I've never tested a compact dehumidifier that's as good as this - every small home needs one

The Meaco Arête One 6L Dehumidifier is the next in a long line of market-leading dehumidifiers. Their most compact and efficient model to date, it’s the best dehumidifier for small homes. But it doesn't stop there. With an air purifying function, 3p/hour running cost, and coverage for rooms up to 25m², it's the dehumidifier you need to get you through the winter.

If you’ve done your research, there will be two things standing out to you right now: first, Meaco has launched a new model. It’s a blessing in that Meaco makes the best dehumidifiers on the market, but it comes with alarm bells. Meaco's dehumidifiers are always immensely popular - so much so they have a reputation for selling out fast. Their last launch, the DD8L, for example won’t be restocked until the new year.

The second element that will stand out to you is that this is a 6L model. Compared to the likes of their other 25 and 12L capacities it sounds small, but I’ve been testing this out in my home for drying laundry, keeping condensation off the windows, and helping to lift the pervading damp that seems to seep in through the winter. I'm hard to please when it comes to dehumidifiers, but I have to say that I’m seriously impressed.

Meaco Arete One 6L Dehumidifier review

Who would Meaco Arete One 6L Dehumidifier suit?

Perfectly petite, The Meaco Arete One 6L Dehumidifier was borne out of high demand from the market. Meaco's Arete One model has already been a great success, but they found that lots of people who lived in smaller homes and flats were calling for a dehumidifier that wouldn't demand a huge portion of space, whilst also effectively removing moisture from the air - and here it is.

Whilst the model boasts a small footprint, it is also really powerful. You might have noticed that it's a touch more expensive than other 6L and smaller dehumidifiers, but, having tested them all, I can tell you that it's worth spending a little more on. This is twice as quick as the other models that I've tested, the humidity sensor is more accurate, and the clothes drying is some of the best I've tested. It's really hard to beat.

Unboxing and delivery of the Meaco Arete One 6L Dehumidifier

I missed the delivery of the Meaco Arete One 6L Dehumidifier and, not knowing what to expect in terms of size, I was surprised to find it had been left at my local corner shop. I don’t normally include this kind of detail in my reviews, but, honestly, I was pretty mortified at the thought of a huge dehumidifier box occupying my lovely local. I raced down to collect it and was handed a surprisingly compact box. Yes, it’s heavy, but it’s also refreshingly compact too.

Inside the box the dehumidifier is packed securely and sturdily into its place. Most of the packaging can be flattened and recycled, which gets a big tick from me. Lots of dehumidifiers come with plastic and lots of non-recyclable extras, so it’s a big win for Meaco.

The only elements does have some plastic is the outside, which is protected from scratches this way and the HEPA air purifier filter, which is always wrapped in plastic.

What is the Meaco Arete One 6L Dehumidifier like to use?

If you’ve ever used a Meaco dehumidifier before, the Arete One 6L is exactly as you would expect. The top panel is a screen that displays the current humidity level. There are buttons to set the target humidity, activate a special setting for drying clothes, and also a night mode, which switches off the lights and makes the Meaco quieter. All the elements are clear to read, very responsive to touch, and neat too. It couldn't be better.

You'll spot on top that there's a panel. On the initial packaging, it points out that this lifts up to make a handle for carrying the petite dehumidifier around your home. It's a subtle extra feature that makes both moving and storing the dehumidifier a little easier.

Test 1: condensation on windows

We're at that time of year when you’ll be looking for a dehumidifier to get rid of condensation on your windows. Luckily for you (and unluckily for me) this is a battle that I grapple with all through the year, so I could give the Meaco Arete One a good run for its money in my 25 m² bedroom. I split the test into two parts: one is running it overnight to see whether it can prevent condensation entirely and the second was running it in the morning when condensation appeared.

I’ll start with running it in the morning to clear condensation, a test which the Arete One 6L dehumidifier flew through. As soon as I woke up, I rolled the blind and positioned the dehumidifier near the window, with some airflow around it, and left it to work its magic.

The Meaco gives you live feedback, so I could see that my room was starting off at 66% and then after five minutes, it had dropped to 60% and increasingly more and more after until I hit my target humidity of 40%. It worked quickly for much a smaller dehumidifier than I'm used to, so I have to say that I am seriously impressed.

The next test for clearing condensation involved running this lower and slower, overnight. I’m a sensitive sleeper, so was a little apprehensive about having a dehumidifier whirring away overnight, but it’s all in the name of testing.

Whilst the Meaco Arete One 6L Dehumidifier is not completely silent, the noise was modest enough for me to tune out. My dB measurement clocked in at a reasonable 32, which is about as loud as a library or rustling leaves. Essentially, it's a noise that you should be able to forget about.

Test 2: drying clothes

Not all dehumidifiers are up to the task of drying clothes, but I find that I really need one. Even with a heated airer, my home gets really humid when I’m doing the weekly wash so I’ve been looking for a light touch to geo speed things along.

Plenty of Meaco’s other models have also worked well for drying clothes, but they’re all much bigger. I was curious to see whether this one, perfectly petite, would make for a neat solution.

As you may have guessed from how much I've been gushing about the Meaco Arete One 6L Dehumidifier, this was brilliant. It took the edge off the damp and humidity that lingers in the air and actually halved the time that it takes my laundry to dry. In the winter, I need a full 24 hours, but this, with a little heat, had them guard dry within the day. The added bonus was that my windows didn't get condensation on them either, so I didn't need to worry about wiping them down, which is normally a daily job (even without the laundry).

Cleaning the Meaco Arete One 6L Dehumidifier

As long as you’re good at getting the reservoir on its track for removing and replacing the water reservoir, this is easy to empty. I have never had a problem with it, but I am noting that there’s a knack because it’s one that my partner had to learn (and now refuses to believe he ever struggled with...)

There’s a useful carry handle that makes this easy to get to the sink and also a good safety feature for preventing the 6L from overflowing and causing a problem.

You can see that this tucks neatly away after it's been cleaned and cleared up after. It's hardly visible in my lounge, which is a big win for me. Even the next size up becomes an object that draws attention in my living space, but this gets covered by the plants and forgotten about.

Should you buy the Meaco Arete One 6L Dehumidifier?

If you’re looking for a compact dehumidifier that boasts power without demanding a lot of space in your home, this is brilliant. I’ve spent a long time looking for a dehumidifier that could’ve this small and still work this well but I think I’ve finally found it.