‘More powerful and versatile than any other personal fan I’ve tested’ — I reviewed Shark’s 3-in-1 portable fan and have never experienced so many different kinds of cooling
by https://www.techradar.com/uk/author/becca-caddy · TechRadarTechRadar Verdict
The Shark ChillPill is a fan, cooling plate and mister all in one colorful, portable and flexible design. It charges via USB-C with an all-day battery life, has a sturdy but versatile build, straightforward controls and you can add extra attachments to make it even more practical. The only catch is the price is high as far as portable fans go. But I think if your budget can stretch and you struggle in the heat it's worth it, because it's so much more than a run-of-the-mill fan.
Pros
- +Different cooling options
- ++ Good battery life
- +Quality build and design
Cons
- -Quite expensive
- -Additional attachments cost extra
- -Not portable enough for a pocket
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Shark ChillPill review
The Shark ChillPill is a personal cooling system, which means you can use it as a fan, a cooling plate you can press against your skin or a mister. Portable fans have always been around, but I’ve not seen anything else that combines these three functions into one device that manages to look stylish and cute while doing it.
Trust Shark to pull it off. The brand many readers will know for their vacuum cleaners and hair-styling products has a habit of combining solid tech, thoughtful design and straightforward controls, and I’m happy to report the ChillPill is no different.
The only catch is the price. It’s expensive for a portable fan at $149.99/£129.99. But as I’ll get into below, it’s so much more than that and if you really feel the heat, well worth the price.
If you’ve ever held a compact pair of travel binoculars, you’ll already have a good mental image of the Shark ChillPill. It’s made up of two cylinders connected by a hinge in the middle. The larger cylinder is lighter and houses the fan, that’s where you attach the different heads. The smaller one holds the battery, controls and a small screen, and it made the most sense for me to use that one as the handle.
At 45 X 84 X 112mm and 350g, it’s compact enough to carry in most bags but not small enough to slip into a pocket. So manage your expectations if you were hoping for something as tiny and light as a regular cheap travel fan. This has considerably more tech inside it, and you can feel that.
The hinge in the middle makes it really versatile. If you lay the cylinders flat and parallel, it’s a handheld fan. But twist it so they’re perpendicular and it’ll stand on a desk or any surface, directing air exactly where you want it. I used it this way a lot while working, and it’s a great setup for that.
It comes with a small cloth carry case. I’ve seen other reviews describe this as fitting the ChillPill itself, but I’d say it’s a squeeze and doesn’t fully cover the top. Best to use that as storage for the spare attachments instead.
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