Not everything in the gear box has to be a serious bit of kit. Sometimes a cheap gadget from Amazon turns out to be handy enough to keep. This portable mini bladeless fan is one of those: a no-name unit that cost me $20. It works surprisingly fine when you need a bit of a breeze, as long as you don’t expect the world from it.
What You’re Getting
A small, round fan in green plastic with a gold-coloured disc on the front. It has no brand name on it, only the usual compliance marks. The air comes out through slots around the side, so there are no blades you can touch. On the back is a soft silicone clip arm, and on the side are one button and a USB-C port.
What we like
- Works surprisingly fine for a breeze
- Handy that it’s so small
- Clips onto a handle or a strap
- No exposed blades
- USB-C charging
- Three speeds on one button
What we don’t
- Don’t expect the world from it
- Cheap build
- No brand behind it
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Bladeless clip-on fan |
| Speeds | Three |
| Controls | One button |
| Charging | USB-C |
| Mounting | Silicone clip arm |
| Body | ABS plastic |
Using it
There’s one button. It switches the fan on and steps through three speeds. That’s the whole manual.
The clip is the useful part. It’s a soft silicone arm that springs back against the body of the fan, and it grips round things well. In the car, I clipped it onto the grab handle above the door, where it blows across whoever is sitting there.
How well it works
Better than I expected, and no better than that. When you need a bit of a breeze, it delivers one. Close up, in a parked car, that’s welcome on a warm day.
It’s a small fan, and the airflow is modest. It moves air around your face; it won’t cool down a tent or make a difference from across the car. If a hot night is what you’re planning for, this isn’t the fan to count on: see our San Hima clip fan with LED light review for a bigger one.
Size and build
The size is its best feature. It’s handy that it’s so small: it fits in a pocket and takes up almost no room in a drawer.
The build is where the price shows. This is a bit of a cheap unit, with light plastic and a shiny gold-coloured finish, and nothing about it suggests it will take years of being thrown in a gear box. That’s why durability is its lowest score. There’s also no brand behind it, so I wouldn’t count on any support if it stops working.
Conclusion: Portable Mini Bladeless FanConclusion
This portable mini bladeless fan is a cheap, no-name gadget that works surprisingly fine when you need a bit of a breeze. It’s small, it clips onto a grab handle or a strap, it has no exposed blades and it charges over USB-C. The airflow is modest and the build is cheap, so don’t expect the world from it. For $20, it’s a handy little extra, not a fan to rely on.
A $20 no-name clip-on fan that works surprisingly fine for a bit of a breeze.
Small, bladeless and USB-C rechargeable. Modest airflow and a cheap build: don’t expect the world from it.
- Car campers
- Travellers
- Weekend trips
Only if you keep your expectations low. For $20 it gives a bit of a breeze and takes up no room. If you want a fan to rely on through a hot night, spend more on a better one, like the San Hima clip fan with LED light.
