Review : Duux North Smart 18K-Unprecedented cooling power!


  • 85%
    Cooling Capacity - 85%
  • 80%
    Built Quality - 80%
  • 55%
    Noise level - 55%
  • 90%
    Functionalities, accessories and service - 90%
  • 85%
    Installation & Ease of use - 85%
79%

Summary

The Duux North Smart 18k has an unprecedented cooling capacity, beautiful design, and well-functioning Wifi app. Despite the high number of BTU, the air conditioner is quite compact. Of all the air conditioners with 18,000 BTU, it is the smallest we have seen. In terms of build quality, the unit is also excellent, and we really like the fact that a window seal is included. In terms of energy efficiency, the air conditioner is average, exactly what we expect from energy label A.

A disadvantage is the noise level which may be a bit too loud for use in the bedroom. Also, the device does not support 5Ghz wifi and lacks a mode to warm up. Overall, we give the Duux North 18k an above-average rating of 79/100, and can recommend the device to quickly cool your room down to a pleasant temperature!

Powerful AC

With 18,000 BTU, the Duux North 18k is one of the most powerful portable air conditioners currently available. Relatively compact (the smallest 18K BTU air conditioner at the moment) and with a modern grey or white design. Duux is clearly aiming for the modern household, the air conditioner fits into almost any living room, bedroom or office.

In addition to the Duux 18K, the company also has a model with 14,000 BTU, the North 14K. Last year, Duux already launched the “Blizzard” model, which has a unique look with a large fan.

The purchase of the air conditioner includes the “Stay Cool” guarantee service from Duux. Should anything happen to your air conditioner, Duux will be at your door within 48 hours for a repair or exchange.

For which situation/room is the air conditioning suitable?

The Duux 18k is suitable for large spaces. According to Duux, the portable AC is suitable for spaces up to 46m2.
We consider 18,000BTU to be suitable for spaces between 42m2 and 70m2 (about 105m3 to 175m3), depending on the insulation, the number of windows, and the amount of heat-generating devices in the room.

Duux indicates two values for noise emission. The Duux website displays 53 to 59 dB, and also the official ISO value of 65dB. Based on these facts, the AC might be suitable for the bedroom, but only at the 53dB value described. However, we expect this to be the measured noise of the fan speed.


Official specs

  • Energy class A
  • 5.2 kW / 18,000 BTU cooling capacity
  • Three operating modes: cooling, ventilation, dehumidification
  • Three fan speeds
  • Timer function
  • Sleep/Night function
  • Room temperature display
  • Remote control
  • Coolant: R290
  • Weight 41.7kg.
  • Dimensions 36 x 48.9 x 76.3 cm (lxwxh)
  • Noise level (dB) 53-65
  • Wifi App
  • Power consumption: 2000 Watt
  • Window seal included
  • Removable air filter

In practice

Make sure to bring a strong friend to install the air conditioner, because at 41.7KG the weight significant. After unpacking you can roll

For the large amount of cooling power, we expected a decent device, but with a depth of 36cm, a width of 48.9, and a height of only 76.3 cm, the air conditioner is quite small. Very impressive!

The build quality is very decent, made of a neat grey or white plastic. Which, by the way, is sensitive to fingerprints!

In addition to the air conditioner itself, we also found the manual, exhaust pipe + accessories, a remote control and a window seal.
Finally, a window seal included! This is the Coolseal, which can also be purchased separately for €34.99.
The Duux Coolseal is a traditional window seal that is suitable for many different types of windows and doors, as you can see in the picture below:


Functionality

The air conditioner has three modes: Cooling, dehumidifying and ventilating. In cooling mode, you simply set the desired target temperature between 16 and 30 degrees, and the air conditioner will stay on until the temperature is reached.

Timer and Night Mode

With the timer function, you can choose when the air conditioner automatically starts or stops. Simply set the number of hours from the time you want the air conditioner to start or stop cooling.
In the night mode, the LED lighting and ventilation go on low so you can sleep peacefully, and the target temperature rises by 1 degree after one hour, and another 1 degree after two hours.

Remote Control

The ergonomic remote control fits comfortably in the hand and is equipped with all functionalities, just like the control panel on the air conditioner itself.

Het bedieningspaneel en de afstandsbediening

The wifi app!

The Duux North Smart series comes with a wifi app, which you can use to configure all settings that you can also find on the remote control, and that works really well! You can easily set the position, speed and target temperature via the app, and the AC immediately takes over.
The North is also compatible with the well-known virtual assistants: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Athom Homey.
The only disadvantage is that the wifi functionality only works with 2.4Ghz wifi, and not with 5Ghz. So keep that in mind if you can’t connect!


Noise test

For our noise test, we placed a decibel meter at a distance of 1 metre from the air conditioner. We then measured the air conditioner on the three settings, and for reference also measured the ambient noise.

Ambient noise40-42 dB
Test 1: Low62,1 dB
Test 2: Medium63,1 dB
Test 3: High64,6 dB
Test 4: Ventilation setting on low54,7 dB

Noise test conclusion

Unfortunately, we have to conclude that the AC is not very quiet. In all modes, the sound of the air conditioning compressor (the element that provides the cooling) rises above the ventilation. In our opinion, it is too loud to fall asleep next to (but that depends on your personal preferences).
So if you want to buy the airco for the bedroom, it’s more suitable for quickly cooling down the room beforehand, and then continuing on the ventilation mode.
The Wifi app also makes the problem a lot less of a problem, so for example you could cool down your room before you get home to a nice cool room!


Cooling capacity test

The most important feature of a powerful air conditioner is, of course, how well it cools. As we mentioned earlier, the air conditioner should be able to cool a room between 42m2 and 70m2 where insulation, the number of windows, and the amount of heat generating equipment all play a role.

In our scenario for the cooling test, our aim was to quickly cool down a bedroom for a good night’s sleep. Only 15m2, so the air conditioning should be more than sufficient, but there was a large window on the entire west side. In other words, poor insulation.
For our test, we placed our thermometer at a distance of about 3 metres in front of the air conditioner (out of the breeze, because we want to know the actual temperature and not the wind chill).

Test 1, 19:00 with sun on the window31,8 °C
Temperature after 30 minutes27.5 °C
Temperature after 1 hour 26.2 °C
Temperature after 1,5 hours25.7 °C
Test 2, 23:00, before sleeping27,8 °C
Temperature after 15 minutes25,5 °C
Temperature after 30 minutes23,8 °C

An excellent result as far as we are concerned. Our first test at 7 p.m. was quite a challenge, as the sun was still burning on the window. However, the air conditioner was able to bring the room back to a comfortable temperature quite quickly.

Our second test to cool down the room before sleeping was also a success. Within 30 minutes, the air conditioner cooled down the bedroom by 4 degrees to a pleasant 23.8°C. You can then switch the air conditioner off or set it to a target temperature so that it will switch back on when the room gets warmer.


In Conclusion

The Duux North Smart 18K is a compact but very powerful portable air conditioner that can be used to cool down rooms quickly. Duux provides the consumer with a comprehensive service by means of the well-functioning iPhone and Android app, included window sealing, and the “Stay Cool” guarantee.
One drawback is the noise level, but due to its compact size, it’s not entirely unexpected that the air conditioner is slightly louder than the competition. We would also have liked to see a heating mode, and support for 5Ghz Wifi.

In general, we give the Duux North 18k a decent rating, and can recommend the device for quickly cooling down your room to a pleasant temperature!

Geef een reactie