Dreo Smart Misting Fan 516S review: effective, mess-free, and moderately priced | Tech Radar

Overview

News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets

Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more

Details

Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.

After testing Dreo’s new smart misting fan, I couldn’t imagine my life without it — here’s why

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Dreo’s 516S misting fan is an effective option for personal cooling, with wide-angle oscillation, plenty of speed modes, and stable performance both with and without misting active. It’s pretty quiet unless you use the Turbo mode, and the touch controls could be better. But for the price you pay, the 516S feels well-worth it.

We tested the best fans on the market – these models came out on top

The best air purifier: 8 powerful purifiers, tried and tested by experts

I've tested almost every Dyson vacuum – these are my top recommendations

We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you're buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

The Dreo Smart Misting Fan 516S is a device that came to me when I needed it most. It was a sweltering day in the UK — a nation with little in the way of air conditioning, but lots of humidity. But as I sat there at my desk sweating profusely, my editor handed Dreo’s new misting fan to me, and I have to say, it’s been a lifesaver.

But what exactly is the Dreo Smart Misting Fan 516S? Well, it’s a device designed to deliver “mess-free cooling,” and is best-suited for desks and tables. I’ve spent the last three weeks with Dreo’s fan, and have used it at my desk, at the kitchen table, and even in a controlled testing space at Future Labs. And for the most part, it’s proved to be quite an impressive performer — though it’s not totally without its flaws. So, here’s how I’d rate my experience overall.

First of all, let’s talk about who this fan is for. In my view, this is best suited for someone who’s sat at their desk and wants a personal fan, but one they can also set on a bedside table on hotter evenings too. I’d not necessarily recommend it to keep the whole family cool on the sofa, though — it’s still pretty compact, and the fan head is relatively small, meaning you don’t get the huge amount of coverage that some of the best fans can provide.

So, how does the 516S fare when used at a desk? In my case, it was great. I found the mist setting to work exceptionally well, and it added a nice degree of coolness without making any mess or feeling too intense. There were 12 speeds to select, and it was easy to switch between the three mist levels depending on how hot I felt. What’s more, it can oscillate 150 degrees horizontally, up to 20 degrees up, and 10 degrees down, making it easy to tailor coverage to your specific space. Dreo states that the 516S can cool a room by 3C / 5.4F at a max speed of 8m/s.

Setting up misting is pretty straightforward too. Simply fill up the detachable 1.3L water tank, slot it into the fan, and you’re good to go. You have to flip the tank upside down before inserting it, and this can lead to a bit of minor leakage, but I never found this to be a big issue. The tank is also large enough to keep misting for hours on end — 12 hours, according to Dreo — and I never felt that I had to refill it too regularly. And if you’re not in a misty mood, then fear not — it’s easy to switch over to a fan only mode, which works nicely too.

Even when using the mist mode, I found the fan to run pretty quietly, which was especially useful when trying it out at night. I didn’t find it difficult to drift off to sleep with the fan at a middling speed, and it certainly couldn’t cut past my Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones when trying it during the workday. One caveat, however, is that the Turbo mode — for those who want maximum power — can get fairly noisy. This could frustrate some when trying to watch TV or listen to music, but the mode did still work well when I needed a thorough blast of cold.

There are a number of other ways to customize your experience, though, such as a timer, a humidity preference setting, and a child lock system. Such options can be accessed through a number of control methods: touch controls, a remote, voice commands, or a companion app. This level of versatility is always welcome, and the inclusion of Alexa and Google voice assistants is pretty neat, especially given the 516S’s modest price — more on that later.

I will say, however, that the physical touch controls are… a little temperamental. Sometimes I found myself pressing a button over and over again trying to get it to function properly. That’s pretty frustrating, and often pushed me to reach for the remote instead. It’s no dealbreaker, especially with the various alternative control methods, but it’s worth noting all the same.

Before we sum up, let’s talk about design. This fan is decent-looking, with an easy-to-clean plastic exterior, attractive lighting on the control panel, and a transparent water tank, so you always know when it’s time for a refill. There’s also a practical carry handle, and you can easily dismantle the fan if you need to make a fix. The power cable is integrated, and you won’t be able to use this fan wirelessly, but for the cost, that’s understandable.

