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Best Overall
Lockdown Goldenrod
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Summary
With four different sizes ranging from 12-inch to 36-inch that cover 100-cubic-feet to 500-cubic-feet, respectively, you have several options to choose the Goldenrod that is right for your gun safe.
Best for Small Spaces
Liberty Safe Hydrosorbent Silica Gel
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Summary
The small size can only handle about 30 square feet, but this is more than enough for any gun case or ammo can, and sufficient for many cabinets.
Best For Portability
Hornady Dehumidifier Canister
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Summary
Because of its geometric shape and minimal footprint, you can easily wedge the Hornady Dehumidifier Canister into tight spots in your safe
Having the best gun safe dehumidifiers is an unsung hero. They aren’t flashy. They aren’t cool. They aren’t anything you’ll run to show your friends when you buy a new one. They are, however, an essential part of your gun collection; the trinity being guns, gun safe, and a gun safe dehumidifier.
Because they are purely functional and a bit unexciting, dehumidifiers can often get overlooked. If you’ve made that mistake in the past, let it be a warning that you need to pay more attention to them from now on. Your gun collection will thank you.
Best Overall: Lockdown Goldenrod
Best Budget: Eva-Dry Renewable Mini Dehumidifier
Best Portable: Hornady Dehumidifier Canister
Most Energy Efficient: PEET Safekeeping Dryer
Best Premium: Lockdown Compact Auto Dehumidifier
Best for Small Spaces: Liberty Safe Hydrosorbent Silica Gel
How We Picked The Best Gun Safe Dehumidifiers
Gun safe dehumidifiers come in a wide variety of options. They can be electrical, use desiccants, operate on convection principles, and more. When it came time to narrow this list down, we wanted to pick dehumidifiers from all of those options since everyone has different needs.
We evaluated the amount of space they will treat, how much space they take up in your safe, what kind of time and attention will be required of the user, and what kind of longevity you can expect from the unit.
With those criteria in mind, we selected what we think is a nice cross-section of all the options available to potential buyers.
The Best Gun Safe Dehumidifiers: Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall: Lockdown Goldenrod
Best Overall
Why It Made the Cut: If there’s one product that comes up time and time again in the best gun safe dehumidifiers conversation, it’s the Lockdown Goldenrod—and for good reason. It flat out works.
Key Features
Multiple sizes available
Lifetime warranty
Low profile
Pros
Available in four different sizes: 12”, 18”, 24”, and 36”
Multiple attachment options
Cons
Requires electrical outlet
Hot to the touch
The Goldenrod gun safe dehumidifier is probably the best-known product on the market. It isn’t because Lockdown
has some team of marketing geniuses working for them; it’s because they have a quality product that performs exactly as it should.
With four different sizes ranging from 12-inch to 36-inch that cover 100-cubic-feet to 500-cubic-feet, respectively, you have several options to choose the Goldenrod that is right for your gun safe. Even the largest size is easy to fit into your safe, flush against a wall freestanding on included legs. Or, it can be mounted in a corner near the back or bottom of your safe.
By gently raising the temperature in your gun safe, the Goldenrod eliminates excess moisture that would lead to problem-causing humidity, mildew, and condensation for your guns. The only substantial downside is that rising temperature means the Goldenrod itself gets hot. Keep that in mind when placing it in your safe.
Best Budget: Eva-Dry Renewable Mini Dehumidifier
Best Budget
Why It Made the Cut: Expensive doesn’t always mean effective, and vice versa. For a budget-friendly gun safe dehumidifier, it’s hard to beat the silica beads in Eva-Dry’s Renewable Dehumidifier.
Key Features
Five-year warranty
Rechargeable
Fits in small spaces
Pros
Can be bought in multi-packs
Good for ammo cans, too
Only needs electricity when recharging
Cons
May need multiple units if you have a large safe
The Eva-Dry Renewable Mini Dehumidifier is a great option if you’re looking for the best budget gun safe dehumidifier. They can be purchased individually or in multi-packs for even more savings.
Since the Eva-Dry dehumidifier is rechargeable, it doesn’t require separate batteries, and it doesn’t have to remain plugged into an electrical outlet. Instead, you simply remove the unit from your safe, plug it into an outlet, and re-dry the beads for 10-12 hours every 20-30 days. Then, stick it back in the safe, and let it continue working its magic.
With size and simplicity comes versatility. These are small units, so you can toss them into larger ammo cans, equipment storage lockers, and more. That said, a single Eva-Dry unit is advertised as being able to cover 333 cubic feet of space. Even if they aren’t as effective as advertised and you need more than one, it’s still an inexpensive option for peace of mind.
