The best dehumidifiers for UK homes this winter.
Streaming windows, black spots in the corners and washing that never quite dries: a dehumidifier fixes all three, and most cost around 4–5p an hour to run at October 2026’s energy price.
I compared the specs, the manufacturers’ own test figures and the Amazon UK reviews for the most popular models, and narrowed it down to four, including the right type for cold rooms, which is where most people buy the wrong one.
Quick picks
Short on time? Buy the MeacoDry ABC 12L. It’s the most-reviewed dehumidifier here with the highest rating, and it has a proper laundry mode. Spend £30 more on the Arete One for a five-year warranty and a HEPA filter. For a cold conservatory or garage, get the EcoAir desiccant instead.
- Best overallMeacoDry ABC 12L DehumidifierCheck price ↗
- Best premium pickMeacoDry Arete One 12L Dehumidifier & Air PurifierCheck price ↗
- Best budgetPro Breeze OmniDry 12L DehumidifierCheck price ↗
- Best for cold roomsEcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 Desiccant DehumidifierCheck price ↗
Dehumidifiers compared
| Dehumidifier | Power | Cost / hour* | Water removed | Tank | Laundry mode | Works from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MeacoDry ABC 12L DehumidifierBest overall | 165W | 4.3p | Up to 12 L/day (5.2 L at 20°C, 60% RH) | 2.6 L, plus continuous drain | Yes, 6-hour | 5°C |
| MeacoDry Arete One 12L Dehumidifier & Air PurifierBest premium pick | 151W | 4p | Up to 12 L/day (5.2 L at 20°C, 60% RH) | 2.5 L | Yes, 6-hour | 5°C |
| Pro Breeze OmniDry 12L DehumidifierBest budget | 200W | 5.3p | Up to 12 L/day | 2 L, plus continuous drain | Yes | 5°C |
| EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 Desiccant DehumidifierBest for cold rooms | 580W | 15.3p | 7.5 L/day (steady even in the cold) | 2 L, plus continuous drain | Yes | 1°C |
*At 26.32p per kWh: Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 (direct debit average).
MeacoDry ABC 12L Dehumidifier
£149.99 · ★ 4.7 from 6,376 Amazon ratings · about 4.3p an hour to run
Check price ↗Quiet, cheap to run and brilliantly reviewed. It reads the room’s humidity, holds it at the level you set, and has a one-button laundry mode that runs for six hours then stops. Sold by Meaco directly.
What UK buyers sayThe most-loved dehumidifier on Amazon UK. Owners say windows are dry by morning, washing dries far faster, and night mode is genuinely quiet. One owner is still using theirs after six years. The only recurring niggle: no wheels, and at 10 kg it’s a bit heavy to carry between rooms.
- Power
- 165W
- Water removed
- Up to 12 L/day (5.2 L at 20°C, 60% RH)
- Tank
- 2.6 L, plus continuous drain
- Laundry mode
- Yes, 6-hour
- Works from
- 5°C
- Noise
- 36–40 dB
- Weight
- 10.4 kg
- Warranty
- 2 years (extendable to 5)
What buyers like
- Highest rating here (4.7★ from 6,300+ UK ratings)
- Keeps windows dry overnight, owners say
- Laundry mode, 24-hour timer and humidity display
- Very quiet in night mode
What buyers complain about
- No castors, and it weighs 10.4 kg
- 2.6 L tank needs emptying daily in a damp house
- Like all compressor models, it slows right down in rooms under 10°C
Best for: Flats and 1–3 bedroom homes with condensation, and anyone drying washing indoors.
Check today’s price on Amazon ↗MeacoDry Arete One 12L Dehumidifier & Air Purifier
£179.99 · ★ 4.6 from 812 Amazon ratings · about 4p an hour to run
Check price ↗Meaco’s newer flagship. It pulls the same amount of water as the ABC, adds a HEPA air filter, castors and a five-year warranty, and is a touch more efficient at about 4p an hour.
What UK buyers sayBuyers rave about laundry mode: one says washing that took three days now dries in under 12 hours. It’s easy to empty and move around, and doubles as an air purifier. A few find it a little loud for a bedroom at night.
- Power
- 151W
- Water removed
- Up to 12 L/day (5.2 L at 20°C, 60% RH)
- Tank
- 2.5 L
- Laundry mode
- Yes, 6-hour
- Works from
- 5°C
- Noise
- 35–38 dB
- Weight
- 10.9 kg
- Warranty
- 5 years
What buyers like
- Five-year parts and labour warranty as standard
- HEPA filter cleans the air while it dries it
- Laundry mode cuts drying time dramatically, buyers say
- Castors and a pull-up handle make it easy to move
What buyers complain about
- £30 more than the ABC for the same water removal
- Some find it noticeable at night in a bedroom
- Fewer reviews than the ABC (800+)
Best for: Anyone who wants the longest warranty, or has allergies and would use the air purifier.
Check today’s price on Amazon ↗
Pro Breeze OmniDry 12L Dehumidifier
£129.99 · ★ 4.6 from 4,786 Amazon ratings · about 5.3p an hour to run
Check price ↗The cheapest compressor dehumidifier worth buying. It has the same 12-litre rating, a humidity display, 24-hour timer and laundry mode as rivals costing £20–£50 more.
What UK buyers sayBuyers are surprised how much water it pulls out: one cleared condensation in five hours, another uses it to stop a shower room steaming up. It’s compact and simple to use. The common complaint is the small 2 L tank.
