EcoAir DC12 Compact Portable Dehumidifier

The EcoAir DC12 is One of the Best Dehumidifiers Around

The EcoAir DC12 Compact Portable Dehumidifier is just one in a range of great dehumidifying products by EcoAir, it comes in two sizes, the 12L which we have reviewed here and the 18L, which you can find here for an extra £20. This is another dehumidifier where you don’t have to worry about an industrial looking eyesore next to that beautiful vase. You perhaps wouldn’t buy the thing as an ornamental decoration but as an item that’s going to be put to work you certainly won’t mind looking at it. Especially if it’s going to help in getting rid of that mould growing behind the sofa!

Highlights

• From the EcoAir DC12 dehumidifier you can expect 12 litres of water extraction per day.
• An LCD control panel to monitor and configure humidity levels in the home.
• A good running cost at 200 watts.
• Auto Power.
• Turns on when humidity rises.
• Also boasts a timer
• Auto defrost function.
• Indicator of when the filter needs cleaning.
• 2 year manufacturer warranty.
• EcoAir have a good reputation for arranging collection and repair.

Where Should You Use the EcoAir DC12?

The level of market entry for the EcoAir DC12 unit as the price suggests, sits between a lower-end (but still excellent) dehumidifier like the Pro Breeze as reviewed here and a PIV unit system such as the Nuaire Drimaster, reviewed here.

The EcoAir DC12 goes further than trying to conquer square footage of perhaps one room. It aims to take on the damp across an entire floor of a house, or a flat/ apartment. Obviously this also means there is no cost for installation attached like you are quite likely to have if you’re fitting a PIV system.

How Does the EcoAir DC12 work?

Apart from it’s fancy electronic display that brings the price bracket up a notch. You may be wondering why else it comes in at a higher price point that some of the other dehumidifiers. The machine is what’s known as a refrigerant or compressor dehumidifier. This means a different kind of technology than a lower end dehumidifier.

Inside is a compressor pump, which cools the water condenser plates, which draws in the moisture from the air.

When turned on, the EcoAir DC12 offers two options for getting rid of the water it collects. The first, probably more practical and preferred option is to use the attached tank located at the bottom of the unit. Simply let the water build up, then empty it in the sink as and when it indicates it being full. The other option is to make use of the supplied hose, which plugs in to the dehumidifier and feeds into your sink or drain.

Control Panel

The control panel is one of the things that set this dehumidifier apart from the more affordable run of the mill dehumidifier like the Pro Breeze.

At the very top of the panel you will find a display that indicates the humidity levels of the room in percentage. One of the features to get most excited about. This serves as an excellent reminder of what you should be aiming for (you should be aiming for below 60% humidity). The arrows on either side allow you to set the humidity level that you are aiming for in 5% increments. All you need is a couple of touches on the ‘-‘ or ‘+’ to get it to the perfect level.

Timer

Up next is the timer function. Ideal when looking to turn it on while away from the home without worrying about it’s energy consumption. The timers are for 2 hours and 4 hours.

Fan Speeds

Moving across the panel, you will find two arrow icons, this indicates two different fan speeds.

Drain Option

To the right of this, from the top there is an indicator telling you when the unit is full. If you’re not making use of it’s pipe option to drain the water straight from the unit. Below that is the power button.

Laundry Mode

Now to the top right, is the laundry or continuous option. It’s unclear exactly why this is called the laundry option. None the less, this allows you to put the machine in to a continuous mode, overriding the humidity level set on the LCD display. Below this, is the icon that represents when the filter needs a clean, this can be recognised when the light next to it is lit. Simply press the big button below to let the machine know that it’s ready to go.

You can find more detailed illustrations of these features from the EcoAir DC12 manual here.