Best Portable: Hornady Dehumidifier Canister
Best Portable
Why It Made the Cut: The Hornady Dehumidifier Canister is a compact unit that’s easily stored in small spaces and moved from place to place, as needed making it our choice for the best portable gun safe dehumidifier.
Key Features
Compact: 6” x 4” x 5”
Rechargeable
Super simple design
Pros
Infinitely rechargeable
Easily fits in small spaces
Weighs just 2 pounds
Cons
Small effective space—50 cubic feet
This desiccant dehumidifier from Hornady is designed to last for a very long time. Similar to the Eva-Dry and other desiccants, when the crystals inside change color, you simply remove it from your safe and recharge it. Hornady’s model goes into the oven for a few hours to remove the moisture it’s captured. And, you can repeat this recharge process infinitely.
Because of its geometric shape and minimal footprint, you can easily wedge the Hornady Dehumidifier Canister into tight spots in your safe. Swiping it out for a refresh or reposition is just as easy, because it’s so small and lightweight.
The only drawback to its small size is its effectiveness. Each one of these units is only designed to draw moisture out of an area no larger than 50 cubic feet.
Most Energy Efficient: PEET Safekeeping Dryer
Most Energy Efficient
Why It Made the Cut: Energy costs aren’t getting any cheaper, and the PEET Safekeeping Dryer does its job with incredible energy efficiency, consuming less electricity than a standard lightbulb.
Key Features
No parts to replace
Space-saving design
Silent
Pros
Most energy efficient electric model on the list
Simple to operate
Easy, plug-and-play design
Cons
Requires an electrical outlet
With no additional components that would need replacing, silent operation, and minimal energy consumption, the PEET Safekeeping Dryer is a no-fuss, no-muss dehumidifier that is truly plug-and-play.
Utilizing a natural convection process, the PEET warms up the ambient air in your safe to keep your guns protected from rust and corrosion. The warmed air rises through the unit and circulates in the confined area of the safe. Because of the way it works, the PEET unit is also silent.
With a triangular base design, the PEET fits perfectly in a corner of your safe, out of the way of any usable storage space.
Best Premium: Lockdown Compact Auto Dehumidifier
Best Premium
Why It Made the Cut: With the ability to set the humidity level to an exact amount you want, there’s no better model for total control. The Lockdown Compact Auto Dehumidifier is the standard.
Key Features
Digital controls
Set your specific humidity level
Tank or hose drainage
Pros
Set it to your specific humidity level
Can be set to drain automatically from a hose
Great for bigger safes or even vaults
Cons
Must remember to empty the tank
If you want the ultimate personal control when it comes to the humidity levels in your gun safe, then the Lockdown Compact Auto Dehumidifier is the unit you want.
You set your own preferred humidity threshold, and it does all the work by way of a thermo-electric process that is also incredibly energy efficient. The water is pulled from the air and collected in a tank that you then empty as needed. The full float sensor ensures that the collection tank won’t overfill, but you do have to remember to empty the tank. But for even less user oversight, there is a built-in hose connection you can hook up and have the tank empty automatically into a drain.
You also don’t have to worry about your safe getting too dry, as the unit will shut itself off once it reaches your desired humidity level.
Best for Small Spaces: Liberty Safe Hydrosorbent Silica Gel
Best for Small Spaces
Why it Made the Cut: Liberty Safe’s downsized Hydrosorbent Silica Gel canisters fit into small spaces, such as ammo cans and gun cases.
Key Features
Small: 4” x 2″ x 1″
Filled with 40-grams of desiccant
99% silica gel/5% cobalt chloride
Pros
Provides protection from moisture at home or on the go
Ideal for smaller spaces like gun cases or ammo cans
Simple design doesn’t require electricity to work
Cons
Must be recharged quickly if used in a humid environment
An external heat source is required for drying the silica gel compound
Moisture isn’t just a hazard to guns, but ammo as well. Liberty Safe’s Hydrosorbent Silica Gel canisters offer excellent protection ammo and guns stored in smaller spaces.
These small, 4” x 2″ x 1″ canisters are sized just right to slip into gun cases to protect guns from moisture on the way into or out of the field or to the range. Likewise, they can be stashed in with your valuable ammo to help ward off the ill effects of a damp climate. The small size can only handle about 30 square feet, but this is more than enough for any gun case or ammo can, and sufficient for many cabinets.
