward appearance of this dehumidifier is identical to the FAD704DUD. The only differences between this 2013 model: FAD704DWD and the 2012 model: FAD704DUD are some minor changes in the specifications:
FAD704DWD (2013) FAD704DUD (2012)
Amps (Cool): 7.8 vs Amps (Cool): 7.2
Horsepower (Cool): 1.00 vs Horsepower (Cool): 1.03
Watts (Cool): 745 vs Watts (Cool): 765
So as you can see, the FAD704DWD uses 20 less Watts of electricity. But as you'll also notice, the Horsepower has been reduced slightly so I'm not sure if the operation of the unit will be quite the same. I do noticed a very minor change in the tone of fan blower. It sounds like it might be running just a touch slower than the last years model. Very minor, but maybe that's all it takes to reduce energy consumption by 20 watts.
When I received the new dehumidifier and removed the tape that secures the collection tank to the unit, I discovered that the float assembly was not attached where it was supposed to be attached and was just flopping around in the bottom of the tank. There was also a broken piece of clear plastic that I still haven't quite figured out where it came from yet. But I plan to take the entire thing apart to find out where it broke off from. I carefully reattached the float assembly and was good to go.,
I like the profile and appearance of this dehumidifier. It's exactly the same dimensions of last years model. It is not very deep nor wide, but it is somewhat tall. It measures roughly 16" wide, 11" deep and 24.5" tall.
The cord length is 6' 6" and there is a cord wrap on the back of the unit. The plug is a 3-prong grounded plug.
The fan is not exceedingly loud but it's not whisper quiet... perfectly tolerable though. If it's in your basement and not in your direct earshot, you probably won't ever hear it operate at all. The fan blows the exhaust out of the top of the unit which I feel it circulates the air better than blowing it out the side which is where some units have the fan output.
The collection container hold 16.3 pints and has a handle to help you carry it over to a sink. However, It just does not have a decent way to tip the bucket easily to pour the water out. I am always sloshing and spilling water all over the place when I try emptying the full bucket. It's awkward. Plus, 16.3 pints may sound like a lot of capacity but it fills rather quickly in my climate so I use the "continuous operation" method. My dehumidifier is located near my sump pump in my basement. I attach a hose to the dehumidifier and route that right into the sump pump. It's a great way to do it because I do not have to be bothered with emptying the dehumidifier and it is able to run continuously.
Overall I'm very pleased with the Frigidaire FAD704DWD 70-pint dehumidifier. I withold 5 stars simply because of the longevity issues I've discussed. Should this prove to be long-lasting, I will update my review and provide an update.
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