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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Bottom line: while the Keystone offers decent functionality and comes in at a better price point, the Frigidaire (model FAD704DWD) is the champ when it comes to outstanding performance and design. The Keystone has a flimsy water bucket and a louder compressor.
Full review: I've been using the Frigidaire FAD704DWD 70-pint dehumidifier and have been hugely impressed with its performance and design. So, I was interested to see if this model from Keystone (a brand I'm not familiar with) would knock the Frigie off its pedestal.
At first glance the two units look pretty similar. Both offer a top mount control pad with a digital readout for relative humidity (both what it's set for, and the actual RH of the room). Both have a front-mount collection bin with the usual auto-off capability, a washable filter to trap dust, and casters for mobility. Also, both can be plumbed to a drain for continuous operation.
The RH accuracy is good for both units. When set to the same RH level in the same room, both cycled on/off for roughly the same amount of time. Their respective RH readings were very close to one another, and matched the RH reading I took using a separate device (one of those wall-mount clocks that also provide temp and RH readings).
Both can be positioned with the back of the unit close to the wall. However, the Keystone has a side airflow discharge path, whereas the Frigidaire has a top air path. I like the top path better since it means I can put the unit in a corner without the airflow being constricted, plus it does a better job circulating air in the room. A side air path is not a huge problem, but something to be aware of.
What is a more significant issue is the build quality, especially the catch bucket. The Keystone bucket is flimsy the plastic is thin and bends easily. It made me very nervous to carry it when it was full since the carry handle was visibly bending and straining against a pretty thin support bracket. More significantly, the bucket top is open on the Keystone. In contrast, the Frigidaire has a plastic plate across most of the top, with just the end points open for pouring the water out. In addition to preventing spills, the top plate makes the catch bucket much more rigid.
I have carried a full Frigidaire bucket up from my basement to water plants outside without any concern about spills or bucket breakage. I wouldn't even think of doing that with the Keystone bucket. It flexed so much when full that I was worried that I would not make it to the sink that was about 15 feet away from the unit. I also had to carry it much more carefully since the open top means that water could splash out.
Pouring water out of the Frigidaire bucket is very easy even when it's 100% full. The Keystone was messy it's best to dump it out at about the 50% full point to prevent spills/splashes.
Replacing the bucket is simple on the Frigidaire. I had to fiddle with the Keystone to get it to fit back in. It fits into place, but it takes more effort.
The bucket issues may not be deal-breakers since the unit can be plumbed to a drain to avoid the issue entirely. However, operating sound is a deal-breaker for me. I can't provide decibel readings since I don't have a sound meter, but the Keystone has a considerably louder compressor. It also vibrates far more than the Frigidaire, which translates into noise as well (I have both units on a tile floor).
The Keystone is just a bit louder than the Frigidaire when just the fan is running. But when the compressor kicks on it really ramps up the noise.
Both units have the ability to run at a low or high fan speed which can be set on the control panel.
In summary, the Keystone is worth considering only if you are looking for a unit that you'll plumb to a drain (and not deal with the bucket issues) and locate in a far corner of the house where the operating noise won't be a bother. Otherwise, the Frigidaire FAD704DWD is the better option. It's more expensive but will give you a better design, better build quality, and quieter operation. Frigidaire FAD704DWD Energy Star 70-pint Dehumidifier
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The Keystone KSTAD70B Dehumidifier is Energy Star rated as most are today, the 70 pint a day rating is average for most this size and the 1.3 gallon tank with a water level view indicator (seen on front of unit) is also standard on most modern Dehumidifiers made today. This unit covers up to 3,800 sq. feet and uses R-140a (1,1,1-trichloroethane) as a refrigerant. A hose connection for direct draining is easy to setup saving the need to empty the holding tank daily. At 40 lb. the Keystone is on the heavy side, it does have casters wheels making it easy to transport once on a hard floor or carpet that's not too deep pile. Removable, easy-cleaning dust filter with a clean-filter alert is something you won't find in every brand but a very good idea, trapping and preventing mold spores or other bacteria is always helpful to help prevent unhealthy conditions. Very rare but still known to be possible is Legionnaires' disease, when found it's in devices that contain water or warm water vapor. I always stress the need to clean water tanks and holding areas that contain standing water in warm moist conditions with bleach, bleach will kill mold on contact better than any other household cleaner.The 24 hour timer works well and if power is lost a memory returns the unit to the settings programed prior to the power loss, many other brands don't have a built-in settings memory. LED display is easy to read and set. This has a 5 year warranty too! Noise level is what you'd expect, not too loud but you know its running.
