Ebac vs Meaco: which dehumidifier brand is better?

If you're looking to buy a dehumidifier, the chances are that you'll have come across both Ebac and Meaco. 

Both brands produce dehumidifiers at a range of prices, although mainly clustered around the middle of the spectrum. You won't get an ultra-cheap dehumidifier from either, other than possibly in the sales. Dehumidifiers can cost as little as £70 or as much as £450. Ebac and Meaco home dehumidifiers start at £160 and go up to £300. 

So far, they might sound pretty similar. Yet one of the brands stands head and shoulders above the other in our tests.

Read on to find out how these two popular brands compare, or head straight to our list of best dehumidifiers across all the brands we've tested. 

Ebac and Meaco compared

As you can see from the table above, one brand tends to do much better than the other in our tests, with a higher average test score. 

And one has several Best Buys, while the other has none.

However, not every model from the brand that does better on average is a Best Buy, so it's not a straightforward choice. 

It's best to check our reviews of Ebac dehumidifiers and Meaco dehumidifiers for the model you're interested in before parting with your money.

We regularly survey hundreds of Which? members about their experiences of different brands. In our last survey in 2022, 1,494 dehumidifier owners took part. We gathered data on 13 brands: Argos Cookworks, Black & Decker, Blyss, DeLonghi, Dimplex, Ebac, EcoAir, Electriq, Inventor, Logik, Meaco, Pro Breeze and Russell Hobbs.

Out of Ebac and Meaco, one earned the highest customer score out of the 13 brands and the other sits mid-table. 

For one brand, 12% were faulty after seven years, while for the other, it was 18%. 

Dehumidifiers are generally pretty dependable appliances, with our survey finding that 87% of them (across all the brands) remain in perfect working order for seven years.

So you can expect your dehumidifier to last a long time, whichever of the two brands you go for. That said, if you're disappointed with the performance of yours from the start, you might find yourself replacing it long before it gives up the ghost.  

Ebac dehumidifiers prices and features

Ebac ranges 

• Ebac dehumidifiers aimed at ordinary home use range from 10 litres to 21 litres. Capacity doesn't mean tank capacity, it means extraction rate. To learn more and what capacity you should go for, head to our guide on buying a dehumidifier.
• Ebac's Powerdri range models all have high capacities of 18 litres to 21 litres and are aimed more at tradespeople working in very damp environments. These tend to be bright yellow and grey, and have a more industrial look. We've tested the Ebac Powerdri 18 Litre dehumidifier. 

Ebac prices 

Ebac dehumidifiers typically start at £160 and go up to £480. 

Ebac Infinity Humidistat Control feature

This feature allows you to set the exact humidity level you want to achieve.

This is good when you don't want the humidity level to change. It's found most commonly on some entry-level Ebac models, as well as the Ebac Powerdri 18 Litre model.

Ebac Smart Control feature

Some models come with a technology called Smart Control, which Ebac claims is better than a basic humidistat (you would set it to your desired relative humidity or RH) and can reduce running costs by up to 32%. 

It's designed to understand the conditions in your home and regulate the moisture accordingly using artificial intelligence. 

The idea is it prevents excess moisture developing, rather than simply responding to it. It's also designed to try to achieve an optimum relative humidity that varies according to the activities within your home and the weather outside, rather than trying to achieve a fixed relative humidity. 

You can't set the dehumidifier to try to achieve a specific relative humidity you have stipulated. 

Ebac warranties

Ebac dehumidifiers come with a free one to two-year warranty.

Other Ebac facts

• Ebac consistently highlights that its dehumidifiers are designed specifically for the UK climate, which is temperate and humid, without the extremes of temperature seen in other countries. 
• Ebac claims that most homes need a dehumidifier, due to all the moisture-producing activities we carry out, such as washing laundry, showering and cooking. 
• Ebac allows you to trial using a dehumidifier at home for free for seven days, so you can see whether you feel a significant difference in your home. 
• You can also arrange a virtual 10-minute demo by an expert advisor at Ebac to show you the various features of the products and ask questions. 

You can purchase Ebac dehumidifiers directly, or below you can check the prices and availability of the Ebac dehumidifiers we've tested.

Meaco dehumidifiers prices and features

Meaco ranges

• The MeacoDry ABC range comprises refrigerant models with capacities of 10 litres to 20 litres. 
• The Meaco Low Energy Platinum range comprises refrigerant models with capacities of 12 litres to 20 litres. 
• The Meaco DD8L range are all desiccants with an eight-litre capacity. 
• There's also an Ultra Low Energy refrigerant dehumidifier ('Dehumidryer') with a 25-litre capacity.
• The Meaco Arete One models (10, 12, 20 and 25-litre capacity) are combined dehumidifier and air purifiers, and come with a free five-year warranty. 

Meaco prices

Meaco dehumidifiers typically start at £160 and go up to £300. 

Meaco noise-reducing technology feature 

Meaco claims that its MeacoDry ABC dehumidifiers have noise-reducing technology, making this the most suitable range for smaller properties where noise is likely to be irritating. Several have Quiet Mark accreditation. 

Models in the range also come with a humidistat (allowing you to set the dehumidifier to aim for your preferred relative humidity), laundry modes (whereby the dehumidifier runs at maximum for six hours, then switches off), a timer function and a child lock to stop little ones playing with the settings. 

Meaco Low Energy Platinum features 

Meaco Low Energy Platinum dehumidifiers also have a humidistat, laundry mode, timer and child lock. And they have a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter designed to filter out pollutants and allergens, such as mould spores and dust mites. This isn't intended to replace an air purifier, but is more a nice bonus feature. 

There are two Meaco DD8L dehumidifiers. 

1. The Meaco DD8L (£200) is incredibly small and designed to be portable. It's one to consider if you need a dehumidifier you can use in an unheated garage, conservatory or boat, or in both warmer and colder rooms. 
2. The Meaco DD8L Zambezi (pictured above) is similar, but has more features, including a digital display and an anti-mould coating on the water tank. The digital display shows cartoon elephants – a happy elephant when water is being collected and a sad elephant when it's not.

Meaco warranties 

All Meaco products, excluding spare parts, purchased directly from them or from an authorised reseller come with a two-year parts and labour warranty.

Other Meaco facts 

• Some dehumidifiers come with plastic hoses you can use to set up your dehumidifier for continuous drainage. 
• Meaco removed all plastic hoses from its dehumidifiers in 2019, on the basis that many people don't use them and they end up in landfill. 
• In 2020, Meaco replaced polystyrene in its packaging with recyclable cardboard. 
• According to Meaco, all of its products, except HEPA filters, can be recycled at a local community recycling point.

To find out more about the features to look for, see our guide on how to buy the best dehumidifier. 

You can buy dehumidifiers from Meaco directly, or you can check pricing and availability of the Meaco dehumidifiers we've tested below.

Ebac and Meaco dehumidifier reviews

We've rounded-up some of the best dehumidifiers tested from both brands. 

Only logged-in members can view our recommendations in the table below. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Tables correct as of May 2024. 

Ebac and Meaco aren't the only brands we've tested, of course: we've tested more than 40 dehumidifiers, including those from DeLonghi, Dimplex, Ecoair and Electriq.

Want to find out more about all the brands we've tested, including how long you can expect models from different brands to last for? Head over to our guide which dehumidifier brand to buy in 2024.