Verdict: The MeacoDry Arete Two 12L is an excellent combined dehumidifier, laundry dryer and basic air purifier for smaller UK homes. Its smart controls, adjustable louvre, three fan speeds, five-year warranty and useful 5–35°C operating range make it a strong buy at around £180–£200. However, its H13 HEPA filter should be treated as supplementary filtration rather than automatically as a replacement for a dedicated, independently tested air purifier.
It is best suited to flats and one-to-three-bedroom homes dealing with condensation, damp laundry or everyday airborne dust and allergens. Larger properties, colder specialist spaces and buyers seeking measurable high-output air cleaning may be better served elsewhere.
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Pros and cons
Pros
- Combines dehumidification, laundry drying and HEPA filtration.
- App control, humidity monitoring, Alexa and Google Home support.
- Three fan speeds, 140m3/h maximum airflow and an adjustable louvre.
- Useful 5–35°C operating range for UK homes.
- Five-year manufacturer warranty.
- Quiet at its lowest fan speed.
Cons
- At 10.9kg, it is easy to wheel but awkward to carry upstairs.
- The 2.5L tank can fill quickly in a very damp room.
- High-speed operation reaches 44dB, rather than the headline 35dB.
- No CADR figure is provided in the surfaced specifications.
- It costs more than the less feature-rich Arete One 12L.
- Published height figures conflict between the product page and manual.
What is the MeacoDry Arete Two 12L?
The Arete Two 12L is a compressor dehumidifier with an integrated air-purification function. It uses a washable dust filter and an included H13 HEPA filter, while Air Purification Mode runs the fan without actively dehumidifying. It is also designed for laundry drying, with high airflow and a manually adjustable louvre to direct air towards clothes.
The Tool Desk
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#1 Best Overall
- 1,500 SQ. FT. DEHUMIDIFIER – Removes up to 22 pints of moisture per day with an adjustable humidity setting from 35% to 85%. Perfect for use in basement, bathroom, bedroom, office, kitchen, cellar, or crawlspace. Maintain a healthy 45%-55% humidity range.
- ULTRA QUIET OPERAION – This model has quiet operation as 47 dBA. Enjoy sleep, a good book, or your favorite show without the disturbing noise of a traditional dehumidifier.
- ENERGY STAR CERTIFIED- This unit is ENERGY STAR Certified and saves 31% energy when compared to traditional dehumidifiers.
- SMART CONTROL -This dehumidifier is Wi-Fi enabled and can be controlled from anywhere through the cloud using the SmartHome app on iOS or Android. You can also use voice commands throughout your house, office, or apartment using Alexa or Google Assistant.
- SIMPLE DRAINAGE – Simply empty the water tank when it is full or connect a standard hose (not included) to the built-in socket for continuous draining. The dehumidifier automatically stops with a full water tank and restarts after the tank is emptied.
Meaco’s product details are available on the official product page.
Key specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Compressor dehumidifier |
| Maximum extraction | 12L per day at 30°C and 80% relative humidity |
| Extraction at 27°C/60% RH | 7.5L per day |
| Tank capacity | 2.5L |
| Airflow | 80, 100 or 140m3/h |
| Noise | 35dB, 38dB or 44dB, depending on speed |
| Power | 136W at 20°C/60% RH on the product page; 155W at 27°C/60% RH in the manual |
| Operating temperature | 5–35°C |
| Refrigerant | R290, 45g |
| Humidity target range | 40–70% RH |
| Weight | 10.9kg |
| Filtration | Washable dust filter and included H13 HEPA filter |
| Drainage | Tank or continuous drainage; hose not included |
| Warranty | Five years |
There are two published height figures: Meaco’s current product page lists 472 × 319 × 237mm, while the manual lists 492 × 319 × 237mm. If the appliance must fit beneath shelving or into a tight space, confirm the measurement with Meaco before buying.
Dehumidifying performance: understand the 12L rating
The “12L per day” figure is not a promise that the machine will remove 12 litres from an ordinary UK room every day. It is specified at 30°C and 80% relative humidity. The manual gives a lower figure of 7.5L per day at 27°C and 60% RH, and extraction generally falls as a room becomes cooler or drier.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →In normal use, the Arete Two measures humidity and cycles the compressor off when it reaches the selected target, restarting when humidity rises. That is more useful than running continuously, but results depend on room size, temperature, ventilation, moisture production and where the unit is placed.