Best Deals for Keystone Energy Star 70 Pt. Dehumidifier, KSTAD70B
After giving up on trying to figure out why my basement was smelling musty, I decided to get a hygrometer and was shocked to find the relative humidity there at 70%! So the first thing I did was to turn on the A/C, unfortunately with the basement only occasionally being used, it doesn't get real warm down there so it wasn't really working well to have the A/C on when it's almost always 72oFThe item itself isn't terribly heavy just bulky, and comes with a digital display/control panel on top which is nice. Pretty easy controls, didn't need to look at the instructions to run it. Of course the first thing I did was to peel off all the tape securing the removable parts, pulled out the external drain adapter hose from the tank, checked the filter, plugged her in and ran it.
As most reviewers stated, the unit has a side exhaust and front intake
Right off the bad, the hygrometer on the unit showed an RH of 68% which was pretty good considering that my hygrometer AcuRite 613 Indoor Humidity Monitor showed it at 70% so I knew it was at least pretty accurate.
After about 4 hours use of the dehumidifier it completely filled up the collection tank and I saw that the hygrometer dropped from 70% down to 55%! The unit's fan is pretty quiet even on turbo, though, once the compressor kicks in it's about as loud as a deep-freezer or microwave, (I've still got desk fans that are louder on low!) One thing that did irk me was after the compressor's been running, the air exhausting the unit becomes quite warm, and pushed up the temperature of the basement from 72, up to 76 (might as well turn on the A/C now...!
After this though, I've noticed problems with the hygrometer. the unit seems to think RH is 55%, while the portable one read 43% when placed RIGHT ON TOP OF THE UNIT. Oh dear.. Maybe it's measuring differently because of the air getting sucked in or something. I have no idea. Another thing pointed are people complaining about the collection tank being flimsy and flexing under the weight of the water while they're holding the handle, I haven't seen this in any of the times I've held a full tank, it feels pretty study to me. Perhaps Keystone have addressed that issue and have fixed it? Though I will say, removing the tank is annoying because it's not flat on the bottom and if you try to rest it it will tip and spill. (and pulling 1.5 gallons horizontally is not fun!
It's got wheels so I can roll it around without having to carry it.. It also allows you to set triggers at RH% levels at increments of 5% I've got it set to shut off at 45% which.... is -stillreading 55%.... it does suggest to run the unit for 24 hours continuously, which I believe was to acclimatize it or something.
As of right now, I've got the basement's central fans running to circulate the air, hopefully I'll finally see a match on the two hygrometers!
Honest reviews on Keystone Energy Star 70 Pt. Dehumidifier, KSTAD70B
We got this for our cellar where the sump pump and hot water tank are....we had a damp floor no more. Very heavy duty and the fact you are able to drain with a hose to a drain is a huge plus!Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Keystone Energy Star 70 Pt. Dehumidifier, KSTAD70B
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I live in a concrete block townhouse in the DC Area. Needless to say moisture is a real problem. If I'm not careful I have mold growing or trying to grow in the moister areas. In addition, due to the high heat (which couples with the humidity) AC alone does not handle the humidity as well as I would hope. I have the Frigidaire FAD504DUD 50-Pint Dehumidifier in my downstairs area and it does a bang up job getting the humidity to good levels (I like 40%-50%).So when this one arrived it went upstairs to the bedroom area. I place it right in the hallway between the bedroom doors and it does a very good job at getting the humidity in that are down to comfortable. In terms of comparison it actually gets the humidity down quicker than the Frigidaire unit. Another positive point is that it tends not to put out quite as much hot air as the other one which is welcomed since I've got to cool that air. Both have removable filters that can be washed which is easier than having to buy filters. The bucket full indicator works great on each of them. There may be additional features I don't use that distinguish them but, for me, they really are of the same class.
The one thing that I found that separates these two units is that the Frigidaire seems more sturdily constructed. The water container is thicker and feels more sturdy and placing it back in is easier. In fact sometimes I kind of really push it in and so far no problems. I found the Keystone to be more finicky and it feels a bit more fragile. The Keystone is also larger but not by a huge amount. I do find the Keystone easier to clean as far as the water bucket.
Overall I'm very happy with it. It performs well. If I got 1 year and it seems like the bucket has no issues I would consider this a good deal. On either one I don't notice any major amount of increase in my electric bill either.
