EcoAir | DC18 Compact Dehumidifier | 18 Litres per Day | Electronic Control | 3.5 L Water Tank | Active Humidistat | Laundry Mode | Clean Filter Indicator | Auto Defrost

Product Information

The DC12 comes with a “Touch Button” control panel and basic LED display. We’re not sure why EcoAir describes this panel as “Intelligent,” but it’s simple to use and provides all the information you need at a glance. We would have liked to have seen a more advanced display for monitoring humidity, but considering the price range it does the job.

This comes as standard on most dehumidifiers, but not all. It’s worth looking out for as it’s a very useful feature. Instead of manually setting how much power you want the dehumidifier to be using, you can set the unit to how much humidity you want in the air. Much like a thermostat, but for humidity, the dehumidifier will then work to maintain the set humidity level. This can stop it from using power unnecessarily and also allow a comfortable environment to be upheld. It’s capable of pulling 20 litres of moisture from the air, in spaces up to 35 m². Plus, thanks to the 4-litre water tank, it doesn’t need emptying too frequently either. There’s also a hose included to allow for continuous drainage, rather than relying on the water tank, if preferred.Once turn on one of 3 coloured lights will appear indicating the current ambient humidity in your environment. Coloured indicators for your ambient humidity; The EcoAir compact compressor range welcomes the new DC18 Compressor Dehumidifier. Truly in a class of it’s own when it comes to control, flexibility and performance. It’s also been recognised as a Which? best buy, which is reassuring in terms of its quality and performance. From the EcoAir Compact compressor range comes DC12’s larger brother; the new DC18 Dehumidifier. As the name suggests, this mammoth machine has an extraction rate of 18 litres per day, making it an ideal air dehumidifier for smaller offices and 4-5 bedroom houses. Just like all EcoAir products, the aim is improved user experience and functions that meet the high expectations of customers.

A side effect of this difference in capacity is that the DC12 is 2dB quieter. This might not sound like much, but remember that the decibel scale is logarithmic so this is a noticeable difference. The DC12 is also 2.5 kilograms lighter so it’s easier to carry. Summary Whilst a lot of dehumidifiers have a small display screen, the Dimplex FTE16 does not. Instead of being able to see the current humidity, there are numbered settings (1 – 9) that correlate to different humidity levels.

Which? Overview

Offering the flexibility of two fan speeds, and therefore the ability to reduce energy and sound footprint when in low mode. Not seen very often in this class. Offering a good balance between features and price, this EcoAir DC18 Compact Portable Dehumidifier is one of the best dehumidifiers for your conservatory if you’re after value for money. EcoAir promised control, and that is exactly what they deliver with this model. The DC18 boasts of an electronic control panel with cleverly designed touch button technology and an intelligent display.

There is a humidistat for controlling the humidity, and a specific laundry setting that will run the dehumidifier for six hours on full power. It can help with drying clothes, as well as reducing condensation and moisture on windows. There’s also a timer function, to give better control over energy usage. Compact but cleverly including a large 6.5L internal collection tank. Concealed “Easy Glide” castors make moving between rooms a simple process. A sleek design which will sit discreetly in any room. In terms of performance, this dehumidifier can make a visible difference inside the home – reducing condensation on the windows and improving the overall indoor temperature.This style of dehumidifier works better in warm environments because it requires the internal temperature of the dehumidifier to be lower than the surrounding air. If temperatures are below 15°C, a desiccant dehumidifier will be a better choice. Compressor humidifiers don’t raise the temperature as much as desiccant dehumidifiers, so in hot environments where you don’t want more heat, a compressor dehumidifier will be more desirable. The most important buttons are for adjusting target humidity. These can increase or decrease humidity in 5% increments, giving you precise control over the interior conditions of your home. This value for humidity is always displayed clearly so you know what the machine is aiming towards. The humidity can range between 35% to 80%. You’re not going to see anything beautiful in this feature, but this wifi-enabled compressor model is at least a bit more stylish looking than most. It’s certainly a unanimous hit with users. Generally speaking, a desiccant dehumidifier will be quieter than a compressor model. They tend to have multiple fan speeds which also gives a choice of volume. The quietest dehumidifiers tend to cost a bit more, but it’s well worth the investment if you plan to keep it running through the night. Consuming 160 W, this is one of the best dehumidifiers for your conservatory if you are looking for something that works well without it being overly loud or astronomically expensive to run. You’re looking at a cost of roughly 3.14p per hour.

If the environment isn’t overly damp, and isn’t used for showering or drying washing, you can use a dehumidifier with a capacity of 14.5 L or less. This applies even in a large rooms of 100 m². In a medium room, of around 45 m², you can get away with using a much smaller dehumidifier, around 5.5 L. Severe Damp But enough of that, lets bask in some stats: The Electriq’s water collection tank capacity is four litres; its extraction rate is up to 12 litres per day; it has a 24-hour timer and an operating temperature range of 5˚C to 35˚C. In operation, the Inventor does emit a slight hum from the fan although it’s nothing to get too worked up about. There’s built-in air filtration though along with an automatic shut-off function just in case the tank gets full and you’re not around to empty it. The other boon with this machine is that it is reasonably lightweight at 11.4kg, which means you can easily move it to other rooms as and when it’s needed. A lot of dehumidifiers describe themselves in litres – 20 L, 16 L, 10 L and so on. This number doesn’t refer to their tank size, but instead relates to their capability – it refers to the maximum amount of water the machine can extract from the air in one day. A standard two year warranty gives extra peace of mind, but at the heart is an extraction capability of 18L per day.

Continuous drainage function– if you don’t want to worry about emptying the dehumidifier, the drainage function could be useful. A pipe is included with the model although this is only one metre long. Judging the energy efficiency of a dehumidifier is difficult, as the running costs vary depending on the environment and how often the machine is used. Overall, the EcoAir DC12 running costs are relatively low, with the machine using around 220W when on high speed mode. You can reduce energy costs by using the lower speed mode, although the difference in power is small. Surprisingly, the DC12 comes with a large 3.5 litre water tank. This is much bigger than many other dehumidifiers. If you want to minimise how often you’re required to empty the dehumidifier, the DC12 is one of the larger options in its price range.