This compact Meaco dehumidifier does more than tackle condensation – and costs just 4p an hour to run

This Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier review puts a bestselling model through its paces to see whether it lives up to its claim of providing quiet, reliable humidity control while reducing unnecessary energy use.

It's one of two in this "Low Energy" range; the other being the Meaco 20L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier and Air Purifier. Both are designed to tackle damp, condensation, and mould efficiently, and are positioned as ideal for bedrooms and living rooms.

Their main USP is how energy efficient they are - it'll cost just 4p / hour to run one of these. The Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier is also Quiet Mark awarded, which means that it has met strict acoustic standards that are pleasant to the ear.

A prudent time to use a dehumidifier like this is when there has been a change in the weather or seasons, which leads to colder, wetter weather. This has meant that drying laundry has, once again, become a problem, as has regulating humidity levels and managing rising levels of condensation in the home. Enlisting the help of one of the best dehumidifiers that you can find will certainly help.

I've been testing the Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier, £182.99 at Meaco, for a few weeks in a north-facing bedroom and outside the bathroom to find out how efficiently it'll reduce humidity levels in the home. I'd also be interested to find out how quickly it'll dry 10kg of washing every day. To do this, I'll follow the Ideal Home dehumidifier testing process, taking note of how it can affect humidity levels and how easy it is to use day-to-day.

In a nutshell

If you're looking for a compact, effective and reliable dehumidifier, then your search ends here: the Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier is all of this, and more.

I've found that it has reduced humidity levels throughout my home within a few hours and, although it is not smart per se, the timer has meant that it has only been working for a set duration. It's also been a useful aid to drying laundry which, although it isn't the most efficient of dehumidifiers that I have tested, has helped to wick away moisture in the air and, in turn, keep damp at bay.

It also has an air purifier mode which will come into its own in the spring/summer months to help combat pollen. For test purposes, I toasted some bread to see how effectively it cleared the air from a (deliberately) burnt toast odour, with windows shut, and, in all honesty, I didn't find it made much difference compared to simply opening the windows.

To move it around the ground floor of my home and up the stairs, it was easy because of the sturdy handle and compact size. However, to manoeuvre it around a room where washing was hung up was a little tricky because it doesn't come with any castor wheels.

Likewise, it was tricky to empty the 2.5L water tank (which filled up fast) because removing it from the main unit was what I can best describe as a jigsaw with resistance, and then emptying it was a little messy because it doesn't have a handle to help lift for pouring water away

Aside from the above, I feel that for £182.99 you'll be getting a reliable, robust and effective dehumidifier. It's also super cheap to run, costing just 4p / hour, which is a fraction of the cost of using the tumble dryer. For me, it's a win-win.

Specifications

• Type: Compressor
• Extraction rate: 12L/day
• Water tank capacity: 2.5L
• Max room size recommended: 50m²
• Noise level: 41dB
• Power: 157W
• Dimensions: H48.5 x W32.5 x D24.8cm
• Weight: 10kg
• Portable: Yes
• Automatic humidity sensor: Yes
• Continuous drain option: Yes (hose sold separately)
• Laundry mode: No
• Wi-Fi connectivity: No
• Timer: Yes
• Operating temperature: from 5°C

How I tested

Jennifer Oksien

I tested the Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier for 10 days in my 3-bed family home, where it was activated to dry laundry, reduce humidity levels and clean the air. It was positioned in the utility room to start with, and later carried up the stairs into a couple of rooms with all modes given a thorough working. I controlled it with the set of controls on the unit with child lock often enabled.

Unboxing

The Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier is delivered in a branded cardboard box, which, fortunately, has a cut-out handle on either side to help carry. It weighs 10kg and measures H48.5 x W32.5 x D24.8 cm, so those handles on the side of the box helped provide a firm grip for carrying it into the utility room where our washing machine resides.

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Just one piece of polystyrene was used on the top, and one on the bottom, to secure this Meaco dehumidifier whilst in transit. A large plastic bag was wrapped over the top of it to prevent any scratches in transit, and that was it.

