Dyson’s first sub-£100 fan is by far the most powerful handheld model I’ve ever tried, but that power comes at a noisy price
Despite the noise levels, this is definitely coming everywhere with me for the rest of the summer
Dyson's HushJet Mini Cool fan is by far the most powerful handheld fan I've ever used, with a top speed that's definitely capable of blowing the cobwebs away, delivering a powerful breeze when you need it most. Its minimalist design feels nice to use, and the different colour options give you a chance to showcase a bit of personality when you use it. I liked that it came with some useful accessories, although I do wish these included a compatible plug, as I had to purchase one separately. While its power is undoubtedly its best-selling point, that power also means it's not that quiet. But if I'm hot when I'm out and about, I'd happily put up with the noise when it offers the wind speeds it does.
-
+
Slimline, smart design
-
+
Powerful, concentrated wind speed
-
+
Incredibly easy to use
-
+
Nice that useful accessories are included
-
-
Sacrifices quietness for power
-
-
You'll need a USB-C compatible plug
Why you can trust Ideal Home Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Here at Ideal Home, we're big fans of Dyson's cooling products. And so I was really excited when I heard that a handheld fan was being added to the brand's collection.
The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool fan launched in May, but sold out almost instantly as we experienced the first heatwave of the year. But now I've managed to get my hands on it and try it out first-hand to see how it performs and if it's worth the £99.99 price tag.
In a nutshell
Available in three duo-colour options, the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool fan is a handheld design for on-the-go cooling.
It's slim design means it can fit easily in a bag, and it's got five standard power settings, plus a Boost function, which gives you customisable and powerful airflow from a gently breeze to a forceful gust.
While the HushJet's nozzle is configured to eliminate high-pitched whirring and silence the noise of the motor, it doesn't offer silent operation by any means. In fact, when it's at top speed, it's quite noisy. However, this is a compromise that comes with handheld fans. If you want a compact design and a powerful fan, it's going to make some noise. If you want something quieter, then as a result you will usually sacrifice some power.
But as portable fans like this are less likely to be used as you are dropping off to sleep, having it be a bit noisier seems a small price to pay for such a powerful device.
With an RRP of just under £100, it's not cheap, but as with all Dyson products we've tried, you definitely get what you pay for.
Given Dyson's history of innovation, it comes as no surprise that their handheld fan offering is cleverly designed and powerful.
As well as being Ideal Home's Renovation Editor, I also look after all of the website's heating and cooling content, which means I'm well versed in what it takes to keep your home a comfortable temperature year round and how you can do that in the most energy efficient way possible. I tested the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool fan in and around my 1970s three-bed home during a heatwave, and while out and about, for five days. Find out more about how we test fans.
Specification
- Type of fan: Hand-held
- RRP: £99.99
- Weight: 0.21kgs
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 3.8 x 18 x 3.8cm
- Wattage: 40W
- Wind speed (metres/second): 1.9-7m/s
- Running costs per hour (based on energy price cap at the time of writing):
- Number of fan speed settings: 6 (5, plus Boost mode)
- Noise in dB: 58-87dB
- Smart features: None
- Dual functionality: n/a
- Oscillation: None
Unboxing, setting up and first impressions
As you would expect with a handheld fan, there's not a lot needed in terms of packaging or set up.
The fan arrived well packaged in a box slightly larger than that used for an iPhone, with the fan itself wrapped in thin paper on the top, and the accessories nestled underneath.
I was impressed that for the £99.99 price tag, you get a couple of useful accessories in the box, including a charging stand and neck dock (in the same colourway as your fan) as well as a travel pouch and the charging cable.
It's ready to go straight out of the box, but I always like to give it a charge before I use it for the first time, but I did hit a slight stumbling block. I've amassed a collection of USB compatible plugs over the years, but the Dyson HushJet Mini has a USB-C cable, which meant I had to buy a compatible plug before I could charge it.
In terms of looks, the HushJet Mini is pleasingly sleek and minimal. It has minimal controls, just a sliding on/off switch and an up and down button that allows you to cycle up and down the wind speeds. I have the ink and cobalt colour, and I like that the neck dock (which allows you to wear the fan around your neck) and the stand are in a matching colour.
What's it like to use?
The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool fan is incredibly intuitive to use, with very simple controls to turn it on and off, and then a button to cycle through the wind speeds. I really like that you can cycle both up and down, as it's always been a big of a bug bear with the cheap handheld fan I've used previously that I had to go up through the speeds to get back to the lowest one.
