If you have a gun safe, and guns inside of it that you’d like to protect, I’d recommend getting one of the best gun safe dehumidifiers you can.
Gun safes are the best way to protect your firearms from theft and from access by children. However, they don’t protect your firearms from rust! Depending on where you live and how often you open your safe, moisture and humidity can really take a toll on your firearms.
Fortunately, investing in some of the best gun safe dehumidifiers isn’t going to break your bank. They’ll actually prevent degradation of your guns’ parts and save you money in the long run.
Just as a disclaimer, I’ll be using Amazon Associate links inside this article. This doesn’t change how I feel about these items, and they don’t cost you any extra to use them. If you do though, it helps ensure that I can keep slinging steel downrange and bringing top-notch reviews you’ve come to expect.
#1. Goldenrod Original Dehumidifier: Best Overall
At the top spot for our best gun safe dehumidifiers list lies the Goldenrod Original Dehumidifier.
It’s an electric-powered dehumidifier that can actually lower the humidity within your safe by 50%! Its rod-shaped design allows it to uniquely fit inside your safe. However, the most commonly seen location for it is at the bottom. It does get hot to the touch so be careful when digging around near it. But that means the unit’s working so rest easy.
It’s also easily installed for those of you who have an electric socket either inside your safe or a channel to route electirc wires. That being said, those without electric capabilities within their safes should keep scrolling down our list to a dessicant type dehumidifier.
We really love that this dehumidifier comes in 4 DIFFERENT SIZE OPTIONS–unlike any other selection on this list. It provides between 100-500 cubic feet of dehumidifying efficiency. The bigger the rod, the more effective it gets. Plus, it comes with a lifetime warranty! What’s not to love?
Goldenrod Specs
| Dehumidifier Type | Electric |
| Cubic Ft Efficiency | 100-500 cubic feet |
| Length | 12″, 18″, 24″, 36″ |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs |
Goldenrod Original Dehumidifier Pros and Cons
Works great. Allows for up to 5 degree warmer temps inside your gun safe. Comes in many different sizes. Lifetime warranty. Made in America.
Gets hot to the touch.
Requires electrcal outlet.
The Lockdown is another great electric gun safe dehumidifier.
Like the Goldenrod, this works by heating the air around it ever so slightly to ensure a circulation of warm air throughout your gun safe. And this action is what actually draws the humidity out of the air.
The Lockdown comes in two sizes which is pretty nice if you need a bigger dehumidifier for that extra boost. We just wish it came with more sizes like our top choice. It does come with an easy to disassemble male plug in order to easily weave this through an electrical port within your safe.
Lockdown Rod Specs
| Dehumidifier Type | Electric |
| Cubic Ft Effiency | 100-200 cubic feet |
| Length | 12″ or 18″ |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs |
Lockdown Dehumidifier Rod Pros and Cons
Has two available sizes, 12 Watts, Stand Legs Included
Hot to the Touch
If you’re in the market for a dependable, and budget firendly, electric dehumidifier, perhaps the Browning Ever Dry is perfect for you.
Now, the Browning only comes in one size which might lead you to utilize extra dehumidifying measures within your safe. But it is more budget-friendly than some other systems available.
What we really love about the Ever-Dry is that while it does get hot to the touch… It never gets too hot to handle. You’re not going to burn yourself with this one. That’s why the Browning Ever Dry makes the cut.
Browning Rod Specs
| Dehumidifier Type | Electric |
| Cubic Ft Efficiency | 200 cubic feet |
| Length | 18″ |
| Weight | 8 oz |
Browning Ever Dry Electric Rod Pros and Cons
Male end of plug easily removable for installation, reliable
Only available in one size
From the makers of some of the best ammo available comes the Hornady rechargable gun safe dehumidifier.
The Hornady is the first dessicant type on this list. It works by having these little beads of dessicant (like those silica packets in your favorite beef jerky–and like those… don’t eat these either) that absorb moisture straight out of the air. Once the dessicant beads have become saturated, they change into a different color signalling that you need to recharge them. Simply plug the unit into the wall as per instruction, and wait for the crystal color to return to normal. As a heads up, there have been a few reports of the recharging feature not working to the fullest.
Another thing we like about this model is that it comes with a quick mount for the inside of your gun safe.
