AriaDry Multi14L - 6 front
Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £265
inc VAT
De'Longhi’s Tasciugo AriaDry Multi 14l can just about cope with larger spaces but it’s at its best in smaller homes and rooms
Pros
Compact and stylish
Simple to use
Built-in air filtration
Cons
No quiet mode or night mode
Louder than some rivals
Simplicity seems to be the thinking behind De’Longhi’s Tasciugo AriaDry Multi range of dehumidifiers – available in 12l, 14l and 16l models. There’s a lot to be said for having a device that doesn’t feel the need to go big on settings or features, but just gets on with the job at hand.
The Tasciugo AriaDry Multi’s controls are certainly minimalist, with barely any special modes or options, let alone ‘smart’ features like Wi-Fi connectivity or smartphone apps. Yet the end result is an elegant dehumidifier that’s exceptionally easy to use.
So, the only question is whether it still has what it takes to battle damp and excess moisture in your home. I’ve been testing it over the last week to find out.
De’Longhi Tasciugo AriaDry Multi 14l review: What do you get for the money?
The Tasciugo AriaDry Multi 14l is the mid-capacity model in this lineup, which De’Longhi claims is capable of removing up to 14l of moisture per day into its 2.1l water tank, given a temperature of 32°C and an 80% humidity level. Admittedly, these are conditions that you’re unlikely to find in the UK. Luckily though, it will work in temperatures all the way down to 2°C, so even unheated basements and garages should only be out of scope in the depths of winter. It also claims it’s able to handle rooms up to 65m3 in size.
AriaDry Multi14L - 3 bottom draw
De’Longhi has a track record of producing fairly stylish appliances, and the Tasciugo AriaDry Multi is about as good looking as dehumidifiers get. Its gloss-white surfaces taper upwards to converge in a grey handle, with the controls and humidity display situated near the top, on the front. It measures 33.4 x 22 x 50.8cm (WDH), though it looks more compact than it actually is, and it was only when I had it standing next to the Duux Bora that I realised the two were approximately the same height. Still, at 10.3kg, the De’Longhi is significantly lighter, which makes a big difference in a dehumidifier you might be lugging from room to room.
The unit’s made from a minimum of 30% recycled plastic, and it uses a maximum of 300W.
De’Longhi Tasciugo AriaDry Multi 14l review: What features does it have?
The list of features on this appliance is a short one.
It has a three stage filter system, with a built-in dust filter and removable allergen and active carbon filters. This doesn’t mean the Tasciugo AriaDry Multi can double as an air purifier, but it will slowly remove unwanted particles as it works.
AriaDry Multi14L - 4 top
Otherwise, it has an automatic dehumidification mode, a laundry mode and a timer. Plus it has frost protection, which shuts it down if the temperature drops too low. But there’s no night mode or sleep mode, and you don’t even have manual control of the fan.
AriaDry Multi14L - 2 front side
The buttons on the left switch between dehumidifier and laundry modes, while the buttons on the right control the power and the switch-off timer, which only offers the option to run for one, two, four, eight or twelve hours.
De’Longhi Tasciugo AriaDry Multi 14l review: How well does it work?
I found the Tasciugo AriaDry Multi 14l puts in a decent performance, even in larger spaces. In my living room – 6 x 3m, with unusually high ceilings – it managed to get the humidity level from 75% to 65% within an hour and down to 62% in two hours. That’s still a relatively long way from the rapid-drying performance of the Duux Bora, but not bad for a dehumidifier with less than half the power and capacity. In fact, it even holds up well against larger models like the ProBreeze PB-08.
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And it shines in smaller spaces. Using it in an upstairs single bedroom, I saw humidity levels drop from 74% to 56% in the same two hour period. It’s also quite economical with its power consumption, using just 226W when it’s working hard.
Unfortunately, the 2.1l tank isn’t exactly massive and, in fairly humid conditions, you’ll need to empty it two or three times a day. However, it’s fairly easy to remove and easy to carry and empty – hardly as arduous a task as you’ll find with some higher-capacity dehumidifiers. Plus, De’Longhi supplies a 1m hose, so you always have the option of continuous draining, assuming you have an outlet handy.
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De’Longhi Tasciugo AriaDry Multi 14l review: What could be improved?
De’Longhi claims a maximum noise level of 40dBA but, using the Tasciugo AriaDry Multi in my living room, I recorded noise levels of 43.2dB from 1m away. It drops to 38.9dBA once the fans slow down and the compressor isn’t running flat out, but this still isn’t a particularly quiet dehumidifier, and there’s no night mode or sleep mode to suppress the output. That’s not necessarily a huge problem, and I still slept well in the bedroom above when I left the unit running overnight in laundry mode, but look at dehumidifiers like the Meaco Arete Two if you need one that gets close to silent.
I also wasn’t hugely impressed by the laundry mode. Usually such modes run on a six- or eight-hour timer, but the Tasciugo AriaDry Multi 14l just runs continuously until the water tank is full. While this method dried lighter items like socks, underwear and T-shirts, the heavier items – the sweatshirts and jogging bottoms – were still damp to the touch after an eight-hour stint.
De’Longhi Tasciugo AriaDry Multi 14l review: Should you buy it?
It depends on the space you’re working with, since there are much better options for bigger rooms, or for dehumidifying whole apartments, including the Meaco Arete Two, the Duux Bora and the ProBreeze PB-08. Yet in smaller spaces it’s very capable, energy-efficient and easy to use.
It’s not so great at drying laundry, and it’s not ideal for use overnight, but its good looks count for a lot if you can’t hide it away or tuck it in a distant corner of the room. As long as you’re not trying to dry out too large an area, this is a cracking and stylish compact dehumidifier.