When it comes to wind speeds, it's super powerful. My anemometer (a tool that measures wind speed) clocked it at 1.9 metres per second in the lowest speed, up to 6.5m/s in speed five, then up to a whopping 7m/s in Boost mode (which is achieve by long-pressing the + button. Those figures may not mean much, but when you consider that the most powerful pedestal fans on the market reach around 5.5m/s in top speed, you get a sense of just how powerful this handheld fan is.
On the lowest speed setting, it's a gentle breeze that feels nice on the skin without making me feel like my eyes are instantly drying out, while the top speed easily blew my shoulder length hair off and away from my neck (which was glorious when I was outside in 28 degree weather). The design of the fan means I get a really concentrated blast of air when I need it, which is exactly what I want from a handheld and portable device.
When it comes to noise level, I clocked it at 58dB on the lowest setting (which is the equivalent of gentle background noise), up to 87dB in Boost mode, which my decibel meter app tells me is the equivalent of a lively street. When I was testing the battery life, I left in on the charging stand in another room and could still hear it clearly, even with the TV on. But while the sound is noticeable at any wind speed, I know happy to compromise on that if I can have a super powerful and compact handheld fan in return.
This isn't a fan to use while you're trying to sleep or watching TV, but while you are out and about, the sound will likely be drowned out by the sound of the world around you. And to be honest, if I'm roasting hot and in need of relief, I wouldn't give two hoots about the noise.
When I was trying this fan out and about when walking my dog, I did use the neck dock so I could free up my hands for dog-walker duties when I needed to. The neck doc is thoughtfully design, and was comfortable to wear around my neck. The dock itself is thoughtfully designed, as it has little notches on the inside which means you can secure the fan without getting caught on the control buttons. While it's easy to fit the fan into the neck dock, you don't have to worry about it falling out. I jumped around my kitchen wearing it, and it didn't budge.
Initially, I thought the neck dock was more for hands-free transport than hands-free use, as the fan was either blowing out in front of me or against my torso, depending on how I had it in the dock. But then I realised that I could twist the fan head so that it could blow straight up towards my face which was bliss.
If you're sitting, you can stand the fan near you for hands-free operation. It's base is wide enough to keep it pretty sturdy, or you can use the charging stand for added stability. Even though it's a personal fan, I could still feel the breeze from a good three feet away when I had it on my desk.
When it comes to other accessories, there's a handy travel bag, which is ideal to keep it clean and dust-free when it's not in use, plus a charging stand. I'd initially thought that you needed the stand in order to charge the fan, but that's not the case. The charging cable plugs into the back of the fan base, rather than the charging stand. But the stand provides additional stability when you're recharging the battery. Another thoughtful design is the little notch in the stand which leaves room for the charging cable.
Battery life-wise, if you only used it on the lowest power setting, you can get up to six hours run time, but that drastically decreases if you use it in the higher power settings. At top speed, the full charge lasted me just 53 minutes.
To charge it up again, it took three hours.
Running costs
The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool fan is battery powered, so it's direct running costs aren't that straightforward. However, Dyson does say that is uses 40W of power, which equates to just over 1p per hour of run time based on the July 2026 energy price cap.
Cleaning and maintenance
There's very little maintenance needed with a handheld fan, and the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool fan is no exception.
You'll need to keep it dry and dust-free, so it's a good idea to store it in the travel bag when it's not in use so it can keep working optimally.
Who should buy this fan?
If you want a powerful handheld fan that is straightforward and easy to use, then the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool fan will be right up your street. Super portable, easy to handle and incredibly powerful, it's ideal for giving you a bit of cooling relief on a hot day.
However, while it's the most affordable Dyson fan you can buy, it's still £100. So if you want something more affordable, then the £20 John Lewis High Power Handheld Fan may be more suitable. Like the Dyson, it comes in a range of colours too. I haven't personally tested the John Lewis model yet, but I'd be surprised if it comes close to the Dyson in terms of power for the price.
If you want a handheld fan with more functionality, then the 3-in-1 Shark ChillPill is worth the investment. Although it doesn't offer the fan wind speed capabilities as the Dyson, it does have three interchangeable heads which means you can use it as a fan, a mister and a direct contact cooling plate (which, trust me, is delicious on a hot day). Although if you want any additional accessories beyond a travel pouch, you will need to buy them separately.