Hornady Rechargable Specs
| Dehumidifier Type | Dessicant |
| Cubic Ft Efficiency | 333 cubic feet |
| Dimensions | 6″ x 4″ x 2″ |
| Weight | 15 oz |
Hornady Rechargable Gun Safe Dehumidifier Pros and Cons
Able to be mounted, Color changing crystals
Some reliabilty issues
#5. Hornady Dehumidifier Canister: Best Canister Type
While the Hornady rechargable may have a few hangups with its recharging system, this one surely does not.
The Hornady canister dehumidifier recharges in a different way. After the dessicant absorbs al it can, you’ll need to set this one in a 300F oven and bake the moisture out. Afterwards you’ll see the color crystals have changed back to their normal color to indicate they are dry once again.
Like most canister-type dehumidifiers, the Hornady doesn’t have the largest effective dehumidifiying area. But these are awesome for those of you who don’t have electric capabilities within your gun safes. Just be sure to buy an extra 1 or 2 as needed.
Hornady Canister Specs
| Dehumidifier Type | Dessicant |
| Cubic Ft Efficiency | 50 cubic feet |
| Dimensions | 6″ x 4″ x 5″ |
| Weight | 2 lbs |
Hornady Dehumdifier Canister Pros and Cons
Unlimited recharge capabilty, color changing crystals
Smaller effective dehumidifying area, Oven recharges can get tedious
The Lockdown Silica Gel canister is another great choice for a canister-type dehumidifier.
It has a slightly higher effective area than the Hornady and operates just the same. So why do we prefer the Hornady?
It’s because the color-changing dessicant crystals are less pronounced on the Lockdown. But other than that… a solid choice for those looking for (or needing) a canister type dehumidifier.
It’s because the color-changing dessicant crystals are less pronounced on the Lockdown. But other than that… a solid choice for those looking for (or needing) a canister type dehumidifier.
Lockdown Canister Specs
| Dehumidifier Type | Dessicant |
| Cubic Ft Efficiency | 57 cubic feet |
| Dimensions | 1.5″ x 6″ x 2″ |
| Weight | 2 lbs |
The Lockdown Silica Gel canister is another great choice for a canister-type dehumidifier.
It has a slightly higher effective area than the Hornady and operates just the same. So why do we prefer the Hornady?
It’s because the color-changing dessicant crystals are less pronounced on the Lockdown. But other than that… a solid choice for those looking for (or needing) a canister type dehumidifier.
Lockdown Silica Gel Canister Pros and Cons
Unlimited recharges, no electricity required
Not the largest effective area, color change crystals are not as apparently clear as other canister-type, oven recharge
Last on our list, but definitely not least is the Eva Dry Renewable.
The Eva Dry works similar to the Hornady rechargable except this time there’s no complaints about the recharge function. They seem to work just right on the Eva Dry. A single Eva Dry can supposedly cover up to 333 cubic feet. Which is pretty impressive because Eva Dry sells these in a money saving two-pack.
Now, they may not be as effective as some of the electric dehumidifiers such as the Goldenrod. But if you’re looking for the best gun safe dehumidifiers that aren’t electric, the Eva Dry Renewable might be your best bet.
Eva Dry Renewable Specs
| Dehumidifier Type | Dessicant |
| Cubic Ft Efficiency | 333 cubic feet |
| Dimensions | 6.5″ x 5″ x 3″ |
| Weight | 2 lbs |
Eva Dry Renewable Mini Dehumidifier Pros and Cons
Available in discounted 2-pack, rechargable up to 10 years, under warranty for 5 years
Does not come with mount
Why You Need a Top Gun Safe Dehumidifier
Now, you may be wondering why you need a gun safe dehumidifier in the first place. Isn’t having a safe good enough? The problem is that safes may keep your guns safe from outside forces and elements, but the inside of the safe has its own environment.
And depending on where you’re located…that can be a very humid one. Moist and humid environments spell trouble when storing your guns. The moisture in the air over time can rust your gun components, corrode moving elements, and cause pitting within your barrels. None of this is good for your gun. Severe cases of rust and corrosion can cause malfunctioning firearms.
I don’t know about you, but I want my guns to work right and when they’re supposed to–especially during cases of home defense.
That’s why it’s so important to dehumidify your gun safes.
How Do You Determine The Humidity of Your Gun Safe?
When it comes to keeping your guns nice and dry, you really need to pay attention to the exact measure of humidity within your safe.
The recommended value range to stay between is around 45-55% relative humidity. Anything above that, your guns are going to start to rust and corrode. And anything below that can start to dry out your guns too much. Like that wooden furniture on your old Mossberg–leading to cracks or deformities.