In T3’s hands-on review, the unit collected about 1.5L from a wet shower room over most of a day. That is a useful indication of real-world timescales, not a universal performance benchmark: a dehumidifier should be judged over sustained operation rather than after only a few hours. Read the T3 review for the test context.
Is it good for drying laundry?
Yes. Laundry drying is one of the Arete Two’s strongest use cases. Laundry Mode combines high airflow—up to 140m3/h—with the adjustable louvre, allowing you to aim moving air at the clothes. Meaco says the laundry timer can be set from one to 12 hours.
- Put the appliance in a small room with the clothes nearby.
- Close windows and doors while drying, unless the room requires specific ventilation.
- Leave space between garments so air can circulate.
- Point the louvre towards the washing, without blocking the intake or outlet.
- Use the timer and empty the tank afterwards, or install continuous drainage.
T3 found that jeans took more than two hours to dry in its test. That is slower than a tumble dryer, but potentially cheaper electrically. Actual drying time depends on fabric, spacing, room temperature and how wet the clothing is.
Rank #2
- 【Compact Size, Big Efficiency】 The upgraded 2025 Waykar dehumidifier features cutting-edge rotary compressor technology. It’s more compact but still powerful, capable of removing up to 34 pints of moisture per day (at 95℉, 90% RH), ideal for spaces up to 2,000 sq. ft. such as living rooms, basements, bedrooms, and offices. The adjustable humidity range from 30% to 80% helps you easily maintain the ideal indoor humidity
- 【High Savings, Low Power Use】 Certified as 2025 ENERGY STAR Most Efficient, this unit uses 50% less energy than traditional models, saving you approximately $1,000 annually on electricity bills while meeting strict U.S. efficiency standards. Additionally, it is DOE and TUV certified for energy efficiency and safety, ensuring stable performance, durability, and reduced energy consumption
- 【1 Device, 2 Drainage Options, 3 Modes】 This versatile unit offers dehumidifying, drying, and continuous modes to handle various moisture levels. You can choose between the included 3.3 ft drain hose or the 0.62-gallon water tank for easy drainage. The detachable, washable filter keeps your air fresh and healthy. Note: When using the water tank, please ensure the drain pipe switch is tightened to prevent leaks
- 【High Airflow, Low Noise】 Equipped with 2 adjustable fan speeds—low and high—you can easily adjust the airflow to match varying humidity levels. Advanced noise reduction technology ensures quiet operation, with a minimum noise level of just 38 dB—much quieter than the typical 45 dB—making it perfect for bedrooms, offices, and nighttime use, creating a calm and peaceful environment
- 【Smart Safety, Efficient Operation】 The unit features multiple automated safety functions, including overload protection, power outage memory, auto shutoff when the tank is full, and high-precision sensors for automatic defrosting. It ensures stable and efficient operation in any environment. Additionally, the built-in child lock prevents accidental changes, making it especially suitable for households with children and pets
How effective is the air purification?
The included H13 HEPA filter is intended to capture airborne dust, allergens and pet dander. Meaco also offers an optional charcoal filter for odours and volatile organic compounds; HEPA filtration should not be assumed to remove smells.
T3 reported that the unit handled incense smoke surprisingly well in its test. That is encouraging, but it remains a single editorial test. The surfaced product specifications do not provide a clean-air delivery rate (CADR), independent particle-removal results or independently verified room-coverage figures.
Consequently, the Arete Two is best understood as a useful two-in-one appliance with supplementary air filtration. If smoke, traffic pollution or severe allergies are your main concern, a dedicated purifier with published CADR and room-coverage data remains the safer choice. The Arete Two is not an air conditioner: it can move filtered air and create a breeze, but it does not provide active cooling.
Noise and bedroom use
The published noise figures are 35dB on low, 38dB on medium and 44dB on high. The low-speed figure supports calling it quiet, but not silent in every mode. High-speed laundry operation is clearly the louder setting, and compressor cycling, floor vibration and room acoustics affect how it sounds in practice.
