After testing 16 portable fans from brands like John Lewis, Shark, Dyson, and Dunelm, the John Lewis handheld and foldable fan emerges as the best overall option at just £12, offering a well-balanced combination of power, comfort, and battery life. However, the market is flooded with cheap, poorly made fans that often end up in landfill—an estimated 4.3 million portable fans will be discarded this year alone. The following reviews highlight the top performers across various categories, tested for wind speed, noise, battery life, and portability using a digital anemometer and sound meter.
Best Handheld Fan Overall: John Lewis Handheld and Foldable Fan
The John Lewis fan (currently out of stock) impresses with its comfortable grip, stylish sage colour, and three power settings delivering 2.5 to 3.7 metres per second (m/s) of wind speed. It peaks at 62.4dB, quieter than many chunkier fans at their lowest settings. Battery life exceeds four hours on high and nearly ten hours on low, and it folds into a desktop fan. At 181g and 25cm tall, it's slightly awkward for bags but otherwise excellent value at £12.
Best Budget Handheld Fan: Fine Elements Folding Rechargeable Mini Travel Fan
At £6 (Wickes, click and collect only), this fan offers incredible value with three speeds from 2.6 to 3.7m/s. Battery life is 2 hours 50 minutes on high and 6 hours on low. It's lighter than the John Lewis at 133g, folds in half for travel, and includes a small flashlight. However, build quality is rough, with some sharp plastic edges, and it's noisier at up to 64.8dB.
Best Handheld Fan for Power: Diveblues Jetforce
From £18.99 on Amazon, the Jetforce delivers impressive power with five speeds ranging from 3.8 to 6.6m/s. Even at its lowest setting, it outperforms many competitors. However, noise escalates from 66dB to 74.3dB (vacuum cleaner level) on max, and battery life drops from 11.5 hours on low to just 2 hours 37 minutes on high. It includes a flexible head for desktop use and a lanyard for neck wear.
Best Neck Fan: Jialexin Three-Speed Neck Fan
At £28.99 on Amazon, this hands-free neck fan targets the body's thermoregulation centre. Measured wind speeds are modest (1.7 to 2.2m/s), but the multiple air sources provide consistent cooling. Noise ranges from 52 to 64.1dB, which can be tiring near the ears, though headphones mitigate this. It's comfortable and flexible, weighing 291g, with battery life of 3 hours 19 minutes on high and 8 hours on low.
Best Handheld Fan for Flexibility: Shark ChillPill
Shark's first portable fan (£129.99) offers three interchangeable heads: standard fan, water misting, and a cold plate for direct skin cooling. The misting head provides refreshing spritzes, though the water reservoir is small. The cold plate stays cool for over nine hours—far exceeding Shark's two-hour claim. Fan mode battery life on low reached nearly 20 hours. At 237g (with fan head), it's heavier and pricier, but unmatched in versatility.
Best of the Rest
JisuLife Handheld Fan Ultra2 (about £62.74): Extremely powerful with 100 speeds up to 9.8m/s and a 9,000mAh battery that can charge other devices. However, it's bulky (294g), noisy up to 88.8dB, and expensive.
VonHaus Handheld Fan & Phone Holder (from £10.99): Quietest tested at 41dB on low, with five speeds from 2.7 to 4.3m/s. Features a phone holder and lanyard, but the small head reduces face coverage.
Dyson HushJet Mini (from £99): Compact yet powerful at 6.1m/s (7.5m/s in boost mode), but noisy (61.5-80.3dB) and battery life is only 51 minutes on high. Despite the name, it's far from hushed.
Aecooly Neck Fan Click 01 (from £15): Lightweight (94g without lanyard) and compact, with speeds up to 3.4m/s. However, it resembles a panic alarm and doesn't offer all-round neck cooling like the Jialexin.
What to Look For in a Portable Fan
Key features include multi-use functionality (handheld, desktop, or neck wear), power vs. noise trade-offs, and battery life. Neck fans target the thermoregulation centre for potentially better cooling but can be noisy near the ears. For disposal, try to pass on working fans or recycle them via electrical recycling schemes like those at Currys or Recycle Your Electricals.
