In stockMeaco MeacoDry Arete Two 20L Review
Our verdict: The best all-round dehumidifier for a UK home battling condensation, damp or slow-drying laundry. If budget allows, this is the one we'd buy first.
The MeacoDry Arete Two 20L is Meaco's flagship dehumidifier, built specifically for the British climate and consistently the model UK reviewers (Telegraph, Ideal Home, Reddit's r/AskUK) point to first when someone asks for the best dehumidifier for damp and mould.
- ✓ Genuinely whisper-quiet at 38dB on its lowest speed
- ✓ 5-year parts and labour warranty
- ✕ One of the pricier 20L units…
Meaco moisture extractor specifications
Pros of this Meaco damp extractor
- ✓ Genuinely whisper-quiet at 38dB on its lowest speed
- ✓ 5-year parts and labour warranty
- ✓ Laundry mode dries a load of…
- ✓ Built-in HEPA H13 air purifier on…
- ✓ Smart humidity mode switches itself off…
- ✓ Designed and engineered specifically for the…
Cons of this Meaco moisture control unit
- ✕ One of the pricier 20L units…
- ✕ At 15.1kg it's not something you'll…
- ✕ The app relies on Wi-Fi
If price is the deciding factor, the Pro Breeze 20L OmniDry WiFi Dehumidifier offers the same 20-litre capacity for noticeably less, and it's also a Which? Best Buy winner.
Meaco dehumidifier: pros and cons in detail
The Arete Two earns its price mainly through quietness and backup: at 38dB(A) on its lowest speed it is one of the quietest 20L compressor dehumidifiers on the market, and the 5-year parts-and-labour warranty is nearly triple what most rivals offer. The built-in HEPA H13 air purifier and laundry mode add genuine everyday value rather than gimmick features. The trade-offs are mostly about size and connectivity: at 15.1kg it is not a unit you will want to carry between floors regularly, and the Wi-Fi-dependent app has occasionally proven fiddly to pair for a minority of owners — annoyances rather than dealbreakers for a machine built around this level of quiet running.
Our detailed scoring
Compared against other 16-20L-class units
Scoring calculated from the manufacturer's official specs, compared against the real range for this type of appliance — a scale specific to each metric, not this site's catalogue.
About Meaco's moisture extractor range
Meaco is a British company that has specialised in dehumidifiers since 1991, and the Arete Two range is the result of five years of development aimed squarely at UK housing stock — old sash windows, solid brick walls, homes without cavity insulation. The 20L model sits in the middle of the Arete Two line-up (10L to 25L) and is the size Meaco itself recommends for a typical 3-4 bedroom house.
Unlike cheaper compressor units that simply run flat-out until you switch them off, the Arete Two uses a brushless DC motor paired with a smart humidity sensor: set a target (for example 50%) and the unit runs until it hits that level, then idles, checking every 30 minutes rather than running continuously. That's the main reason owners report barely noticing a change on their electricity bill despite running it 24/7 through winter.
Who this Meaco damp extractor is for, and how to use it at home
For a damp bedroom or living room, Meaco recommends running the Arete Two in Smart Humidity mode set to 50-55%, which is the level most UK health guidance points to as the ceiling for avoiding dust mites and mould growth. It will cycle on and off automatically rather than running non-stop.
For drying laundry indoors — the single most common reason UK buyers search for a dehumidifier — place the unit next to a clothes airer, close the door, and activate Laundry mode. It runs at full power for six hours and then shuts off automatically to save energy; most owners report a full load dry in 4-6 hours, versus 24-48 hours of air-drying without one.
Best placement is a central spot in the room with a few centimetres of clearance on all sides for airflow — not tucked into a corner or behind furniture. In a hallway or landing, leaving adjoining doors open lets one unit dehumidify several rooms at once.
What UK buyers say about this Meaco moisture control unit
UK reviewers broadly agree this is one of the best all-round 20L dehumidifiers available. Expert Reviews and Trusted Reviews both highlighted the move to a quieter DC motor and smarter touchscreen controls over the previous Arete One, while Ideal Home rated it a strong option for 3-5 bedroom houses thanks to its castors and retractable handle. The main criticism across reviews is the roughly £50 premium over the outgoing Arete One — reviewers are divided on whether the extra features fully justify it, though most conclude the build quality and 5-year warranty make it worthwhile.
Sources: Ideal Home, Expert Reviews, Trusted Reviews.
