Midea Cube vs Frigidaire 35-Pint Dehumidifier for a Basement

How much water each one pulls

Midea rates the Cube at 50 pints a day and 4,500 square feet. Frigidaire rates its unit at 35 pints and 3,000 square feet. I sized both against ENERGY STAR’s capacity table in the basement sizing guide: a moderately damp basement under 2,000 square feet is inside what a 35-pint unit is built for. Wetter or larger basements call for the 50-pint class.

Both pint ratings come from the Department of Energy test at 65°F. A basement that runs colder will pull less water out of either machine, so a cold basement near 2,000 square feet is where the Frigidaire runs short first.

Bucket and drain hose

The Frigidaire’s bucket holds 1.7 gallons, or 13.6 pints. Running at its full 35-pint rating, it would fill that bucket about two and a half times a day. The Midea’s 4.2-gallon bucket holds 33.6 pints, roughly two-thirds of a full day at its own rating.

Both have a continuous-drain port, so either can empty into a floor drain. The Midea’s hose comes in the box; for the Frigidaire you buy one separately.

Size and where it sits

The Frigidaire is the taller, shallower unit at 19.8 inches high and 11.1 inches deep, and it rolls on casters. The Midea is close to a cube, about 14.5 inches on every side, and weighs 41.54 pounds. Frigidaire does not publish a weight for this model. If the unit has to sit in a spot with little depth, the Frigidaire is about three and a half inches shallower.

Cold basements

Both are rated to run down to 41°F. If your basement drops below that through the winter, look at the Hisense 35-pint compact instead. It is rated to 38°F, the lowest of the three basement picks.

Controls and noise

You can set either one from a phone app or through Alexa or Google Home. Frigidaire lists an automatic restart after a power cut, which matters in a basement you do not visit every day.

Neither maker publishes a decibel figure for these exact models. The Frigidaire’s retailer listing calls it noticeable on the higher fan settings, so in a finished basement used as an office, keep it on a low fan.

Where the Advisor Scores split

The Midea scores 4.3 (4.25 before rounding) and the Frigidaire 3.5. They tie on cold tolerance and warranty. The Midea scores higher on coverage (5 to 4) and on drainage (5 to 3). Price is not scored (how the Advisor Score works).

Is the Midea worth the extra money?

The extra money buys 15 more pints a day and 1,500 more square feet of rated coverage. With a floor drain, both run hands-free once the Frigidaire has its hose, so the main difference left is capacity. Without a drain, it also buys 33.6 pints of bucket against 13.6, which means fewer trips up the stairs.