The essentials in 1 minute
- The BORA X Pure Max is BORA’s new hob with an integrated extractor: five cooking zones and, for me the real news, optional control knobs.
- Until now BORA had knobs only in the more expensive Professional series.
- The knobs sit in a fixed panel below the worktop and belong in the planning from the start.
- It is the same size as the X Pure and, like it, needs a base cabinet from 90 cm wide.
- Kolev has not yet tested the X Pure Max in everyday use. How the knobs feel is still open.
Rusi KolevArchitect & Founder
Real Estate Economist (ebs)
Questions in this guide 15
Transparency: BORA is one of our appliance partners, and we only supply the X Pure Max together with our kitchens. Technical data and dimensions come from BORA’s planning document and 2027 product overview. The rest is my opinion.
Wet hands and touch controls
I do not cook in one go. While something simmers, I wash up, load the dishwasher and wipe the worktop. If you have read my article on the BORA Dish, you know the habit. So my hands are often wet while I cook. And turning the heat down on a touch field with wet fingers annoys me every single time.
I am a bit old school here: I would rather turn a knob. I can do that with a wet hand, without looking for a towel first.
Why I still plan with BORA
I think the BORA X Pure is a great hob, above all because of the extraction, and that is what matters to me. Still, I would not have bought it for my own kitchen, because of the touch controls. BORA had knobs in its Professional series so far; as a set with surface induction it costs around 5,300 € with us. I have planned kitchens with it, but for myself it is too much.
So when clients wanted knobs, I either did without them or planned hobs from other brands. Lately, though, I plan only with BORA, simply because of the quality, and you only notice it once you cook with it every day. With the X Pure Max I can finally offer knobs without going straight to the Professional.
What the X Pure Max does
It is not bigger than the X Pure: both measure 83 x 51.5 cm, fit base cabinets from 90 cm wide and the same worktop cut-out. Three things are new:
- A fifth cooking zone at the back in the middle, above the round extractor inlet: 14 cm across, 900 W. Too small for pasta water, just right for the sauce pan, milk or the espresso maker. The four large surface induction zones of 23 x 23 cm each stay.
- Optional knobs: five illuminated rotary knobs, one per cooking zone. White means off, red means on, dim red means residual heat. The touch display stays; the knobs come on top.
- More automation: with BORA’s Assist cookware, the X Pure Max offers eight Assist functions, including Pasta, Simmer and Coffee; the X Pure only Fry and Boil.
On the other hand, BORA says the X Pure Max has no Wi-Fi and no Bluetooth, so there is no app connection like on the X Pure. That does not bother me.
Where the knobs sit
The knobs are not in the glass but at the front, in a fixed panel below the worktop, all five side by side. The panel has to be at least 10 cm high. That costs hardly any storage, because the appliance itself already sits right below the hob, almost 20 cm deep. Drawers below remain possible.
We settle two things for this during planning: the cut-out for the hob has to start at least 5 cm behind the front edge of the worktop, and the panel is drilled before the hob goes in. Adding knobs later therefore means taking the hob out again or a new panel.
What it costs
The X Pure Max has an RRP of 4,629 € including VAT; in our kitchens it costs 3,009 €. The knobs come on top: RRP 1,059 €, 688 € with us. Together that is 3,697 €, around 1,600 € less than the Professional with surface induction.
The LED display that the Professional 3.0 knob has is missing here: on the X Pure Max only the colour shows whether a zone is on. I found that display a bit too much anyway. The X Pure Max with knobs looks like a good deal, but it is still not cheap.
Who the X Pure Max suits
- Suits: anyone who washes up while cooking and would rather turn than tap, and anyone who wants BORA’s extraction without the price of the Professional.
- The X Pure is enough: if you like tapping and want to use the app. The X Pure has the same size, BORA Connect and costs less.
- Does not fit: base cabinets under 90 cm. The smaller members of the Pure family fit 80 or 60 cm, but have no knobs.
My verdict
With the X Pure Max I get BORA’s extraction and knobs for the first time without having to go for the Professional. It looks like a good deal, but it is not cheap. How the knobs feel in everyday cooking I will tell you once I have cooked with them myself.
The X Pure Max from us
You will find the BORA X Pure Max and the knobs among our kitchen appliances. If you buy them together with a kitchen from us, our architect’s terms apply as for every BORA appliance, with no mark-up of our own. Consumables such as the odour filter also come at our architect’s terms.
Frequently asked questions
Is the BORA X Pure Max bigger than the X Pure?
No. Both measure 830 x 515 x 199 mm (width x depth x height) and need a base cabinet from 90 cm wide. According to BORA, the cut-out is the same too: flush-mounted 834 x 519 mm, surface-mounted 810 x 495 mm.
What can the fifth cooking zone do?
It sits at the back in the middle, is 140 mm across and has 900 W, 1,350 W in the power level. For comparison: the four large zones are 230 x 230 mm each with 2,100 W, 3,000 W in the power level. The small zone is meant for small pots, for sauce, milk or the espresso maker, and with Assist cookware also for the Coffee function.
Where and how are the knobs installed?
In a fixed panel below the worktop, 5 to 20 mm thick and at least 100 mm high. Each knob needs a 100 mm hole. The knob centre sits at least 70 mm below the top edge and at least 50 mm below the underside of the worktop. With knobs, the hob cut-out has to start at least 50 mm behind the front edge, and drilling happens before the hob is installed. The set contains five knobs, cables and a drilling template.
How strong is the extraction?
According to the product data sheet of the extraction-to-outside version, up to 531 m³ per hour at the highest normal level and 590 m³ in the power level, with 98 percent grease separation (class A) and energy efficiency class A+. In the recirculation version, BORA rates the odour filter at 150 operating hours, about one year, and it is changed from above through the inlet.
How does the X Pure Max differ from the BORA Professional 3.0?
The Professional is a modular system: extractor and hobs are combined individually, also with gas or a Tepan grill, the hobs are 540 mm deep, and each knob has a touch surface with an LED display. The X Pure Max is a compact hob with a built-in extractor. Its knobs show the state by colour only. For the Professional 3.0, BORA gives 16 April 2027 as the last order date, and a new generation has been announced.
What does the BORA X Pure Max cost?
The RRP is 4,629 € including 19 percent VAT, the same for all four versions (glossy or matt, extraction to outside or recirculation). The knobs have an RRP of 1,059 €. Together with a kitchen from us, you pay 3,009 € for the hob and 688 € for the knobs.
Next step: the initial consultation
If you are wondering whether knobs, touch or a completely different hob suits the way you cook, we talk about it in the initial consultation: directly with the architect, 45 to 60 minutes, for Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main area.