Shark FlexBreeze Fan review: ‘Powerful’ way to beat the heat for less
We’ve found the one thing that could put a total end to air conditioning bill shock and it’s much cheaper than we expected.
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Battling Australia’s knockout summers – and sometimes spring – can feel like taking a warm shower in an already toasty sauna.
Unfortunately, rising living costs mean enjoying the glorious comforts of air conditioning - nif you have it - is rarely an option.
Shark’s FlexBreeze* fan is the latest competitor to join the ring, and it’s designed to blow a breeze powerful enough to reach 20m away, Plus, we can’t help but geek over the cordless and convertible design.
So, does this make the Shark FlexBreeze the most efficient way to survive the heat?
HOW WE TESTED THE SHARK FLEXBREEZE FAN
At news.com.au checkout it’s our mission to help you make informed shopping decisions. To ensure you buy the right product at the best price, we rigorously test products so you don’t have to. As well as sorting through mountains of consumer reviews, product manuals and conducting thorough product research, our team of expert writers puts each product we review through a series of hands-on tests to ensure we give you honest feedback about its performance and whether it’s worth your hard-earned money.
ONE-MINUTE REVIEW: SHARK FLEXBREEZE FAN
Shark FlexBreeze Fan, $249.99 at Shark
Tried and Tested by Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito, Senior Shopping Writer Tech, Homes & Appliances
A jack-of-all-trades and master of many, the Shark FlexBreeze is an easy win when it comes to power, noise and convenience. The fan lives up to its name with its ultra flexible design, capable of being used indoors and outdoors, as a regular full-size fan or more portable alternative, and either cordless or plugged in.
On the downside, it’s a little heavier than some other models. The cordfree fun also lasts up to two hours when using the highest speed, although it can run for up to 24 hours on the lowest setting.
Overall, I think it’s worth the investment and it has now become my go-to cooling appliance instead of the air conditioner. It’s an efficient and more affordable substitute to the air conditioner, and just a really fantastic buy to keep a cool head.
So, if you’re planning on skipping the cheap options for a more premium and better looking buy – get this. It may not have an air purifier like Dyson’s cult bladeless fans, but it definitely slaps Dyson in the face in terms of power and value for money.
WHAT WE LOOKED FOR WHEN TESTING THE SHARK FLEXBREEZE FAN
WHAT’S IN THE BOX
The Shark FlexBreeze Fan comes in a few separate parts, including:
• Fan head
• Two-piece pole
• Base
• Remote
• Bolt
• Alien wrench multi-tool
• Long 4.5m charging cable.
If you live in an area with dry heat, you can alternatively opt for the Shark FlexBreeze Fan with Misting Attachment. It’s the exact same, but has an InstaCool misting attachment to help bring down the temperature.
TWO-IN-ONE DESIGN
The versatile design makes the Shark fan really handy, particularly if you want a portable fan to use in a caravan. It can also be useful if you want a floor fan you can easily move between rooms, especially thanks to the handle at the back of the fan head.
The unit itself feels sturdy and fantastic quality overall, plus it has a sleek and modern design with rose gold detailing that makes it fit seamlessly with everything else.
Speed settings
There are three speed settings and a Boost Mode, which you can control via the remote control or the buttons on the fan head itself. You can see which fan speed you’re on by looking at the lights at the top of the fan, with the number of dots matching the fan speed.
These icons are bright and turn off not long after you’ve adjusted the settings, so it‘s not annoying at night.
Charging
The fan comes with a long 4.5m cord and can be charged in either pedestal or tabletop mode.
There are five battery indicator icons, ranging from a calm fully charge symbol to a flashing red light once it boils down to the five per cent mark. The icon appears next to the fan speed symbol.
Weight
One downside is the fan weighs just under 5.7kg when it’s a pedestal fan, which might be a little heavy for some people.
At first, I was worried how well it the would stand as a portable tabletop fan due to the size of the fan head compared to the more slim, lighter bottom. Think Jimmy Neutron or Stewie Griffin – a big headed boy with a small body.
Thankfully, the appliance didn’t lose much of its sturdiness and felt just as stable as it did when full-size. It doesn’t take much effort to fan out the built-in set of legs either, with the ‘assembly process’ being the same as setting up a camera tripod.
