Shark has turned the fan that prevented my ‘sleep divorce’ into a heater for winter – these are my honest thoughts on the upgrade

I get whiplash trying to keep up with Shark. It seems they release new products every week, and the newest addition to the roster is the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat TH200UK - a 2-in-1 fan and heater that promises year-round comfort wrapped into one handy appliance.

To test those claims, I've been using the TurboBlade Cool + Heat in my home for almost two weeks. Do I think it has what it takes to compete with the best electric heaters and the best fans? Well, it's a little complicated...

In a nutshell

The Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat TH200UK is an upgraded version of the sellout Shark TurboBlade Multi-Directional Cooling Fan, which I gave a very impressive 4.5-star review just a few months ago - mainly because it prevented a summer 'sleep divorce' between my husband and me.

And while I will happily give this new model a 5-star rating for its cooling fan performance, I sadly can’t give the heating element more than 3 stars. Hence, meeting in the middle for a 4-star review.

After all, I can't deny that Shark has worked hard to iron out the niggles I had with the original TurboBlade fan, and I genuinely think that the brand has designed one of the best and most innovative fans that money can buy. The cooling effect is powerful, the modes are handy, and the multi-directional blades are a revelation.

And while Shark has incorporated similar modes into the heating side of the appliance, I’ve ultimately been left a little disappointed by the Cool + Heat's lack of power. It’s a big product with a small, rather awkward heating element, and is better for personal heating when you’re sitting (or standing) right by it rather than whole-room heating.

I also think that Shark has missed a trick by not incorporating the heat into the blades (arguably the USP that made it so popular), but having two appliances in one is still pretty handy. So, if you just want a little something to take the chill off your home in the winter while offering impressive cooling power in the summer, it’ll suit you fine. If you want to rely on it over the colder months, just make sure that you keep it close.

Specifications

• Type: Fan heater
• Wattage: 2200W
• Weight: 9.2kg
• Dimensions: H: 116.68 x W: 34.97 x L: 29.9cm
• Temperature range: 16-32°C (for the heater)
• Noise levels: 30dB - 85 dB (tested by us)
• Oscillation: up to 180°
• Special features: Dust Defence Filter, magnetic remote control, ThermoIQ mode
• RRP: £349.99

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

At 9kg, I figured the box of the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat would be pretty hefty - and I wasn’t wrong. I was able to carry it into my house by myself, but the box was large and heavy, so you might need a helping hand if you’re mobility-limited.

However, I was very happy to see that the packaging was as eco-friendly as you can get. And while the base plate, base, pole, blades, and remote control were all packaged separately within the box, they were either encased in a recyclable cardboard shell or in a paper-like material that could go straight into the recycling.

I was also happy to see that batteries were included with the remote control, so I didn’t have to go scrambling for some around the house.

One thing I will say is that, unlike many electric heaters, this one wasn’t plug-and-play. It took a fair amount of assembly, but Shark made it as painless as possible. Not only were there assembly instructions on the ‘Quick Start’ guide printed on the box, but there were also handy instruction stickers stuck to the fan heater itself (these are the yellow ones).

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In most cases, you simply need to match red triangles up with another red triangle, and it’s fairly easy to do, but you do need to do everything perfectly to ensure you get that satisfying ‘click’ that proves you’ve done it all correctly.

Since the process of assembling the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat is essentially the same as the TurboBlade Multi-Directional Cooling Fan, I also remembered how to put it together. So, it took me about 5 minutes overall. But if you’re new to the TurboBlade world, I’d probably set aside 10 minutes to ensure you do it right.

With everything assembled, I took a step back to assess the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat's design, and I was once again struck by its size. In fact, from an electric heater point of view, I was conscious of how big the entire appliance was - and how small the heating element seemed to be.

In my opinion, the USP of this TurboBlade design is its blades. So, it was a little disappointing to find out that the heat would be coming from a small and ugly heating element in the centre of the appliance rather than out through the blades. In fact, I think people would line up to buy a heater with multi-directional heating.

