Sometimes the heat can trump aesthetic judgment: Enter the Croc, the visible bra-strap and big, old plastic floor fans, encrusted with pet hair, rumbling their way through the last shred of ambience at your July wine and cheese.
Happily, British-based Dyson, the company behind those super-sucking, Transformer-like vacuum cleaners, has arrived with a reasonable alternative.
Their Air Multipliers, a new line of fans now available in Canada, are positively sculptural. Blade-free and hollow in the centre, they look something like a giant bubble wand. The table fans ($379.99 to $399.99) are circular in shape and come in silver, white and an iridescent blue, while a larger oblong-shaped floor version ($549.99) is available in silver.
Although the sleek Multipliers wouldn't be out of place at a design exhibit, the company says the fans' unique appearance was driven by the engineering behind it. "The look isn't as important to us as how they work," says Amy Victoria, who handles consumer marketing and public relations for Dyson Canada.
Rather than blades, which create an uneven air flow, the Multiplier uses technology from jet engines, drawing in air through the base of the machine; a motor sends it up through a slit that runs around the circular part of the fan. The result is a smooth, uninterrupted blast of cool air – 15 times more of it than the fan sucks in, according to Dyson.
While the desk version can certainly cool an average-sized room efficiently, there's also the fun factor to consider: You can put your hands, face and whatever else you desire right through the centre with no danger of harm. You feel the air not inside the ring but just outside it as it shoots into the room. Two more stars for Dyson: Because all the weight is in the base, both models are hard to tip over . And they're suitable for the allergy-prone because accumulated dust can be easily swiped with a damp cloth.
Since the fans appeared on the U.S. market in 2010, they have caused a stir among tech gadget and architecture blogs.Here in Canada, the blue colour and the tower model have been hot sellers, Ken Sorhus, merchandise manager of small appliances at Future Shop, says, adding that the Multipliers draw groups of shoppers who take turns putting their hands and heads through the centre.
"It's a great conversation piece."
Special to The Globe and Mail