S’pore’s heat felt unbeatable until I tried this viral misting fan

Let’s face it. As Singaporeans, complaining about the hot weather has become somewhat of a national pastime.

We all know too well the feeling of sticky skin and heavy eyelids on a sluggishly hot day.

Like many, I’ve often romanticised the idea of a portable air-conditioning unit I can carry with me anytime, anywhere.

Well, we’re not quite there yet, but when I heard about the opportunity to try out Shark’s new portable misting fan that can apparently lower temperatures by up to three degrees, it felt about as close to my dream as can be.

Weighing just 1.77kg and fitted with an easy-carry handle, the fan can follow wherever you go.

My new best friend

So I tried bringing the viral Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Portable Misting Fan around with me for a day.

The model comes in four colours: purple, pink, blue and charcoal.

I got the purple one.

We began our day’s journey at the bus stop during the morning peak hour.

It happened to be an especially sweltering day and like commuters around me, I was soaked in sweat.

But not for long. The fan’s misting function was easy to set up, simply by pouring water from my water bottle into the 150ml built-in water tank.

Next, I opened the no-drip cap in the centre of the fan grill, switched on the fan to a desired speed and selected between two mist settings: consistent and interval.

The misting tank can last up to 60 minutes on interval misting, or 30 minutes with continuous mist.

In just two clicks, I was easily the coolest (no pun intended) person at that bus stop.

While I was initially skeptical about the misting function due to the common perception of mists leaving the user wetter and more humid than they started, this misting fan surprisingly did not have that problem.

With an ultra-fine evaporative mist coupled with powerful airflow, it kept me dry and cool.

To the hawker centre for lunch

The Shark HydroGo fan piqued my colleagues’ interest as well.

So much so that they were even willing to walk with me under the hot midday sun to a hawker centre two bus stops away.

The to-and-fro walking experience was made better, thanks to the instant cooling mist.

Makeup intact, and spirits still high.

With a cooling reach of 20 metres, the fan proved useful by providing us with a much-needed relief from the heat as we indulged in our bowls of hot soup.

The company? 10/10. Comfort? 11/10.

A game of badminton

The fan also joined my family for a game of badminton after work.

Anyone who has played enough of the sport knows that badminton courts are notoriously warm and humid for good reason, and so a misting fan might help with this.

The short answer? Yes, it helped.

The longer answer is: it turned out to be more popular with my family than I expected.

My mum in particular, ever the greatest adversary of heat, was seen hogging the fan at every chance she got off the court.

“It’s like aircon,” she mused.

As long as she’s happy, I guess.

Battery life was also not a concern despite my full day out.

On fan speed 1 without misting, the Shark HydroGo runs for up to 12 hours on a single charge, while fully charging the fan takes just three hours and can be done at any location with a power socket.

Safe to say, I think I converted my entire family into fans.

Bonus: Picnic at Botanic Gardens

At the end of the week, I went on a picnic at the Botanic Gardens with a friend as a treat – and of course, the fan came along.

Powerful, efficient and handy – what a breeze. I’m adding the Shark HydroGo fan to my list of picnic must-haves from now on.

Available at S$199 with a special launch gift and redeemable with Climate Vouchers

Interested in buying one for yourself and your family? Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Portable Misting Fan is now available at S$199, or can be redeemed with Climate Vouchers, subject to the terms of the Climate Friendly Households Programme.

As a launch gift, you can also receive a Ninja Thirsti travel bottle worth S$59 for every purchase of a Shark HydroGo fan, while stocks last.

This branded article by SharkNinja made the writer a little more appreciative of cooling technology.

Top photo courtesy of Constance Tan/Mothership