The Duux Bora Smart Dehumidifier 30L is a compressor dehumidifier that sits on the pricier side of the dehumidifier market. Over the last month, I've been using the Duux Bora Smart Dehumidifier daily to see how it tackled the damp and condensation in my flat.
The best dehumidifiers will lower humidity, prevent damp and speed up laundry drying times. When testing the Duux Bora I put it through the same testing process we use to test dehumidifiers to see how to perform at these tasks, but also how easy it was to use - faffy, time-consuming devices just don't slot easily into everyday life after all.
At a glance
Known for its innovative and sleek-looking products, Duux has made a name for itself with a roster of heaters, fans and air conditioners. The Duux Bora Smart Dehumidifier 30L is a larger version of the Duux Bora Smart Dehumidifier 20L which we've tested previously. It comes with a promise to create the ideal climate in any room, including basements and attics. It has a built-in hygrostat and carbon filter which is easy to clean. It is a compressor dehumidifier so works best at temperatures over 15 degrees.
On testing I found it to be incredibly powerful, in just three hours it reduced the humidity in the room from 71% to 54%. It was able to drying a load of laundry in four hours on the laundry setting. It has a large 4L tank that accommodates the power extraction so you don't have to empty it multiple times a day.
It is a relatively quiet dehumidifier emitting 36 db, and costs just 7p per hour to run. However, what let it down was its bulky size and I had difficulty pairing it with my phone and the app which you needed to use all the smart features.
Specifications
- RRP: £299.99
- Type: Compressor
- Extraction rate: 30L/day
- Water tank capacity: 4L
- Max room size recommended: 50m squared
- Noise level: 36dB – 42dB (Quiet Mark)
- Power: 20W – 260W
- Dimensions: H53.5 x W38.5 x D29.5cm
- Weight: 14.5kg
- Portable?: No
- Automatic humidity sensor: Yes
- Continuous drain option: Yes
- Laundry mode: Yes
- WiFi connectivity: Yes
- Timer: 1-24 hours
- Operating temperature: 15 °C
Unboxing
My first takeaway from unboxing the Duux Bora Smart Dehumidifier is that it's heavy, and I really struggled moving the box around on my own.
The device comes wrapped in a sheet of protective plastic, and once it's out the box, I can appreciate that it looks well-designed. I'm definitely intrigued to see if the design is reflective of its capabilities.
Set-up
To get the Duux Bora Smart going, you just need to clip the filter and filter frame together, then attach this to the device. It's really simple, and there's a picture booklet of instructions to guide you through. After this, plug the dehumidifier in, press the power button on the control panel, and it will start whirring away.
I had a little more trouble with the Smart connectivity features, which had also been a challenge for our reviewer who tested the small 20L Duux Bora Smart Dehumidifier. After downloading the app, it took a while for my phone to pair with the dehumidifier, despite me being sat right next to it. This was a little frustrating because to get the most out of the device, you do need to be connected to the app (but more on the later).
Eventually, my phone did pair with device, and the app recommended that I create a Duux account to access all of the features. I did this, but once I was logged back into the app with an account, the pairing had lost and I had to re-connect to the device. Again, this took a frustrating amount of time.
Design
I like the white body of the Duux Bora Smart, but I will say I've seen (and tested) more attractive dehumidifiers. Because the device is quite bulky (weighing just under 15kg, and reaching over 50cm in height), I couldn't help but feel it was a bit of an eyesore in my home office.
That being said, the size of the dehumidifier is what enables it to extract so much water without needing to be emptied, which is probably more important to a lot of people than how the device looks. I'm also testing the 30L size, there is a (slightly) smaller 20L option available. And in general, I would describe the Bora Smart as impressive-looking.
Ease of use
As mentioned, you do need to connect your Duux Bora Smart to the app to be able to access all of the features, and this can take a while. Some of the buttons on the control panel have double functions, such as the laundry/timer button. By pressing this, I could only set the timer, so I quickly figured I'd have to use the app to access the laundry mode.
You can switch between the high and low setting on the control panel, and set a target humidity level (meaning the device will switch itself off once the target humidity is reached). I was impressed that the target humidity can be set as low as 30% - previous dehumidifiers I've tested have only gone down to 50%.
Performance
Overall, I was impressed with how the Bora Smart performed. For context, I live in a second-floor flat where damp and condensation are rife, so I rely on dehumidifiers to stop this developing into mould.
Thanks to the handy humidity display panel, it was easy to track how quickly the Bora Smart extracts moisture from the air. It took just under 3 hours for the humidity level in my home office to drop from 71% to 54%, which I was pretty impressed by, given how much this room struggles with excess moisture. The air is expelled from the side vents quite powerfully, which is reflective of the dehumidifier's fast extraction rate.
Via the app, I selected laundry mode to see if the dehumidifier would help my heated clothes airer dry my clothes quicker. This essentially just sets the device to run for four hours, at the end of which, the clothes were dry (usually, I have to leave the electric airer on for much longer than four hours, so this is a definite plus if you're looking to save energy).
As mentioned, you can set the target humidity to 30%, which I frequently did. It was difficult for the Bora Smart to reach this level when drying clothes, but I was still satisfied to see it reach as low as 40%. Optimal indoor humidity levels range from 30-50% in the winter, and 40-60% in the summer, so I was content to see it go from 70% to 40% whilst drying clothes.
If you're wondering about the difference between compressor and desiccant dehumidifiers, they pull excess moisture from the air via different mechanisms. Essentially, compressors use a refrigerant to condense moisture out of the air, where desiccants use a heater and absorption material to remove moisture from the air.
