Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsUPDATED: Now It's Totally Quiet - As In DEAD Quiet (ORIGINAL: OK, It's Not Whisper Quiet, But It Works Very Well)
Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2014
UPDATED REVIEW (07/09/16): I bought two of these units (good-sized basement, multiple rooms) in June and July of 2014. As per my original review, I liked the digital humidity display (some dehumidifiers simply show the programmed humidity level - this model shows the programmed level AND measures/displays the real-time actual level) and the fact that this was much quieter than the Kenmore it was replacing. Based on my electric bill, these units also seemed more efficient though admittedly that might not be an entirely accurate comparison. Now for the BAD NEWS: One unit stopped dehumidifying (i.e., stopped pulling moisture from the air) in April 2015 and displayed the dreaded "EC" code on the display panel. I tried stopping/restarting, unplugging/plugging to no avail and then called Midea (Florida) as per the users manual. I got a bit of a run-around, but eventually Midea sent a new replacement unit. OK, it wasn't quite that simple, but as these things go, customer service wasn't bad. Interestingly, the replacement unit carried the brand name Arctic King, but it is nearly identical in look and operation, and is still plugging along after one year. Unfortunately, my second original unit just stopped working (July 2016), again displaying the dreaded "EC" code. At just over two years, this is outside the one-year full replacement warranty. Yes, there is a five-year warranty on the "sealed system" (compressor, condenser - basically anything other than the electronic control), BUT...consumer is responsible for shipment to repair facility and diagnosis, and if Midea determines that the failure is due to something other than the "sealed system", consumer is responsible for full cost of repair and return shipment. I hate the idea of junking the unit after only two years, so I will call Midea, but I suspect the potential cost will make the risk of returning the unit for diagnosis/repair is too great. I really liked this unit, but is it unreasonable to expect more than one or two years of service? (Perhaps I am being too generous with my three-star rating?) And since both units failed within two years, I am not inclined to buy another Keystone as a replacement. Back to research. BTW, when the second unit died, I pulled out my 23-YEAR OLD Kenmore. And it still works!! Very noisy, and it doesn't fill as quickly which likely means it's not very running very efficiently - but it still works!! After 23 YEARS!! Ah, the "good old days"...
ORIGINAL REVIEW: I was not familiar with the Keystone brand, and I'm not sure if I can totally trust reviews generally anymore. (Some negative reviews seem to be written by people who can't or simply refuse to read instructions. On the other hand, I am increasingly convinced that some positive and VERIFIED PURCHASE reviews are being written by people who have been paid to buy a product and give a positive review. How's THAT for paranoia?) In any event, I decided to take a chance, and I am glad I did. No, this unit is not whisper quiet. It did start out somewhat quiet, but then got somewhat louder over time. However, it is still much more quiet than the old Kenmore unit that it replaced. (To be fair, the Kenmore had served well for a number of years, but it was always noisy.) The Keystone also seems to be much more efficient, and the built-in digital humidity gauge makes it easier to confirm that the unit is doing the job.
