Dehumidifiers / AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) vs Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft)
AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump)
$1147.11
VSWaykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft)
$169.99
AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) vs Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft)
AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump)
The cold-crawlspace answer: 33.8°F, hot-gas defrost, 6-year cover, no ENERGY STAR listing.
Wins overall by 2.8 points
Quick Verdict
A 2.8-point gap makes the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) the straightforward choice here. The cold-crawlspace answer: 33.8°F, hot-gas defrost, 6-year cover, no ENERGY STAR listing.
The AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) and Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) are both closely matched dehumidifier models, and the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) is $977.10 cheaper than the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) ($169.99 vs $1,147.11). On Capacity-Claim Honesty, the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) leads (7.0 vs 1.0/10) — this category's trap dimension. Since the DOE changed the test condition from 80°F/60% RH to 65°F/60% RH in 2019, the same machine that was a '70 pint' is now a '50 pint' — and manufacturers freely mix the two scales, plus a third 'saturation' figure taken at 95°F/90% RH. A high score means the pint number on the box matches the DOE Appendix X1 figure the manufacturer filed with ENERGY STAR. A low score means the marketing number is measured somewhere the buyer's house never is.. On Moisture Removal, the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) leads (9.0 vs 3.0/10) — actual water pulled out of the air per day at a condition a home experiences, judged against the DOE-verified figure rather than the coverage claim on the box. On Cold-Room Performance, the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) leads (9.0 vs 3.0/10) — what happens in a 50-55°F basement, garage or crawlspace. Compressor coils frost below roughly 65°F and auto-defrost buys back the coil at the cost of runtime; desiccant rotors and hot-gas-defrost units do not care. The single most common mis-buy in the category. Overall, the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) scores 7.1/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 4.3/10 for the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft). Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) | Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1147.11 | $169.99 |
| Release Year | 2019 | 2025 |
| Rated Capacity (and Which Standard) | AlorAir publishes both numbers, which is more than most: "198 PPD at Saturation, 90 Pints (AHAM)". The AHAM figure is at 80°F/60% RH — the pre-2019 portable condition — so a "90 pint" AlorAir is NOT twice a "50 pint" Frigidaire; the two are measured 15°F apart | Waykar's own page rates it at "34 pints / day" under 95°F, 90% RH — a saturation condition, not a DOE condition. A Ubuy mirror of the same Amazon ASIN calls it a "40-Pint". Neither number is comparable to a DOE pint figure |
| ENERGY STAR / DOE Verified Capacity ( pints/day) | None. The Sentinel HDi90 does not appear in the ENERGY STAR Certified Dehumidifiers database — AlorAir's only certified models there are the Helios D35, Sentinel HD55S and Sentinel Pro35X. This matters because amgair.com's listing for the HDi90 states "Energy Star listed", which the database does not support | 9.81 pints/day. That is the DOE Appendix X1 (65°F/60% RH) water-removal capacity Waykar itself filed with ENERGY STAR for the PD160B, published in the ENERGY STAR Certified Dehumidifiers database. The unit is sold as 34-pint. The verified figure is 29% of the marketing figure. The PD160B-PRO variant tests at 10.16 pints/day and does carry ENERGY STAR Most Efficient |
| Technology & Refrigerant | Compressor (refrigerant), R32, 5.56 A at 115V, 210 CFM / 350 CMH, COP quoted by AlorAir as 2.69 L/kWh | Compressor (refrigerant), R290 propane, 122 kWh/yr, Integrated Energy Factor 1.73 L/kWh per ENERGY STAR |
| Low-Temperature Operation & Defrost | 33.8°F to 104°F with automatic hot-gas defrost — the widest usable range of any compressor unit here and the entire reason it costs four times a portable. In a 45-55°F crawlspace this is the compressor unit that keeps working | Automatic defrost is advertised. Waykar publishes no minimum operating temperature on its own product page. Like every compressor unit here it will spend an increasing share of its runtime in defrost below roughly 65°F, and this one has very little capacity to spare |
| Claimed Coverage | 2,600 sq ft (AlorAir and Amazon); amgair.com expresses the same machine as "up to 15,000 cubic feet" | 2,000 sq ft (Waykar and Home Depot). A unit that removes 9.81 pints/day at 65°F cannot meaningfully dry 2,000 sq ft; the number is derived from the 95°F/90% RH figure |
| Tank Capacity & Refill Interval | None — there is no bucket. It is pump-drained only, by design. That removes the emptying problem entirely and creates a hard dependency on the pump | 0.66 gallons / 2.5 L. At the marketed 34 pints/day that is emptying it roughly six times a day; at the verified 9.81 pints/day it is closer to twice a day |
| Continuous Drainage (Hose, Gravity, Pump Lift) | Heavy-duty built-in condensate pump with drain hose. AlorAir publishes no lift height for the HDi90's pump. Pump-only means a pump failure stops the machine, unlike a bucket unit | Gravity only — a 6.56 ft hose is included but there is no pump, so the outlet must sit above the drain. No pump variant of the PD160B exists |
| ENERGY STAR Status | NOT certified — the HDi90 is absent from the ENERGY STAR database despite a retailer listing describing it as Energy Star listed | Yes — genuinely certified, and the certification is what exposes the pint claim. 122 kWh/yr, IEF 1.73 L/kWh, available on market 26 September 2025 |
