Posted 21 November 2023

Daft question, but...(dehumidifiers)

I am looking to get a dehumidifier. However, I only need it for the purpose of helping speed the drying process of washing on an airer so I don't have to have it out on display for days.

I was intending to maybe purchase the Meaco Arete 12l, but I am wondering if this might be slight overkill for my needs and that I could use a cheaper, more basic dehumidifier that would do the job of sucking the water from my clothes equally as well but obviously over a slightly longer period.

My question, as daft as it is, is how much water does washing hold. Obviously there are a lot of variables - the material, size, spin speed of washing machine etc - but just for getting water from clothes in a relatively cold one-bedroom flat, is spending circa £180 on something with more bells and whistles necessary? I am happy to spend this amount if it would slash the drying time of my washing, but if a more basic appliance would do the job overnight anyway then is there any point?

I would appreciate any advice and input.
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  1. 001Cisco's avatar
    The only question is do you really want to spend £180 on it or if a cheaper brand could cut it.

    My Meaco 20L broken down at year 3 just after warranty expired...
    I then decide to go for something cheaper.

    electriQ 12L Quiet Low-Energy Dehumidifier with Air Purifier is £110.
    I have no ideas of the brand, but it is a lot cheaper...
    CatsWithThumbs's avatar
    I have an electriQ - not that model but similar and it does a decent job with the washing. I run it for 4-5 hours shut in a tiny room with the washing and it is usually almost dry after that time.

    It's also a 12 litre model, no laundry mode. Tank is over half full after drying one wash. Costs about 24-30p to run for the time above
  2. redcantona's avatar
    Drying this way is a long process. Mine takes on average 8hrs but it's not a problem for me, I leave it on overnight.
  3. psychobitchfromhell's avatar
    I have a meaco and it is far and away the dogs dangles of dehumidifiers. If all you need it for is a load of washing though, you could probably get away with a cheaper model. It won't be as effective and it will take longer , but it should work. As to how much water a load of clothes generates, you would be surprised. Easily fill the tank.
  4. Fishyfishy's avatar
    If you're drying washing indoors you likely will need a moderately sized dehumidifier with a compressor such as the Meaco Arete 12l you reference. You could get something smaller or a version without a compressor, but I think you'll be setting yourself up for disappointment, it's worth spending a little more for much better results in your use case. Remember the dehumidifier will also need to remove moisture from washing up, cooking, breathing etc. and not just the clothes.

    Ref your question about water capacity of clothes, if I put through a full load in my 8kg washing machine I normally get about 1-1.5l of water out of it in the tumble dryer, after a 1200 spin. I also have a Meaco 20l which pulls about 4l of water daily from a 3 bed property, keeping a 45% humidity level, not using it to dry washing.
  5. melted's avatar
    If you've got bathroom scales or fishing scales, you could weigh a few loads of laundry before and after drying (or before and after the wash would do if they were dry to start with) and the difference in Kg is the amount of water in litres. (edited)
  6. rev6's avatar
    It won't take long to fill the 12l. In my case I empty each wash otherwise it would stop from being full on the second drying
  7. Jimbobery1971's avatar
    Author
    Thanks for all responses. I think I'll get the Arete 12l for my own peace of mind.
    psychobitchfromhell's avatar
    I had a leak behind my washing machine a couple of weeks ago. The floor was sodden. The meaco dried he whole thing out in two days. Worth the money for that alone. It might be overkill for what you want, but I wouldn't swap mine for a cheaper alternative
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