The Most Unexpected Summer Essential Is a Portable Fan

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• Best portable fan overall

  Play hot

  Portable turbo fan

  This fan was a godsend at a sweltering outdoor concert. It folds at the neck, so I was able to set it up on the picnic table and blow it towards my face without even holding it, then straighten it into the standard position to carry it with me while I walked around. It also comes with a lanyard that allows you to hang it around your neck. It felt more powerful than other portable fans I’ve tested, and I liked that the blades were contained, which made the airflow more concentrated and meant I couldn’t catch them on anything. It kept my face from melting the day I used it in 100 degree weather, and while it’s not thin enough to slip into a clutch or pocket (like some other fans on the list), it fits in my small shoulder bag.

  There are five speed levels, and the 5,000 mAh battery lasts three to 12 hours depending on which level you use. A digital display lets you know what level you’re using and how much battery life you have left (you can get a full charge in three hours). The only downsides to this fan are that it has no other uses (no charger or flashlight capability, like some options on this list), and it is a bit noisy, with a drone-like sound. It didn’t bother me at a loud concert and I was even able to talk to a friend without any problems, but if you’re in a quieter environment it may be an issue. At just $20, it’s a solid investment for any outdoor festival or wedding where you need powerful airflow to really keep the sweat at bay. —Kristin Canning

  CABLE

  • Hands-free carrying and operation
  • 5 speed levels
  • Long battery life

  FATIGUE

  • Can’t fit in a pocket

• Best size fan

  Aecoolie

  Portable Size Fan

  I liked the 3-in-1 design of this thick-waisted fan, which allows you to wear it on your belt or sash inside or outside your shirt, on a strap around your neck, or resting on a table or desk. It’s not super lightweight at nearly three-quarters of a pound (which means you can’t wear lighter pants or shorts if you plan to clip it to your belt), and it’s not exactly quiet at 53 decibels, but with five speeds and a maximum wind speed of 866 feet per minute, it’s one of the most powerful waist fans I’ve tried. There’s also a “flashlight” on the side with a strobe option, but it’s about the size of a BB, so don’t rely on it to illuminate anything important. I haven’t checked the 18-hour battery life, but a single charge lasted me a few months of short-term uses. —Kat Merck

  CABLE

  • Hands-free cooling
  • Provides a powerful breeze

  FATIGUE

  • Can pull over light pants
  • A little strong
  • The flashlight is not big enough to be useful

• Best neck fan

  Jisulife

  Portable Neck Fan

  This no-frills neck fan looks a bit like headphones, with a 5,000 mAh battery and five speeds. I like that it’s super lightweight and comfortable if you have to wear it for long periods of time. I wore it on a day hike around New Orleans’ Garden District and Audubon Park, and I frequently wear it while playing pickleball. However, the ends don’t adjust or tilt, so if you don’t like where the air is directed, there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s also not too strong; about 40 decibels at low temperature. Color options on Amazon are limited, but if you purchase directly from JisuLife you have access to more options like navy blue, forest green and pink. —Kat Merck

  CABLE

  • Very comfortable to wear for long periods
  • Not very strong

  FATIGUE

  • Difficult to orient correctly
  • Few colors available on Amazon

• Best Cooling Jacket

  • Photography: Kristin Canning

  • Photography: Kristin Canning

  Ointment

  ZenFlow Power Cooling Jacket

  Like heated vests and socks, clothing with built-in cooling is becoming more streamlined, functional and fashionable. This jacket from Ororo looks like your standard windbreaker, except for the two circular fans on the lower back. You turn them on (there are three levels of airflow) with a button on a cord that attaches to a rechargeable battery in the pocket, and you can remove the fans, cord, and battery when it’s time to wash the jacket. The cooling sensation is surprisingly strong and the fans are neither too heavy nor too loud. The only downside is that the back and sides bulge as you would expect when the fans are on.

  The jacket itself is comfortable, made from a stretchy, lightweight, abrasion-resistant fabric, with five pockets, an adjustable hem and the option to remove the sleeves and convert to a short-sleeve jacket. The battery runs for 5.5 hours on high setting and 9.5 hours on low setting. I would choose this jacket over the waist and belt fans for superior upper body cooling and comfort, if you can stand to look a little like the Michelin Man. —Kristin Canning

  CABLE

  • Washable
  • Superior torso cooling

  FATIGUE

  • You look like the Michelin Man
  • Relatively short battery life

• Best Handbag Fan

  • Photography: Kristin Canning

  • Photography: Kristin Canning

  • Photography: Kristin Canning

  Gaiatop

  Portable fan

  This fan was a great companion during an end-of-summer parade, providing some airflow without too much noise. I like that the fan blades are flexible and automatically stop if they hit something. This is the type of fan that you can give to a child without too much worry. It can also stand upright on a table and, when folded, fits easily into a small purse or clutch. It comes in pretty pastel colors and has little pointy ears, with a button that looks like some kind of cute creature, although I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be an owl or a cat.