Thankfully, there’s a simple little device that can help you keep track of just how humid the air inside your safe is. It’s called a hygrometer. And if you have a gun safe, you need one of these. I’d recommend picking up one of these sweet little ThermoPros. They’re right around ten bucks and get the job done.
What’s the difference between electric-type and dessicant dehumidifiers?
When it comes to choosing the best gun safe dehumidifiers for you, there are two main types to select from: electric and dessicant.
Electric gun safe dehumidifiers aren’t “true dehumidifiers” in the sense of the word. They don’t actually draw the moisture out of the air. Instead, electric dehumidifiers work by heating up and circulating the air around them. This warm cyclic air helps to prevent condensation buildup on the interior walls of your safe keeping your guns dry. Because hot air rises, the ideal place in your safe for these would be at the bottom. By the time that hotter air has reached the top of your safe, it will have cooled down quite a bit. This cooler, “heavier” air then sinks back down to the bottom near the dehumidifier. And the cycle starts again. A big fear that some people have is putting a heating element in with combustable components such as ammo. However, the electric rods don’t heat up nearly enough to trigger any combustion.
Dessicant types are extremely different than their electric counterparts. They work by having special moisture absorbing crystals that actually draw the moisture out of the air. The crystals act like little sponges and are usually made to change color when they’ve absorbed all they can. This lets you know when your crystals need to be “recharged”. Recharging can happen via one of two ways. First, you can plug the dehumidifer into a wall socket which heats up the crystals and allows the moisture to evaporate out. While this does work, the second method is much more efficient. The next method is to put the entire dehumidifier inside of a preheated oven for a short period of time. This definitely does a much better job at recharging the crystals and at a fraction of the time. The only issue with that is performing an oven recharge takes time a bit of time out of your day whereas the other method you just plug in and forget.
What Are The Best Gun Safe Dehumidifiers for You?
There are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of dehumidifiers available on the market. But which ones are the best for you?
That can be pretty difficult to figure out. But if you follow this handy checklist you should be able to narrow it down.
- Do you require a dessicant dehumidifier or electric?
Before you start purchasing a dehumidifier, you need to determine what type is best for you. And whether you choose an electric-type or dessicant is based on a few factors. First, do you have enough room in your safe for an electric type to fit comfortably? An electric dehumidifier requires a large amount of space to function properly than most dessicant types. So if you have to finagle a rod type all sorts of ways… Stick with dessicant. Next, is your safe located near an electrical outlet? Moving a safe isn’t an easy matter. If it were…they wouldn’t be so safe. An electric dehumidifier would be too much of a hassle if there’s nowhere to plug it in.
And finally, if you have to drill holes in your safe… stick with dessicant. Some safes come equipped with special ports that you can run a wire through OR there’s an actual outlet inside. Putting a hole in your safe not only is gonna suck to do, but it will certainly jeopardize the integrity and fireproofing of your safe.
- How many cubic feet do you need dehumidified?
Be sure to choose the right option based on the size of your safe. If you have a smaller safe, you might not need a 36″ Goldenrod. So break out your safe’s manual for the most accurate measurement. But…not all of us still have those manuals. Things happen. It may have been lost or accidentally tossed out. However, that doesn’t mean you can get a good reading of how many cubic feet your safe is. It just requires some simple calculations.
You’re going to need to take three measurements. The height of your safe, the width of your safe, and the depth. BUT… You need to make sure that you’re measutring this out in feet for the calculation to work right the first time. Now,take all three of those values and multiply them together. So if you’re safe is 6 feet x 4 feet x 3 feet, your safe is 72 cubic feet.
- Where are you located?
Another thing you need to consider is where your safe is located. Both geographically and inside your home. And that’s because every location has a different level of humidity. A safe stored in your basement is more prone to moisture than one kept within your den. And that means your basement safe would require a more powerful gun safe dehumidifier.
Also, where you live depends on how strong of a dehumidifer you need. If you’re based out of New Mexico or Arizona, you’re going to need substantially less drying power than those of you in the Florida Panhandle.
- Do you need a combination of different products?
This is a strategy that many gun owners opt for–particularly in more humid places. Even our best gun dafe dehumidifiers can’t always get the job done on their own. And it you want more protection for your guns, layering your dehumidifiers with different options is a great way to do so.
The most common arrangement used is having an electric on the bottom with dessicant types on the towering shelves. But again if you don’t have the necessary electrical capacities for a drying rod, you’ll have to rely on a full dessicant setup.