But with more and more people relying on the machines to keep their damp at bay, they’re becoming more popular than ever.

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And one woman has insisted hers is the best ever – as she can leave it on all the time and it barely dents her electricity bill.

It’s the Meaco Dry Arete One 20 Litre Dehumidifier, which is currently selling for a pricey £275 in Argos.

However, Amanda insisted in a post on the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group on Facebook that it’s definitely worth buying.

“I have had mine running 24/7 for over a year,” she explained.

“I don’t notice much difference in my electric bill but I sure appreciate how much water it collects and I now no longer have any damp corners.”

She added that while the machine is on 24/7, it only runs when it senses the humidity level is rising.

“Energy-efficient dehumidifiers have humidistats, which means the machine will work towards reducing the moisture to the recommended indoor humidity level of 55% RH before switching itself off,” Chris Michael, air treatment expert and managing director of Meaco, explained.

“It will only switch back on again if it detects a rise in humidity.”

And Amanda insisted the machine is “worth the money”, adding: “It saves me scrubbing damp walls with bleach”.

“I very rarely use it to dry washing but it has a dry washing setting which works just fine… and it has a night mode setting which makes it run quieter and turns the lights off the unit,” she said.

“Best dehumidifier I’ve had and it keeps the whole 4 bed house dry.

“I leave mine on the stairs/landing/hallway and have bedroom doors open during the day.”

As an added bonus, she uses the water it collects to water her plants.

The dehumidifier contains a filter that you’re meant to change, but Amanda said she hadn’t had to go that as yet.

“I occasionally remove the filter and clean the back of the dehumidifier and go and shake my filter but its never affected how it works,” she said.

“Apparently you can buy the filters for about £30 for 3 off the Arete site.”

And other people in the comments section also gushed about the Arete machine.

“Been a godsend since I got it 2 weeks ago,” one wrote.

“Reduced humidity in the air and condensation on windows and has a laundry option that dries my washing in a few hours.”

“Great product,” another added.

“Very good and very efficient. If you buy cheap you’ll buy twice!”

“We have a Meaco Dry Arete One 20 Litre Dehumidifier and its a game changer,” a third insisted.

“Especially when trying to dry clothing in the cold months.”

“The Meaco is fab,” someone else agreed.

“Got.mine over a year ago and love it.

“Very effective, cheap to run, quiet, fair price for the quality in my opinion.

“You wont be upset if you get a Meaco.”