MeacoDry Arete One 12L Dehumidifier / Air Purifier

If your windows stream with condensation on cold mornings, or you have black spots creeping along the wall behind the wardrobe, you know the damp Irish climate is winning. This machine tackles both the moisture and the musty air that comes with it, without you needing two separate appliances cluttering up the hall.

How it helps

Inside is a compressor that pulls water from the air and collects it in a tank. At the same time, air passes through a medical-grade HEPA filter to trap dust, pollen and other particles. You get drier air that is cleaner to breathe, and you only pay for one plug socket instead of two machines running.

Getting the best from it

• Move it to where the problem is worst. The castors make it easy to roll between rooms, so shift it to the bedroom at night or the bathroom after a shower.
• Use the continuous drainage option with a garden hose if you are leaving it running for days. The lid has a built-in adaptor, so you do not need to buy extra parts.
• Set the humidistat between 40% and 70% depending on the season. Lower in winter stops condensation, higher in summer keeps things comfortable.
• Run it on laundry mode when you have washing drying indoors. It costs roughly 10.7 cent per hour to run and dries clothes faster than radiators alone.

Who it suits

This suits houses and flats up to three bedrooms, especially if someone in the home has allergies or you want to avoid buying separate devices. It works in temperatures from 5°C to 35°C, so it handles Irish winters and summer heatwaves. It is not for large detached homes with four or more bedrooms, where you would need a bigger unit. It is also not for unheated sheds or garages that drop below 5°C, as the compressor will struggle. If you only want occasional spot drying in a tiny box room, a smaller desiccant model might suit you better.