What is the best type of dehumidifier for cold weather? If you've got a cold, damp room this is what experts recommend

Buying a dehumidifier makes sense at any time of year, given that they’re so good at getting rid of damp and reducing the chances of mould in your home. However, buying a dehumidifier when it’s cold is even more logical because chances are you’ll be looking to dry clothes around the house too. 

Not everybody has or wants a tumble dryer, but the best dehumidifier models on the market can help you get around that. However, lower temperatures can make getting the damp out of fresh laundry a real challenge, especially if you’re looking to conserve energy in order to keep your electric bills from rocketing. The humble dehumidifier may not be a sexy beast but it is a handy way to get clothes dry without promoting mould growth. Dehumidifiers are also widely recognised as being more efficient to run than most dryers going full tilt.

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The best dehumidifier for cold rooms

So then, which dehumidifier is going to be best for your needs? Meaco's residennt moist air experts have come up with the following advice.

Cold rooms less than 10 degrees      

"A desiccant dehumidifier is recommended in any environment where the room  temperature will rarely go above 10°C." This means they are well suited to a cold conservatory or utility room, or perhaps garage, boat or caravan if you own such things.

The air generated by a desiccant dehumidifier is 10 - 12 ° C warmer than room  temperature, so in addition this extra heat can be a welcome way to keep a room a little cosier. This isn’t possible with a compressor dehumidifier. Naturally creating this extra warmth has a cost, so it’s recommended weighing up whether this benefit offers you the best value for money for your needs. 

• Compressor dehumidifier vs desiccant dehumidifier – which is best for you?
• What is a dehumidifier? How to remove unwanted damp and buy the best

What else should I look for when buying a dehumidifier?

Buying the best dehumidifier

Any dehumidifier that’s fast and efficient at lowering levels of damp in your favourite spaces seems like a good idea, but it’s worth considering the specification of the numerous models available before you part with your cash. Generally speaking, the more you spend on the dehumidifier the more moisture it’ll remove from your rooms. Central to this is the power rating, closely followed by checking how many litres of moisture the unit can get rid of.

Naturally, official manufacturer’s figures will often paint a slightly rosier picture of just how much moisture a model can remove, so be prepared to shave a little off those stats when using a unit in real life surroundings. If you just want a basic dehumidifier to remove moisture without much in the way of frills that’s fine. 

However, if you’re looking for a slightly smarter dehumidifier then it’s worth shelling out a little more for higher specification features. A good one to look out for is a humidistat, which is a feature that will make your dehumidifier automatically adapt to its surroundings and tweak its performance to match. Other options, such as multiple fan settings or a drying mode, are all down to what you want your unit to do.

Best dehumidifier deals

Meaco Arete One £159.99 at Amazon
This quiet dehumidifier controls humidity and removes up to 10L of water per day. Better still, it features a medical grade H13 HEPA filter for air cleaning, which removes nanoparticles such as dust, dander, pollen and other allergens. Modes include smart laundry, night and smart humidity mode. Hidden castors and a carry handle make it easy to move too while a 2.5L front loading water tank rounds it out.

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De'Longhi DEX210 Dehumidifier £288.21 from Amazon
This awesome machine is suitable for room volumes up to 45 m³, operates at just 37 dB, has a 2.1L water tank capacity and can deliver a dehumidifying capacity of (max): 10 l/24h. There's a water level indicator, frost protection, humidistat, air filter and a water tank full warning. It can also be moved around with ease and boasts a design that looks good in any kind of room, especially thanks to the clean white lines.

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Meaco MeacoDry ABC Dehumidifier £149.99 from Amazon
This dehumidifier is cheap to buy and also cheap to run. It's energy efficient and has low power consumption, making it cost-effective. Expect low energy costs of 5p per hour based on 34p/kWh cost per hour. There's a dedicated laundry mode, which runs for six hours before switching itself off. A 24 hr timer, Auto-defrost, child lock and auto-off add appeal.