Sunpentown SPT SU-4010 Review
Pros: Simple controls
Cons: High up front and long term costs, not an outstanding performer in any capacity
Manufacturer: Sunpentown
Our Verdict
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 This Product
Sunpentown SPT SU-4010 | |||||
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| Awards |  |  | |  | |
| Price | $83 List $85.04 at Amazon | $90 List $89.99 at Amazon | $40 List $39.99 at Amazon | Check Price at Amazon | $75 List |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Simple controls | Powerful, accurate humidistat prevents over-humidification, convenient remote control, easy to clean | Exceptional output, low lifetime operating costs | Inexpensive, easy to clean, easy to use | Easy to clean, self-regulating evaporative humidifying |
| Cons | High up front and long term costs, not an outstanding performer in any capacity | Somewhat on the expensive side | Confusing user interface, prolonged cleaning process | Not the most powerful, no advanced features | Requires replacement filters, filter can get moldy if left unattended for too long |
| Bottom Line | A decent model, but not decent enough to justify the high costs | A powerful model with all the bells and whistles you could want, perfect for those looking for high-end performance | With excellent performance ratings and low operating costs, this is one of our favorite models | The perfect budget model for smaller (<150 square foot) rooms | This is a good choice if you appreciate the simplicity of evaporative humidifying |
| Rating Categories | Sunpentown SPT SU-4010 | Levoit LV600HH | Levoit Classic 200 | Honeywell HUL520B | Honeywell HCM-350 |
| Humidifying Performance (35%) | |||||
| Ease Of Cleaning (35%) | |||||
| User Friendliness (15%) | |||||
| Operating Cost (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Sunpentown SPT SU-4010 | Levoit LV600HH | Levoit Classic 200 | Honeywell HUL520B | Honeywell HCM-350 |
| Weight | 7.5 lbs | 4.9 lbs | 3.5 lbs | 3.0 lbs | 9.6 lbs |
| Dimensions | 13.2" x 5.3" x 12.4" | 11.3" x 7" x 10.5" | 13.8" x 7.8" x 5.8" | 8.5" x 8.5" x 9.5" | 18.6" x 10.4" x 13" |
| Tank Capacity | 1.1 gallons | 1.6 gallons | 1.1 gallons | 0.5 gallons | 1.0 gallons |
| Humidification Technology | Ultrasonic | Ultrasonic | Ultrasonic | Ultrasonic | Evaporative |
| Estimated Lifetime Cost | $447 | $159 | $99 | $56 | $203 |
| Estimated Annual Electricity Usage | 65.7 kWh | 65.7 kWh | 87.6 kWh | 43.8 kWh | 87.6 kWh |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Sunpentown SPT SU-4010 earned one of the lowest overall scores in our testing. It requires you to buy expensive replacement filters to maintain optimal performance but does not deliver above-average performance compared to the other models that we tested. We don't feel that this model has any specific advantages that outweigh the long-term costs.
Performance Comparison
Humidifying Performance
The Sunpentown SPT SU-4010 earned an average score in our humidifying performance testing. It took an hour for this model to hit 45% humidity in our testing room, and it maxed out at 51.2%. These stats make this model ideal for most average-sized bedrooms (~150 square feet). This is reasonable humidifying performance, but other models achieved the same or better scores at similar or lower price points.
Ease of Cleaning
The Sunpentown SPT SU-4010 was again around average in our ease of cleaning testing. The biggest negative aspect is its water tank. Though it has a fairly large 3.25-inch opening, there are lots of little nooks and crannies that are hard to reach, and where mold could possibly take hold. The manual also gives only vague cleaning instructions, so you're on your own in terms of determining the best way to keep mold at bay. That being said, it took us about the same length of time to scrub this machine down and get it feeling adequately clean as it did for most of the other models we tested.
User Friendliness
Continuing its streak of average scores, the Sunpentown SPT SU-4010 again falls in the middle of the pack in this metric. It has two knobs, one to turn it on and off and select warm or cool mist, and one to select the mist setting. It doesn't offer any sort of off timer. These controls are quite simple and easy to operate. It lost points because the tank is quite large and can be difficult to fill from a sink. The opening is also large at 3.25 inches, so you don't need perfect aim when refilling.
Operating Cost
This is the biggest drawback of the Sunpentown SPT SU-4010, earning it a low score in this metric. Its upfront cost is a bit more than most other models, especially considering its average performance. The kicker is the $30 replacement filter that it requires every 6 months. When combined with its average electricity usage that results in an estimated lifetime cost of $447, one of the highest in our test lineup.
Value
The Sunpentown SPT SU-4010's list price is already appreciably higher than other models in the same league of performance. When you factor in its replacement filter costs, it becomes one of the least economical models we tested.
Conclusion
The Sunpentown SPT SU-4010 offers reasonable performance, but high costs in both the long and short term make it a poor value.
— Max Mutter and Steven Tata
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