The Shark ChillPill which kept me cool in 30°C heat is now on sale on Amazon for Prime Day
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With the UK heatwave continuing, I tested Shark’s premium ChillPill portable fan in 30°C heat to see if it could actually keep me cool.
I’ve never really been sold on portable fans. Most of the ones I’ve picked up over the years have promised relief from the heat, but in reality they’ve felt weak, clunky and not worth carrying around.
That’s why I was intrigued when Shark launched its ChillPill earlier this year. With the brand’s strong reputation for practical gadgets, I wondered if this one might finally live up to expectations.
Earlier this year, before UK temperatures spiked, I packed it for a week in Crete, where daily temperatures hit 30°C and gave me the ideal conditions to see whether it could genuinely make a difference. And, spoiler alert, I’ve got it out again now that the UK is experiencing a heatwave.
After seven days of frequent use, I can say that the Shark ChillPill felt like a genuine upgrade from any of the personal fans I’d used before. It became one of those products I didn’t leave my hotel room without, whether I was simply relaxing by the pool for the day or going out on an excursion for the day.
The great news is, now is a great time to pick up a the Shark ChillPill yourself as it’s discounted in the Amazon Prime Day sale. The cloud colour, which is a silver tone, is now £119.99 down from £149.99.
The thing that stood out to me is this isn’t a standard handheld fan. It combines a fan, a misting feature and an InstaChill cooling plate in one compact device, giving you a few different ways to cool down.
Shark says it can be used indoors and outdoors, and can provide up to 11 hours of runtime on lower settings. Personally, I found the battery life lasted just fine throughout the day, but I still charged it every evening to ensure that there was maximum power available for the day simply because I knew I wouldn’t have access to a charge point easily.
I rarely found I had to use the fan at its full power of 10, and often used it somewhere between 5 and 7 - but I know I speak as a person who prefers to be warmer rather than cooler so others may prefer to have it on full blast. This wasn’t needed, however, to feel the effects and benefits from my point of view.
The cooling plate was probably the biggest surprise for me because it actually felt noticeably cold against my skin, especially around my neck or wrists, even when it has had been buried in my bag all day. It gave me that quick blast of relief that I needed at times, for example when I was in a tight crowd of other tourists during excurisions and didn’t want to activate my fan at that time. Shark says the cooling plate can reduce skin temperature by up to 9°C on contact and I could definitely feel the difference.
The misting feature is another nice addition. Rather than spraying heavy droplets everywhere, it created a finer mist that felt refreshing without leaving my face or body wet. It reminded me of the large misting fans you sometimes come across abroad outside cafes which provide a very welcoming cooling sensation. But, this one is personal just for you and you can have it whenever you want it.
What I liked most is that the Shark ChillPill like a premium gadget that’s built to last year-after-year rather than an impulse last-minute buy that might only get you through one holiday. The design looks sleek, the controls are simple and it’s easy to carry around with you, but it still feels robust.
The only slight drawback I found was that the fan could be a little noisy, especially on the higher settings. It was distracting at times, and I found it drowned out the sound of music I was listening to, for example, but I suppose this is the compromise you must make for high power.
One thing I did find to be slightly disappointing was that the Shark ChillPill doesn’t come with a travel bag. It comes with a pouch to hold the two attachments that are not currently in use and the charge cable, but there’s no bag actually big enough for the fan included. Instead, you can purchase one separately. I do think that an item at this price point which is designed for transportation should come with a travel bag included as I do think it’s necessary not just a nice little addition. However, given the quality of the product I wouldn’t let it put you off buying the Shark ChillPill, it’s just something to be aware of.
If you’re struggling through this heatwave, going away soon, or you regularly have hot commutes, the Shark ChillPill is one of those gadgets that actually earns space in your bag.
And, with festival season ahead and even more temperature spikes predicted, this will also make sitting in busy beer gardens or packed outdoor events suddenly feels a lot more manageable too.
* Please note that delivery charges may apply.