5 Best Portable Fans
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It is common for people to spend more time outdoors during summer, when the sun comes out. However, the summer heat can reach uncomfortable levels, making it harder for you to enjoy your favorite outdoor, or indoor, activities such as exercising, camping, hiking, and even walking.
Portable fans are designed to supply you with cool air, wherever you go; thus, ensuring that you can enjoy each experience.
Read on for a list of some of the best portable fans out there, and tips on how to choose the right product given the wide selection on offer.
1. OPOLAR Portable Travel Minifan
Designed for both indoor and outdoor use, this OPOLAR travel minifan will keep you cool for anywhere between 3 to 13 hours on a full charge. Small and lightweight, this fan is also designed to be highly portable. Carrying it around won’t be a challenge with it weighing 7 ounces and measuring 4.1” by 1.6” by 5.9”.
Main Features
- USB connectivity: You can power or recharge the fan on a standard USB connection.
- Long Lasting Battery: A rechargeable, 2200mAh battery supplies the fan’s power requirements.
- Different Speeds of Operation: The fan features three different fan operation modes, including low, medium and high.
- The fan also comes with a side mounted, extra bright, flashlight and blue colored atmosphere lights as well.
Pros
- Compact and eye pleasing design with atmosphere lighting
- Uses numerous power sources, including USB sources and a rechargeable battery
- Multipurpose operation; the fan can be used as a flashlight where necessary
Cons
- Only uses rechargeable 18650 battery; not regular batteries.
2. O2COOL Deluxe Necklace Fan
O2COOL Deluxe Necklace Fan with Lanyard-BlackBuy Now From Amazon
If you are looking for a portable fan that can cool you down when hiking, walking or enjoying a variety of other outdoor activities in the summer heat, then this necklace fan might be exactly what you need. Designed to be lightweight and compact, the O2COOL necklace fan offers vertical airflow by drawing in cool air through the front and directing it upwards, towards your neck and head, through the top.
Main Features
Hanging Design: Designed to be worn around the neck during use, this design offers hands-free use
Highly Useful Vertical Airflow Function: Once it is hung around the neck, the fan blows cool air right where you need it, on your neck and face.
Compact Design: The fan’s slim profile and lightweight nature makes it highly portable. It can easily fit in your pocket.
Pros
- Simple design and operation; just wear it around your neck, power it up and enjoy the gentle breeze
- Powered by a pair of regular AA batteries, offering a minimum 12 hours of operation per pair
- Great for outdoor use as it offers hands-free operation.
Cons
- Does not have a USB port
- Only features one speed of operation
3. SkyGenius Clip On Mini Desk Fan
SkyGenius Battery Operated Clip on Mini Desk Fan, BlackBuy Now From Amazon
This awesome portable fan is designed to be easy to carry around and can be mounted on a variety of objects, indoors and outdoors. To ensure that users can direct the airflow as needed, the fan can be rotated at 360 degrees both horizontally and vertically.
Main Features
- USB Connectivity: The fan can be powered or recharged using a standard USB connection.
- Rechargeable: An easy to replace 18650 rechargeable battery powers the fan for 2.5 to 6 hours on a full charge.
- Silent but Powerful Operation: The fan, with its 10.5 ft per second maximum wind rating, promises to keep users comfortably cool.
- Horizontal & Vertical Rotation: Once clipped into place, the fan can be rotate to ensure that it blows cool air in the desired direction.
Pros
- Supports multiple power sources and can run with or without the battery
- Thanks to the powerful fan you can still feel the cool breeze from a few feet away
- The fan’s small and light design makes it highly portable
Cons
- Only offers a single fan speed
4. REEUNO Camping Fan With LED Lights
Designed to meet the user’s exact cool air requirements in uncomfortably hot conditions, this REEUNO camping fan supports various speeds of operation. When using the fan at night, the bright colored front mounted LED lights can be used to create a relaxing atmosphere. The fan comes with a stable base with a built in hook for easy mounting on various surfaces including a desk or the roof of a tent.
Main Features:
- Sturdy and Durable Construction: Made using top quality ABS material, this portable fan will survive regular use in the harshest outdoor conditions.
- Three Different Fan Speeds: To ensure that users get as much cool air as they need, the fan features a powerful fan that can be set to 3 different speeds, i.e. high, medium and low.
- Extended Battery Life: To offer the longest possible battery life, ranging from 4.4 to 40 hours depending on the chosen fan speed, the fan is comes with a pair of replaceable and rechargeable 18650 batteries – combining to 4400 mAh.
- Diffuser: This fan can also be used as a diffuser when water absorbing sponges are attached to the back.
- USB Connectivity: This REEUNO portable fan also comes with a USB connection.
Pros
- Supports multiple power sources
- Can be rotated around 360 degrees to ensure airflow is directed as desired
- Multipurpose design featuring a fan and reasonably bright LED lighting
- Extended battery life thanks to the use of two removable 18650 rechargeable batteries
Cons
- Does not use regular/traditional batteries
5. Odoland Portable LED Camping Lantern with Ceiling Fan
Designed to help users light up dark or poorly lit spaces with ease, this product also doubles as a portable fan. To meet your cool air requirements as best as possible, the fan can operate on two different speeds. If you are looking for a multipurpose portable fan that is powered by regular batteries, this product, which is powered by 2 size D batteries might be perfect for you.
