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Damp Maths compares the dehumidifiers sold in the UK by Meaco, Pro Breeze, EcoAir, Ebac, Princess and Russell Hobbs on what their makers publish, and works out what they cost to run at the Ofgem price cap rate. The calculator above takes any model and your hours; the pages below answer the questions people type in winter, when washing dries indoors and windows run with condensation.
Three things we found in the numbers
- The litres on the box are measured in a hot room. Meaco rates its Arete One 12L at 12 litres a day at 30°C and 80% humidity, and publishes 5.23 litres at 20°C and 60%. Most other makers do not say which conditions they use. 12L vs 20L
- Running costs are close within a type, far apart between types. 10 to 12 litre compressor models cost 4p to 6.3p an hour; desiccant models 6.1p to 19.4p [calc]. Desiccants earn it in cold rooms. Compressor vs desiccant
- Against a tumble dryer, the answer is a number of hours. A vented dryer cycle buys 24 hours of a 151 W dehumidifier; a heat pump dryer cycle, 7 to 8.5 hours [calc]. Dehumidifier vs tumble dryer
Head to head
- Meaco vs EbacSame price and watts at 12 litres; different noise figures, tanks and minimum temperatures.
- Meaco vs Pro BreezePro Breeze costs less to buy, Meaco less to run: how many winters to even out.
- Compressor vs desiccantWatts against cold-room performance, from the makers' tables.
- 12L vs 20LWhat the litres mean, and the makers' own home-size guides.
Questions, answered with figures
- Drying clothes in a flatLaundry modes, tanks, weights and the cost of a load.
- Quietest for a bedroomEvery published decibel figure, and what "from 32 dB" means.
- Cost per hour45 models from 2.7p to 19.4p an hour at the cap rate.
- Run it all night?The cost of 8 hours, timers and sleep modes.
- Cold room or garageMeaco's figures at 10°C and the models rated from 1°C.
How we work
We read each maker's product page and the store prices on November 14, 2026 (Black Friday promotions were running), quote the conditions behind every figure, and mark our own arithmetic [calc]. We have not tested these dehumidifiers and publish no ratings. Picks follow written rules, on the comparison; sources and dates on how we compare.
Frequently asked questions
Which dehumidifier is cheapest to run in the UK?
Per hour, the Meaco Arete One 6L at 101 W: 2.7p at 26.32p per kWh. At 10 litres a day or more, the Meaco Arete One 10L and 12L at 151 W: 4.0p an hour [calc]. Among cheaper models to buy, the Pro Breeze OmniDry 10L (£94.99 on November 14) draws 160 W, 4.2p an hour.
Is it cheaper to dry clothes with a dehumidifier than a tumble dryer?
Than a vented dryer, almost always: one cycle of the Candy CSO V8DF-80 (3.63 kWh on its label) costs as much as 24 hours of a 151 W dehumidifier. Than a heat pump dryer, only if your washing dries in less than about 4 to 8.5 hours, depending on the dryer and the dehumidifier [calc]. Our calculator works it out for your load.
Keep reading
- Running costPick a model, the hours it runs and how many months: the maker's published watts and the Ofgem cap rate for October to December 2026 do the rest.
- vs tumble dryerYour dehumidifier's published watts and drying time against a real dryer's kWh per cycle, from its energy label or the EU product database. The answer is a break-even time.
- Compare 47 modelsMeaco, Pro Breeze, EcoAir, Ebac, Princess and Russell Hobbs, compressor and desiccant, with the conditions behind every litre a day and the cost of an hour at the Ofgem cap rate.