If you need to tackle issues around high humidity and are looking for a dehumidifier, chances are you’ve come across the term ‘desiccant’. But what is a desiccant dehumidifier? What’s the difference between a desiccant and a ‘regular’ type? When should you use it?
Well, you’ve come to the right place. As experts in dehumidifiers, with a background in regulating museum humidity to preserve priceless artefacts, we’re here at Meaco to answer all these questions and more. Find out everything you need to know right here, so you can find the perfect solution to your high-humidity woes.
Meaco DD8L Pro Desiccant Dehumidifier drying laundry
What is a desiccant dehumidifier?
A desiccant dehumidifier uses an absorbent material on a rotating wheel to repeatedly absorb moisture like a sponge, while an internal heating element dries the desiccant material as the wheel rotates. They offer better extraction rates to compressors in colder environments below 10°C, such as unheated conservatories, garages, basements and boats.
They operate well in low temperatures because the way they absorb water does not rely on a cold surface on which to form condensation, like a compressor dehumidifier does. (Compressors need this cold surface to be significantly colder than their surrounding environment in order to work properly, hence why they’re more suitable for use in warmer spaces.) A desiccant dehumidifier instead absorbs the moisture in a desiccant wheel, then rotates and uses heat to evaporate the moisture into water vapour and repeats the process over and over.
Here’s how it works: When the material in the wheel is saturated, a heater within the appliance will blow warm, dry air over it, condensing the moisture into water which is collected in a tank. Warm air is then passed back out, which means it adds some bonus warmth to your space. In fact, the air coming out of a desiccant dehumidifier will be about 10-12°C warmer – significant enough to turn down your radiator a little!
What is the difference between desiccant and compressor dehumidifiers?
Simply put, compressor and desiccant dehumidifiers use different methods of removing water from the air, and are each best suited to spaces of different temperatures and applications.
A compressor model uses cold coils to condense water from the air, and traditionally works better in warmer spaces above 10°C. A desiccant dehumidifier uses an absorbent material on a rotating wheel to absorb moisture repeatedly. These work well in colder environments like unheated conservatories or basements, while a compressor is usually best suited to warmer rooms that are often in use, such as living rooms and bedrooms. Meaco Arete® compressor dehumidifiers can actually offer high extraction rates at lower temperatures (from 5°C), but these are an exception to the rule!
Find out everything you need to know in our blog on the differences between a desiccant and compressor dehumidifier.
What are the advantages of a desiccant dehumidifier?
Desiccant units are excellent laundry busters: they often provide better performance than compressors and aren’t affected by low temperatures, which is handy in the colder months as this is when you’d mainly need a dehumidifier for drying laundry. Unlike compressor types, they emit some heat due to the internal heating element, which helps to dry your clothes faster while adding a little extra warmth to your space. They’re also often quieter as there’s no noise from a compressor kicking in.
For protecting conservatories, caravans, boats or your classic car collection in the garage, they’re indispensable. For boats, in fact, there’s no better option: running a desiccant dehumidifier will protect expensive electronics inside your boat such as radar equipment, ensuring your warranty remains valid. However long you’re away, your dehumidifier will keep working for you in the background without needing to be continually emptied thanks to features like a continuous drainage option.
Meaco DD8L Pro desiccant dehumidifiers also feature an ioniser so you can enjoy cleaner air as you dry your home. The ioniser neutralises airborne bacteria, mould spores and allergens to create a healthier environment.
If you’ll need to move your dehumidifier around often then it’s worth bearing the weight in mind – a desiccant is the lightest type of dehumidifier. However, compressor types, while significantly heavier, often come on castors.
What are the disadvantages of a desiccant dehumidifier?
Desiccant dehumidifiers are incredibly effective at removing moisture from the air, but do have a few downsides.
The main disadvantage is the running cost: They’re traditionally more expensive to run than compressors because they have an internal heating element – which is great news for drying laundry fast or warming up an unheated conservatory, but not quite as good for your bills.
Another downside is the sizing options: Due to the mechanics, desiccants only come in 8L models. However, this will suit everything from a small one-bedroom flat to a large five-bedroom house. Not bad for a one-size-fits-all!