  At just four ounces and with a small cord, you can definitely attach this fan to your phone or keychain to always have it close at hand. It has 10 to 17 hours of battery life, depending on the speed you use. I wish the higher speed was stronger – it helped provide some relief during a parade, but it didn’t totally prevent sweating like the PlayHot handheld turbo fan. Still, for the price, size, and low noise level, it’s a decent cooling option. This Cooly fan ($10) is also a small and slim option, pocket or purse sized. —Kristin Canning

  CABLE

  • Fits in a handbag
  • Fan blades are smooth and safe
  • Very pretty

  FATIGUE

  • Fan speed not very high
  • Only two fan speeds

• Best multi-use fan

  

  Jisulife

  Mini portable fan

  This fan has little plastic ears and a printed bear mouth and produces a pretty strong breeze for its size, at 472 feet per minute (measured with my anemometer). It’s quiet (44 dB at low temperatures) and lightweight (4 ounces), making it easy to slip into a pocket, and the blades immediately stop spinning if they come into contact with an object, making it a safe fan for children. (Although annoying if you walk and hold it close to your face it will inevitably bump into it.)

  I also found the battery life to be pretty solid, and I appreciate that a light on the bottom doubles as a flashlight. A USB-C port on the back makes it a portable power bank. Note, however, that the 2,000 mAh battery is not the most powerful and lasts about one phone charge. If the blue pictured here isn’t for you, there are seven other options, including two shades of pink, mint green and orange. —Kat Merck

  CABLE

  • Serves as a triple function as a fan, flashlight and power bank
  • Small enough to carry in a pocket
  • Calm
  • Solid battery life

  FATIGUE

  • The fan itself is small, so it must be kept close
  • The cute look may not be for everyone

• Best Portable Misting Fan

  Aecoolie

  Cold Air Ultra Personal Cooling System

  If you really want to cool down, no portable fan I’ve tried has worked as well as this misting fan with 100 speeds and a digital touchscreen. It’s claimed to cool the skin by up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit, and while I couldn’t quantify that exact number, it’s effective enough that my teenage son has since refused to use any portable fan other than this one, effectively ending his tenure as one of my testing assistants.

  The mist is so fine that it won’t wet fabric or any other surface, and it has a little loop at the bottom so you can hang it up if need be. It also serves as a ch width of phone, duster or pool toy inflator thanks to the included magnetic clips. The only downside is the sound, a high-pitched jet engine whine common to these fans. I recommend using the misting function to avoid using the fan at higher speeds, as my ears started ringing if I used it on high for more than about 20 minutes. —Kat Merck

  CABLE

  • The mist cools but does not saturate
  • Doubles as a phone charger, duster and pool toy inflator with accessories

  FATIGUE

  • Annoying sound

• Better battery life

  Jisulife

  Ultra2 portable fan

  This fan is so powerful it’s almost comical: 1,614 feet per minute on my airspeed indicator. (For reference, it’s more powerful than a typical full-size fan.) It also emits a high-pitched whine not unlike a jet engine (60 decibels at its lowest setting), and its mallet-like shape makes it too bulky to slip into a pocket. However, it also doubles as a power bank and flashlight, and it has a short carrying cord that you can attach to make it slightly less bulky. The 9,000 mAh battery is also a plus. Jisulife says it can last up to 25 hours, which I have no reason to doubt, since I’ve been using it on and off for three weeks and the battery hasn’t run out yet. —Kat Merck

  CABLE

  • Incredibly powerful
  • Can also be used as a power bank and flashlight
  • Long battery life

  FATIGUE

  • It looks like a jet engine
  • Too big to fit in a pocket

• Best bladeless fan

  This periscope-shaped “powerful turbo air tube” won both a Red dot And iF Design Prize last year, and its curved shape is both easy to carry and hold. I also like that there are no rotors or blades to bang into, and the airflow was impressive for a hand fan: 807 feet per minute over h. high (there are six speeds in total). It doesn’t double as a flashlight or phone charger, but it does come with a digital display that shows you battery and speed levels, as well as a short cord for carrying. Don’t consider using this one if you plan to have a conversation, as it was over 50 decibels on low. —Kat Merck

  CABLE

  • The curved shape is beautiful and easy to hold
  • Impressive airflow
  • Easy-to-read digital display

  FATIGUE

  • Strong enough
  • Does not act as a power bank