We had zero dehumidifier experience, so expectations hovered somewhere between "magic moisture vacuum" and "noisy space heater". Out of the box it felt solid at 12 kg yet small enough to lug between rooms. Fill the blank-sheet instructions: plug in, tap the humidity target, walk away. We were collecting water inside 10 minutes. No engineering… Read more
degree required.
The real test we were curious about is drying clothes. We try and avoid running the dryer because of how expensive it is, so we hang up our clothes and hope for the best.
Queensland winter, inside line, one load of mixed cottons at 8 pm. We parked the ACD216 in the spare room, selected “dry” mode, closed the door. By midnight towels were almost crisp and the the container was half full. No need for the 24 hour cycle. The room humidity dropped from 72 % to 46 %. Jeans still needed a quick once-over next morning, but compared with the usual two-day slog the result felt like cheating. The machine never smelled musty and it stayed on the polite side of loud; Netflix remained audible.
At full tilt the fan is similar to a pedestal fan on medium. We measured roughly 40 dB one metre away, in line with spec. Power use peaks at 300 W; in reality the compressor cycles, so our smart plug logged about 0.9 kWh over a six-hour laundry session, roughly 27c on a 30c/kWh tariff.
It's actually quite a foolproof unit a child could operate it (although they'd probably end up spilling the collected water out). We'll definitely use this to dry our clothes faster (we didn't even know they could do that). We didn't notice any change to indoor air quality, but maybe that happens with continued use over time.
- +2
I’ve been using the Ausclimate Compact+ 16L Dehumidifier in our bedroom and ensuite and it’s made a noticeable difference. With all the rain we’ve had in Queensland lately, controlling dampness has become essential. Without it, mould is almost inevitable. Since using this dehumidifier, the air feels fresher, there’s far less condensation on the… Read more
windows and the musty smell we used to notice in the mornings has disappeared. It’s definitely improved the indoor air quality.
It doesn’t noticeably change the temperature of the room but the space feels much more comfortable, less heavy and humid.
The controls are simple and intuitive. I like that it maintains the set humidity level automatically and the digital display makes it easy to monitor. The available features are practical for everyday use and its compact design makes it easy to move between rooms if needed.
Overall I’ve been really impressed by how effective and user friendly it is. It’s made a real difference in our home.
- +2
I have been considering getting a dehumidifier for my ensuite / walk in wardrobe area for some time. Although I have bathroom specific paint, an exhaust fan and two windows in this area, I still struggle with mould spots on the ceiling. When the… Read more
opportunity arose to test out the Ausclimate dehumidifier, I was very eager to give it a go.
The dehumidifier is compact enough that it doesn’t get in the way, but also quite heavy, giving me confidence in its build. It’s very easy to maneuver with it’s caster wheels.
Setup was as simple as plugging it in and choosing the humidity level I wanted. I was impressed to find this also connects to an app, giving me further information (like room temperature), and being able to manage the dehumidifier from my phone. Connecting to the app was seamless and I have had no issues with it.
Noise level is minimal, especially when running the fan at low speed (video attached shows noise level with fan at high speed). Power consumption is rated at 300W, so isn’t going to run the power bills up. I also appreciated the visual aids showing a red light bar when the humidity level is above the desired level and a green light bar when it is within range. Having a safety lock button is also handy but I would definitely keep this unit out of reach of little ones. I would have liked some extra information in the manual in regards to settings, but with a bit of trial and error I have been able to work out what works for us.
I ran a test over two consecutive days. The weather was similar (damp Melbourne winter) and the outside humidity was almost identical. Day one I used the dehumidifier. Pre-shower, the humidity was at 68% and returned to this level within 20 minutes of finishing my shower. I was able to leave the dehumidifier on to maintain a much lower humidity than when I began. Day two I didn’t use the dehumidifier. Pre-shower the humidity level was at 70% and it took two and half hours to return to the same level post shower.
I would normally wipe my bathroom ceiling over fairly regularly. Since using the Ausclimate dehumidifier I haven't had to do this. Knowing the humidity level is now at a more reasonable level, I am not worried about the effects it could have, not only on the bathroom itself, but also with my belongings in my walk in wardrobe. Clearly, the Ausclimate dehumidifier does the job, and does it well!