Speaking of cost, the 516S will typically set you back

Dreo Smart Misting Fan 516S review: price & release date

The Dreo Smart Misting Fan 516S has a fairly modest price tag for all of the tech it crams in. It’s typically available for

Wide control options, plenty of modes and speeds, mist and fan only options, wired power only.

Wide control options, plenty of modes and speeds, mist and fan only options, wired power only.

Mess-free misting works well, decent coverage, usually quiet unless using Turbo mode.

Mess-free misting works well, decent coverage, usually quiet unless using Turbo mode.

Decent looking, easily detachable water tank, touch controls could be better.

Decent looking, easily detachable water tank, touch controls could be better.

Cheaper options exist, but a good performer at a relatively modest price.

Cheaper options exist, but a good performer at a relatively modest price.

You want mess-free misting I was blown away by the effectiveness of this Dreo fan’s misting. It helped cool me down really quickly, but at the same time, it never made any mess whatsoever. Practical and a steady performer? Sign me up.

You don’t want to refill a misting tank too often Despite the 516S’s relatively small size, it has a 1.3L tank that can keep misting for hours on end without requiring a refill. If you just want to load up and chill out for the rest of the day, this fan has you covered.

You want the broadest coverage This is a desktop fan, and so in spite of its wide-angle oscillation, you won’t get the most expansive coverage in the world. If that’s a dealbreaker, I’d suggest picking a larger model in our guide to the best fans around.

You need the quietest fan around Although the 516S is generally quiet in use, the Turbo mode is a little loud. It may be better to look elsewhere if you want borderline silence for night-time use, for instance.

Dreo Smart Misting Fan 516S review: also consider

Meaco Fan Sefte Pro 10in Our ‘best mid-range pick’, the Meaco Fan Sefte Pro 10in is so easy to recommend. Unlike this Dreo fan, it's cordless, so you can pick it up and place it wherever you want with ease. It's powerful yet quiet, and pretty compact too, although it skips on the misting effect that you get with this Dreo model. Read our full Meaco Fan Sefte Pro 10in review.

Shark Flex Breeze Hydro Go This one is sometimes on sale at a very similar price to this Dreo fan, and we’re big… fans of it here at Tech Radar. The Hydro Go has misting capabilities, can be used cordless, and is surprisingly lightweight, making it a spectacular all-rounder. OK, it doesn’t oscillate and there’s no remote control included, but it remains an excellent personal cooling solution. Read our full Shark Flex Breeze Hydro Go review.

Used at home and in a controlled testing space at Future Labs

I spent three weeks testing the Dreo Smart Misting Fan 516S, using it at home on my desk and the kitchen table, and even trying it in a controlled environment at Future Labs.

During this time, I tested out all of the various features, sifted through the multiple connectivity and control options, and made sure to try the fan both with and without misting activated. During the majority of the testing period, I was using the fan on high temperature days with high humidity, making for a natural and authentic testing process.

More generally, I’ve tested tons of gadgets here at Tech Radar across the course of multiple years. I’ve covered home and lifestyle products, audio gear, video games, and more as part of our dedicated reviews team.

Harry is a Senior Reviews Writer for Tech Radar. He reviews everything from party speakers to wall chargers and has a particular interest in the worlds of audio and gaming. Harry has a background in business tech journalism, particularly around the telecoms industry.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

14 top turntables to give the gift of vinyl on Graduation Day

2GPD debuts mini PC with a 25W Core Ultra X7 358H CPU with an i GPU that's almost as fast as the 3050M — but shame about the GPIO snub

3 How to watch Tunisia vs Japan: Free Streams & TV Info

4 Sennheiser Momentum 5 review: fab features, epic battery life — but you'll have to polish the default sound profile

5 Sonos Era 100 SL review: cheaper without any acoustic compromises

Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Key Takeaways

• News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets

• Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more

• Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards

• After testing Dreo’s new smart misting fan, I couldn’t imagine my life without it — here’s why

• When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission