I'm pleased to say the DeLonghi DEX212F 12L Tasciugo AriaDry Dehumidifier gets my vote for drying laundry. Fast, efficient and surprisingly quiet, there's no doubt that it dried clothes in less time than my heated airer ever has. It also left my clothes feeling softer, easier to iron and left no lingering smell of damp. I'm definitely converted.
Pros
+
Stylish design
+
Easy to operate
+
Added HEPA filters
+
Quiet
+
Auto shut-off
Cons
-
No humidity level display
-
Small water tank
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Since I purchased the Dry:Soon 3-Tier Heated Airer and cover from Lakeland around seven years ago I've been an advocate - even more so after moving to properties where drying clothes outside wasn't an option.
Come rain or shine I've been happy in the knowledge that I could dry clothes without resorting to tumble driers or radiators. And even though there have been times when washing has taken longer to dry than I hoped, I've always extolled the benefits of owning one.
However, after reading consistently positive views about the benefits of using a dehumidifier to dry clothes, I was tempted to test the claims for myself.
With a built-in handle and pleasant sage green colour the dehumidifier was unexpectedly stylish(Image credit: Sarah Harley)
When the DeLonghi DEX212F 12L Tasciugo AriaDry Dehumidifier arrived, although the box was heavier than I expected, it was easy to unpack and contained very little unnecessary packaging.
The smooth moulded design, sage green trim and the discreet buttons and display also meant it looked less utilitarian than other models I'd seen. As someone easily enticed by aesthetics, I was pleasantly surprised at how stylish it was up close.
Although there's no escaping the fact dehumidifiers are practical appliances designed to remove moisture from the air to help with issues such damp, I'm a firm believer of style still being important - regardless of a product's purpose.
Specification
The DeLonghi DEX212F 12L Tasciugo AriaDry Dehumidifier has an impressive specification including certification by the Allergy Standards Foundation, approving it as suitable for people with asthma and allergies.
Dimensions (mms): 508 x 334 x 220
Weight: 10.3kg
Moisture removal: 12L / day
Type: compressor
Noise level: 36dB
Water tank capacity: 2.1L
Recommended room size: 55m2
Drainage: tank or continuous
Filters: dust, anti-allergy and active carbon filter
Extras: dedicated laundry function
A continuous drain could be a helpful feature if you are able to locate your dehumidifier near a sink(Image credit: De'Longhi)
Set-up
Once removed from the box, as the DeLonghi DEX212F 12L Tasciugo AriaDry Dehumidifier is a condenser dryer, you need to leave it stand for a few hours to let the refrigerant settle. Once you're ready to switch it on, there's a few simple steps to get the filters in place.
Removing the back panel to add the filters was easy(Image credit: Sarah Harley)
Removing the back panel to find the slots where the filters sit is a simple procedure, and requires minimal effort to click the back panel in and out of position. Once removed, the slots for the filters to sit in are easily identifiable and you do not require any technical skills to insert them.
As soon as they are in place, it's a case of clicking the panel back on and then remembering to remove and wash them regularly to ensure they continue to absorb dust and harmful air particles.
Other than this, there is no other set-up needed unless you want to use the continuous drainage function. This is also an easy task and simply involves inserting the supplied drainage tube into the grey tube shown below the filter area. Once in place, ensure the other end of the tube is positioned into a sink or drain and the collected moisture will pour away.
The filters sit within easy to identify dedicated slots(Image credit: Sarah Harley)
Using the dehumidifer
A simple display panel and buttons makes this dehumidifier easy to use(Image credit: Sarah Harley)
As the purpose of testing the product was to see if it dried clothes effectively, using it was as simple as plugging it in and switching it on. As the first mode is the laundry one - denoted by the clothing symbol, I didn't even have to press another button. All that was left to do was wait for it to work.
Once the water tank is full, a red light illuminates and the appliance automatically switches off. The low decibel count means the dehumidifier is fairly quiet when running, so I'd recommend you don't rely on hearing it switch off to know when the tank is full. Even though I work from my bedroom so am in close proximity to the landing, I've failed to notice the drop in noise level - it's more of a background hum than a noise I'd consider intrusive.
Once the water is emptied and the tank is back in place, the dehumidifier will automatically start working again unless you have switched it off prior to removing the tank.
Manufacturer best use instructions for drying laundry
De'Longhi experts recommend the following:
"The most effective way to dry clothes is by having the dehumidifier operating in the same room ideally with closed doors and windows, this way moisture extraction is targeted to that specific environment and not the rest of the house.
"As the moisture is being extracted from the air, there is no specific requirement to have the product right by the clothes, and certainly no requirement for any physical contact.
"Typically the smaller the room, the quicker and more efficient the clothes drying function will be, since the moisture extraction is targeted to that specific environment."
It's also recommended to:
Leave a free space of at least 50 cm at the front of the dehumidifier, so as not to block the air outlet
For efficient ventilation leave a space of about 5-10 cm at the back of the appliance
How I set up my drying zone
How I set up my airer and the De'Longhi dehumidifier(Image credit: Sarah Harley)
Although I followed the De'Longhi advice in terms of placing clothes on the airer allowing for adequate spacing and minimal contact or overlapping of clothing to maximise air circulation, I was not able to adhere to the guidelines of using it in a contained room with closed doors and windows.
My normal drying location is a small landing at the top of a small set of stairs, leading to three bedrooms. Even though I can close the bedroom doors, the stairs do not have a separate door - essentially making the space far bigger.
When it comes to frequency of usage, there are three people in my household - myself and two boys aged 18 and 11. Between casual clothing, school uniform, sportswear, towels and bedding, my washing machine is usually in use 4-5 times a week . Other than towels that I tumble dry, most items are placed on the airer.
