Compressor or desiccant
A compressor (refrigerant) model passes damp air over a cold surface so that water condenses and drips into the tank. A desiccant model passes air over an absorbent wheel that is heated to release the moisture. Which? says refrigerant models are the more popular type in the UK but typically struggle in colder spaces such as cellars, while desiccant models work in both warm and cold spaces. Electrical Safety First adds that compressors are generally more energy efficient in warmer temperatures and that desiccant types may use more energy overall.
In this listing eight of the twelve models are compressors and four are desiccant. Every desiccant model prints a lowest operating temperature of 1°C. The compressors print between 3°C and 15°C, with EcoAir giving the DC12 MK3 a lower limit of 15°C. Our comparison sets the two types side by side.
Litres per day, and what they were measured at
The litres per day figure is a rating, not a promise. It is the water a unit removes in 24 hours in a stated test room, and the test room differs by maker. Several compressor models print their headline figure at 30°C and 80% RH (the Meaco Arete One 12L and ABC 10L, the Pro Breeze PB-18 and the EcoAir DC12 MK3), while EcoAir’s desiccant models print 7.5 to 10 L at 20°C and 60% RH. Ebac prints no litres per day on its product pages, and NETTA and the Pro Breeze 20L Smart print a figure with no conditions.
A 12 L rating at 30°C and 80% RH and an 8 L rating at 20°C and 60% RH cannot be compared as they stand. Meaco’s own pair of figures for the Arete One shows the gap: 12 L at 30°C and 80% RH, but 7.5 L at 27°C and 60% RH. Its DD8L Pro shows how much the setting matters, at 2.12, 5.4 and 7.97 L/day on fan speeds 1, 2 and 3 at 20°C and 60% RH. Compare figures only when the conditions match, and treat a figure with no conditions as a size band rather than a measurement.
Tank size is not capacity
The tank holds the water and the rating describes how fast it arrives. In this listing the tanks run from 1.5 L (NETTA) to 4 L (Pro Breeze OmniDry 20L Smart), and they do not follow the ratings: Ebac’s 2650e has a 3.5 L tank while the 3850e, which Ebac lists with the larger capacity, has a 2.5 L tank.
A small tank on a unit working hard in a damp room can fill quickly and switch the machine off. If you cannot empty it often, look at continuous drainage. The Pro Breeze PB-18 and 20L Smart and the EcoAir DC12 MK3 list drain hoses in the box, NETTA attaches one, Meaco lists a garden-hose adaptor but no hose, and Ebac sells permanent drainage as an extra.
Practical room considerations for UK homes
Rated room sizes are sales claims, not measurements. Pro Breeze says up to 20 m² for the PB-18, NETTA says 20 m², and Ebac gives home sizes of 180 m² and 225 m² for its two models. Think instead about where the moisture comes from, how many people live there and how cold the room gets. Which? puts 7 to 12 L in a small-capacity band for a single person in a small flat with a mild problem, 14 to 16 L in a medium band and 18 L or more in a large band, for a lot of moisture or laundry dried indoors.
A unit works only on the air it can reach, so keep doors and windows closed while it runs, as Which? and Electrical Safety First advise. Leave space around it: the makers ask for between 20 cm and 50 cm depending on the model, and Which? says to keep it clear of walls, furniture and curtains, although it notes that Meaco’s Arete range is designed to work against a wall. In a rented home, Shelter says a landlord should find the cause of condensation and not blame everyday living, so tell them in writing before you buy an appliance to cope with it.
Controls, drainage, noise and care
Humidistat ranges differ. The Meaco Arete One sets 40% to 70% RH and the ABC 10L 30% to 80%, Pro Breeze and EcoAir’s DC12 MK3 set 30% to 80%, and EcoAir’s DD1 Simple and DD3 Simple use a dial. Ebac sells Smart Control, which it says varies performance automatically, and prints no target range. Which? says most dehumidifiers have a humidistat and tests how accurate it is, a result Shopicks cannot see.
Noise figures in this listing are printed without measurement conditions, and some are a single ‘from’ value or give two figures without saying which setting each belongs to. Compare them with that caution. For care, clean the filter at least every two weeks where the maker says so (Meaco, Pro Breeze and EcoAir all do), empty the tank after use, and follow each manual on unattended and overnight running. Electrical Safety First advises against running a dehumidifier overnight or while away unless the maker says it is safe, and recommends a socket with RCD protection.
How this list was made
We chose models that differ in technology, tank size, controls and maker, not different colours of one model, and we kept a model only where we could open its exact Amazon.co.uk listing and a manufacturer page and match them. We rejected candidates whose listing and maker page disagreed or whose UK maker page could not be opened, including one Pro Breeze 12L listing with conflicting model rows, the Bosch Dry 4000 and the De’Longhi AriaDry Multi.
The list is not a ranking and makes no claim about sales or value. One card is marked as a featured example to illustrate the page, and the card says why. Prices, stock, star ratings and review counts are not shown because Amazon only permits them from its own site, so each button takes you to Amazon.co.uk to check the current price and availability.