| Annual Running Cost | Not published as an annual figure. At 5.56 A / 115V (about 639W) running the long hours a crawlspace unit runs, this is a several-hundred-kWh-per-year machine; AlorAir's 2.69 L/kWh COP is respectable but there is no ENERGY STAR kWh/yr number to check it against | About $21/yr (122 kWh x $0.17/kWh). Genuinely cheap to run, because it is a genuinely small machine |
| Noise | <58 dBA (AlorAir). Loudest here, which is acceptable under a floor and not in a bedroom | Waykar advertises the PD160B-PRO variant at 33 dB. No dB figure is published for the plain PD160B on Waykar's own page |
| Warranty (incl. Sealed System) | Sources conflict on length: AlorAir's own page and the Amazon listing say "6-Year Limited Warranty - First 2 Years Full Coverage"; a reseller listing for the same ASIN says 5 years. Either way it is the longest cover in this comparison and it does include the sealed system | 1 year, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee and an optional paid 2-year extension. No separate sealed-system term is offered |
| Recall History | No CPSC recall found for AlorAir | No CPSC recall found for Waykar. Note that ENERGY STAR lists the identical PD160B platform under the combined partner brand string "waykar, KESNOS, YAUFEY, Fehom" for sibling models — several Amazon dehumidifier brands are the same OEM |
| Warranty | 72 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Blue | White, Black |
Category Scores
Capacity-Claim Honesty
The AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 1.0 — a 6.0-point margin on this category's trap dimension. Since the DOE changed the test condition from 80°F/60% RH to 65°F/60% RH in 2019, the same machine that was a '70 pint' is now a '50 pint' — and manufacturers freely mix the two scales, plus a third 'saturation' figure taken at 95°F/90% RH. A high score means the pint number on the box matches the DOE Appendix X1 figure the manufacturer filed with ENERGY STAR. A low score means the marketing number is measured somewhere the buyer's house never is.. If that is what you are buying for, the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Moisture Removal
The AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 3.0 — a 6.0-point margin on actual water pulled out of the air per day at a condition a home experiences, judged against the DOE-verified figure rather than the coverage claim on the box. If that is what you are buying for, the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Cold-Room Performance
The AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 3.0 — a 6.0-point margin on what happens in a 50-55°F basement, garage or crawlspace. Compressor coils frost below roughly 65°F and auto-defrost buys back the coil at the cost of runtime; desiccant rotors and hot-gas-defrost units do not care. The single most common mis-buy in the category. If that is what you are buying for, the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Drainage & Tank Practicality
The AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 4.0 — a 4.5-point margin on tank volume measured against daily output, whether a hose is in the box, whether gravity drainage needs the unit propped up, and whether there is a real pump and how high it lifts. If that is what you are buying for, the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Running Cost
The Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 4.0 — a 4.5-point margin on the kWh/yr on the ENERGY STAR certification and what it costs at the meter. On a machine that runs most of the year this dominates total ownership cost — often a third of the purchase price annually. If that is what you are buying for, the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Quietness
The Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) leads clearly here, 7.5 against 3.5 — a 4.0-point margin on measured dB where published, weighted by where the machine actually lives — a 58 dBA crawlspace unit under a floor is fine, a 54 dB cube next to a desk is not. If that is what you are buying for, the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Build & Warranty
The AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 4.5 — a 4.5-point margin on coil and cabinet construction, filter grade, and above all the warranty on the sealed system — the compressor is the part that fails and the part most portables cover for only twelve months. If that is what you are buying for, the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value for Money
The AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) leads clearly here, 6.5 against 3.0 — a 3.5-point margin on purchase price plus multi-year electricity against verified pints removed and how long the warranty protects the compressor. If that is what you are buying for, the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) if…
- • Capacity-Claim Honesty matters most to you — the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) scores 7.0/10 here (this category's trap dimension. Since the DOE changed the test condition from 80°F/60% RH to 65°F/60% RH in 2019, the same machine that was a '70 pint' is now a '50 pint' — and manufacturers freely mix the two scales, plus a third 'saturation' figure taken at 95°F/90% RH. A high score means the pint number on the box matches the DOE Appendix X1 figure the manufacturer filed with ENERGY STAR. A low score means the marketing number is measured somewhere the buyer's house never is.).
- • Moisture Removal matters most to you — the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) scores 9.0/10 here (actual water pulled out of the air per day at a condition a home experiences, judged against the DOE-verified figure rather than the coverage claim on the box).