There are two downsides to these desiccant canisters. Because of their smaller size, they must be recharged relatively quickly if used in a high-humidity environment. And the simple design must be dried out using an oven. Like the other desiccants on the list, you’ll know when this needs to be done because the silica gel crystals will change from blue to pink. Put it in the oven and remove when the crystals are blue again. Repeat as needed.
What to Consider When Choosing a Gun Safe Dehumidifier
You’ve thought long and hard about each gun you’ve purchased, carefully deciding which ones would be worthy of coming home with you. Then, you put equal thought and money into choosing the proper gun safe. With all that money tied up in guns and a gun safe, you owe it to yourself and your guns to protect them with a dehumidifier. Of course, there’s no shortage of options to choose from, so here’s a few things to consider before buying a gun safe dehumidifier.
How Big is Your Gun Safe?
The size of the safe and the number of guns you’re storing in there will determine how big a dehumidifier—or how many dehumidifiers—you will need to fit your gun safe. Don’t have a gun safe yet? Check out our round up of best gun safes
to find the right one for you.
What Climate Do You Live In?
Warm, humid climates like those in the southern United States will require different environmental controls, as opposed to safes located in dry, arid regions. The wetter the climate, the more the dehumidifier will need to be capable of.
Where is Your Safe Physically Located and How Is It Set Up?
This will determine if you should rule out dehumidifiers that need to be connected to an outlet, or those that require floor space you may not have. Additionally, some parts of the house are more humid than others. While you should avoid placing your safe in the basement to because of the relatively high humidity often found there, the weight of some safes requires that they be placed on concrete slab.
Firearm Maintenance
Properly maintaining your firearms
may not have much to do with selecting a gun safe dehumidifier, but it can have a big effect on how protected they are from rust. Ensure your guns get a thorough cleaning before they are put away. If you’re not sure what you need, you can refer to our round up of best gun cleaning kits
and grab one that’s right for you. Good oil is also essential for warding off rust. Check out our round up of the best gun oils
and choose the ideal one for your firearms.
Taking the time to think about and answer these questions before buying will keep you from having to return products that don’t fit your gun safe. It will also keep you from having to switch things up when you run into a snag you hadn’t considered the first time around.
FAQs
Q: Do gun safe dehumidifier rods work?
Yes, gun safe dehumidifier rods really do work. As the rod gently heats the air at the bottom of your safe, it creates a convection current. The circulating warm air keeps your safe above any condensation point that would lead to rusting or mildew buildup. Even without understanding the science, you can trust your fellow consumers, as the Lockdown Goldenrod dehumidifier is one of the most widely used products on the market.
Q: How much does a gun safe dehumidifier cost?
A gun safe dehumidifier can cost as little as $20 or as much as a couple hundred dollars. Within this guide, it’s $20-$100. It all depends on the exact model you buy. As with most products, the price will increase as tech and performance increase. Lockdown’s Automatic Dehumidifier can be set to an exact humidity, and it will directly sequester water into a tank until reaching that exact point. It’s also a $100 product. On the other end, an Eva-Dry E-333 will perform roughly the same task (at a smaller scale) with silica gel beads. It costs about $20 a unit.
Q: How long does a gun safe dehumidifier last?
Gun safe dehumidifiers are designed to last a long time, and a good one should last years. Electrically operated models function indefinitely, so long as they are maintained. Models that use desiccants require recharging every 20-30 days. But with no hardware that can deteriorate, desiccant models can often last over a decade.
Best Gun Safe Dehumidifiers: Final Thoughts
Best Overall: Lockdown Goldenrod
Best Budget: Eva-Dry Renewable Mini Dehumidifier
Best Portable: Hornady Dehumidifier Canister
Most Energy Efficient: PEET Safekeeping Dryer
Best Premium: Lockdown Compact Auto Dehumidifier
Best for Small Spaces: Liberty Safe Hydrosorbent Silica Gel
A good gun safe dehumidifier won’t break the bank. In fact, it’ll probably cost less than the cheapest gun you own. And yet, it’s one of the wisest investments you’ll ever make. It only takes one environmental issue in your home to destroy a lifetime of collecting, so give yourself some simple peace of mind and get a dehumidifier.
Why Trust Us
For more than 125 years, Field & Stream has been providing readers with honest and authentic coverage of outdoor gear. Our writers and editors eat, sleep, and breathe the outdoors, and that passion comes through in our product reviews. You can count on F&S to keep you up to date on the best new gear. And when we write about a product—whether it’s a bass lure or a backpack—we cover the good and the bad, so you know exactly what to expect before you decide to make a purchase.
