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? The Meaco Dehumidryer has a large 25 litre per day capacity that’s great for whole houses. It’s a refrigerant model though, so doesn’t work as well in cooler conditions. 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. 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.

Daewoo 16 Litre Dehumidifier Portable Digital 24 Hour Timer

Air ionising and filtration system: Helps keep the air super fresh. Filter system with activated carbon, HEPA and pre-filter and HEPA to remove dust, mites, allergens, smoke and light odours. 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. The DD8L Zambezi is an example of a desiccant dehumidifier. These models often have lower capacities but work best in cooler environments. 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. 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.Key specs – Dehumidifier type: Compressor; Tank size: 2.5l; Extraction rate: 10 litres per day; Dimensions: 47.2 x 23.7 x 31.9cm (HWD); Warranty: 5 years parts and labour 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. 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. Key specs – Dehumidifier type: Desiccant; Tank size: 2l; Extraction rate: 6 litres per day; Dimensions: 48.5 x 29 x 17.5cm; Weight: 6kg; Warranty: 2 years 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.

dehumidifiers to prevent mould and help dry your laundry Best dehumidifiers to prevent mould and help dry your laundry

Removes up to 16L when hose is connected. 5.5L tank for when hose is disconnected, cuts off when full; Pros: Can control from your phone, comes with a remote control, can control humidity, portable, LED display, timer, indicator when tank full What isn’t so obvious is that temperature can affect your decision. This is because desiccant and refrigerant dehumidifiers work better in different conditions. 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.

How does a dehumidifier work?

Keep it running all day long and the costs could mount up, but this is an excellent dehumidifier for situations where a refrigerant model just won’t work. Don’t get too excited about this dehumidifier’s smart capabilities. You can connect it to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth, but the app is little more than a glorified remote control with only basic scheduling features and no way to integrate with existing air quality meters you might have hooked up. That aside, it’s a well-designed and effective dehumidifier, capable of extracting up to 20 litres per day into a larger-than-average six-litre tank. We found this surprisingly easy to remove from the rear of the machine when full, with a built-in handle for carrying.