Attached to the dehumidifier were a separate HEPA filter and instruction manual, which were in their own plastic bags.

The cable was tidied up with the most appropriate cable tie yet loose, and there was no drainage hose (I'll spare you from looking, as I, for one, was expecting to see this).

Assembly and set up

By following a couple of steps, you'll have the Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier in a room of your choice doing what it's set out to do.

Once it's lifted out of the delivery box, you'll need to remove the cable tie that is tying up the cable, and the sticky strips securing the water tank in place.

If you're planning on using the appliance for air purification, the included HEPA filter will need to be secured too.

It doesn't have any castor wheels to roll it into a location, but it does have a collapsible carry handle that can be used it you need to move the dehumidifier to the otherwise of the room - or a different room entirely.

This Meaco can either collect water in the 2.5L tank, or be set up for continuous drainage. It doesn't come with a drainage hose but, for reference, it'll take a hose measurement of 12mm ID x 15mm. This Amazon seller has one in a 1 m length for £4.80 that'll be suitable.

As soon as I switched on this dehumidifier, it started to monitor the humidity in the room, displaying a humidity rating on the display screen. This increased and decreased depending on what the sensors were detecting. The fan speeds could be set to high or low, as could AP (air purification) and CO (continuous dehumidifying) with the same arrow buttons.

I also had the option to switch over to the defrost setting, and activate or deactivate child lock by holding down the two arrow buttons.

It'll run continuously, or you can set a timer between 1 and 24 hours or set a target humidity level. I found this especially helpful when I was planning on going out or when I wanted to limit its use, so after setting the timer, it automatically switched off.

Design

The overall design of the Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier is a neat, compact unit, perfect for rooms up to 50m².

Measuring H48.5 x W32.5 x D24.8 cm, it's unobtrusive. With a cable tidy around the back and a collapsible handle on the top, it can be stowed away in the smallest of spaces when it's not in use, too.

It has a digital display which is easy to read. This shows the current room humidity level at all times. You can also view the status of the mode (CO or AP), water tank, timer and defrost, which will be illuminated when activated.

Underneath this display is an ON/OFF button, Up and Down arrows and an OFF Timer button that can be pressed depending on the settings or modes you require.

On the top is the air outlet, which should never be covered. A fairly unique addition to the design of this dehumidifier is the louvre. This Meaco model does not has the ability to customise the louvre, but instead it can be manually adjusted to a wider angle to reduce noise and direct airflow when drying laundry.

Around the back of this Meaco dehumidifier you'll find the 2.5L water tank. This slides out, but you will need both hands. There is the option to connect a drainage hose by removing the water tank.

In 2019, Meaco stopped including plastic hoses for their dehumidifiers as customer feedback suggested that the majority were unused and thrown away. Therefore, if you would prefer to connect a drainage hose, you will need to buy this separately. They are available from resellers such as Amazon, and not available to buy directly from Meaco. For example, this Amazon seller has one in 1m length for £4.80

The HEPA filter sits behind the air inlet grille located above the water tank. This will only be inserted if you popped it in as part of the setup, and there is only any real need for it if you're intending to use the air-purifying function.

Ease of use

Throughout the few weeks of testing the Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier, I have found it easy to use, and it goes without saying that after reading the instructions, it was even easier.

All the use is through the control panel; there's no app or remote control to its name.

I found the control panel responsive and relatively intuitive to use. With only four buttons to press to command the appliance (the power button only to turn it ON/OFF), and an illuminated display, I found that I could easily navigate through the two modes, activate child lock and set the timer.

The handle was also easy to retract and collapse, as was the cable to unravel. However, the cable wasn't quite long enough in some instances. For example, the cable was a hovering trip hazard as it stretched across our landing from the mains plug to just outside the bathroom when there was no other option available.

It also doesn't have any castor wheels, so manoeuvring it around the floor in our small utility room turned into lifting through a mini assault course consisting of a clothes horse, hung wet washing and outdoor shoes.

