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Ideal Home tested the Wessex Electrical 20L dehumidifier for 10 days in a family home, using it to dry laundry, reduce humidity and clean the air. The reviewer reported lower humidity within hours and useful laundry-drying performance, but noted that the full water tank was awkward to empty and the child lock does not disable the power button.
Ideal Home has reviewed the Wessex Electrical 20L Dehumidifier, a £158.99 appliance sold through Toolstation, after testing it in a family home for laundry drying, condensation and humidity control. The reviewer said it lowered humidity within hours and dried bedding in a few hours, while identifying practical drawbacks with its water tank and child lock.
The reviewer used the appliance in a utility room, dining room and bedrooms in a three-bedroom home. The test covered laundry drying, moisture reduction and air cleaning, using the built-in controls and different operating modes. Ideal Home’s report describes the test period as 10 days, while its introductory section says the unit was tried for two weeks.
The model is a compressor dehumidifier rated to extract up to 20 litres per day, with a 5.5-litre water tank and a continuous-drain option using the supplied one-metre hose. Its listed power rating is 320 watts, its noise level is 42 decibels, and the manufacturer’s recommended room size is 30 to 40 square metres. It has castor wheels, side handles, a humidity sensor and a timer that can be set for one to 24 hours. The appliance does not have Wi-Fi connectivity.
Ideal Home’s reviewer found the Dry Clothes mode useful, reporting that bedding dried within a few hours and jeans within six hours. The reviewer also said the unit was straightforward to move and use, and that its indicator light changed colour as humidity levels changed. These are observations from one home test, not a guarantee of the same results in different rooms or conditions.
Laundry, Moisture and Running Costs
The review addresses three common household concerns that can become more prominent in autumn: slow indoor laundry drying, condensation and excess humidity. A dehumidifier can draw moisture from the air, and the reviewer found the Wessex model helped with laundry and humidity during the test. That may make it relevant to households looking for an alternative to relying on a tumble dryer or dealing with damp window areas.
However, the source does not provide measured energy-bill savings, a comparison against a tumble dryer, or quantified changes in condensation. The article’s suggestion that a dehumidifier could help reduce energy costs is a possible benefit, not a documented saving from this test. The £158.99 purchase price and the appliance’s 320-watt rating are useful points for shoppers, but running costs will depend on use, electricity prices and conditions in the home.
20L dehumidifier for laundry drying
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What the Home Test Covered
Ideal Home describes the Wessex unit as one of the more affordable models the reviewer had seen, and assessed it for day-to-day use rather than relying solely on its listed specifications. The appliance requires no assembly for standard use. If owners want to drain water continuously, they must connect the supplied hose and position the unit so water can drain appropriately.
The control panel offers normal, continuous and strong dehumidifying modes, alongside Dry Clothes, Sleep and Defrost settings. Users can select high or low fan speed, set the timer, and switch on an automatic swing function. The review says the unit should be positioned at least 30 centimetres from other objects for operation. Its listed operating temperature range is 5°C to 35°C.
The reviewer also tested the Air Clean function, which the report says is intended to address airborne odours, including the smell of burnt toast. The source does not provide independent air-quality measurements or establish how effective this feature is for different pollutants. The review’s findings are therefore best read as a household product test, rather than a controlled laboratory comparison.
“I found that it has reduced humidity throughout my home within hours”
— Ideal Home reviewer Jennifer Oksien
Limits of the One-Home Test
The review does not report controlled comparisons with other dehumidifiers, a tumble dryer or competing products at a similar price. It also gives no measured figures for how much humidity fell, how much electricity the appliance used during the test, or whether it reduced mould or condensation over a longer period. The reviewer describes lower humidity and laundry-drying results, but those outcomes may differ with room size, ventilation, temperature and the amount of moisture produced.
There is also a difference in the report’s description of the test duration: the introduction refers to two weeks, while the testing section specifies 10 days. The source does not explain the discrepancy. It does not provide a longer-term assessment of reliability, maintenance needs or the Air Clean function’s performance beyond the reviewer’s observations.
Check Price and Household Fit
The source reports a price of £158.99 at Toolstation; shoppers should check the retailer’s current listing for availability and any price changes. Before buying, households can compare the recommended room size, extraction rate, tank capacity, noise level and running requirements with the space and usage they have in mind.
For regular use, the review’s practical cautions are also relevant: plan how to empty the tank before it becomes full, or consider the continuous-drain hose where a suitable drainage position is available. The source gives no update on a future test or product revision, so further information about long-term performance is not yet available.
Key Questions
How much does the Wessex Electrical 20L Dehumidifier cost?
Ideal Home listed it at £158.99 at Toolstation when the review was published. Retail prices and availability can change.
How well did it dry laundry in the test?
The reviewer said bedding dried within a few hours and jeans within six hours using Dry Clothes mode. These were results from one home test, not guaranteed drying times.
What are the main drawbacks reported?
The reviewer said the water tank was awkward to empty when full. The child lock also did not disable the power button, so the button could still be operated.
Does the dehumidifier have Wi-Fi or continuous drainage?
It has no Wi-Fi connectivity. It does support continuous drainage with a supplied one-metre hose, which must be connected and positioned for suitable drainage.
Did the review establish that it cuts energy bills?
No. Ideal Home discussed possible savings if a dehumidifier reduces tumble-dryer use, but the test did not measure energy use or bill savings.
Source: rss
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