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MeacoDry Arete One 20L Dehumidifier and Air Purifier review

No. 3 of 10 in our dehumidifiers ranking · Updated · How we rank

Our verdict: The MeacoDry Arete One 20L Dehumidifier and Air Purifier ranks 3rd of the 10 dehumidifiers we compare, with 8.4 out of 10.

MeacoDry Arete One 20L Dehumidifier and Air Purifier

8.4/10

The MeacoDry Arete One 20L is a compressor dehumidifier with a HEPA air purifier built in, made for damp family homes where noise matters. It suits larger houses and open-plan rooms better than small flats.

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Why it's here

  • Rated for up to 20L a day, with a large tank for a big house
  • Built-in HEPA filter and a laundry mode that shuts itself off after six hours
  • Around 40dB on its quietest setting, quiet enough for an open-plan room
  • Five-year warranty from Meaco

Keep in mind

  • Heavy and bulky to move between floors
  • The air purifier can't run alongside a humidity target, according to some owners
  • A few owners report intermittent clunking or vibration noises
  • Replacement HEPA filters cost extra

What the review sites say

Named in 1 of the 4 best-of lists we read: T3 (its top pick).

Why the MeacoDry Arete One 20L scores 8.4

Each bar shows where it places among the 10 dehumidifiers in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. What the review sites say counts for most of the score.

  • What review sites say3rd of 10
  • How happy owners are1st of 10
  • How new it is10th of 10

Why it sits behind the MeacoDry Arete Two 12L Dehumidifier and Air Purifier

The MeacoDry Arete Two 12L Dehumidifier and Air Purifier (8.6) beats the MeacoDry Arete One 20L Dehumidifier and Air Purifier (8.4) because it does clearly better with the review sites and is the newer design.

About the MeacoDry Arete One 20L

The Arete One 20L is a compressor dehumidifier using R290 refrigerant. Meaco's page lists 216W, an airflow of 150 m³/h, two fan speeds and an operating range of 5°C to 35°C. Expert Reviews, which looked at the 20L model, cites a maximum of up to 20L a day at 30°C and 80% humidity, and 12L a day at 27°C and 60%.

It has a flat back with a cut-out air intake, so it can sit close to a wall. The unit is 618mm tall, 366mm wide and 272mm deep, and weighs 15kg. Castor wheels and a carry handle on top help with moving it, though 15kg is still a lift between floors. The 4.8L tank has twin pouring spouts. For continuous drainage there is a garden hose adapter, but the hose is not supplied.

Smart Humidity, Laundry and Night modes each work from a single button. Smart Humidity has a default target of 55%, adjustable from 40% to 70%, according to Expert Reviews. Laundry mode drops the target to 35% and stops after six hours. Night mode turns off the display lights and slows the fan to its lowest speed. There is also a child lock and automatic restart after a power cut. One HEPA filter is included, and it can be removed and washed. You can switch the dehumidifying off and run it as an air purifier alone.

Meaco quotes 38dB to 40dB. Expert Reviews measured about 43dB on low fan and about 49dB on full fan. Laundry mode was the loudest setting, above 50dB.

What owners report about the MeacoDry Arete One 20L

There is little owner feedback for this exact model in the places we could read. The owner comment we found was short and mentioned only that it was easy to set up.

We found no owner threads that would show how it holds up after months of use, so we can't report on long-term reliability.

Who the MeacoDry Arete One 20L suits

It suits a large or damp family home, an open-plan living area, or a household that wants an air purifier and dehumidifier in one unit. It is also a fair choice if you will run it in a lived-in room, since the low fan setting is quiet by dehumidifier standards.

Look elsewhere if you need to carry it up and down stairs often, or if drying laundry is the main job. Expert Reviews found laundry drying less effective than some rivals, and loud. For washing in a cold room or garage, the Meaco DD8L Pro Desiccant is a better fit. For a flat or bedroom, the MeacoDry Arete Two 12L is smaller.

Questions about the MeacoDry Arete One 20L

Can the MeacoDry Arete One 20L be used as an air purifier only?

Yes. You can switch off the dehumidifying and run it as a purifier alone, using its HEPA filter. John Lewis's listing says the filter is removable and washable.

How loud is the MeacoDry Arete One 20L?

Meaco quotes 38dB to 40dB. Expert Reviews measured about 43dB on low fan and about 49dB on full fan, with laundry mode over 50dB.

Does the MeacoDry Arete One 20L have a laundry mode?

Yes. Laundry mode sets a 35% humidity target and shuts off after six hours. Expert Reviews found it less effective than some rivals.

Can the MeacoDry Arete One 20L drain continuously?

Yes, through a garden hose adapter. Meaco says the hose is not included.

Why does the MeacoDry Arete One 20L make a high-pitched noise when it starts?

Meaco's page says a high-pitched compressor noise at start-up is normal and usually settles after about an hour of running.

Other dehumidifier picks

The other badge winners in our dehumidifiers ranking.

All 10 dehumidifiers, compared

  1. 1 Meaco DD8L Pro Desiccant DehumidifierBest Choice 8.7 Check Price
  2. 2 MeacoDry Arete Two 12L Dehumidifier and Air PurifierValue for Money 8.6 Check Price
  3. 3 MeacoDry Arete One 20L Dehumidifier and Air PurifierThis review 8.4 Check Price
  4. 4 EcoAir DD1 Classic MK6 Desiccant Dehumidifier 8.2 Check Price
  5. 5 De'Longhi Tasciugo AriaDry Multi DEXD216RF 8.0 Check Price
  6. 6 Pro Breeze OmniDry 12L Quiet Dehumidifier with Max ExtractionBest Budget 8.0 Check Price
  7. 7 Pro Breeze 20L Premium Dehumidifier with Laundry Mode 8.0 Check Price
  8. 8 Dimplex EverDri 20L Dehumidifier EVERDRI20EL 7.9 Check Price
  9. 9 EcoAir DC12 MK3 Compressor Dehumidifier 7.9 Check Price
  10. 10 EcoAir DD3 Slimline 10L Desiccant Dehumidifier 7.9 Check Price
See the full dehumidifiers ranking

The MeacoDry Arete One 20L on Amazon

MeacoDry Arete One 20L Dehumidifier and Air Purifier

The MeacoDry Arete One 20L is a compressor dehumidifier with a HEPA air purifier built in, made for damp family homes where noise matters. 8.4 out of 10.

Check Price on Amazon

How we score it

Every score here comes from our ranking model; no editor sets the order. Most of each score is what the review sites say: the scores their own reviews give each model, and whether their best-of lists name it. For this guide we read Expert Reviews, Ideal Home, T3 and Woman & Home. The rest is how happy owners are, held back where few owners have rated a product, and how new it is. Value for money earns its own badge rather than a higher place. We compared 22 models for this guide before settling on these ten.

Brands can't pay to be included or to move up. We last checked these picks in November 2026.

How we rank, in full

Where these facts come from