Despite its size, the 2-in-1 appliance has a sleek and stylish design, and the black colourway with copper accents makes it look as expensive as its price tag. I also like how the LCD screen blends into the base. But you can also buy it in a white colourway if that's more your style.

Ease of use

The Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat can either be controlled by the touchscreen panel or the remote, which can be stored on top of the fan and heater when not in use. You use this remote to switch between modes, change your temperature settings, adjust the oscillation, and even set a timer.

And when you press anything on the remote, your choices will come up on the LCD screen, so there’s no chance of getting confused. For the most part, it’s relatively easy to use - and a huge step up from the fan-only TurboBlade model, which had confusing white dots as its control panel.

However, it’s worth noting that you still need to get hands-on with the appliance - especially during the milder months of the year - if you plan to use the heater in the morning and switch to the fan during sunnier afternoons. That’s because you have to physically change the heat/fan dial on the top switch between the heater and the cooling fan.

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In heat mode, you can then adjust the vent slider to adjust where you want the heat directed. In the cooling fan mode, you can adjust the blades in the same way.

Disappointingly, though, there’s no smart functionality with the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat. And in a world where even the cheapest heater and fan combos - like the £99.99 Dreo Smart Whole Room Heater 714S - can be controlled by an app, this seems like an oversight on Shark’s part. Especially as this Shark model comes in at a Dyson price point, and Dyson heaters have offered smart app connectivity for many years.

Performance

I’m not going to talk too much about the cooling fan aspect of the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat TH200UK, because it’s impressively good. I gave the original TurboBlade fan 4.5 stars out of 5, and I have no qualms about giving this upgraded model that extra half a star. The 10 fan speeds are impressive and extremely powerful, and the multi-directional blades coupled with the three modes really do make for a customisable appliance. All in all, I can’t fault it and its range.

As a heater, though, the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat TH200UK feels lacking. Despite offering 2200W of power, the heating element itself is very small and looks as though Shark has just plonked it in the middle of its bestselling fan to quickly create an extra product.

And as the USP of the TurboBlade has always been, well, the blades, creating a heater that doesn’t let heat escape from the blades seems like an oversight on their part. However, I will say that the three heat modes are a nice touch.

ThermoIQ, the mode I use most often, lets you set a desired temperature (between 16-32°C), and the heater automatically turns on and off to maintain it. Comfort mode offers long, sustained heating power, while Focus mode is essentially a ‘boost’ mode for more powerful bursts of heat.

For the most part, though, I struggled to feel the effects of the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat unless I was standing directly in front of it - and I have a pretty small, compact house where most of my rooms measure at just over 3mx3m. So, to test it out properly, I tested it in two very different rooms.

For starters, I tested it in my living room, which feels significantly smaller than it is due to the big furniture in it. This meant I had no option but to place the fan heater about 1.5m from where I was sitting on the sofa. In this position, I must admit that the heater did work its magic.

Before turning it on, my room was around 15°C. So, I set the ThermoIQ temperature to 20°C, and it took about 20 minutes to reach that temperature. As I put it on oscillation mode, I could also feel the heat as it moved around, directing it towards where I was sitting.

When I repeated the process in my home office, though, the results were very different. Although this room is a carbon copy of my living room in terms of size, it feels significantly larger (and thus colder) because there’s no big furniture in it - simply a desk, a desk chair, and a small sofa bed.

Because of this, I was able to place the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat almost 3m away from the desk. And in this position, I couldn’t feel the heat at all. It also took significantly longer to heat the room from 16°C to 20°C, and it ran for almost 40 minutes before reaching that optimum temperature. The next time I used it in my office, I moved it closer (about 1.5m away), and I could feel the heat on me.

With this in mind, I don’t necessarily think the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat is bad in terms of its heating performance - it’s just very limited. As someone who lives in a small house, I do think it’ll come in handy for those with similarly sized houses to me. For those with larger, open-plan houses with big rooms, I think it’ll only be effective when you place it less than 3m away from you. So, it might not be worth it.