And I found it tricky when it came to emptying the 2.5L water tank; there's no water level indicator, and there's no handle to help remove it.

Performance

The Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier has worked its way around my home in an attempt to reduce humidity levels and dry laundry. I've also tried it out for air purification, along with activating child lock and the timer.

I started testing this Meaco dehumidifier when temperatures tumbled outside, which meant washing remained damp, even after being hung on the line all day. To test its ability to dry laundry, I hung the laundry on our indoor washing line and clothes horse with the dehumidifier set up in the same room.

The humidity levels started to climb as soon as the device was switched on next to the wet laundry. I manually adjusted the louvre so it was directed towards the laundry, which appeared to mimic the wind blowing.

Within 10 hours, the bed sheets were touch-dry, as were small garments. Jeans, thick joggers and jumpers remained damp for a little longer. This is a comparable amount of time to a heated clothes airer, which I've found in the past to take the best part of a day to dry items of clothing. Still, it's cheaper than running a tumble dryer, so I consider this a win.

Whilst it was located on the ground floor, I thought I'd try out the AP mode. The Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier also has an air purifier mode (AP), which I tested by toasting some bread to see how effectively it cleared the air of a (deliberately) burnt toast odour, with windows shut.

It felt like the air was being circulated than clearer, so I didn't notice much improvement than had the windows been open. I reckon it'll come into its own in the spring/summer months to help combat pollen.

Next up was to reduce the humidity levels upstairs where the bathroom is located, and in two bedrooms that lack insulation in the bay windows, so they get damp walls.

Within the one hour that I set for this Meaco dehumidifier to be working, it reduced the humidity levels outside the bathroom from 89 to 66. The cable was long enough to reach around the wall to the bedroom, with the dehumidifier positioned just inside the bathroom.

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I then wheeled it around into the bedroom to reduce humidity in that space too, which I was expecting to be high.

Within an hour, the humidity reading had reduced from 70 to 64. I set it on a timer and activated the child lock so the children wouldn't play with it too much. The louvre was more than interesting and kept getting tampered with, so I ended up switching off the appliance to avoid any damage.

Energy use

With the current energy price cap for October 2026 at 26p per kWh, I've calculated that it costs around 4.1p per hour to operate the Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier. This is a fraction of the cost per hour of our tumble dryer, which costs 21p per hour.

Experts suggest that homeowners should leave their dehumidifier running for around 4-12 hours per day, so I left ours running for the minimum four hours throughout a day in testing.

For context, it took circa 10 hours to dry a 10kg bedding load in our small utility room, without the heating on, which cost 40p in total. To dry this load in the tumble dryer, it would have cost 63p, based on a 3-hour program.

Noise levels

The Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier has one fan speed yet two modes that output different noise levels. On CO mode (aka dehumidify), I recorded a noise level that bounced between 49 - 50db, whereas on AP mode (aka air purify), it was 48dB.

This looks like very little difference, but in reality, it is very noticeable. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night with either mode activated, so if it's going to be used at night, I would advise using the timer function so it deactivates at bedtime.

Portability

With its small, compact form, I found that the Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier was easy enough to move around my home. This was helped by the collapsible handle, which feels reassuringly strong enough to carry the 9.8kg weight and is comfortable to hold.

It would be even easier to move around the floor if it had castor wheels and an empty water tank.

Maintenance

The Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier requires very little maintenance, regardless of whether you're using it in CO or AP mode.

Perhaps the most obvious routine maintenance is to empty the water tank. Depending on how or where the appliance is being used, you may be emptying the tank fairly frequently. When it does need emptying, it'll automatically stop what it is doing, beep five times and illuminate the "water tank full" icon on the display.

I'm sure at some point the outside of the appliance would benefit from a wipe-down with a microfibre cloth to remove any dust.

If you're to use it as an air purifier, then it is recommended to replace the filter every six months. One filter is thoughtfully included when you take delivery of your new dehumidifier, and if you need more in the future, this pack of three can be bought directly from Meaco for £33.95.