- • Cold-Room Performance matters most to you — the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) scores 9.0/10 here (what happens in a 50-55°F basement, garage or crawlspace. Compressor coils frost below roughly 65°F and auto-defrost buys back the coil at the cost of runtime; desiccant rotors and hot-gas-defrost units do not care. The single most common mis-buy in the category).
- • Drainage & Tank Practicality matters most to you — the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) scores 8.5/10 here (tank volume measured against daily output, whether a hose is in the box, whether gravity drainage needs the unit propped up, and whether there is a real pump and how high it lifts).
- • Your main use case is crawl-space or cold-spaces.
Choose the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) if…
- • Running Cost matters most to you — the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) scores 8.5/10 here (the kWh/yr on the ENERGY STAR certification and what it costs at the meter. On a machine that runs most of the year this dominates total ownership cost — often a third of the purchase price annually).
- • You want to spend less — it's $977.10 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is closet-bathroom or large-room.
Pros & Cons
AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump)
Pros
- +33.8°F minimum with hot-gas defrost — the only compressor unit here that genuinely earns a cold crawlspace
- +Publishes both saturation and AHAM capacity side by side instead of quoting only the flattering one
- +6-year limited warranty (first 2 years full) against 1 year from every portable here
- +No bucket to empty, ever, and it can be hung off the joists out of the mud
Cons
- −amgair.com's listing calls it "Energy Star listed"; it is not in the ENERGY STAR certified database — only three other AlorAir models are
- −"90 pints" is an AHAM 80°F figure and is not comparable to the 50-pint DOE figures of the portables it will be cross-shopped against
- −Pump-only drainage means no fallback if the pump fails
- −<58 dBA and no published annual energy figure, on a machine that runs nearly continuously
- −Warranty is published as both 5 and 6 years for the same ASIN, and the stock filter is only MERV-1
Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft)
Pros
- +ENERGY STAR certified, which is rare at this price and is the only reason its real capacity is knowable
- +$21/yr to run is the lowest true energy cost of any compressor unit here
- +R290 propane charge has a GWP of about 3, against 675 for the R32 in most rivals
- +Light, quiet and includes a drain hose — a reasonable bedroom or small-bathroom machine on its actual merits
Cons
- −Sold as a 34-pint (and mirrored as a 40-pint) dehumidifier while Waykar's own ENERGY STAR filing records 9.81 pints/day at the DOE test condition
- −The 2,000 sq ft coverage claim follows from the 95°F/90% RH number and does not survive contact with the DOE figure
- −0.66 gallon tank is the smallest here, and there is no pump option at all
- −No published minimum operating temperature and no dB figure for this exact model
- −R290 is flammable; the charge is small and sealed, but it constrains servicing and shipping
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) or Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Capacity-Claim Honesty, the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) or the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft)?+
The AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) scores higher on Capacity-Claim Honesty (7.0/10 vs 1.0/10) — this category's trap dimension. Since the DOE changed the test condition from 80°F/60% RH to 65°F/60% RH in 2019, the same machine that was a '70 pint' is now a '50 pint' — and manufacturers freely mix the two scales, plus a third 'saturation' figure taken at 95°F/90% RH. A high score means the pint number on the box matches the DOE Appendix X1 figure the manufacturer filed with ENERGY STAR. A low score means the marketing number is measured somewhere the buyer's house never is..
Which is better for Moisture Removal, the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) or the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft)?+
The AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) scores higher on Moisture Removal (9.0/10 vs 3.0/10) — actual water pulled out of the air per day at a condition a home experiences, judged against the DOE-verified figure rather than the coverage claim on the box.
Which is better for Cold-Room Performance, the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) or the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft)?+
The AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) scores higher on Cold-Room Performance (9.0/10 vs 3.0/10) — what happens in a 50-55°F basement, garage or crawlspace. Compressor coils frost below roughly 65°F and auto-defrost buys back the coil at the cost of runtime; desiccant rotors and hot-gas-defrost units do not care. The single most common mis-buy in the category.
Which is better for Drainage & Tank Practicality, the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) or the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft)?+
The AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) scores higher on Drainage & Tank Practicality (8.5/10 vs 4.0/10) — tank volume measured against daily output, whether a hose is in the box, whether gravity drainage needs the unit propped up, and whether there is a real pump and how high it lifts.
Is the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) worth the price difference over the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft)?+
The Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) is the cheaper option at $169.99 versus $1,147.11. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Capacity-Claim Honesty.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) is the better fit if you mainly care about crawl-space or cold-spaces. The Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) is the better fit for closet-bathroom or large-room.
What's the warranty on the AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) vs the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft)?+
The AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Crawl Space Dehumidifier (built-in pump) ships with a 72-month warranty; the Waykar PD160B 34-Pint Dehumidifier (2,000 sq ft) ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Pro Breeze Electric Mini Dehumidifier (PB-02-US) — $46.42
Premium Option
AprilAire E070 70-Pint Crawl Space / Whole-House Dehumidifier — $1441.00
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.