Dyson’s handheld fan is more powerful and louder than I thought

Two years ago, I attended a picturesque outdoor wedding in August, and the hot and humid weather meant that guests occasionally climbed into their cars to enjoy the blast of air conditioning. Dyson’s new $99.99 handheld fan would have provided some much-needed relief, although I’m not sure I would have felt comfortable turning it on during service or reception. The HushJet Mini Cool is as slim and stylish as Dyson’s recent launches thin vacuum and hair dryerbut it’s not quiet enough to earn the name “Quiet.”

That’s unfortunate, because the HushJet Mini Cool is another Dyson redesign that looks and performs better than what’s already on the market. All its components, including the motor, 5,000mAh rechargeable battery and rotating blades, are securely housed in a 38mm diameter cylindrical body that fits easily into your pocket. Many handheld fans use flexible or folding blades that are exposed, making them unsuitable for children, or cram moving parts into the fan. The bulbous part at the top This limits portability.

The HushJet Mini Cool weighs 208 grams, which is about the same weight as the iPhone 17 Pro, so it’s not a terrible burden to carry around when the temperatures soar, and it’s very simple to use. A toggle switch turns the fan on and off, while a rocker button lets you adjust it up or down through five different fan speeds indicated by five small white LED strips. There’s also a more powerful boost mode that only activates when you hold down the “plus” side of the rocker button.

The only learning curve is remembering to hold the fan above the vents that surround its base so as not to block airflow. The HushJet Mini Cool has some added texture to the exterior to naturally guide your hand’s position in holding it, which will be welcome.

Dyson claims up to 6 hours of battery life at the lowest fan setting, but at top speed (non-boost mode) the battery dies after 62 minutes. I’m still impressed because I didn’t expect the fan to last that long at full power. Remaining battery life is displayed via the fan’s five white LED indicators, but only when the fan is off. Being able to track how quickly the battery drops while the fan is running would be a useful way to estimate remaining cooling time.

The HushJet Mini Cool is bottom-heavy and can be used as a standalone fan, and Dyson also offers an accessory to widen the base and improve its stability. It’s helpful, but it’s also an accessory that’s easy to lose. While you can power the fan indefinitely by connecting it to a power source via USB-C, you can only use the lowest speed setting. At this setting, you need to be within about 5 feet of the fan to feel anything.

Dyson’s fan marketing, including the HushJet brand, emphasizes its quiet design. “Dyson’s obsession with acoustics means tonal comfort: With HushJet nozzles, we lower frequencies, eliminate high-pitched whirring, and eliminate motor whine,” the company said in a press release. But definitely not as quiet as I thought.

It’s not nearly as noisy as Dyson’s cordless vacuum or hair dryer, but the HushJet Mini Cool isn’t quiet either, even on its lowest setting. The handheld fan also has a high-pitched whine similar to other Dyson devices, although its tiny electric motor spins less than half as fast as other Dyson units.

For the past year, my family has been using izzCool 10 Pro Fan by Nitecore It can be used to cool down when there is no air conditioning. Its design makes it harder to fit in your pocket, and at full power it doesn’t have nearly as much of a blast as the Dyson – even at half power. Although both fans sound similar at the lowest setting (using NIOSH Sound Level Meter App On my iPhone), the Dyson is over 10 dB louder at full power. This isn’t surprising, as the Dyson’s fan is far superior to the Nitecore’s, but the HushJet Mini Cool’s sound is generally much more noticeable because it produces higher-frequency noise.

At a loud outdoor music festival, a crowded carnival, or a bustling state fair, I could see myself easily turning the fan speed to the third or fourth speed setting without worrying about getting too many annoyed looks. But in quieter environments, like the sweltering outdoor wedding I attended, I’d be hesitant to fire up the HushJet Mini Cool. At least until wedding DJs take over.

Compact electric dust collector, e.g. Wolf Box MF100 More powerful and cheaper than the HushJet Mini Cool, but they’re generally much louder because they’re designed to point at the Doritos crumb-covered keyboard, while the fans are designed to point at your head. Dyson’s HushJet Mini Cool is better at balancing size, performance and battery life. If used without interruption, it can last half a day at the amusement park. You can certainly find a quieter replacement, but I doubt you’ll find a more powerful replacement in this size.

Photography: Andrew Liszewski/The Verge