Do you really need an expensive fan to stay cool? I tested 5 handheld models from £17 to £130, and one budget pick stole the show | Tech Radar
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Do you really need an expensive fan to stay cool? I tested 5 handheld models from £17 to £130, and one budget pick stole the show
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I've tested some excellent portable fans this year, with premium looks and price tags, but do you really need to spend over £100 to stay cool this summer? To find out, I picked out a collection of five fans at different price points, from £16 through to £130, to see whether paying extra really makes a difference.
I tested and rated each fan based on perceived power, volume, design, and value. All five models are around the same size, and are rechargeable via USB. Only one (the Shark Chill Pill) has a battery you can replace yourself; the rest are all sealed units.
Read on for my full thoughts on each one — or use the links below to jump straight to retailers while stock lasts.
This little fan doesn't have the sheer power of the Dyson Hush Jet Mini below, but it puts up a very good fight — and for a fifth of the price. It's spectacular value for money, and is my number one pick if you're looking for a portable fan to keep you comfortable this summer.
It's a nice-looking fan, and is available with a plastic case, as shown here, or you can upgrade to aluminium for an extra £5. The plastic version comes in three colours (beach, mint, and petal), and has a frosted layer over the handle that resists fingerprints.
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My test unit weighed in at 192.6g, which is about standard for a portable fan, and almost identical to the Tunise model below. It's supplied with a USB-C charging cable and a wrist strap that slips into a hole in the bottom of the body and prevents you accidentally dropping it.
The John Lewis fan is controlled via a single rocker switch, which is easy to reach with your thumb, and has an LED display hidden in the centre of the fan head, which shows the current power setting and battery level as you cycle through the options. There are four power settings to choose from, and its small head delivers a very impressive, highly targeted stream of air exactly where you need it. Most budget-priced fans have larger heads that allow the airflow to dissipate, but this one is the exception.
At 52d B, its highest fan speed was a little louder than most fans on test, but that's explained by its relatively powerful motor — and it's much quieter than the Shark Chill Pill.
It's not perfect — I would have appreciated a proper neck strap, and the ability to adjust the fan head so the air is aimed at my face and neck — but those are quite minor quibbles for a fan this good and this cheap.
Dyson's first handheld fan is one of the two premium options in this guide, with a list price of £99.99, and is just as powerful as you might expect, blasting out a jet of air so strong that you could use it as a hairdryer.
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It's the only fan here with a bladeless design, meaning the stream of air is smooth rather than choppy, and the Hush Jet nozzle directs the airflow in a concentrated stream while minimizing noise. During my tests, it measured around 67d B, which is impressive considering its motor can reach 65,000rpm (for comparison, the Shark Chill Pill can only hit 25,000rpm and is considerably louder).
It's a striking-looking device, with its tubular body and angled head. The head can be twisted to change the direction, which is particularly helpful if you're hanging it around your neck with the included strap. This is very nicely designed, keeping the fan perfectly positioned so it doesn't swing or rotate, while a wide, soft panel prevents undue pressure on the back of your neck. At 221.4g, it's heavier than the budget fans in this guide, but lighter than the Shark Chill Pill.
In addition to the neck strap, the Hush Jet Mini Cool comes with a soft black bag to keep it safe on the move, a USB-C charging cable, and a stand that keeps the fan upright when it's charging, or if you want to use it on your desk.
It's beautifully designed, with the only real drawback being that it's easy to accidentally cover the air intake holes near the base with your hand while holding it. There's also no denying that it's pricey for a handheld fan. The Hush Jet is a thing of beauty, but for its balance of value and performance, the John Lewis fan just about has the edge for me.
Have you heard of Warmco? I certainly hadn't until I discovered this affordable little fan on Amazon and decided to give it a whirl. It's around the same price as the John Lewis fan, and is a good alternative if that happens to go out of stock during the current heatwave.
It's the most industrial-looking of the fans here, with a matte black plastic case, orange accents, and noticeable branding on the side, but I like the wrist lanyard's wide ribbon, which sits comfortably around your wrist. It's a little fiddly to attach (much like a charm on an old-school phone), but once it's in place, your Warmco fan isn't going anywhere.
