Dyson HushJet Mini Cool vs Shark ChillPill: which handheld, portable fan is the best?
Dyson and Shark are battling it out again for the crown of best handheld fan
2026 is shaping up to be the year of the handheld, portable fan, with many brands developing their own high-tech models. Unsurprisingly, two strong contenders have emerged within this space – Dyson and Shark – and they’re battling it out yet again for the crown of best handheld fan.
This year, Dyson and Shark have both debuted their own handheld fans – the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool and the Shark ChillPill. Both have similar features and functionalities, and with the summer weather ramping up, we’re sure to see both fans in action during the next few months.
But which one should you buy? I have spent time with both fans to determine which one is better, and which to add to your fan collection.
Dyson HushJet Mini Cool vs Shark ChillPill: price and availability
The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool came out in April 2026, and is priced at £99.99 / $99.99. It’s available to buy at Dyson and select retailers, like Amazon, Currys, Argos and John Lewis. It comes in Stone/Blush, Carnelian/Sky and Ink/Cobalt colours.
The Shark ChillPill came out earlier in March 2026, and is priced at £129.99 / $149.99. It can be bought at Shark and select retailers, like Amazon, Currys and Boots. It comes in carbon, haze, glacier, matcha, iced latte and dragon fruit colours.
In terms of pricing, both fans aren’t too dissimilar, although it’s surprising to see Dyson on the cheaper end of the spectrum. In fact, not only is the HushJet Mini Cool the cheapest Dyson fan on offer, but it’s also the brand’s cheapest product.
Considering what you get from the Shark ChillPill, it’s appropriately priced. However, some customers won’t want to spend up to £130 / $150 on a handheld fan – many people commented this to me when I was seen out and about using it.
Winner: It’s hard to choose a winner here but I’d say the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool wins as it’s more affordable and good value for money. At under £100 / $100, I don’t think people would mind buying it for this price.
Dyson HushJet Mini Cool vs Shark ChillPill: design
The Dyson and Shark fans have strange and unique designs, both of which got me some very odd looks when I was using them. But needs must in a heatwave so I persevered and here’s what you can expect from both fans’ styling choices.
Starting with the Dyson, the HushJet Mini Cool has arguably the quirkiest look out of the two. I’ve compared it before to the sandworm from Dune, as it has a star-shaped tip which is where the air is projected from. It’s bladeless, and uses a honeycomb mesh to cover the fan for extra protection and hygiene. The star tip can also be twisted 360 degrees to point cool air at or away from you.
The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool measures 20.1cm in height, 3.8cm in width and depth, and weighs 212g. It has a flat bottom so it can stand on your desk or you can hold it in your hand, or wear it around your neck. Its controls are on the body of the fan, and include an on/off button and + and - to adjust fan speed. An LED indicator on top of the speed button lights up to show settings and charging.
In comparison, the Shark ChillPill looks like a pair of binoculars. It features two tubes, one slimmer tube with a circular screen on one end for the controls and charging port, and the other thicker tube is where you attach the fan, mist or cooling plate. To adjust the controls, you hold down the screen to turn it on, and twist the ring around it to increase or decrease the speed.
The SharkChill measures 11.2cm in height, 8.41cm in width and 4.5cm in depth, and weighs 350g. As expected, there’s a noticeable weight difference between the Dyson and Shark fans, and the Shark ChillPill is much bulkier. Both models can also be used indoors or outdoors.
Winner: Overall, I’ll give the Shark ChillPill the win for design. It’s unusual but practical, and I got much less strange comments about it compared to the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool.
Dyson HushJet Mini Cool vs Shark ChillPill: features
I think this might be the first time that a Dyson product is simpler than a Shark one. The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool has five speed settings, and a boost mode which increases the airflow up to 25m/s. Powered by HushJet projection, the fan delivers up to 65,000 rpm of cooling air without turbulence, and has an acoustically engineered motor to keep everything quiet while it’s in action.
In comparison, the Shark ChillPill is described as a 3-in-1 fan, mist and InstaChill system. It uses attachments that screw onto the end of the main tube to change its modes. The high-speed fan comes with 10 speeds which gets up to a maximum velocity of 7.5m/s while its mister expels micro droplets and its InstaChill cooling plate lowers skin temperature on contact up to 9°.
Winner: As it offers more fan settings as well as mister and InstaChill plate attachments, the Shark ChillPill wins on features.
Dyson HushJet Mini Cool vs Shark ChillPill: cooling performance
Now down to the most important thing: how cooling are both fans? Starting with Dyson, it may not have as many speeds or attachments as the Shark ChillPill, but wow is it powerful. All five speeds offered cooling relief and the projection was impressive – despite its smaller, handheld size, the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool could easily cool a room.
One slight drawback to its speeds is that the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool does make an obscene amount of noise. Even at level two, I found it to be as loud as a regular-sized fan but its power and projection can’t be argued with.
Similarly, the Shark ChillPill is another brilliant cooling option. As it has double the speeds as the Dyson, each level felt more varied and the high speed cooling was excellent, and well received while at a summer wedding and going through an airport. Like the Dyson, it also gets quite loud in operation.
Where the Shark ChillPill is let down is the mister. It performs nicely but it does leave things feeling a little soggy, and as it’s a small fan and attachment, it doesn’t contain lots of water so it runs out quickly. The InstaCool plate does save it though, as it’s great for holding to pulse points during extreme weather.
Winner: I’m going to rule a tie for this one. The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool might not have as many speeds or features, but it really does an amazing job at cooling you down. The Shark ChillPill does too, although it doesn’t quite snag the crown as its mister could be better.
Dyson HushJet Mini Cool vs Shark ChillPill: battery
For battery life, the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool takes three hours to charge which gives it up to six hours of runtime. The Shark ChillPill fully charges in 3.5 hours and can offer anywhere between 1.5 and 11 hours of use.
With cordless fans, you have to take battery life with a grain of salt. If you’re using both fans at their lowest levels, then you should be able to use them for their full amount of time, but if you’re using Dyson’s boost mode or Shark’s level 10 setting, then you can expect the battery to be much less.
Personally, I found both the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool and the Shark ChillPill to have impressive battery lives. I used the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool through the night during a heatwave, and it held up for the full six hours. I also got several hours out of the Shark ChillPill – not the full 11 but at least six - eight hours.
Winner: Again, I’m ruling a tie on battery life as it all depends on how you use your fan. For me, both performed admirably and lasted a long time.
Dyson HushJet Mini Cool vs Shark ChillPill: verdict
Both the Dyson and Shark handheld, portable fans have unique designs, long lasting battery lives and intense cooling power. While I will continue to use both of them throughout the summer, the Shark ChillPill gets the win for me.
As a 3-in-1 gadget, the Shark ChillPill offers a lot more than just a fan, as it also comes with a mister and InstaCool plate. This versatility, and its sheer amount of speeds and power, means it takes the crown in my opinion. The only areas where it falters is its mister could be better, and at £129 / $149, it’s an expensive option for a handheld fan.
The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool is definitely not to be snubbed, though. It’s a brilliant and powerful fan – if you can get over the odd looks you’ll get while using it – and if it’s simplicity you want, it has easy controls that get the job done, and it’s under £100 / $100.