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Night Mode should be the first choice for bedroom use, while high-speed laundry mode is better reserved for times when speed matters more than quiet operation. T3 reported only one fan-speed level in Air Purification Mode, so check the current manual or app behaviour if precise overnight control is important.
App and controls
The app is a meaningful upgrade over the Arete One. It adds remote mode changes, humidity monitoring, target-humidity adjustment, timers, air-purification selection, child lock and access to Smart Humidity, Smart Laundry and Night modes. Alexa and Google Home support can also be useful when the unit is positioned out of reach.
The physical controls use a clear LCD “Chase” display showing current and target humidity. Indicators identify high humidity, optimum humidity, a full tank and Wi-Fi pairing. The touch interface is straightforward, although app control may be more convenient for scheduling.
Rank #3
- 110-Pint Superior Performance：The DREO Dehumidifier delivers superior moisture removal, ranging from 50 to 110 pints per day(86℉, RH 90%), perfect for 4500ft² large spaces like basements, bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. Its rapid dehumidification reduces humidity levels by up to 45% per hour, ensuring a faster, drier environment.
- More Energy-Efficient Than Energy Star 2024: DREO Dehumidifier with higher water removal removes up to 4.0 pints/kWh, consuming less energy than the latest efficient Energy Star 2024 (5.0) standard of 3.8 pints/kWh. Therefore, it has lower annual costs and more cost-efficient. Compared with other dehumidifiers, it also reduces electricity consumption by up to 50% annually, making it a more economical and cost-effective choice.
- Accurate Humidity Control: The DREO Dehumidifier adapts to your needs with three customizable modes(Comfort/Auto/Continuous Mode) for optimal moisture control. In Auto Mode, simply set your target humidity level—the built-in high-precision humidity sensor intelligently adjusts between low/medium/high speeds to maintain your desired humidity within a 5% tolerance.
- Dual-Option Drainage: Thanks to its 2 gallon (8L) extra-large water tank, the DREO dehumidifier can operate continuously for over 8 hours without needing drainage. When full, the LED display illuminates a water-full alert and automatically stops operation. You can manual empty the water tank, or there is also a drain hose outlet for continuous draining. Dual-drainage system adapts to any environment, from basements to garden.
- More Ways to Control: Take full control with our smart dehumidifier—monitor real-time humidity, set schedules, and timer effortlessly via the DREO app, or enjoy hands-free convenience with Alexa and Google Home voice assistants.
One practical drawback is portability. The integrated top handle can be awkward to find or grip, and 10.9kg is substantial on stairs. The castors work well on a level floor, so it is better described as easy to wheel than easy to carry.
Installation, drainage and maintenance
Place the unit on a stable, level surface with its air inlets and outlet unobstructed. Its flush-to-wall design helps it sit neatly against a wall, but allow the clearance specified by the manual. Check the height discrepancy before buying for a confined space.
The 2.5L tank shuts the appliance off when full, preventing overflow, but dehumidification stops until the tank is emptied. In a very damp room, that may happen frequently. Continuous drainage is supported, although the hose is not included. The hose must be routed correctly and the outlet arranged according to the manual; a badly positioned hose can prevent drainage or cause leaks.
Maintenance includes:
- Emptying and cleaning the water tank when necessary.
- Cleaning the washable dust filter regularly.
- Replacing the HEPA filter when it becomes dirty or airflow drops.
- Keeping the intake and outlet clear.
- Checking continuous-drain connections for leaks.
- Following the manual’s instructions about allowing the compressor to settle upright after transport.
Meaco’s collection lists the H13 10L/12L replacement filter at £29.99, although prices can change. Filter and water-tank damage treated as wear and tear is excluded from the five-year warranty according to the manual.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Running costs and cold rooms
Do not rely on a universal “3p” or “4p per hour” claim. The product page and manual publish different power figures because they refer to different test conditions, and the electricity tariff used changes the result. A simple estimate is:
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power in kW × hours used × your electricity price per kWh
The Arete Two is rated to operate from 5–35°C, which suits many UK rooms. That minimum does not mean it will deliver full rated extraction in a cold garage or cellar: compressor dehumidifiers generally remove less moisture as air temperature falls. For persistently cold specialist spaces, compare a desiccant model.