The Duux Bora Smart is a compressor dehumidifier, meaning it will work best in temperatures above 15°C. Thanks to the recent cold snap, I've definitely used it in colder temperatures than this, and still found that it lowered the room's humidity levels efficiently. I'd be interested to see if it performs any better when the weather warms up, though I really didn't have any complaints.
Living in an upper floor flat, I didn't have much use for the continuous drainage function. You'd need a suitable location for the water to drain away for it to run continuously, but thanks to the large 4L water tank, this didn't bother me; the Bora Smart can collect a lot of water before it needs to emptied, which is a huge plus.
Energy use
If you're wondering how much does a dehumidifier cost to run, it all depends on the wattage of the device. So, the higher the wattage, the more it will cost to run.
As far as dehumidifiers go, the Duux Bora Smart is really energy efficient. It uses a maximum of 260W on the highest setting (and only 20W on the lowest). With the latest energy price cap change setting the cost of electricity to 24.5p per hour, the Bora Smart will cost around 7p per hour to run on the highest setting.
So, if you leave the dehumidifier running for four hours, it will cost around 28p, and 56p for eight hours. That's super impressive - I've tested dehumidifiers that cost more than double this to run on the highest setting.
Noise levels
I found the Bora Smart's noise levels to be unproblematic. With a range from 36dB – 42dB, the dehumidifier doesn't create sound loud enough to be annoying, even on the higher setting. I can comfortably work from home while the Bora Smart is whirring away in the background (though I don't mind working with a bit of white noise anyway).
I wouldn't have the device running on the higher setting while watching TV, because it might get a little distracting. But this wouldn't bother me on the low setting, if it was a good distance away from the telly.
Whether or not you could sleep with the Bora Smart on comes down to how quiet you like the bedroom to be; I can sleep with it on the low setting because I don't find the sound jarring in any way, but this might not be the case for someone who prefers a very quiet sleep set-up. There is a night mode, but this just turns off the LED display and indicator lights, rather than lowering the volume.
The 'beep' the dehumidifier makes when any of the buttons are pressed, and when the tank is full, is a little annoying - but the sound doesn't happen frequently enough for me to consider this a con.
Portability
As mentioned, the Duux Bora Smart is really heavy, and if it weren't for the wheels, it would be difficult to move it from room to room.
I did find the wheels a bit awkward at first, and found I still had to half-carry the dehumidifier around (which took a lot of effort). Once I figured out the best position (rolling it from the side rather than the front), it became a lot easier to transport. I will say I still prefer being able to pick up and carry a dehumidifier - it just feels less faffy to me, but that might come down to personal preference.
Maintenance
I really like how much water collects in the tank before the Bora Smart needs emptying. There's a little window in the tank which enables you to see how full it's getting (this is also a handy way to see the rate at which the dehumidifier is extracting). And when it is time to empty the tank, it's really easy thanks to the carry handle.
To maintain the Bora Smart, it's recommended to clean the dehumidifier regularly, particularly the carbon filter. The filter can be rinsed under the tap and scrubbed with a gentle brush, which I try to remember to do weekly. It does collect dust and debris, so is definitely worth doing, and it's a simple process that only takes a few minutes (note that the filter needs to be completely dry before it's re-inserted into the appliance). You can use a handheld vacuum to clean the filter as well.
It's also recommended to clean the water tank regularly, as mould and bacteria can develop in here if old water is left sitting. I usually give the tank a quick wipe-down every time I empty it to keep on top of this.
How does the Duux Bora Smart Dehumidifier rate online?
Being a fairly new product, there aren't many reviews of the Duux Bora Smart online yet, but those that are up are resoundingly positive. It has a 4.4/5 star rating on Amazon out of 89 reviews, and customers are generally pleased with how the dehumidifier performs.
Reviewers note being pleased with how quickly the Bora Smart lowers humidity levels, but there are a few people who wish there was a quieter setting. A couple of reviewers mention problems controlling the dehumidifier remotely via the app, but this may be due to WiFi issues.
There are only 6 reviews of the device on the Duux website, but again, these are majorly positive.
Verdict
So, after testing the Duux Bora Smart Dehumidifier for a month, do I think it's worth the investment? Well, if you're looking for a powerful device that will significantly reduce your home's humidity, then yes, it could be well worth it. It speeds up drying times and can lower humidity levels in a room to 30%, which is impressive.
But, there are some caveats. First of all, it's expensive. £349.99 is a lot to pay for a dehumidifier, considering the MeacoDry Arete One 12L Dehumidifier/ Air Purifier rings in at £179.99, which our review found to be the best-in-class (until its successor, the MeacoDry Arete Two came in to play). For the cheaper price, you still get the energy efficiency, whisper-quiet functionality, and powerful results that the Duux Bora Smart provides. The ProBreeze 12L Dehumidifier with Built-in Humidistat is another cheaper option that will get the job done, costing only £129.99.
I'm also not a fan of how bulky the Duux Bora Smart looks and feels. I've tested the Vonhaus Desiccant Dehumidifier before, and I prefer this mainly because I can move it easily between rooms, and its sleek design doesn't feel like an eyesore. The Bora Smart isn't ugly by any means, it's just quite big, so you'll need to have the space for it if you're going to invest.
The Bora Smart does boast WiFi connectivity, meaning you can control it from your phone. But, if you want to invest in an expensive dehumidifier, I would probably opt for the MeacoDry Arete Two Dehumidifier/ Air Purifier instead. The 20L size has the same price as the Bora Smart 20L (£299.99), but you get an additional fan speed with proportional control for faster laundry drying, as well as a dust filter & H13 HEPA filter for air-purifying capabilities.
