LG UD501KOG5 vs UD501KOJ5: pump and Wi-Fi differences

Match the exact suffix to the water route

The model sticker is more useful than a front photo: both images show a similar rounded black body with top controls and casters. LG’s product pages identify the exact model code, list the KOG5 as a washable-filter home model, and mark both models discontinued. The owner manuals confirm separate configurations. A current marketplace listing that omits the final code is not enough to verify the pump, Wi-Fi or included hoses.

UD501KOG5 review describes a 13.3-pint tank, washable filter, two fan speeds and a lower gravity-drain adapter. For continuous drainage, its manual calls for a 3/4-inch-outer-diameter threaded garden hose and then tells the owner to reinstall the tank. LG does not publish maximum gravity-hose reach. There is no pump in the KOG5 specification, so its gravity outlet must be lower than the unit; an uphill drain is outside the documented plan. Bucket collection remains available, with full-bucket shutdown.

UD501KOJ5 review covers the pump-and-Wi-Fi variant. Its pump connects through the bucket bay, starts after the fitted 13.3-pint tank is full, and uses a supplied 16¼-foot (5-metre) long hose. LG warns not to install the hose end higher than 16¼ feet. The exact manual separately documents downhill gravity with a garden hose and the fitted bucket. The two routes are not interchangeable: the garden hose is not the lift hose, and the pump plan is not a documented bucketless arrangement. Wi-Fi adds historical ThinQ remote-control capability but cannot alter the mechanical tank or hose rules.

Do not compare old and new pint ratings without the test footnote

Both 2019 LG sheets print 50 pints per day and IEF 1.80 L/kWh. Their footnote says the rating used the pre-June 13, 2019 DOE test procedure, which measured pint-removal performance at 80°F; later DOE procedure changed to 65°F. The class label is useful to distinguish the pair from LG’s 25- and 35-pint units, but it is not a direct like-for-like result against modern models tested under the changed condition. Real room output varies with temperature, humidity and moisture load.

Both sheets list a 13.3-pint tank, 115 volts/60 Hz, 545 watts, two fan speeds and the same 16.8 × 12.6 × 26.2-inch cabinet. The KOG5 net weight is 43.9 pounds and KOJ5 is 45.2 pounds. These are source specifications, not a physical inspection of any used example. LG lists ENERGY STAR qualification for both; the exact KOG5 and KOJ5 sheets are the evidence, not sibling specifications.

Use this family as an owner reference, not a used-appliance endorsement

The maintenance details can help an owner check the correct instructions: the manuals describe a washable filter, auto-defrost, 30–80% RH adjustment, 41–90°F operating range, roughly 12 inches of wall clearance and a one-hour safety-standby interval after 23 hours of operation. KOJ5 adds a 350-hour filter reminder and 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi setup in its manual. The available sources do not establish whether ThinQ registration or service remains compatible today.

If an existing installation has only a gravity hose and no app, KOG5 is the closer match; if it has the pump assembly and original ThinQ controls, KOJ5 is the documented version. For a replacement purchase, compare current products by their exact model manuals, specified pump-rise basis, hose length, bucket requirement, present service support and current availability. Do not treat the discontinued status, an old 50-pint class label, an exterior gallery image or a secondhand listing as evidence of present condition or suitability.