All dehumidifiers do the same basic job of removing excess moisture from the air. However, there are three different technologies that do all the hard work. When people talk about a dehumidifier’s size, they usually don’t mean its physical dimensions. Instead, the size or capacity is how many litres of water it’s able to extract per day. In practice, larger capacity models tend to be physically bigger too, but this isn’t always the case.

HOMCOM 16L/Day Quiet Air Dehumidifier with Purifier, UVC

Peltier dehumidifiers also cool the air and condense the moisture content into water, but they do it using a cold heat-sink rather than a compressor. They’re not as effective as compressors, removing smaller amounts of water in a given time, but they’re quieter and more energy-efficient. Peltier dehumidifiers tend to be compact, lightweight units designed for smaller spaces.

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It’s probably obvious that the larger the room(s), the greater capacity you’ll need. Rooms with severe damp problems also require larger capacities. Signs of severe damp include stains on walls, condensations on walls and, in the worst cases, wet floors. The latest model in Meaco’s dehumidifier range is a compact version of the superb Arete One, dropping the extraction rate down to ten litres per day, but reducing the size of the unit to less than 50cm high. Not only is the Arete One 10L physically unobtrusive, but it’s also impressively quiet. While we measured noise levels of around 42dB with the fans running at full tilt, these rapidly decreased to well below 40dB, which is about as close as dehumidifiers get to silent. In its night mode, the Arete One 10L can go as low as 35dB. Size, which refers to the quantity of water a machine can extract per 24 hours, is one of the most important factors when choosing a dehumidifier. As a general rule, the larger or damper the room is, the greater the required capacity. This EcoAir model can extract up to seven litres of moisture per day, and as a desiccant-type dehumidifier, it works at lower temperatures than your average refrigerant device. Just like the larger model, the 10L has a laundry mode to dry your washing, and can double as an air purifier with the bundled HEPA filter inserted – although we found it a little less effective in our air-purifying tests than most dedicated models. As a dehumidifier, it’s hard to fault, working efficiently in small and medium-sized rooms to reduce humidity levels and get rid of mould and moisture. Throw in the intuitive controls and easily removable water tank, and this is the best of the compact options, and ideal for smaller rooms and homes.

16L Dehumidifier | Dimplex 16L Dehumidifier | Dimplex

The top row is the size of the room or environment you want to dehumidify. The first column is how much moisture the room contains. Environment Conditions Compressor dehumidifiers work in much the same way as a fridge or freezer. They draw in air and cool it, condensing any moisture as it passes across a refrigerated coil. The water then drips off into a water tank below, while the air is reheated and released into the room. Compressor dehumidifiers can be noisy and may use more energy than other types, although new compressor technology and refrigerants are bringing improvements on both counts. They’re most efficient at warmer temperatures of 20°C and above, and your best bet if you need to remove lots of moisture from a larger space. If you’re pulling out 15 to 20 litres per day, the dehumidifier needs to have a tank with the capacity to handle it or you will be emptying it out every few hours. Three litres is the absolute minimum, while five or six litres will give you a bit less emptying to do. Is there anything else worth looking out for? On the other hand, refrigerant models usually have a higher maximum extraction rate in ideal conditions (high humidity and temperature). What Sizes are Available? Dehumidifiers don’t have to be noisy, and there are some good near-silent options. They will work discreetly in your home without interfering with your sleep or work, so a quiet mode or eco mode is well worth any extra, particularly if it will save you some cash in running costs.The level of moisture in the environment. This is a more subjective measure, unless you use a humidity monitor. But you should have an idea of how damp a space is by noticing where moisture is accumulating. A low capacity model that can manage humidity in a small room with mild damp may struggle with multiple rooms. And if you want a whole house dehumidifier, it’s essential to choose one with a large capacity. At the other end of the spectrum, the most powerful dehumidifiers can have capacities of up to 25 litres per day. Meaco, for example, produces the excellent Low Energy Dehumidryer with a 25 litre capacity. As you would expect, the largest capacity models tend to be more expensive.

Dehumidifier do You Need? GUIDE: What Size Dehumidifier do You Need?

Dehumidifiers range in capacity. The smallest start at around 500ml per day. These models are often cheap but are only suitable for single rooms, boats or caravans.With a two-litre tank, it might need emptying more regularly than some models, but there’s a 1m hose if you need continuous draining into a sink or drain. And while there’s no timer, you do get a laundry mode and a choice of quiet and turbo functions, and the rotary control is – as advertised – simple and easy to use. It’s slightly louder and consumes more power than the equivalent refrigerant, but can also run more effectively over shorter periods. That makes it a good bet for drying clothes or using in an outside office, garage or workshop where damp is becoming a problem, and it’s relatively lightweight and portable to boot. In reality, a dehumidifier will rarely reach these numbers, so it’s not the only factor affecting a machine’s extraction effectiveness. This is because extraction varies greatly depending on the temperature and humidity of the air.

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The Princess isn’t as quiet as Meaco’s Arete models, but you can live with the 46dB it puts out at its highest fan setting, or the 40dB noise levels at low. It also has a useful laundry drying feature that makes the most of the vertical swing on the air output and the powerful fan. It’s simple to control, either through the app or via the built-in controls, and you can keep an eye on the current humidity level through a subtle “hidden” digital display on the front. Rival dehumidifiers have the edge on noise and performance, but the Princess gives you a great set of features at a very reasonable price. Including a 24-hour digital timer, easily set in 1-hour intervals, and the fan speed can be altered between high and low. There’s a Sunny mode for use on warmer, dryer days. Raining mode, which is great for wet days where the humidity is around 40%, there’s also a Continuous/Dryer mode that runs continuously with a humidity set to 20%, great as a low cost way of drying clothes, and there’s also a lower power Sleep mode. The humidity level can be set easily to match your needs, and is indicated via LED on the front of the unit, with a warning indicator for when the tank is getting full. The dehumidifier function will keep your room moisture free, protecting your interior and windows from damp. Protect against allergies and other breathing difficulties by filtering out particles from the air. The dehumidifier can remove 16 litres of water in a day, with a water tank capacity of 2 litres.When testing and selecting the best dehumidifiers we considered capcity, extraction rate, size, portability, sound and value. It all depends on how much space you need to dehumidify. Dehumidifiers are often rated in terms of their extraction rate: how much water they can remove from the air in a single day. This is separate from their water tank capacity, which covers how much water they can store before you need to empty them out. The size of the environment you want to dehumidify. This should be measured in square metres, as that’s the unit quoted by manufacturers in the UK. High-capacity dehumidifiers are usually power-hungry and noisy, but the MeacoDry Arete One is designed to do more with less energy and a lower volume, topping out at 40dB during typical use and keeping consumption to around 200W. In fact, both figures fall dramatically as humidity levels start to drop. It’s an excellent dehumidifier for larger spaces and, unlike most compressor models, will work at temperatures of between 5 and 25°C.