This article was published on March 7, 2019

Video: Welcome to the wonderful world of Smell DJ’ing

Providing fine stanks for years


Product
Smart Aroma Diffuser
Price
$139

Right, you see that video above? You should watch it. Why? Because it’ll show you exactly how you can use the Moodo to become the Smell DJ you’ve always dreamed of becoming.

That’s cool and all, but I’d rather read something right now.

Fair enough, everyone’s different! And because we’re so heartwarmingly and sickeningly pleasant, we’ve written an article just for you.

Great! So what the hell is the Moodo?

Basically, it’s a diffuser. But it’s not a normal diffuser, it’s a fancy pants, smart one. It connects to wifi (2.4Ghz networks only) and then you can control the smells it makes using your smartphone. These fragrances come from the four scent pods you put in the machine.

The box on the right is the Moodo itself. Bask in the glory.

Scent pods?

Yep, to use the Moodo, you have to use the company’s pods. Most of these come in themed packets of four and have some pretty great names, including:

  • Fresh Vibrations
  • Cozzzy
  • Winter
  • Beach Party
Here are what the boxes look like. They sure are… boxy.

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You can also buy single pods, but it’s probably better to get a pack. According to the company, the pods last for 60 days “under normal use.” It’s hard to accurately test a phrase like “normal use,” but I did find the pods lasted a decent stretch of time.

And how do they smell?

Honestly, it depends on the fragrance. Some of them were delicious (in particular I was a big fan of Lavender and Precious Spices), but others were… off putting. I think though this is more to do with personal preference than any issue of Moodo itself.

An example of the visceral reaction a purposefully bad smell pairing can have.

I guess the biggest problem with this process is actually finding a set of smells you like, but that’s no different to buying any sort of space-stinking things, so it’s hardly a deal breaker.

How does the Moodo work then?

So, once you’ve connected it to your phone, you set timers for when it operates. Or you can just leave it on all the time, and run your pods into the ground. You can also control the Moodo with voice-activated assistants, like the Alexa or Google Home, if that’s your bag.

When it comes to actually making smells, you have two main choices. The first – which is only available if you use one of the scent collections – is using Moodo’s pre-set mixtures, which can be found in the app. The second is you can adjust and customize the specific strength of each capsule, becoming the Smell DJ you’ve always dreamed of.

So much stink.

You can also control the Moodo directly from the device, as it has controls on it. The app is far slicker though.

Is the Moodo any good?

You know what? It actually is.

I was ready to totally dunk on the Moodo. Like, who the hell needs a smart diffuser? Is humanity at such a point that we need to connect our stank machines up to a router? Well, I guess, yeah, we are – because I’m genuinely impressed with the damn thing. The hardware is well-built, the app works well, and I’ve enjoyed being surrounded by nice smells.

The biggest stumbling block though is price. The device sets you back around $150 (this figures varies depending on where you get it from), and each refill pack is around $30. The latter isn’t much of a surprise – anyone who has bought a diffuser knows that a decent one isn’t cheap.

Still, while $150 isn’t a crazy amount of money, it’s also not pocket change. And unless you’re addicted to nice smells, it’s not a necessary purchase – no matter how cool, or good, or pleasant, or stankful it is.

Who’s it for?

Here’s a little story. My girlfriend really doesn’t like technology. I, on the other hand, do. Due to the nature of my job (and my addiction), there tends to be a lot of it about. The Moodo is one of the few gadgets she’s been positive about. So, I feel there’s a two-pronged answer to the question.

The first is for a person who loves having a nice-smelling house, but is tired of the non-tech world of incense and diffusers. The other is that the Moodo is for people who just like nice smells.

Like I said, I’m a big fan of the Moodo, and if you’ve been on the hunt for something like this, it comes highly recommended.

If you’d like your own device, you can grab it from Moodo directly here. It’s also available from a range of sellers on eBay. Happy stanking!


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