At a glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Compact
- 3 effective cooling methods
- Range of colour options
- Powerful
Cons
- Expensive
- Noisy on higher settings
- Needs regular recharging
- Carrying accessories sold separately
Our Verdict
Clever, versatile and very effective, the ChillPill is just what you need for sticky commutes and sweltering gigs, with a fan, cooling plate and vapour misting options. Bear in mind that its battery is unlikely to last a full day of use unless you’re on the lowest setting. But if you’re careful to keep it topped up, it’ll be a must-carry for the summer. My only concern is that it’s expensive and you’ll want to make sure you don’t drop it, which means spending a bit more on a wristlet or one of the other accessories, which are sold separately.
Price When Reviewed
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Best Prices Today: Shark ChillPill
There was a time when your biggest problem during a British summer was making the most of the few hot days that popped up between showers. Not so now. With a little global warming added to a largely Victorian infrastructure, we’ve created a nightmare stew of sweaty journeys, stuffy waiting rooms and sweltering shops that we’re stuck in from June to September.
But people have started to wise up. Get on a tube or train during the summer and, as soon as things start to get sticky, you’ll see half a dozen cool customers whip out a hand fan.
Previously, if you were searching for a similar bit of kit, your options might have been limited to an Amazon purchase from the sort of under-the-radar Chinese brands that smash two random words together by way of a brand name.
Now, however, big names in tech are getting in on portable hand fans. Enter the Shark ChillPill.
Design & Build
- Compact and light
- Desk mode
- Range of colour options
The ChillPill is an instantly recognisable model: it’s palm-sized (just 10×8.5×4.5cm) and looks more like a set of slightly asymmetrical binoculars than a fan. The cylinder on one side contains the motor, battery and control panel. The other side is the fan, plus mister or cooling plate. I’ll come back to these latter options.
One of the very appealing things about it is the number of bright, metallic colour options you can choose from, including Carbon (the black model I’m testing), Iced Latte, Haze, Dragon Fruit, Glacier and Matcha.
In the box, you’ll also get a dust bag for the fan and a charging cable. As you might expect if you’ve bought any other tech in the last few years, there’s no plug.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
The fan is compact and light in the hand, weighing 238g – roughly the same as a mobile phone. Twist the cylinders and the fan can sit steadily on a desk, pointing upwards to cool your face. The angle is adjustable too.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
It’s comfortable to hold but, as there’s no strap, I do worry about dropping it. After all, it’s an expensive device. That’s why, if you’re buying one, you might want to invest in one of the accessories that are sold separately.
Bear in mind that I haven’t been able to test any of these but you can buy a wrist strap, a cross-body strap, a protective case, a non-slip sleeve and a bike mount. From what I’ve seen, my pick would be the wrist strap, which is discreet compared to the seatbelt-like styling of the cross-body strap.
Shark
Performance & Features
- 3 cooling modes
- Range of settings
- Noisy at highest speeds
Using the fan is as simple as you’d want it to be. There’s a nice travel-safe feature: a red/green power switch on the side to stop you from accidentally turning the fan on in your bag or pocket.
Once that’s toggled on, press the top of the cylinder and the display will illuminate, showing a battery indicator and setting number. Then just twist the dial to choose a fan setting between 1 and 10. The fan produces a concentrated blast of air that’s ideal for cooling your face or neck.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
Like any fan, to some extent you’ll have to choose between power and quiet. The top fan setting is effectively strong but far too loud to ignore. This won’t matter if you’re at a gig or on a tube or train where there’s lot of ambient noise, but it won’t be appreciated in a meeting.
That’s where the ChillPill’s other functions come in. It has two other cooling methods that you won’t find in your average, rival fan. To use them, simply unscrew the fan head and swap in one of the other attachments.
It’s a very subtle, pleasant mist that cools in combination with the fan
The first is a cooling plate that you can press against your wrist, throat or temple (it’s actually very soothing if you have a headache). Not only is this an effective, if slightly slower, way to cool down but it’s much quieter than using the fan – on the first of the two settings, anyway. The second is still fairly noisy.
Finally, there’s a combined mister/fan attachment. Being sprayed in the face like a badly-behaved cat didn’t seem like something I’d enjoy, but it’s a very subtle, pleasant mist that cools in combination with the fan. You can choose between constant misting or sprays at regular intervals.
It’s not something you’ll use every day but in extreme heat, at concerts and while travelling, a fine, cooling mist will be more effective than a fan alone.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
It’s easy to use as well. Flip open the mister’s cap and fill the water reservoir. Inside is a spongy wick – you’ll get three spare in the box but, as they need changing monthly, you’ll need to buy more at some stage. Shark hasn’t given a price for refills but they’re unlikely to be expensive. Still, it’s a hassle to remember to buy them.
Its battery life… varies dramatically depending on the function and setting you use
The one limitation with the fan is its battery life, which varies dramatically depending on the function and setting you use. Use the fan alone, on the first setting, and you’ll get up to 11 hours of use according to Shark. But you’ll only get an hour on the top setting, when using mist. The cooling plate is similarly battery-hungry, with a maximum of two hours of use. After this, you’ll need to recharge it for up to 3.5 hours.
This makes the fan ideal for commutes, concerts and days out, as long as you’re diligent about keeping it topped up between use.
Price & Availability
The Shark ChillPill costs £129.99 in the UK and $149.99 in the US and you’ll be able to buy it from Shark in the UK and Shark US from 11 March, as well as Amazon and UK retailers including Currys and AO.
We’ve tested a number of other portable fan options, which are very effective at cooler temperatures and much cheaper. There’s the £12 John Lewis Anyday hand fan (weirdly, only currently available from UberEats) and the £38 Torras Coolify hand fan.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
The ChillPill is undoubtedly the best of the lot when it comes to helping you stay cool in much higher temperatures – where the Anyday fan will begin to struggle. As you can see from the image above, it’s also considerably more compact.
Should you buy the Shark ChillPill?
It’s undeniably expensive, you’ll need to be careful to keep it charged, and I’d advise investing in a wristlet or similar to keep it safe while out and about, but this is the hand fan that will keep you cool in temperatures at which rivals will fail.
It’s also a very well-designed and attractive device that’s easy to find space for in a bag or pocket. Just don’t forget your charging cable.
See our most recommended cooling fans, all tested by one of the Tech Advisor team.
