I got a £180 dehumidifier to reduce mould — my verdict on whether it's worth the money

The stench of mould growing in places I never thought possible is something I'll never forget. The revolting smell that wafted from the powdery green mould blanketing my red slippers still sends a shudder of disgust down my spine five years on.

It was 2020, just a few weeks before Christmas. I was hunched over in the spare room when a black line on the wall caught my attention — three-dimensional and squiggly, like a pencil-thin worm wriggling out of the wall. The sense of dread it sparked didn't quite prepare me for what was to come.

To get a better look, I shifted a cardboard box only to uncover a cascade of black mould on the wall. The dampness was so severe that a patch of paint about 10 inches wide had bubbled and distorted. Beneath it, the skirting appeared as if it were perspiring black mould, reports the Express.

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But that wasn't even the worst part. We traced the length of the wall into the spare room closet. Illuminating the darkness with the torch from my phone revealed a toxic-smelling, powdery mould smothering our belongings like nuclear fallout.

Once everything had been sprayed, discarded, and cleaned, we decided to splurge on a high-end dehumidifier. Moving house wasn't an option, and despite finances being tight, I bought a Meaco DD8L dehumidifier after extensive research.

Why I bought another dehumidifier

If you've ever complained about damp to an estate agent, they'll suggest "just airing the room out" or "popping on the radiator" as though it were that straightforward. Common sense measures can't remedy buildings that simply aren't fit for purpose.

What I hadn't realised then was that external walls are infamous sources of damp, particularly in badly insulated properties that are widespread across the UK. Placing anything near (not even touching) these chilly walls creates a damp pocket that promotes mould growth. Regrettably, I had already discovered that items like shoes, backpacks, and Ikea bedside tables could harbour mould.

For anyone stuck in a similar situation, I have a remedy for you — desiccant dehumidifiers. Most people will be familiar with cheaper conventional dehumidifiers that passively soak up moisture from the air. I've tried a £11 Unibond Moisture Absorber and £35 Pro Breeze dehumidifier before this – they didn't help.

It wasn't until Mouldmageddon 2020 that I explored the dehumidifier market and discovered the version that more efficiently tackles dampness, mould, and condensation. Additionally, desiccant dehumidifiers expel warm air, so they offer a touch of heating and help washing dry more quickly.

Many desiccant dehumidifiers cost over £100, with Meaco — the brand I kept spotting on Which?, Good Housekeeping, Reddit and Mrs Hinch Facebook groups — nearly £200. It was a lot of money, particularly at that point in our lives, but we took a calculated risk buying it anyway.

Meaco dehumidifier: five-year review

My trusty Meaco dehumidifier has been a good investment, I'm relieved to say. It's still going strong and it's currently a bit cheaper on Amazon than when I purchased it.

Condensation

From the outside of our building, our windows stood out. The windows of other flats were awash with condensation that trickled and smeared down the surface. However, using the dehumidifier nightly from October through to March, we saw a significant reduction in the build-up of condensation in the room, often by more than half.

Mould and damp

It wasn't a miracle cure. We still battled with mould and condensation, but short of tearing down that terrible building and starting anew, the dehumidifier was a great help.

Meaco suggests the DD8L is suitable for flats or houses with up to five bedrooms. We would switch it on the lowest setting overnight and position it in the doorway between the spare room and hallway to combat the worst of the humidity and warm up the chilliest part of the flat.

During the day, we'd turn it on as needed in the open plan kitchen/living room where dampness was rampant (we once discovered mould growing in the grooves of a ceramic plate) or set it up next to the laundry rack.

Laundry and heating

The dehumidifier proved to be unexpectedly helpful for drying laundry. Our washing dried in two days instead of four or more. And because it emits a steady stream of warm air, it provided a nice bit of warmth, although we still turned on the heating.

The specs

The Meaco DD8L boasts three fan settings, including a turbo-charged laundry setting, four humidity settings, and four timer options, allowing you to tailor it to your specific needs and budget. According to Meaco, it costs 8p an hour to run on the lowest fan setting, based on 27.03p/kWh.

The dehumidifier will switch itself off once the target level has been reached and check the humidity every half an hour, turning itself back on as required.

In winter, it collects a full 8L tank of water roughly every other day. Pouring all that water down the drain is incredibly satisfying.

Noise

Generally speaking, desiccant dehumidifiers are quieter than compressor ones, which is one reason why we opted for the former. On the lowest fan setting, it emits a light white noise effect and when it's in the hallway near the beedroom, I didn't mind sleeping with the door open.

The noise increases with the medium setting and the highest fan setting (marked with a laundry symbol) is quite loud.

Cons

The only downside we've encountered is that it can leak about 5% of the time. This issue comes and goes and we haven't figured out why. We place a couple of paper towels underneath it just to be safe.

The Meaco DD8L dehumidifier is available on Amazon.

What exactly are compressor or desiccant dehumidifiers? What's the difference?

In short, a compressor dehumidifier works by creating a cold surface and when warmer damp air from the room comes into contact it, condensation forms and the water is removed. This explains why compressor dehumidifiers are less effective in colder rooms — the interior of the dehumidifier needs to be colder than the surrounding air.

Desiccant dehumidifiers, on the other hand, function consistently regardless of room temperature and they're generally quieter. They contain a desiccant wheel that absorbs moisture in the air much like a sponge. The desiccant is regenerated by an internal heater and fan, which is why they emit warm air.

Here's a guide from Meaco based on the average temperature of the room you're planning to use it in:

• Below 10°C: desiccant dehumidifier only
• Between 10°C and 15°C: desiccant dehumidifier or a large compressor dehumidifier (20L or 25L)
• Above 15°C: desiccant dehumidifier or any size compressor dehumidifier (10L, 12L, 20L or 25L)
• As a rule of thumb we would always recommend a desiccant dehumidifier if the room temperature is below 10°C, a desiccant dehumidifier or a large compressor dehumidifier (either a 20L or 25L) if the room temperature is between 10°C and 15°C and any type of dehumidifier, including a small compressor dehumidifier (10L or 12L), if the room temperature is above 15°C.