- Power
- 200W
- Water removed
- Up to 12 L/day
- Tank
- 2 L, plus continuous drain
- Laundry mode
- Yes
- Works from
- 5°C
- Weight
- 10.2 kg
- Warranty
- Check listing
What buyers like
- Lowest price of the four
- Pulls a lot of water for its size, buyers say
- Humidity sensor, timer and laundry mode
- Continuous-drain hose included
What buyers complain about
- Smallest tank: 2 L fills quickly in a damp room
- Uses a little more power than the Meacos (about 5p an hour)
- Shorter track record than Meaco for long-term reliability
Best for: Smaller budgets, single rooms, bathrooms and box rooms.
Check today’s price on Amazon ↗EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 Desiccant Dehumidifier
£179.99 · ★ 4.6 from 6,319 Amazon ratings · about 15.3p an hour to run
Check price ↗A desiccant dehumidifier, so it works properly from 1°C, making it the one to buy for a conservatory, garage, caravan or unheated spare room. It’s light at 6 kg and gives off a little heat as it runs.
What UK buyers sayOwners of old, cold houses swear by it: it keeps working in unheated rooms where compressor models give up, and its gentle warmth helps dry washing. One owner dries a full clothes horse in under four hours. A few units failed after around eight months.
- Power
- 580W
- Water removed
- 7.5 L/day (steady even in the cold)
- Tank
- 2 L, plus continuous drain
- Laundry mode
- Yes
- Works from
- 1°C
- Weight
- 6 kg
- Warranty
- 3 years
What buyers like
- Works in rooms down to 1°C, where compressor models struggle
- Light (6 kg) and easy to carry
- Gives off gentle warmth, which helps dry washing
- Simple rotary dial, no fiddly menus
What buyers complain about
- Uses far more power: up to 580W, about 15p an hour on high
- Lower top-end extraction than the 12 L compressor models
- Some reports of units failing within a year
Best for: Conservatories, garages, caravans and cold, unheated rooms.
Check today’s price on Amazon ↗How much does a dehumidifier cost to run?
Compressor dehumidifiers are cheap to run: the three here cost about 4–5p an hour, so running one for eight hours a day costs roughly £10 a month. Desiccant models like the EcoAir use around three times more electricity, but some of that comes back as heat in the room.
Most of the time a dehumidifier won’t run flat out. Set the humidity to 50–55% and it cycles on and off, which cuts the real cost further.
Calculated from manufacturer and retailer power ratings: Arete One 151W, ABC 165W (at 20–27°C), Pro Breeze 200W, EcoAir DD1 580W maximum.
Compressor or desiccant: which do you need?
Compressor dehumidifiers (the Meacos and Pro Breeze) are the right choice for most heated homes. They’re cheaper to run and pull the most water when the room is warm. But as a room gets colder their output drops sharply: the ABC removes less than 2 litres a day at 10°C.
Desiccant dehumidifiers (the EcoAir) work differently and keep going in the cold, from about 1°C. They use more power but warm the room slightly, which makes them the better buy for a conservatory, garage, caravan or a house you don’t heat much.
Source: Meaco’s published extraction figures for the MeacoDry ABC 12L.
Will a dehumidifier get rid of damp and mould?
It will stop condensation, which is the cause of most black mould around UK windows and in bedroom corners. Aim to keep humidity between 40% and 60%; most of these models show the reading and hold it there automatically.
A dehumidifier won’t fix damp caused by leaks, broken gutters or rising damp. If a patch stays wet whatever the humidity, get the cause checked. And keep opening windows briefly and using extractor fans: a dehumidifier works best alongside ventilation, not instead of it.
Drying clothes: dehumidifier or heated airer?
Both, ideally. A dehumidifier on laundry mode in a small room with the door shut pulls the moisture out of the air so washing dries in hours instead of days, and it stops that moisture becoming condensation on your windows.
Put a heated airer next to it and drying is faster still, for around 12p an hour for the pair. See my guide to the best heated airers for the ones worth buying.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best dehumidifier in the UK?
For most homes, the MeacoDry ABC 12L: it has the highest rating of the models here (4.7★ from over 6,300 UK ratings), costs about 4p an hour to run and has a laundry mode. For cold rooms, choose a desiccant model like the EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3.
How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier in the UK?
A typical 12-litre compressor dehumidifier uses 150–200W, about 4–5p an hour at the October 2026 price cap of 26.32p per kWh. Desiccant models use more, around 15p an hour on high.
Is a dehumidifier good for drying clothes?
Yes. In a small room with the door closed and laundry mode on, buyers report washing drying in hours rather than days, and it stops the moisture causing condensation and mould.
Should I get a compressor or desiccant dehumidifier?
Compressor for heated homes, because they’re cheaper to run. Desiccant for cold spaces like conservatories, garages and caravans, because they keep working down to about 1°C while compressor models slow down sharply.
What humidity should my home be?
Between 40% and 60%. Above 60% for long periods encourages condensation, damp and mould. Set your dehumidifier to around 50–55% and it will switch on and off to hold that level.
What size dehumidifier do I need?
A 10–12 litre model suits flats and 1–3 bedroom homes. Larger homes or very damp properties may need a 20-litre model.
How I picked these
I read the Amazon UK reviews for each dehumidifier, looking for the praise and complaints that come up repeatedly, then checked manufacturer specifications and independent tests and worked out running costs at the current Ofgem price cap. I haven’t used every dehumidifier myself. Where I have hands-on notes, they’re labelled. Read how I pick products.