Comparisons

The Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier is one of 15 dehumidifiers by the brand, and it happens to be one of the most affordable.

At the top of the range is the Meaco Arete Two, 25L, which costs £329.99. It's also available as a 10L, 12L and 20L dehumidifier. A fellow reviewer, Jullia Joson, said that "It's an extremely impressive step-up from its predecessor, allowing you even more control at your fingertips whilst still prioritising a user-friendly experience, brilliant performance, and quiet operation – standout features to us about the Arete One." It was excellent at drying laundry, had Wi-Fi connectivity, featured a built-in air purifier (as with the Low Energy Platinum collection) and had a whisper-quiet operation.

It transpires that the Arete Two is just as energy efficient as the 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier, too, costing just 4p / hour.

A standout in the design is the manual louvre; the Arete Two has an automatic louvre. I've also recently tested the Wessex 20L Dehumidifier, which had an automatic louvre too. I found this automatic louvre effective for circulating the air, whereas a manual louvre directs the airflow, which seemed to make a difference when drying laundry.

If you need a unit with a higher extraction rate than 12L, like when you're drying a lot of laundry, then it may be worth considering the Meaco 20L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier, which also comes with a motorised louvre and castors (hurrah!), so it's a bit of an upgrade.

Equally, if you're after a dehumidifier with a low extraction rate on a budget, then the Wessex 12L Dehumidifier (£99.99, Toolstation) would be worth a look.

Got laundry to dry? Along with the Wessex dehumidifier, I would also recommend the EBAC 4850E dehumidifier, which comes with a dedicated laundry mode. The Honeywell 12L Dehumidifier is also effective and energy efficient (6p / hour). In both instances, I found that they were effective and dried bedding within a few hours.

Meaco are one of only a couple of companies that manufacture and distribute in the UK, which is done from Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire. The other are ebac who operate from County Durham base in the North-East of England. This helps to lower the carbon footprint and support UK-based businesses.

How it rates online

I've found the Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier available to buy direct from Meaco and Amazon who display their own reviews. *Spoiler alert:* customers from both sites would recommend it.

On the Meaco website, this dehumidifier has scored 4.8 out of 5 stars, with a total of 343 out of 402 reviews awarding it the full five stars. Customers have shared that it is "efficient" and "easy to use". A recent review also says that they are "very pleased with the Meaco Low Energy 12L Dehumidifier; it works well in CO mode for drying washing, and in humidity setting works very well in keeping humidity right." It's also worth noting that the delivery experience is a good one.

However, the water tank is said to be "awkward" to empty, and it's louder than a previous model that one particular customer has used.

Amazon Echo that of the reviews left directly with Meaco; 80% of customers have awarded it the full five stars. Customers of Amazon have shared that it's a brilliant piece of kit that effectively removes moisture from the air, making a massive difference in house dampness. They also note that the dehumidifier is simple to use and economical to run, with one customer noting it can dry a 9k load overnight on the half setting. A recent review, left at the beginning of September 2026, adds that "the whole casing and everything looks sturdy and is sturdy! "

However, opinions on the noise levels are mixed, with some finding it quiet whereas others find it too noisy. It has also been mentioned that emptying the water tank is something "to note".

Verdict

Throughout my time testing the Meaco 12L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier, I have found it effective at reducing the humidity levels in my home. For example, after one hour of running in CO mode (dehumidify), it has reduced the humidity from 81% to 60%.

I also found that it dried laundry within 10 hours, which may sound long, but with a running cost of just 4p / hour, it still works out as half the price of running the tumble dryer (it's just not the most efficient).

Its small, compact size made it easy to move around the home when using the sturdy handle. I also found it easy to use and set up in the first instance (it's box ready).

The only niggly things to note are that the water tank is difficult to empty because it doesn't have a handle or water level indicator, and it's not on castor wheels, so you can't push it around the room. If those are important to you, then it may be worth taking a close look at the larger Meaco 20L Low Energy Platinum Dehumidifier for an extra £50.