Russell Hobbs Fresh Air Mini Compact Dehumidifier review: a great choice for small spaces

Price: RRP £49 | Buy now from Amazon

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Key specs

Type: Compressor Dehumidifier | Extraction amount: 300ml | Tank capacity: 600ml | Dimensions: H22 x W14 x D14cm | Weight: 0.9kg | Power: N/A | Cost per hour: N/A | Noise level: 35dB | Max room size: 15m² | Laundry mode: No | Warranty: 2 year

What we like

• Lightweight, compact and portable

• Affordable

• Simple, sleek design

• Very quiet (just above a whisper)

• No complicated controls or settings to find your way around

What we don't like

• Only effective up to 15m² 

• Small tank capacity

Our verdict

When thinking about dehumidifiers, does an image pop into your head of a large, ugly, white box, rattling noisily away in the corner? If so, then you have clearly not encountered the Russell Hobbs Fresh Air Mini Compact Dehumidifier.

Lightweight, small, and quieter than even the quietest of mice, this dehumidifier comes in sleek black or stylish grey, with the aim of blending into your living space, rather than dominating it.

As it is a compact unit, it is designed to be used in rooms no bigger than 15m² and the water tank can only hold 600ml, so it isn’t suitable for use in large living spaces. But from caravans to garages, from home offices to utility rooms, the Russell Hobbs Fresh Air Mini Compact Dehumidifier is perfect for tackling damp and condensation in isolated areas. And the beauty of this small-but-mighty unit is that it’s fairly cheap, costing under £50 at the time of writing (September 13th, 2023), so you may feel that investing in a few of these to dot around your home would be a great investment to tackle dampness.

Read next: Best dehumidifiers 2023: affordable units to beat damp and mould at home

What’s in the box?

• Dehumidifier

• Plug adaptor

How easy is the Russell Hobbs Fresh Air Mini Compact Dehumidifier to set up?

The Russell Hobbs Fresh Air Mini Compact Dehumidifier is incredibly easy to set up. 

When unpacking the dehumidifier for the first time, the plug adaptor can be found in the water tank (as indicated by a helpful sticker on the back of the dehumidifier).  Once I had retrieved the adaptor, the tank went back in, I plugged the machine into the mains, pressed the power button and voilà! The dehumidifier started working its magic.

There are no complicated controls or settings to get used to - this dehumidifier just has the one button to turn the unit on and off. Holding the power button for three seconds will turn the light indicator on or off.

Read next: How to use a dehumidifier to dry clothes

What is the Russell Hobbs Fresh Air Mini Compact Dehumidifier like to use day-to-day?

As mentioned above, the Russell Hobbs Fresh Air Mini Compact Dehumidifier is incredibly easy to operate. There is just one button on the whole dehumidifier, so it’s difficult to know exactly what Russell Hobbs could do to make the user experience any easier, to be honest.

The dehumidifier was tested in a number of different settings, including next to laundry drying on the airer, and various sized rooms. As expected, it performed well in smaller spaces, collecting a good amount of moisture. I also had the unit running in our bedroom overnight. It was super quiet, so nobody was disturbed from their slumber. I found the blue light on the unit pretty unintrusive, but there is always the option to turn this off if you are concerned about it potentially waking you up.

When the water tank is full, the light turns orange and starts flashing and the dehumidifier will stop working. The water tank slides easily out the back of the dehumidifier, the lid comes off and the water can be poured away before the tank is replaced, ready to go again.

Read next: Best window vacs for getting rid of condensation

How noisy is the Russell Hobbs Fresh Air Mini Compact Dehumidifier?

The Fresh Air Mini Compact Dehumidifier is not noisy at all. At 35 decibels, it is just above a whisper (which is 30dB, in case you were wondering). 

When I pressed the power button for the first time, I had to double-check that the dehumidifier was actually on, as it made so little noise. If you are planning to put the Fresh Air Mini in a bedroom, it shouldn’t wake even the lightest of sleepers.

Read next: Best heated clothes airers for drying clothes quickly

Does the Russell Hobbs Fresh Air Mini Compact Dehumidifier offer value for money?

I would say yes - if you are looking for an effective mains-operated dehumidifier for a small space, the Russell Hobbs Fresh Air Mini Compact Dehumidifier offers excellent value for money. 

At the time of writing (September 13th 2023), the Russell Hobbs dehumidifier cost £49. You may be tempted to purchase a budget, non-electric alternative like the Unibond Aero 360 Compact Moisture Absorber instead, which was priced at £12 at the time of writing. However, this damp trap requires refills every 3 months, costing around £11 a pop. By the time you have factored this extra cost in, you may as well buy the Russell Hobbs dehumidifier to start with.

Overall, the Russell Hobbs Fresh Air Mini Compact Dehumidifier is an excellent little dehumidifier that will help to keep damp at bay, and your electricity bills down, through the winter months and beyond. 

Read next: Best budget dehumidifiers: keep your home damp-free for under £100

How we tested

Reviewer Laura lives in a four-bedroom house in Sussex with her husband and two kids, aged four and six.

The dehumidifier was tested in a number of rooms in Laura’s house, including the conservatory, home office and bedroom, during daytime hours and overnight. It was also tested next to wet washing hanging on the airer.

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