Rank #4
- ✅ [ Recharge in Just 2 Hours ] - The small dehumidifiers' tiered air duct distributes recharging hot air more evenly, ensuring a full recharge in just 2 hours and extending the dehumidifiers’ lifespan for years of reuse.
- ✅ [ Safe Auto Power-Off ] - Once fully recharged, the system powers off on its own. No risk of overheating, no need to watch over it.
- ✅ [ No Plug Needed ] - Cord-free for effortless use anywhere, two spherical mini dehumidifiers pull in moisture from every angle, absorbing up to 200 ml / 8 oz at a time to keep spaces fresh and healthy.
- ✅ [ Moisture Indicator Window ] - No guesswork. Check the wireless dehumidifiers' status at a glance with the indicator window—orange beads mean dry, green beads mean it’s time to recharge.
- ✅ [ 2 Dehumidifiers, More Uses ] - Each set includes two portable dehumidifiers that cover up to 108 ft² / 10 m². Use them together for larger coverage or separately wherever dampness sneaks in—keeping closets fresh, shoes dry, cars odor-free, safes protected and more.
Arete Two 12L versus Arete One 12L
Meaco’s collection listed the Arete Two 12L at £199.99 and the Arete One 12L at £179.99 when researched. Recheck both prices before publication or purchase.
| Feature | Arete Two 12L | Arete One 12L |
|---|---|---|
| App and voice control | Yes | No |
| Fan speeds | Three | Fewer |
| Maximum airflow | 140m3/h | Lower than Arete Two |
| Display | LCD Chase display | More basic |
| Adjustable louvre | Yes | No |
| Laundry control | Dedicated smart laundry features and 1–12-hour timer | More limited |
| Warranty | Five years | Check current listing |
Choose the Arete One if you want straightforward dehumidification and can do without remote monitoring, voice control, the premium display, third fan speed, adjustable louvre and expanded laundry controls. At a £20 difference, the Arete Two is the more compelling option for smart-home users and frequent laundry drying.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteAlternatives: which should you choose?
- Arete Two 10L: Consider it for smaller rooms when you want the newer smart features at a lower price.
- Arete Two 20L or 25L: Better suited to larger homes, several rooms or heavier moisture loads. A higher extraction rating still does not remove the need for sensible placement and ventilation.
- Separate purifier and dehumidifier: The better route when independently measured air cleaning, smoke removal or high CADR is more important than saving space.
- Separate basic dehumidifier: More appropriate if you do not need filtration or smart features and want the lowest upfront cost.
- Desiccant dehumidifier: Worth considering for colder garages, basements and other specialist spaces.
Important limitations: damp and mould
The Arete Two can help reduce the humidity associated with condensation and mould, but it cannot repair penetrating damp, rising damp, leaking plumbing or failed ventilation. If humidity remains high after sustained operation, investigate the building rather than simply buying a larger appliance.
It is not a mould-removal treatment. Clean affected surfaces safely, correct the moisture source and seek professional advice where mould is extensive or the building defect is unclear.
Is it suitable outside the UK?
This is a UK-oriented appliance using a 220–240V, 50Hz supply. T3 reported that it was unavailable in the US at the time of its review. Non-UK buyers should confirm voltage, plug compatibility, local availability, warranty coverage and servicing before considering importation. UK pricing and warranty terms should not be generalised to other markets.
Final verdict
The MeacoDry Arete Two 12L earns a strong recommendation as an all-in-one moisture-control appliance for a small UK home. It is particularly good for recurring condensation, drying laundry indoors and users who want app scheduling or voice control. The adjustable louvre, higher airflow and three fan speeds make it more flexible than the Arete One, while the five-year warranty adds reassurance.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallIts air-purification function is a valuable bonus, especially for everyday dust and allergens, but the absence of a published CADR figure means it should not automatically replace a dedicated purifier. Buy the Arete Two if you want one space-saving appliance for damp, laundry and basic filtration; choose the Arete One to save money, a larger model for a bigger moisture load, or separate appliances when specialist performance matters more than convenience.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