Our verdict on this Meaco dehumidifier: 4.4/5
Buy the Arete Two 20L if you want a single dehumidifier that can handle a whole UK house, dry laundry fast, and run quietly enough for a bedroom — and you're happy to pay a premium for Meaco's 5-year warranty and British engineering. If you only need to cover one small room, look at the Meaco Arete One 12L instead, which is quieter still and considerably cheaper to buy. If your main use case is drying laundry with smart app control at a lower price point, the Pro Breeze 20L OmniDry is a strong, cheaper alternative.
Check price on Amazon.co.uk — £299.00Accessories this Meaco damp extractor might need
A few extras that are genuinely useful with this model, not just upsells:
Replacement HEPA H13 filter (Arete 18L/20L/25L)
This isn't optional maintenance. A clogged filter restricts airflow, which makes the compressor work harder to pull the same amount of moisture out of the air and pushes running costs up. On the Arete Two, the fine HEPA H13 layer also stops trapping pollen, dust and pet dander effectively once it's saturated, so the built-in air purifier stops doing its job even while the dehumidifying side keeps running normally. Meaco recommends replacing it roughly once a year under regular household use, sooner in a home with pets or heavy dust — a fading purifier indicator light or a visible grey build-up on the pleats are both signs it's overdue.
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Digital room hygrometer
A hygrometer measures the actual relative humidity in the room, rather than relying on the figure the Arete Two itself reports at the unit. The two readings can drift apart by a few percent, especially in a corner of the room away from the machine's own sensor. Placing a cheap hygrometer on a shelf or windowsill nearby lets you check whether the target you've set is genuinely being reached across the whole room, adjust it up or down if needed, and confirm over the following days that the space is actually drying out rather than just trusting the display.
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Compare this Meaco moisture extractor with similar models
| Meaco MeacoDry Arete Two 20LTHIS REVIEW 4.4/5 £299.00 In stock |  Meaco MeacoDry Arete One 12L4.6/5 £179.99 In stock |  Pro Breeze 20L OmniDry WiFi Dehumidifier4.5/5 £169.99 In stock | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extraction power | 20 litres/day | 12 litres/day | 20 litres/day |
| Noise level | 38 / 40 / 50 dB(A) across 3 speeds | 35 / 38 / 44 dB(A) across 2 speeds | Under 38 dB(A) |
| Tank capacity | 4.8 litres | 2.5 litres | 4 litres |
| Value for money | 4.4/5 (£299.00) | 4.6/5 (£179.99) | 4.5/5 (£169.99) |
| Check price on Amazon | Read the review | Read the review |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Meaco Arete Two 20L quiet enough for a bedroom overnight?+
Yes — its lowest speed runs at 38dB, which Meaco says is roughly twice as quiet as the industry standard for a 20L compressor unit, and it has a dedicated Night Mode that dims the display and drops to the quietest setting.
How much does it cost to run?+
Meaco's own figures put it at around 5p per hour based on a 22.36p/kWh electricity rate, which works out to roughly £1 for a 20-hour drying session — Meaco estimates this saves about £1 per load compared with a tumble dryer.
Do I need the 20L or would the 12L be enough?+
Meaco's own sizing guide puts the 20L at 3-4 bedroom houses and the 12L at flats or 1-3 bedroom homes. If you mainly want it for one room, the smaller Arete One 12L is usually enough and costs less to buy and run.
Does it work in a cold garage or unheated space?+
Compressor models like the Arete Two lose efficiency below about 10°C. For a garage, shed or unheated loft, Meaco's desiccant range (like the DD8L) is the better choice as it keeps working regardless of temperature.
What's the difference between the Arete One and Arete Two?+
The Arete Two adds the 'chase' LCD humidity display, three fan speeds instead of two, a louvre for directional airflow, timer options and full app/voice control — the Arete One is the simpler, slightly cheaper sibling without those extras.
Other moisture extractors worth comparing to this Meaco
In stockMeaco MeacoDry Arete One 12L
The best dehumidifier for a bedroom or a flat — quiet enough to sleep next to, backed by the same 5-year warranty as Meaco's bigger models, at a noticeably lower price.
In stockPro Breeze 20L OmniDry WiFi Dehumidifier
Cheaper 20L pickThe best value 20L dehumidifier for drying laundry and general damp control — a genuine Which? Best Buy winner that undercuts the Meaco Arete Two on price without giving up much capability.
In stockelectriQ 30L Industrial Dehumidifier
The obvious choice once a 20-litre domestic dehumidifier isn't enough — built for a whole house, basement or building site rather than a single room.
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Meaco MeacoDry Arete Two 20L
£299.00