Main Features:
- Multipurpose Operation: This portable LED lantern also doubles as a highly capable portable fan with a maximum 10 ft per second wind speed rating.
- Collapsible Design: The lantern can be collapsed, into a compact package, when not in use for easy storage or better/unobstructed use of the portable fan.
- 2 Speed Operation: The fan can be set to operate at a high or low speed setting.
- Super Bright LED Lights: This product can be used to light up the dark thanks to its 18 bright LED bulbs.
- 360 Rotation: The fan can be rotated to direct airflow once the hook is in place.
Pros
- Multi-functional design with portable fan and flashlight features.
- Uses easily accessible size D batteries
- Compact and lightweight portable fan thanks to its collapsible design.
Cons
- This product does not come with a USB connection
What Is A Portable Fan?
Compact and lightweight, portable fans are designed to be easy to carry around and can be used to circulate cool air in both indoor and outdoor spaces. Popular among outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy camping and hiking among other fun outdoors activities, these fans are normally powered by various sources including batteries, rechargeable and non-rechargeable variants, power banks, laptops and solar sources via a USB connection.
While the main function of portable fans is to supply the user with cool air on-the-go or inside tents, some designs also feature LED lighting for use in the dark, especially when camping in the bush.
Why Should You Buy A Portable Fan?
In the summer heat, portable fans are invaluable when it comes to helping you enjoy various outdoor activities including camping, hiking, walking etc. These fans can also be used to create a comfortable indoor environment in spaces with no air conditioning. For instance, some fans are designed to circulate cool air in tents, making them comfortable even in the hottest conditions. Others can be conveniently worn around the neck, helping you cool down when outside.
In addition to supplying cool air, some portable tents can also be used as diffusers in circulating essential oils or mosquito repellents in tents. Products that come with inbuilt LED lighting offer the added benefit of helping users light up their tents and even create a relaxing environment in the way of mood lighting.
What To Look For In The Best Portable Fan?
There are many different types of portable fans out there; each one designed to cater to various needs of the user. This wide selection of options makes the work of finding the best portable fan more challenging. It is important for you to have an idea of what to look for in the right product. Here’s a short list of some of the main factors you should consider when looking for the best portable fan.
Type
The best portable fan should meet all of your needs. Different types of fans are designed to cater to different user requirements. For instance, those worn around the neck offer vertical airflow and can be used hands-free when you are walking, hiking or even cycling. Desk mounted variants need to be placed on a flat surface. Clip on fans can be attached to various objects while those designed to hang off a tent’s ceiling should be easily rotatable to ensure that airflow can be directed as desired.
Furthermore, some portable fans are more compact, and can fit in your pocket, while others are bigger and need to be carried in a bag.
Power
The ability of a portable fan to cool a given space, or supply a given amount of cool air, is dependent on the power of its fan. This power is usually expressed in revolutions per minute (RPM) or air speed in ft/s.
While some products can cool a family tent, thanks to their high power rating, others will struggle to provide a stream of cool air that can be felt from a few feet away. However, the higher the power rating of the fan the more energy it consumes; thus depleting the battery faster.
Power Source
Portable fans can be powered by a variety of energy sources including solar sources, batteries and various devices using a standard USB connection. To ensure that you can enjoy the use of your new fan even in the remotest locations, be sure to choose one that uses the available power sources. For instance, those using rechargeable batteries can be recharged or powered using a power bank, laptop or solar inverter via a USB connection.
If you prefer the accessibility and convenience of regular batteries, size D, AA or AAA, you might be better suited to choosing a product that uses regular non-rechargeable batteries or their corresponding rechargeable variants.
Extra Features
Essentially, portable fans are designed to supply the user with cool air. However, you can get more value for your money by choosing a product that comes with a number of useful extra features. For instance, choosing one with LED lighting can help you light up your tent with the same device, saving you the extra cost of buying a lantern/flashlight.
You can also consider choosing a fan that comes with different speed settings. You can use these settings to regulate the flow of cool air to match your exact requirements every time the fan is in use. Variable fan speed settings also give you more control over the fan’s power consumption levels.
Construction
Last but not least, it is important to assess the construction quality of each product before making a purchase. If you intend to use your fan in harsh outdoor conditions on a regular basis, a solidly constructed unit will come in handy, offering reliable operation for longer. High quality ABS materials are used in constructing strong and durable portable fans.
Conclusion
Uncomfortably high summer temperatures can limit your enjoyment of fun outdoor activities such as camping. However, with the right portable fan, you can create the perfect environment both indoors and outdoors, in a convenient and effortless fashion.
If you intend to go out camping and hiking or any other activity that leaves you exposed to uncomfortably high temperatures, you can benefit from owning a portable fan. These products, primarily designed to supply users with cool air, come in a variety of options. However, with the right considerations in mind, finding your perfect fit will be much easier.
