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RESEARCH-BASED · UK HOMES

Meaco Arete Two 12L vs 20L

The same generation, different capacity: compare real-room output, fan modes and installed space.

By Dehumidifier UK · Updated 6 October 2026 · Sources linked below

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Our answer

Choose the Arete Two 12L when its smaller body and quieter low setting suit a modest heated-room workload. Compare the 20L for more laundry, stronger airflow and a larger tank. The larger model’s higher output does not prove lower electricity per dry load or a fixed whole-home coverage.

The matched specification table

SpecificationArete Two 12LArete Two 20L
20°C / 60% RH extraction and power5.40 L/day; 136 W8.50 L/day; 207 W
10°C / 60% RH extraction and power1.97 L/day; 111 W3.35 L/day; 176 W
30°C / 80% RH extraction and power11.99 L/day; 182 W20.45 L/day; 271 W
Tank / weight2.5 L / 10.9 kg4.8 L / 15.1 kg
Dimensions H × W × D472 × 319 × 237 mm618 × 366 × 272 mm
Noise, low / medium / high35 / 38 / 44 dB(A)38 / 40 / 50 dB(A)
Airflow, low / medium / high80 / 100 / 140 m³/h150 / 175 / 255 m³/h

What the shared features offer

Both have app/voice control, a HEPA air-purification option, a dark Night Mode, laundry controls and a five-year stated warranty subject to terms. The 20L also belongs to the sizes Meaco lists as compatible with its optional Arete pump. Do not buy that pump for a 12L without confirmed support.

The useful output difference

At 20°C/60% RH, the 20L’s stated output is about 57% higher while stated power is about 52% higher. This is a controlled-condition comparison, not a household drying-time claim. In both models, output falls as conditions become cooler or drier.

How to choose in practice

  • Compare the 12L for a heated bedroom, modest moisture or a flat where portability and footprint matter.
  • Compare the 20L for repeated laundry and where its tank and higher fan airflow offer a useful routine.
  • If the room is around 10°C during use, compare the actual cold-condition outputs and desiccant alternatives.
  • If noise disturbs sleep, dry before bed; the strongest mode is not the quietest setting.

Running cost example

Six continuously active hours at the stated 20°C figures would be 0.816 kWh for the 12L and 1.242 kWh for the 20L. At the dated 26.32p/kWh illustration, that is 21.5p and 32.7p. It does not establish which uses less energy to reach the same laundry dryness. Use your tariff in the calculator.

Our verdict

Buy around workload and space. We would not pay for the larger model merely to obtain the bigger headline number, or assume the smaller one is always the cheaper drying setup. Read the 12L assessment and 20L assessment for their individual compromises.

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Sources and evidence

  1. Meaco Arete Two 12L specifications and extraction table
  2. Meaco Arete Two 20L specifications and extraction table
  3. Meaco Arete Two 10L/12L official manual
  4. Meaco Arete Two 20L/25L official manual
  5. Ofgem October–December 2026 electricity example

Sources checked 6 October 2026. Manufacturer specifications are claims under their stated conditions; they are not our household measurements.