Meaco MeacoDry Arete One 10L Review: price, specs and verdict (2026)

In a bedroom or small living room, set Smart Humidity mode to 50-55%. The unit switches itself off when it reaches that level and restarts when humidity rises, so it does not run all night.

For laundry in a small room, use the dedicated mode. Keep the machine about a metre from the clothes and close the door. A small unit takes noticeably longer than a 20L model on a full airer, so do not overload it.

In a bedroom, night mode turns off the lights and alerts and drops the fan to its quietest setting. At 35dB it is a low steady hum. Try it for a night or two before relying on it.

The 2.5L tank fills quickly in a very damp room. If you do not want to empty it daily, fit a garden hose to the drainage adaptor (the hose is not included) and run it to a sink or drain.

It works from 5°C upwards, but like every compressor model it extracts less as the room gets colder. For an unheated room in winter, a desiccant unit such as the Meaco DD8L Pro will do better.

Meaco is a British brand, and the Arete One 10L is one of the two smaller units it added to the Arete range after the 20L and 25L models won Which? Best Buy awards. It is a compressor dehumidifier with a built-in H13 HEPA filter, two fan speeds and simple controls.

The 10 litres a day figure is measured at 30°C and 80% relative humidity. Meaco's specification also gives 6 litres a day at 27°C and 60% humidity, which is the more useful number for a UK room, and about 4.3 litres at 20°C and 60%. That is right for one damp room or a small flat, not for a whole house.

It weighs 10.7kg, stands 47cm tall and draws 163 watts, so it costs about 4p an hour to run. The 2.5L tank can be emptied from either side, though it has no carry handle. Wall brackets are available separately if you want it off the floor.

It suits renters in a flat, a bedroom with condensation, a small bathroom-adjacent room, an office or a caravan. If you have a 3-4 bedroom house with wet laundry every day, step up to the 20L model.