Of course, it is important to note that I live in an old Victorian house with pretty average insulation, so those with better-insulated homes will no doubt experience quicker heating times.

Noise levels

During testing, I used a decibel meter app to measure the noise level of the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat. It came in at between 30dB and 85 dB - and it was definitely noisiest in the cooling fan mode. When in heating mode, I measured a maximum noise level of 64dB.

This means that it is pretty loud in its most powerful heating and cooling modes, and my TV and music only just drowned it out when on max power. On the flip side, however, the TurboBlade Cool + Heat is exceptionally quiet on its lowest settings - whisper-quiet in cooling mode and barely noticeable in heating mode.

So, it really is an appliance of two noise halves, which means you do have the power to customise the noise levels if this is an issue for you.

Energy use

Offering a max power of 2200W, the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat is nowhere near how much it costs to run a regular fan. It’s significantly more powerful (and more expensive) due to the fact that it’s also a heater, and the cost to run this appliance is also at the top end of how much it costs to run an electric heater, too.

At the current rate of electricity, you should expect to pay just shy of 60p an hour to run when it’s running at full capacity. This isn’t extortionate, but it’s definitely not the cheapest, either.

Cleaning and maintenance

In terms of cleaning and maintenance, this Shark fan heater doesn’t require much. You just need to give the exterior of the appliance a dust every now and then, and vacuum the Dust Defence Filter every six months (or more if needed).

The Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat also comes with a carry handle integrated into the base, which makes moving it from room to room a little easier. However, it’s still incredibly heavy at 9.2kg and is definitely a two-handed job. So, I would say that portability may be an issue for those who have limited mobility.

How does it compare to similar models?

I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I didn’t compare the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat to the original Shark TurboBlade Fan. And while the fan capabilities are pretty much the same, the Cool + Heat obviously offers more by offering the heating ability and better controls. It is £100 more expensive for that added benefit, though.

Standing the two side by side, it’s also clear to see that there’s a slight size difference. The base and the blades of the Cool + Heat are bigger, and the Cool + Heat also doesn’t offer the chance to slide the top portion up in height. However, they both still allow vertical or horizontal use, which is a nice touch.

It’s also worth comparing it to something of a similar price point, with similar features. That would be the new Dyson Hot+Cool HF1 Heater and Cooling Fan, which our Senior Digital Editor, Jenny, reviewed recently. It’s slightly more expensive at £399.99, but some differences make this alternative a contender.

For starters, it’s significantly smaller, offering a sleek bladeless design while still offering a coverage of ​​up to 35m2. It’s also just 2.59kg (so, almost 7kg less than the Shark) and has smart app functionality. However, it doesn’t offer the multi-directional blade customisation that the Shark offers and doesn’t have the same level of oscillation, which could be a major dealbreaker for some.

How does it rate online?

The Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat TH200UK is a brand new product to the market, so reviews are limited at this stage. At the time of writing, there are 24 reviews on the Shark website, 19 of which are 5-star reviews.

It’s worth noting that these reviews are from customers who were given the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat as a free gift as part of the testing process, though. Because of this, I will update this in a few weeks when customers who have paid and used their fan heater for a significant amount of time have submitted their own reviews.

Verdict: Should you buy the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat TH200UK?

Reviewing the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat TH200UK has been a tough one. On the one hand, I really wanted to love it - especially as I can already guess that this new model will go wild on social media. On the other hand, I just can’t deny that I was left wanting more.

I don’t have anything bad to say about the fan, and I genuinely applaud Shark for improving what was already a stellar product. But for £349.99, I wanted the heater to be way more powerful than it was.

Ultimately, I think that if you’re looking for an impressive fan that has the bonus of taking a slight chill off your home during the winter months, you’ll be satisfied enough. If you’re primarily looking for an effective and efficient electric heater (that just so happens to be a fan, too), then I do think you’ll be disappointed. It offers a small amount of heat with a big footprint, so you might be better off choosing an alternative.