Dyson HushJet Mini Cool: Turns Personal Cooling into luxury

I think this year is all about upgrading even the smallest personal gadgets. So I ordered the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool and when it arrived on my doorsteps, I did what anyone would do with a $99 personal fan: I laughed a little. A hundred dollars. For something you hold in your hand and blow air in your face. But two outdoor events within three weeks, and one most miserable afternoon of getting to work, later, I have not laid it aside. That alone made me realize the worth of spending $99.

Dyson Wanted to Reinvent Personal Fans:

The lifecycle of the personal fans has never been any different. You purchase one when you are in a state of sweaty desperation, likely at a drugstore, or may be at a vendor stall at a festival. It costs less, sounds like a truck, forty minutes battery life, and by the end of summer, it is under the couch cushions or in the garbage. People weren’t making handheld fans out of genuine passion, they were doing it because summer forces you to settle for whatever relief you can get. Dyson looked at that entire category and decided it simply wasn’t good enough.

So, Dyson reimagined the concept and introduced a new low range mini cooling product, their first truly portable fan. HushJet Mini Cool is designed to be used in three different ways, you can use it on your desk even with charging on, handheld and carrying around your neck.  

Display

Dyson designed the HushJet Mini Cool with a similar 38mm slick stick design like the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer and PencilVac. Hold the HushJet and it seems to cost more than $99. At just 212g, it never felt heavy in my bag not even hanging from the Neck Dock. After spending several hours outside, I almost forgot it was there.

The Hushjet Mini Cool top nozzle is star shaped, and forms a honeycomb inside, which flattens the air, reduces turbulence, and, according to Dyson, keeps dust and debris out to be easier to clean. It can rotate 360 degrees and the three-use-case set up actually functions rather than being merely an attribute in their advertising. In any case, it works. It appears to be an item you want in your bag and not one you want to be caught with in your bag at a party in the open air.

Included in the box is a USB-C cable, a charging stand, along with a travel pouch and Neck Dock to use hands-free. The initial shade they offer is a Stone/Blush that looks quite far more considered than anyone would have to recommend a personal fan. For those who don’t want blush, there are two other colorways: Ink/Cobalt and Carnelian/Sky.

Mine was Stone/Blush color, neutral, slightly fancy, just the color that does not make it obvious that I purchased a fan. However, there is something more interesting under the surface of that aesthetic restraint and that is where one can really start to talk.

What surprised me the most

I thought it would be a quality version of something average. I was not expecting that it would leave me reevaluating when and where I grab it. I used it in three different ways. Let me share my experience with you.

I used it on a desk setting in the charging stand, at speed 2, I could still feel steady airflow across my face. It turns into an ambient friend that you turn off without hearing, in the most desirable manner. It can be use with charging on at the lowest airflow setting, making it fully functional as a desktop fan. 

Taking it out with me on Saturday market, mid-afternoon, the type of heat that makes you instantly regret stepping out of the house. I changed to Boost mode. Airflow up to 55 mph, not just a breeze, that’s powerful. It is the type of production that severs damp thick air instead of merely swirling it about. I spent 2 hours on it continuously and had enough power left.

Then there is the Neck Dock case that I was very suspicious about. It is embarrassing to wear a fan round your neck. However, if you’ve been waiting for a bus at a station or at a festival for several hours without shade or a seat, you will know why it was created. 

The Quiet Trick

The acoustic engineering incorporated in the design of the nozzle is called HushJet, and it works in the real world. It has never been about the power of handheld fans, but the noise. Put one to your face and you get this annoying shrill, high pitched whinge that after 30 seconds is annoying and after 3 minutes is Hypebeast. Cheap fans are powered by cheap motors. What stand out is eliminating the sound.

The HushJet Mini Cool has a brushless acoustically designed unit DC motor turning up to 65,000 RPM with an anti-vibration rubber mount to minimize noise and enhance tonality. When I touched the one I did not hear high-pitched whirring, no whining. At Speed 1, 2, it is really whisper-quiet. The sort of silence where you are doing all the work, and can’t hear much and even feel if it is off.

It is not a marketing tactic. It is an engineering strategy and makes it a lot more important than you’d think. Because if you have a fan that you want to run, it’s one thing, but if you have a fan that you only run if you are desperate enough to stand the noise it is another.

Battery Life:

Battery claims are always challenging for me in small electronics. Testing in lab conditions and using that product in real life is a different story. So, I used my Hushjet Mini Cool more critically than I would do. Full charging takes up to three hours through USB-C and on one full charge. And during my test the battery lasts for six hours on lowest speed. 

Quick Specs: Dyson HushJet Mini Cool

The Competitor 

The HushJet Mini Cool at $99 is competing with the Shark ChillPill that was introduced earlier this year with a misting feature, and a lower price tag. The misting angle is very effective and evaporation cooling is better than the fan-only option on a hot dry day. I feel like HushJet has an advantage because of its quality, noiselessness, three way use and accessories that you will use again and again as opposed to one misting mode which you might use twice.

If you’re looking for an option with maximum cooling with the lowest price tag, Shark is your go to place but if you want something for a longer period of time, you can never doubt Dyson Engineering capacity.

Who This Is Actually For

Dyson should not  sound like that it is a product for everyone because it’s not. At $99 it feels like a well considered purchase. So, in summer, you have to travel a lot or spend a lot of time outside at an event or at work in a place that is always hot, HushJet Mini Cool ceases to be a luxury and becomes a sensible item. The type of item that you purchase once, keep in your bag, and grab when you need it.

The HushJet Mini Cool is the first personal fan that appears to realize that portable cooling is no more a luxury but a necessity and developed one. Now it depends how hot you get in the summer with $99 is a good deal or not is all that matters. My summers are hot so it already earned its spot.

Quick Scorecard of Dyson HushJet Mini

Final Thoughts:

Sometimes spending money on small gadgets makes me feel regretful within a week. That’s why I was reluctant to buy HushJet Mini Cool at first but what convinced me was the brand name and trust we have on Dyson. When I held this for the first time, I knew it’s worth spending $99 not because of the design or weight but because of the confidence in the product. It feels like it is made with the intention to give everyday ease of use in every situation without being worried about its battery and weight of carrying.

After using it for 1 month I realize it’s worth it because this is for the first time ever when quality and price align. This is not something that will stop working by the end of season. This feels like a one-time purchase instead of something you replace every coming year. Using it in peak summer, you’ll stop thinking about the price and start appraising how it gives you convenience in this hot weather. And to be honest, I stopped thinking of it as an expensive fan and started treating it like something I simply don’t leave home without during summer.