Review of 3 handheld fans: one of them is like a jet plane
28.7.2026
Translation: Natalie McKay
Pictures: Stefanie Lechthaler
I was about to steal from two teenage girls. In my defence, it was hot and I couldn’t handle it any more. But I let them keep their mini fans, and I ordered three of my own to test.
The models I’m testing are Aiolos by Schönenberger (a favourite among our Community), the foldable Techsuit N15 and the unique Breeze from MU Classic.
What they have in common
At just under 18 centimetres, all three handheld fans fit in a handbag. Weighing in at just around 200 grammes, they’re hardly noticeable either. I attach them to my wrist with a wrist strap, choose from several speed settings and charge them via USB-C. None of the three fans come with a power supply unit.
The sleek one: Aiolos by Schönenberger
The Aiolos immediately won me over with its minimalist design. A matt pink plastic case, a power button that lets me switch between three settings and a table stand. Nothing more, and nothing less. It sits on my desk without really standing out.
Compared to the other two models, the Aiolos has the widest fan blades. Their diameter of about ten centimetres ensures a wide airflow. If something gets caught in the propeller, the protective grille is easy to unscrew and reattach.
I decided on a distance of 50 centimetres, since that’s how I’ll realistically use a fan on my desk. On the first setting, I measure a wind speed of 4.5 metres per second (m/s) using an anemometer. The reading right at the device is 8.5 m/s.
On setting three, the readings are 12.5 m/s from a distance and 19 m/s right at the fan. At my desk, even the moderate breeze at the lowest power is enough for me. The large fan blades distribute the air so widely that the airflow reaches almost my entire upper body.
What’s more, the Aiolos is quiet. On setting one, the people sitting next to me hardly notice anything. From a distance of 50 centimetres, I measure a background noise level of about 50 decibels using a sound level meter. When set to the highest power, the noise level rises to about 68 decibels. I do find it loud, but it’s reasonably tolerable because there are no unpleasant high frequencies. The people sitting next to me don’t say anything about it. That’s a good sign.
But it doesn’t have a battery display, so I just have to guess how much cooling time I have left. This is a clear drawback compared to the other models. The only way I have of telling is an LED light. It flashes white when the battery level’s low and is red while charging; once the battery’s fully charged, it goes out. During my test, the battery lasts several days when I use the fan on the lowest setting for an hour and a half at a time. But when set to the highest power, it gives out after about two hours.
The noisy one: Techsuit N15
The pink plastic case, with its rose gold and black accents, is definitely eye-catching. But the flashy design isn’t really my thing. Just like with the Aiolos, I can set the fan up on my desk using a stand.
The fan comes with an adjustable strap, so I can wear it around my neck. That’s definitely handy. But the real question is whether I want to look like a fashion victim.
I can unscrew the protective grille on the Techsuit model, too. The fan blades have a diameter of seven centimetres. This means they produce a narrower but more intense air stream than the Aiolos.
On the lowest setting, I measure a wind speed of 5.5 m/s at a distance, and 16 m/s right at the fan. On setting five – which is the most powerful – the gadget reaches 8 m/s at a distance and 22.5 m/s right at the fan. A small display below the fan blades shows me the selected setting and the battery level. Right below that is the on/off button, which I also use to switch between settings.
I have to say, though, this button sticks out quite far from the housing. During testing, the fan switched on several times inside my bag. It does keep your wallet, tissues and notebooks cool, but it drains the battery in the process.
The foldable fan head, however, is a neat feature. I can adjust it to various angles. It means I can place the gadget on the floor while on the go, even without the stand.
Like the Aiolos, the Techsuit N15 is also quiet when it’s set to the lowest power. At just under 56 decibels, it’s no louder than background noise. When I compared the two models directly, though, I noticed that the Techsuit N makes a faint, high-pitched whirring sound. On setting five, the noise level rises to 66 decibels. This is significantly louder, but still tolerable (linked page in German). During this test at level five, a person sitting next to me at work snaps at me just once, saying, «as long as the noise is monotonous, I can deal with it.» Acceptable feedback.
According to the manufacturer, the battery should last up to 13 hours. In practice, though, it doesn’t actually live up to this claim. After four hours on setting one, the display shows that the battery’s dropped to 60 per cent. After ten hours, the gadget gives up on me.
The jet plane: MU Classic Breeze
The third model differs significantly from the other two, even by its appearance alone. Its design reminds me of the Dyson hairdryer. There’s no base. Although the Breeze can stay upright on a table, it tips over more easily than its competitors. It also needs a level surface.
If hair gets caught in the propeller, I have to painstakingly fish it out. The case can’t be opened. To make up for this, the Breeze has a feature that no other model I tested offers. When I activate the snowflake function, the metal surface cools down thanks to an «integrated cooling pad.» The fan probably uses the Peltier effect for cooling. I can’t find any specific details on this, but the materials used suggest this is what’s going on here.
The display shows me the current power level. Instead of a few fixed settings, the Breeze offers a scale from one to one hundred. On setting one, I measure a wind speed of 7.6 m/s from a distance. Right next to the device, it’s 23.3 m/s. But it’s only getting started. At the highest power, the fan reaches 16.2 m/s on my desk. Right at the device, the wind speed is a full 50 m/s, which is equivalent to a storm on the Beaufort scale. The fan blades are just around five centimetres in diameter. This creates a narrow, concentrated wind tunnel rather than a wide airflow.
On the most powerful setting, the Breeze gives everything it’s got. I don’t just feel it – I hear it, too. While the other fans are quiet, I measure a noise level of 62.5 decibels on the Breeze even at the lowest power. On its highest setting, it even reaches 72.2 decibels, which makes it a real nuisance. The people sitting next to me feel the same way. If I switch it directly from the lowest to the highest setting, it sounds like an airplane engine just before takeoff. That’s simply unacceptable in the office. For the first time, I sense irritated and annoyed glances boring into the back of my head.
On the lowest setting, the battery lasts about eight hours.
Conclusion: I have a clear favourite
I’m ruling the MU Classic Breeze out. Although it produces a strong airflow, it doesn’t have a base, is very noisy and is the most expensive of the three models.
The Aiolos takes the top spot. I like its design the best. But even more importantly to me, it’s quiet and produces a wide airflow.
Although the Techsuit N15 is more versatile and more practical in some situations, I’m deducting points because it’s switched itself on several times in my bag, draining the battery in the process.
Want to know more? No problem – my colleagues on the editorial team, Martin Jungfer and Kevin Hofer, will be looking at other fans in their articles. You can even print one of them yourself.
Header image: Stefanie Lechthaler
Painting the walls just before handing over the flat? Making your own kimchi? Soldering a broken raclette oven? There's nothing you can't do yourself. Well, perhaps sometimes, but I'll definitely give it a try.
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