Bedding is also draped over the landing bannister to dry, so I continued this practise while testing the dehumidifier.
Does it work?
As stated in the opening verdict, the DeLonghi DEX212F 12L Tasciugo AriaDry Dehumidifier is very effective at drying laundry. But just how efficient is it compared to my heated airer?
Heated airer experience
Although I never timed exactly how long clothes took to dry on my heated airer, I do know that on average, even if I put it on in the evening and left it on overnight, sometimes thick waistbands, or items such as hoodies were still not completely dry the next morning.
It's not the most scientific of measurements, but how I tended to view its efficiency. Added to this was the fact that without the cover, it easily took twice as long to dry the items.
Unless the items were lightweight or the room temperature itself was higher, I could never rely on washing being dry in a few hours. Emergency requests for something to be dry in time were usually dealt with by a blast in the tumble drier or a stint on a radiator.
And, as I was usually replacing one load of dry washing with another wet load, there were times when I felt it was constantly switched on - especially in the winter.
Prior to using the dehumidifier, as I was conscious I was expecting it to operate effectively in a larger, more open space than recommended, I was assuming results would be much the same. And if I'm honest, I thought it would take even longer.
After a month of testing, I've never once had to leave it on overnight. Most items are iron-dry within a few hours - the only exception being the occasional hood, cuff or waistband of my son's thick hoodies. But even with a little repositioning on the airer they are soon dry enough to put into a cupboard.
Added to that, clothes feel softer, have never smelt damp - something which I experienced with the heated airer - and as the dehumidifier pushes out warm air in the laundry mode, the landing itself is also feeling warmer and fresher.
Given that there are no windows, I'm also feeling less worried about the extra moisture the wet clothes are adding to the space as I know the dehumidifier will be dealing with it.
Even bedding which has been draped on the bannister and isn't directly next to the dehumidifier is drying in the same time frame.
Have I put less on the airer then when it was heated? Potentially a few items less, but as time has gone on and it's worked so well, I've added more. It also has an auto switch-off function when the tank is full, so even if I forget to turn it off, it will stop operating. Something the heated airer didn't do as there was no timer on the one I have.
And with regards to emptying water, I've found myself doing this once a day at the most if I've managed to squeeze in two loads of laundry. Usually it seems to be around every other day.
So whilst the water tank may be small if you are using it 24/7 to dry a room or deal with a damp problem, for laundry it hasn't been too arduous a task.
Emptying the tank was an easy job(Image credit: Sarah Harley)
Costs to run
My heated airer is sold under the premise of costing 9p per hour to run, whereas the DeLonghi DEX212F 12L Tasciugo AriaDry Dehumidifier costs around 8p per hour. A negligible difference per hour, but one that will mount up over time with quicker laundry drying times.
I've not yet noticed a difference in my electricity bills and don't really expect to while it's still relatively cool in terms of ambient temperature. Once the warmer months arrive, and the daily temperature is consistently higher (unlike now where it only peaks when the central heating is on) I would hope my laundry dries even faster with the dehumidifier.
Final verdict
I wish the display showed more
Even though I wasn't using the DeLonghi DEX212F 12L Tasciugo AriaDry Dehumidifier to assist with mould removal, I was a little disappointed to see it didn't have a display with a humidity reading.
Knowing how much wet washing in a room increases the humidity would have been beneficial and also seemed slightly unusual given the larger 14L and 16L versions do have an LED display that shows this number.
As I live in a listed building with single glazing, I have another dehumidifier in my son's bedroom to help deal with window condensation . This shows the humidity level and I would have been interested to see if they read the same results.
Without a reading, I feel it would also make it more difficult to use in a house with a moisture problem. When it comes to what is normal humidity in a house, the aim is to reach somewhere around the 40-50% mark. The DeLonghi DEX212F 12L Tasciugo AriaDry Dehumidifier has three options denoted on the front by one to three water droplets which equate to 40, 50 and 60% humidity.
Common sense would suggest that if you're unsure, aim for the middle setting. It will auto switch-off once it's reached the required level, so if you find this isn't sufficient, you can easily change it. Or, consider where you've placed the dehumidifier. Kitchens and bathrooms will naturally have higher moisture levels.
It's also quite heavy to carry, but if you're using it to dry laundry the chances are it will stay in one location so I don't feel this is too much of a negative. Likewise the fact the water tank is relatively small compared to the extraction rate could be off-putting if you have to walk a distance each time to empty it.
But I would thoroughly recommend buying one
If there's a fan club for using a dehumidifier to dry laundry then sign me up as despite my initial reservations, I'm a fully-fledged convert. The DeLonghi DEX212F 12L Tasciugo AriaDry Dehumidifier is cheaper than the cost of running a tumble dryer and for an appliance, even visually errs on the side of stylish.
I love the speed at which my laundry now dries and the fact it's softer and easier to iron. It's also relatively small and not something I'd be trying to hide in a cupboard when guests visited. I think my 'heated airer' has well and truly been demoted to the position of 'airer' for the forseable future.
I'm also looking forward to testing its ability to remove the condensation from the windows in my bedroom in the winter.....if I ever give it a rest from drying clothes.
Sarah is Homebuilding & Renovating’s Assistant Editor and joined the team in 2024. An established homes and interiors writer, Sarah has renovated and extended a number of properties, including a listing building and renovation project that featured on Grand Designs. Although she said she would never buy a listed property again, she has recently purchased a Grade II listed apartment. As it had already been professionally renovated, she has instead set her sights on tackling some changes to improve the building’s energy efficiency, as well as adding some personal touches to the interior.