The Warmco is a very similar shape to the John Lewis fan, but with a larger head that means its airflow isn't as focused, and feels weaker when you hold it at arm's length. It has an LED display in the centre of the head, which clearly displays the current power setting and the battery level so you know when it's time to plug in the USB-C power cable bundled in the box. There are four power settings to cycle through, and the highest one only registered at 47d B during my tests, making this the second-quietest fan despite its loud colour scheme.
Unlike John Lewis, Warmco gives you a handy base to keep the fan upright on your desk while you're working. It's similar to Dyson's, but not quite as tidy — the Warmco fan has its charging port at the top of the handle, so the cable dangles down if you plug it in while it's standing upright, whereas the Dyson Hush Jet Mini has its port at the bottom, keeping the wire neatly tucked away. It's a very small quibble, but it would make the whole Warmco package feel a bit smarter.
The Tunise fan is currently on sale for just under £16, which is seriously cheap — and to be quite honest, it looks pretty cheap as well, with its candy-colored plastic chassis and unappealing grey neck cord that resembles a dirty shoelace. However, if you can look past its visual failings, it's actually a very respectable little fan for the price.
It's versatile as well; although it looks very similar in style to the John Lewis and Warmco fans at first glance, the Tunise can fold at the head, allowing you to easily lie it down on a desk without the need for a stand, and letting it pack down into a more compact space for transport.
The ugly shoelace is actually quite useful as well. Whereas most budget fans only have a little wrist strap, Tunise's soft gray cord is designed to be worn around your neck and keep the fan aimed at your face hands-free. The cord is a tad fiddly to attach, but feels secure, and the shoelace is soft enough to feel comfortable against your skin when supporting the 195.5g fan.
There are six power settings to choose from, with the top one registering only 44d B, so you won't need to worry about disturbing colleagues or fellow commuters. Its airflow feels similar to the Shark Chill Pill too, which surprised me considering the enormous difference in price. The Chill Pill is much more attractive and more versatile with its three different attachments, but it's eight times the price.
The Shark Chill Pill is by no means a poor-quality fan — in fact, I own one myself and use it every day during hot weather — but with a list price of £129.99, it's also the most expensive, and during my tests its performance just didn't justify the cost.
It's an unusual-looking device, with a body made of two cylinders (one containing the battery and the other the motor), which are hinged in the middle. Twisting them allows you to easily turn the Chill Pill into a mini desk fan, and angle the airflow at your face while you work.
It comes in a wide array of colours (the one shown here is Haze), and is supplied with a set of three swappable heads: a standard fan, a cooling metal plate to press against pulse points, and a misting fan with a mini water reservoir that you can fill from your drinking water bottle on the move. The misting unit is particularly effective, and doesn't soak your hair and clothes even when set to 'continuous' mode. You also get a packet of extra wicks for the misting fan, plus the usual USB-C charging cable - and unlike the other fans here, the Chill Pill has a user-replaceable battery.
However, the Chill Pill doesn't come with a strap or a case. That's disappointing considering Dyson's fan includes a carry bag and a strap, and is £30 less expensive. Shark doesn't even give you a little wrist lanyard, which is a shame — and the Chill Pill is also the heaviest fan here at 239.5g with the standard fan attachment.
The fan's performance isn't stellar, either. It has 10 speed options, but even the highest one doesn't feel particularly forceful when the fan is held at arm's length or sat on a desk. The top speed is loud as well, reaching 74 d B according to my decibel-meter app. Using such a loud fan on the train feels a little antisocial, and it's a distraction if you're trying to work
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Cat is Tech Radar's Homes Editor, covering smart home tech, kitchen appliances, vacuums, haircare and more. She's been a tech journalist for 15 years, having worked on print magazines including PC Plus and PC Format, and is a Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) certified barista. Whether you want to invest in some smart lights, find your ideal hair styler, or pick the espresso machine of your dreams, she's the right person to help.
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