If you’re hoping for a desk mate, the somewhat sizeable fan head doesn’t make it the easiest accessory to add on a small surface. But as long as the area isn’t cramped, it should fit fine on an L-shaped corner desk, kitchen benchtop, park bench and any larger table.
SETUP
There's a lot to love about the Shark FlexBreeze fan, and the convertible design is just one.
Pedestal fan
Piecing everything together is very simple and takes under a minute to connect the two poles to the base, secure the bolt using the multi-tool and top it all off with the fan head.
Tabletop fan
Going into tabletop mode takes just seconds and only involves pushing the button towards the top of the pole to unlock the fan head. Then, pull it out and fan out the legs – voila!
It’s basically like changing cleaner heads on a stick vac. The fan head is secured in well so it takes a bit of effort, but it’s not tough to get out.
FEATURES
Cordless and corded
When cordless, it lasts up to two hours on the highest fan speed or 24 hours on the lowest setting.
I found the flexible design made it really handy when I needed some extra breeze, but didn't have much floor space when hosting guests or wanted to use the fan on the ground without annoying a cable and base cramping the already tight space.
If you’re hoping to use the fan cordfree for extended periods, you might be disappointed – at least on scorching hot days. While the model can last up to 24 hours on the lowest speed, it offers up to two hours of cordless cooling on the highest setting.
So, if you’re bringing the Shark FlexBreeze Fan camping or to a BBQ at the local park, you’ll need to make the most of the gentler breeze to keep the fun going. On the plus side, the lower two speeds still provide decent airflow.
Otherwise, you can purchase a FlexBreeze Car Charger for $29.99 to recharge the unit. Although it usually takes five hours to go from zero to fully charged, which is a bit of a party poop.
Powerful airflow
There are three fan speeds and a Boost Mode. And unlike with some products, the difference in the airflow is actually noticeable. My old fans have usually been useless unless it’s running full blast, so this is great.
I also really love how powerful the Shark FlexBreeze is and how far the airflow reaches. I typically dial the power back to the middle setting when I’m feeling warm but not uncomfortably hot, and use the maximum setting or upgrade to Boost Mode when I want something closer to the power of an evaporative cooler or air conditioner.
Noise
The SharkFlex Breeze is wonderfully quiet, even on the strongest settings. Keep in mind any appliance is going to make some noise and will inevitably get louder as it uses more power. There’s no rattling sounds and the most ‘noise’ you’ll get is when you’re using Boost Mode but even then it’s still minimal.
The first two out of three settings are the definition of whisper quiet and, if you have the TV on, it’s like the fan has been turned off.
I’m not a light sleeper, but I don’t imagine the appliance causing much of a disruption. Having someone over to manually blow air from their mouth would be more annoying.
Oscillation and tilt
The fan technically isn’t height adjustable since the little button on the pole is used to detach the fan head when switching to the portable option. But you can achieve the same effect by manually tilting the fan head up or down up to 55 degrees.
The oscillating function (aka when it goes side-to-side) can be adjusted up to 180 degrees, offering good flexibility. If you want to pause it in a particular direction or move the fan head a little to the left or right, you’ll need to use the remote to avoid causing any damage.
Remote control
The Shark FlexBreeze includes probably the most underrated fan accessory, the remote.
It provides more precise control than the simple on-board buttons, allowing you to adjust fan speeds as well as the horizontal angle and oscillation tilt.
The remote control has a dedicated spot at the back of the fan head where you can store it when it’s not in use.
HOW MUCH DOES THE SHARK FLEXBREEZE FAN COST?
It’s on the pricier side at $249.99 for the regular model, or $299.99 for the unit with the misting attachment which is available in either dark grey or white.
The Shark FlexBreeze is widely available from Shark’s website and retailers including Myer, The Good Guys and Amazon Australia.
VERDICT: IS THE SHARKFLEXBREEZE FAN WORTH BUYING?
Shark’s FlexBreeze Fan is totally a worthwhile investment and a great efficient way to battle the heat while helping avoid racking up a massive energy bill. I’ve actually been reaching for this instead of the aircon lately and don’t think I’ve sacrificed any comfort.
The warm weather staple provides fantastic cooling power at no cost to the eardrums, and the rechargeable and convertible design is super useful – and let’s not forget about the remote control. Plus, it’s not an eyesore like some fans. The sleek design is definitely a welcome change.
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*Product was provided by Shark for a 100 per cent independent, honest review.
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