On a more minor note, they only dehumidify – which isn’t a negative thing of course, as it does the job you want it to do, but some of our compressor dehumidifiers double up as air purifiers (the MeacoDry Arete® and Meaco Low Energy ranges). While our DD8L Pro desiccant dehumidifier does use an internal ioniser to clean the air, you can’t add extra filters to a desiccant, so if you struggle with summer allergies, a compressor with a HEPA filter will be best for you.
DD8L Pro Desiccant Dehumidifier on a boat
When should you use a desiccant dehumidifier?
A desiccant dehumidifier is used to prevent damp, condensation and mould from damaging property or belongings, as well as drying laundry. It’s best suited for use in colder spaces below 10°C where you may benefit from some extra warmth, such as:
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unheated conservatories
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basements
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cellars
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garages
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workshops
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boats
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caravans
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holiday homes
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hallways
In garages, many people keep items like clothes, books, bikes and even classic cars with wood veneers and leather seats – all of which could be damaged by mould, rust or warping caused by excess moisture in the air. The gears on bikes, for example, could fail due to rust; fabric or organic items could quickly succumb to mould; and any instruments could warp and go out of tune. So a desiccant dehumidifier in these situations is a must.
Likewise with caravans – the mattresses and seats can get musty and mouldy over winter when not in use.
In boats, which are not often used in the colder months, there are expensive electronics like radar equipment which, if left in an environment with high humidity, will be damaged, voiding the warranty and leading to the need for a very costly replacement! Read our blog to find out more about managing humidity on a boat with a dehumidifier.
As we mentioned above, desiccant dehumidifiers are also great for drying laundry faster. Unlike a compressor, a desiccant releases its surplus energy as heat, which helps you power through laundry days. In fact, many of our Meaco DD8L desiccant dehumidifiers feature an adjustable louvre above the air grille, allowing you to direct the warm air released from the appliance towards your washing. If you or your family need their clothes dry fast, the DD8L Pro is a great solution – when used for the minimal amount of time, it’s cheaper to run overall. To dry your laundry extra-quickly while lowering your bills, learn our expert tip for saving money on indoor laundry drying.
The Meaco DD8L Pro desiccant dehumidifier showing its LCD 'Chase' digital display
Do desiccant dehumidifiers use a lot of electricity?
Desiccant dehumidifiers can use more electricity than compressor dehumidifiers, though not necessarily a lot if you choose an energy-efficient Meaco model. They release excess heat which is great for drying washing fast and warming your room up – so you could turn the thermostat down to save money on your bills – but of course, this means it uses more electricity.
However, if running a desiccant in a conservatory it will not only remove the condensation on the windows, it’ll also help warm the space with its surplus heat. So you may not need to run a heater alongside it, which could reduce your energy bills while allowing you to enjoy a warmer space during the winter months.
One of our best desiccant dehumidifiers, the Meaco DD8L Pro (a Which? Best Buy) costs just 6p per hour based on the October 2026 energy price cap. When considering how much it would cost you to replace valuable items that have been damaged by mould, the running cost is well worth it.
Are desiccant dehumidifiers better?
Whether a desiccant dehumidifier is better than a compressor depends on your application and what you need it for.
Cold spaces
They will certainly offer a higher performance and extraction rates in garages, basements, boats and other cold environments below 10°C. Compressor models, on the other hand, could spend more energy defrosting themselves than doing the job of dehumidifying, if used in such cold temperatures.
Laundry
However, if you plan on using a dehumidifier for general use around the home – which is often warmed by central heating – we would recommend using a compressor dehumidifier.
Have a look at our blog which weighs up the pros and cons of desiccant vs compressor dehumidifiers – you may find the table towards the end of the blog useful as it sums up key comparisons at a glance.
So now it’s time to see which model suits your needs best. Have a look at our range of dehumidifiers to find your perfect solution, whether you need a Meaco desiccant dehumidifier for a garage, basement, boat or other cold space. Once you’ve found it, you’ll be amazed by the results!
