I tried Dyson’s HushJet Mini Cool fan in the middle of a heatwave — and it could be the gadget of the summer

Dyson HushJet Mini Cool — (Image credit: Dyson)

The first heatwave of the year has just struck the U.K., with temperatures hitting up to 91.4°F for most of the country. And however much I try to cool my house down, opening and closing windows and blinds at different times of day to keep cool air in and hot air out, I’m wilting.

So I was pretty excited when Dyson’s first-ever portable handheld fan, the new HushJet Mini Cool, arrived for me to review. I’ve only been testing it for a couple of days, but here are my first impressions before I follow up with my full review.

What makes it ‘cool’?

At first glance, the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool is intriguing. Unsurprisingly, it’s elegantly packaged; you’d expect no less from this premium brand, and it has an attractive design, which is pretty handy since it’s a portable fan that’s meant to be both used and seen.

It’s easy to use

No batteries are required; it just needs to be charged via USB. Although I haven’t timed a single charge, Dyson claims it lasts up to six hours, though that's probably not when it’s running at full power.

The controls are super easy; you won’t need to pore over any instructions. You switch it on, then press the +/- button to adjust the cooling boost to your desired level. While sitting at my desk, I found levels 1 and 2 sufficient. I was practically blown away by level 5.

It’s noisier than I thought

You get a constant flow of air from the fan, up to 25 m/s, without any rotation. Dyson claims the fan remains quiet, but I would disagree.

If you’ve got it on your desk during a video call, even at level 1, I would turn it off. At level 1, it measured an average of 57 dB, rocketing to 74 dB on level 5. That’s pretty distracting when you’re trying to focus.

A quick comparison: Dyson HushJet vs Shark ChillPill

Shark launched its portable handheld fan, the ChillPill, a month earlier than Dyson. This rival product comes with five extra cooling levels, a digital LCD screen and 11 hours of battery life, plus a cooling plate to target your neck or wrists for an instant chill. Finally, it also adds in a mister for that added touch.

But if you want to pick up the lanyard, which lets you wear the fan on the go, it'll cost extra. Dyson includes this as standard.

There’s no doubt that the ChillPill beats Dyson on the color stakes, too. It comes in seven fashionable colors, but the sting in the tail from Shark is the price will set you back an extra $50.

The Shark ChillPill currently retails for $149 at Amazon. That’s a hefty price to pay for a personal cooling fan, when the HushJet will serve the same core function for $50 less.

If you’ve purchased the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on its performance and whether you think it’s worth $99. Let me know in the comments box below and stay tuned for my in-depth review coming soon.

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Camilla is the Homes Staff Writer and covers everything to do with homes and gardens. She has a wealth of editorial experience, mounting over 30 years, and covers news and features, tests products for reviews and compiles buying guides.

Her work has appeared in business and consumer titles, including Ideal Home, Real Homes, House Beautiful, Homebuilding & Renovation, and Kitchen & Bathroom Business. She’s even appeared on the cover of Your Home, writing about her own house renovation.

Although she’s obsessed with decorating her home, she also enjoys baking and trying out the latest kitchen appliances. But when she’s not inside, you’ll find her pottering about in her yard, tending to her vegetable patch or taking in her prized hydrangeas.