Follow-up · It's been a few months since receiving this humidifier and we are really happy with it. It's being used daily. We have no more mould or damp issues in our ensuite / walk in. We put it on when getting into the shower, set the timer to turn off after an hour and empty it every few days. Really happy with this product.
Reviews with attachments
- +1
Having never used a dehumidifier before, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I was asked to test this Ausclimate Compact+ 16L gadget. I’ve got to say I think it’s a true Thomas the Tank (Ringo Starr would say ”a very useful engine”). But! I will start with the small negative that reduced my experience to four stars (to be fair, I’d give 4.5 stars… Read more
if it were an option). Unpacking looked like it would be easy. But the cord storage! The power cord comes coiled up and secured INSIDE the water tank, and it wants to stay that way. I’ve had better luck trying to get my cat out from under a bed when it knows it’s going to go to the vet. First you have to get the tank out, which is prevented by the cord being jammed into it through a small gap in the tank lid while also being attached to the body of the machine by a very short length. But the killer is actually trying to remove the lid of the tank to get the cord out. That lid is not designed to be taken off by an ordinary human being. Maybe there is some magical way of uncoupling the lid without snapping it, but I couldn’t find anything in the manual that resembled a Harry Potter spell. It finally came apart after I resigned myself to potentially breaking my shiny new appliance. Experience has taught me that using force usually = bad. I swear I fought with that for longer than all of the rest of the unpacking and setting up combined. Sorry ‘bout the rant… now onto the good stuff. The app is very cool. Didn’t require an IT degree to set up and means you can run everything remotely. And when I took out the water tank to empty it without unplugging the machine a notification came up on my phone telling me that the tank was full or wasn’t installed correctly, which was a surprise. I suppose that means if it’s full and about to overflow or if the tank is going to leak all over the floor it will let you know, so that’s a thoughtful feature - thanks Ausclimate :) I have a European laundry (ie. in a cupboard) with a mostly useless hard-wired extraction device in the ceiling nearby. So I plugged this baby in next to the laundry while I ran the dryer. The laundry had 36% humidity when I started. So I set device to trigger at 40%. And today I learned that one small dryer load equals about half a cup of water that used to make itself at home on my walls, floors, whitegoods and everywhere, probably including the cat. And that half a cup of water probably meant mould and other assorted grossness along with asthma for my kids. So, I feel like a muppet for not catching onto that sooner, but hey!… at least I know now (sorry puss, sorry kids). See video for evidence of this first empty. I would love to know what the “ideal” humidity is, but for now I took a guess for the purposes of testing it out. You can set it to your personal climate preference (and obviously, location) and it will auto detect and run itself as needed (quietly, by the way). It’s very simple to operate and looks modern and attractive. It’s solidly built (surprisingly heavy, actually) and not at all flimsy, but the wheels make it easy to move around. It’s definitely a winner, and I’m looking forward to testing it in the main bathroom which has a woefully inadequate extraction fan. After seeing the laundry results, I assume it will fill the tank from every shower… So I’m guessing that if you live in the tropics, like a man in Florida once said, ”you’re going to need a bigger tank.” (oh, wait…). I remember in my inner city share house days having mould growing on my shoes and belts in the closet of an old Sydney terrace. And mould climbing up the bedroom walls of an older Canberra home too. Id have loved one of these back then, and I have no doubt it would have worked like a charm. Big tick from me for this one guys! And bonus points for the (partially) sustainable packaging, including the instruction manual being in a paper envelope and cardboard packing in the box instead of styrofoam. All great, except for the plastic bag the device itself is wrapped in. Womp womp…
Small and modern, Perfect – A compact modern-looking unit, with clean lines and great performance. I particularly like the easily accessible drain hose option. Oddly, mine has a rattle sound on the carpet but disappears on a hard surface. Works for me as I have mine mounted atop my front loader. This makes my laundry a drying room. A small box fan assists with the drying,… Read more
and the dehumidifier takes the moisture from the air. Drys a full load of washing including jeans and hoodies overnight....Perfect. The drain hose option is great, as the built-in water container is only small....3 ltr? (auto shut-off when the container is full, is redundant using the hose).
Awesome Investment – I can’t believe how much moisture it gets out of the air. I have a terminal lung issue which this machine is helping my breathing. Show details · 1
Mixed experience with support on faulty unit after warranty expiration – Update #2 - Ausclimate has sent me a replacement humidity sensor, which is the original outcome I asked for. Additionally, they have told me that they are working towards having more replacement parts available rather than having to replace whole units. I am happy with this outcome. Update - Ausclimate offered to replace the unit despite it being… Read more
out of warranty. It is a good offer but I would still prefer that there was the option to repair the existing one, thus reducing waste production. Rating has been updated to reflect this.
Original review - Dehumidifier worked fine until warranty expired, now the humidity sensor is faulty and thus the compressor doesn't run when it should be running as it thinks the ambient humidity is low enough. Ausclimate support wouldn't offer any help to get it fixed despite my acknowledgement that it is out of warranty and I would be happy to pay for repairs. Additionally they tried to scare me off getting it fixed by a third party, I can only assume because they would just prefer I buy a whole new unit for one faulty sensor. This wasteful and greedy attitude has soured my opinion of them as a business.
Positive reviews
This dehumidifiers truly been a game changer for our place. Our house tends to get really damp and we have been super i pressed with how well the unit has helped. Pros: - Our bedrooms are always a bit of a nightmare. The clothes in our wardrobe would get hat musty mouldy smell as well as some clothes actually getting mouldy. Since we ran the… Read more
dehumidifier we have noticed a huge difference. It sucks all of the excess moisture straight out of the air making everything feel healthier and just way more comfortable. - We also used it in our laundry room too. We get little winter sun in the backyard so drying clothes on the old hills hoist is a challenge. At the end of the day we bring the clothes in and flick on teh dehumidifier. It works to do the final dry on all of our clothes with no need for the dryer - reducing the possibility of shrinking our clothes. The clothes come our really dry.
Cons (maybe): - Hasn't been proven yet but it may be an energy sucker - we are waiting to see what the consumption is like and if we will see any impact on bills but this is still not proven,.
Overall - This unit has blown us away. Powerful, efficient and it has sorted a whole bunch of our moisture problems so its a real keeper. If you're battling humidity, dampness or need a reliable way to dry clothes indoors I cant recommend this unit enough!
Excellent little unit. It only has a small water collection tray but it’s easy to empty and easy to move around between the bedrooms and get rid of all the excess moisture during our very wet summer. A great feature is that it shows the relative humidity which the bigger more expensive unit doesn’t. I’d like it to have just a slightly longer cord, but overall a fantastic little dehumidifier. Show details
Was recommended by a friend. I am Very happy with, it is very effective. Collects moisture quickly. Easy to empty water container. A little heavy but that means it won’t get knocked over. I move into different rooms and use throughout whole house Show details
Negative reviews
**BUYER BEWARE** Unit arrived faulty, makes a fast loud pulsing noise, so loud it even wakes me up at night despite being rooms away at the other end of the house. Within days I reached out via their website contact page, they responded asking for video of the issue and other details which I promptly sent. After this they ignored all 5 emails I… Read more
sent. I would only get a reply when I would re-message via the website contact page which I’ve had to do 3 times now. There is no phone contact number. This issue has spanned two months on account of waiting for them to reply. They eventually offered a refund or replacement only if I would cut off the cord to the unit. I asked them “would you feel comfortable cutting the cord to a $300 machine when the company deliberately ignores all emails sent?”. They reiterated I have to cut the cord in order to get a refund/replacement. I will be taking this issue to VCAT/ Consumer Affairs Victoria, and urge anyone else who is having issues with them to do the same.
Good warranty and quality but do your maths before purchase – I was recommended Ausclimate by a friend, and in particular wanted to support an Australian company. I have no complaints about my dehumidifier at this early stage - it seems to be doing a great job. However, due to purchasing online there are some issues that had I known in advance, I'm not sure I would have chosen this particular product. 1.… Read more
Weight - the unit is quite heavy - 10.4kg. I have multiple stairs in my place - it's quite heavy to lug up and down stairs easily.
2. The reservoir is small and only holds 2.4L - this is far smaller compared to my previous dehumidifier from another European manufacturer. In humid conditions, the tank fills up too quickly and needs frequent emptying. I chose 16L as I thought this was related to capacity. I didn't realise that I would need to empty the tank at least 6 times a day! I'm so glad I didn't buy a smaller unit! And I don't even use my dehumidifier in a large space - it's main use is in my laundry and storeroom.
My concluding comment - do your maths carefully before purchase and consider carefully your needs.
Find out how Ausclimate Compact+16L compares to other Dehumidifiers
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Not good for condensation on windows – Purchase this dehumidifier to help reduce condensation on windows, hasn't done much at all, I had a cheaper / smaller dehumidifier that worked great with condensation, but I needed a more allergy friendly machine. Wouldn't recommend this machine. Show details
Hi Ollie, thank you for choosing Ausclimate.… Read more (+1 reply)
Recent reviews
This solves two problems for us. Firstly, it's been very handy after the recent rain. Nothing was drying outside. The dehumidifier function out aircon was not useful. This machine is useful. Secondly we have been having problems with a nasty washing machine that will not turn on in high humidity. We run this dehumidifier for 20 minutes first then… Read more
the cheap washing machine will function ( common fault, on that washer - bad touch panel control). The controls on this dehumidifier are by contrast very reliable.
Ordering was easy, pricing very good. The unit performs very well (this is our second purchase after being extremely satisfied with the first one. The room feels drier and healthier after running the unit for a few weeks. Show details
Had the dehumidifier for about 10 days. Unit works well, draws a lot of water and operates quietly. Good quality. Unfortunately, delivery was missed and parcel ended up at a depot about 5 km from my residence. Had to arrange for a friend to collect it. Communication about exact day and time of delivery so I could have been at home would have been great. Show details
Obsessed!! Great dehumidifier - super satisfying to empty all the water out, and the downstairs room which was previously always musty and damp smells dry and fresh now. Also excellent for drying laundry indoors. Show details
Perfect – The best purchase I've made recently. Very good performance and ease of use from this machine. I also own the 12 litre version of this. My only problem is that I should have purchase them years ago. Thanks Ausclimate. Show details · 1
Compact+16L Dehumidifier – It works wonders in my humid home. Only thing is that, it's very noisy which disturbs my sleep at night. It started quiet but gets louder eventually. Overall fit for purpose.
Great Unit – Great size unit for bedroom. Works a treat! Quick delivery. Show details
It grows on you – At first I thought it was too noisy and the blue display screen annoyed me at night but then it grew on me and now I like the white noise for sleeping when it's on continuous mode (so the noise doesn't start up suddenly) and just cover up the blue display at night. Overall I am happy with it and would recommend. I used to get excessive amounts of… Read more
condensation on my windows every night and the room smelt like mould and now I don't get any. If I leave it running for 8 hours on continuous mode in a small room with the door shut the humidity will drop from about 62% to 49% which is fine. It takes about 10 hours to fill the water tank.
Find out how Ausclimate Compact+16L compares to other Dehumidifiers
Know better, choose better.
Nice effect unit – Free freight was part of the special offer. The unit has exceeded our expectations. Works as advertised and has made a significant difference to the rooms it is placed in and doesn't need to be constantly required to run and can be switched around and into different rooms. Show details
Works really well – Very good at preventing mold. I don't have to wipe condensation off the windows every morning anymore. I think the smaller one would be better suited for me, but they were sold out. Show details
Good machine for a small room – I have not had any problems with the machine, but I have only been using it for a month. It is quiet and seems to work well. It's capacity is smaller than I expected. I'm using it in a small bedroom (approx 3mx4m), but it is probably better suited for a walk-in robe or bathroom. Show details · 1
All good – Easy to set up. Has worked reliably. Pleased with this. Show reply
Super Quiet and Effective – This little machine pulled 16L out of our walk-in robe in the first 24hours...we couldn't believe our eyes. Little wonder why everything was going mouldy during the wettest Gold Coast summer we can remember. The only feature that is lacking is the ability to set a timer for day-time use(using free solar) and off at night. It does have a timer but… Read more · 1
it's for a once off use...which is pretty pointless when you want the machine on throughout an entire season.
Incredible machine – It's on for 7 hours a day in the bedroom and it's amazing the amount of water it collects. I live in mouldy Maleny where it rains every other day Show details · 1
I have been using AusClimate dehumidifiers since 2012 and have found them reliable and economical – This unit is quiet and very effective. It is keeping a 40 cubic-meter walk in robe at a comfortable, 60% humidity, set up with continuous drainage. Show details · 1
Dehumidifier – Still early days but seeing water in the retaining tank is a relief. Show details · 1
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This has now been resolved and I have finally been refunded. I ended up getting as replacement the… Read more