I tested the Shark ChillPill on the hottest day of the year. Here’s how it went.

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Portable fans are a hot weather staple. When I got married on a hot July day, one of my bridesmaids passed me a portable fan, which didn’t leave my side all day. So it’s no surprise that personal fans are coming back in a big way this summer.

Personal fans can be found for less than $20, but this year, some big names in electronics are joining the trend. Dyson dropped its $99 fan, but not before Shark introduced the ChillPill this year. Shark’s personal fan has the most unique and detailed design of any personal fan. Even Justin Bieber collaborated with Shark on a special ChillPill show during Coachella.

So I put the Shark ChillPill to the test on the hottest day of the year, and goddamn, my cats might love this fan more than I do.

New design, but does it work?

The Shark ChillPill fan looks like a small pair of binoculars, but it twists so you can hold one side while the other blows cool air.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The design is unlike any fan I’ve encountered IRL. It is two cylinders placed on top of each other. A piece with a true fan can be twisted to work at different angles. Rather than holding like a wand, it’s larger, which makes it harder to hold. That said, the design makes it very easy to set down on surfaces. Suddenly, I had a small desktop fan. I really liked it when it was stationary and thought that, if I was using it while traveling, it might feel too big for me to hold.

The big test will be when I take it on my honeymoon in Europe and see how it holds up in the high summer heat, whether I’m walking around the ruins or hanging out in a cabana.

It comes with three interchangeable fan heads

ChillPill comes with three different attachments. A basic fan head, a negative fan head, and a metal cooling plate – each of which felt especially useful during my testing on a hot day.

The Shark ChillPill comes with three interchangeable heads, including a cooling plate.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The standard head needs no explanation, and the other two are a little more clever. Attached with a stainless steel surface is a cooling plate that claims to lower skin temperature by up to 16 degrees Fahrenheit. While I can’t confirm that exact number, I can say that on a 90-degree day when I was sweating without an air conditioner, it was a wonderful relief from the pressure on my wrists, neck, and temples.

For those in the heat, a head mist is very desirable. I tried it in the New England humidity, and I have to say, it was still very refreshing, especially in the hotter temperatures. As much as I love it, my two water-loving cats love it so much, they run eagerly whenever I turn it on.

The only downside to the fog head is that it has a small tank and runs out quickly, especially if you pick up speed. You can close the fog to save water, and it works like a normal furniture head.

The 10 most effective healing speeds around

The screen shows what speed the simulator is set to and as you can see, it also shows the battery status, too.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Shark ChillPill is secretly very clever. It has slightly different controls based on which fan head you’re using, and it automatically registers itself when you change it. On the side of the ChillPill there is an on/off switch, but to activate it, you need to press the digital screen, which activates the cooling function.

There are 10 speeds to choose from, and on sweaty days, I found I never needed to go past third gear to get a good breath. But I also didn’t really want to, since ChillPill sounds so loud right away. If you were to put it on 10 in a public place, it would make a scene. However, you need to increase the power of the fans if you put it further away, as I didn’t find it to have a very long reach.

Battery life is made for summer travel

The fogging function of the Shark ChillPill works.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

When fully charged, the fan lasts up to 11 hours. By using it occasionally for a few weeks, the battery stays strong. Battery life is great, and I can feel confident bringing it on a summer trip, knowing it will last all day and need to be charged overnight. It recharges via USB-C, which is used by many phones and technologies these days, meaning you won’t need to pack an extra charger.

Let’s talk about value

Part of the appeal and widespread use of portable fans is their affordability. Most options on Amazon are under $20, and even Shein and Temu sell them alongside festival wear (although we’re not sure we recommend it). So it’s surprising to see the Shark ChillPill’s price tag of $149.99. It’s more expensive than Dyson’s portable fan ($99.99) and/or even a home fan like the more powerful Vornado 660 ($89.99). The same price as Shark’s larger, more powerful FlexBreeze HydroGo Pro.

Even though it has its own features and extra fan heads, and even though I like the fan, I still think it’s too expensive. If it was just $100, I’d say it was a good value, but for such a small, limited-use device, I don’t think it’s a great deal, especially when you can get a super fan for under $150.

Is Shark ChillPill worth it?

Is the Shark ChillPill worth $149.99? We are not serious.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Shark ChillPill is the most unique formula I have ever come across. With 10 speeds, it is effective in cooling, even on the hottest days. With special attachment heads like mister and cooling plate, it goes above and beyond most portable fans. Even with powerful settings and long battery life, it doesn’t have its downsides. Its innovative design can act as a hindrance, especially when you are on the go. But more importantly, is it worth its $149.99 price tag? I’m not so sure.

If you’re on a budget, the Shark ChillPill is an effective and useful way to stay cool, but I think you should wait until it goes on sale.