Keeping cool, without soaking my electrical home office equipment, has been a must in the last few weeks.
It’s getting to that time of year – with heatwaves forecast in the coming months, it’s time to find a decent fan. Working from home in a south-facing dormer with French doors, my office can quickly become a greenhouse when the sun shines.
So when I heard about Shark’s latest mist fan – the FlexBreeze HydroGo – I knew I had to put it to the test. Billed as a “powerful, cordless misting fan designed for both indoor and outdoor use,” I was curious how the misting element would work indoors without making carpets – and crucially, my desk setup – damp.
According to Shark, the HydroGo’s “evaporative cooling technology” produces ultra-fine droplets from its integrated 150ml water tank to provide a cooling mist without creating wet surfaces.
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Pros
- Cools effectively
- Portable thanks to rechargeable battery
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor use
Cons
- Higher settings are a little on the noisy side
- Battery life varies depending on settings
Get the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo
The Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo is billedat the powerful, portable, fan that mists both indoors and outdoors.
Testing the misting function
With a room full of office equipment, I was naturally quite nervous to put this claim to the test. But after an initial run on the dinner table, we found that it did indeed run a pleasant cooling mist, without making surfaces damp.
Reassured, I moved it up to the sweltering home office, and ran it successfully for around 30 minutes on full speed before the tank emptied – though I imagine with a lower setting, this could have stretched longer before a refill was required. The misting function has two settings – constant or intermittent, so this would be another way to make the tank last longer if you weren’t able to fill it as regularly.
I also found that using chilled or iced water in the tank boosts the cooling power even further. Filling the water tank through a hole in the top of the unit could be easier if a funnel or some kind of pouring cup were included, but this is easy enough to replicate if you use a measuring jug, or the kind that comes with most irons.
Portability
Promising up to 12 hours of cordless runtime and up to 20m of portable airflow power, Shark bills the FlexBreeze HydroGo as the perfect companion for summer adventures, barbecues and patio parties. It also has an impressive rain resistance rating of IPX5, perfect for unexpected downpours.
Crucial to its portability, the fan can be used with or without its power cable – and charges while in use when it’s plugged in, which is handy. It’s also equipped with a quick-release base that allows for transformation with various separately sold accessories, including a telescopic pedestal stand to convert it from a tabletop fan. And if you’re keen to take it with you on-the-go, Shark even sells a branded backpack designed specifically for the HydroGo.
Performance
The HydroGo has five fan speeds, two smart breeze modes, continuous mist, and interval mist to choose from. According to Shark, at maximum fan speed, airflow can reach up to 20m.
The unit itself, while lightweight to carry around, is surprisingly powerful for its size. So I found that setting number three was the sweet spot between effective air circulation and noise – with number five being quite loud to work with. This would probably work better outdoors, especially if you have music or a larger gathering to mask the sound.
What else is on the market?
With a price tag of £129.99, the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo won’t be within everyone’s budget as a quick solution for summer cooling. Elsewhere, Amazon stocks a larger, albeit less portable, HOMCOM Pedestal Fan with Water Mist Spray, currently reduced to £62 in a limited-time deal, which shoppers gave a generous 4 out of 5 stars. It has a pedestal design with a hefty 3.2L water tank, which should provide a longer cooling session.
For a more high-tech option, Dyson offers the Purifier Humidify+Cool for £699.99. This device uses a carbon filter to project purified, humidified air throughout the room. Back in the Shark stable, there is also the FlexBreeze Pro Mist Indoor & Outdoor Fan & Misting System, which boasts a substantially larger water tank than its more compact cousin, for £219.99.
Verdict
The Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo has been an absolute game-changer in my home office – while the misting tank doesn’t last for a remarkable length of time, the powerful fan speed alone is enough to keep the room comfortable for the most part. The mist function is a nice boost for those days where it just gets too hot to function, though prepare yourself to be topping the tank up every 30 minutes or so unless you set it to intermittent.
The unit itself looks stylish, is compact, and the fact that it is portable and rain-resistant makes it hugely versatile for a range of uses. As fellow shoppers noted, I agree that it would be nice to see future iterations include either an app or remote to control the settings, but at the price point, I think it’s very reasonable for the features provided.