The claim: Chillout's USB Personal Fan with a 6-inch diameter fits on even the smallest desks or nightstands, plus, the USB and AC adaptors allow you to plug it into your computer or an electrical outlet for maximum ease of use.
Cost: $14.99
Where: Staples, Walmart, Amazon.com or Kaz.com
Working women everywhere know you can't count on office air conditioning — or heat, for that matter — to keep you at a comfortable temperature. I can always toss on a wrap or sweater if it's too cold, but is it ever too cold?
My office faces the afternoon sun, meaning it gets way too warm on a sunny day. And, some days, it's not quite hot enough outside to get the air conditioning to kick in, so lack of air movement makes it a bit stuffy.
With my Chillout fan, my crankiness cannot be blamed on a nonfunctional thermostat. This cute little ball comes in my favorite color — baby blue — and sits on my desk or windowsill to send a gentle breeze over me without tangling my hair or blasting my many papers around like confetti.
The cord can be plugged into my computer or printer USB port, keeping it within easy reach. It also comes with a handy AC power adapter that allows it to be plugged into any electrical outlet. It's quiet, too, making it a perfect desktop accessory.
You know those afternoons when Pittsburgh is sweltering hot? Or, maybe it's unseasonably frigid and you overcompensated with too many layers? In those moments, Chillout's USB Personal Fan becomes the highlight of your work day.
The fan is quiet, doesn't vibrate and blows strong enough to give a targeted breeze without blowing papers all over your desk. The USB adapter creates a low, electronic hum when also listening to music through headphones, but the hum doesn't distract you.
It blows air and it's reasonably quiet, but, somehow, I found Kaz USB's Chillout portable fan to be a little disappointing. With plugs to connect to a wall outlet or USB port, it seems it should be called a desk fan, rather than portable. Portable to me implies it can be used in a variety of locations and maybe even is packable.
Chillout, however, has a short cord (about 3 feet), and with that cord attached, is 3 inches thicker than the 9-inch (three-speed) box fan I have at home. Heck, it's almost 2 inches thicker than my 20-inch box fan. So, the size and the cord-length limit where it can be used.
Its cheery and cute ball shape with feet is packable, but not that efficiently. It's a one-speed model (another limitation), and that velocity is enough to move papers on my desk. When I point it toward me, I feel like the woman in the car commercial who complains her AC works only on high. With that velocity and a longer cord, you could use it farther away from the device you're using and not worry about blowing around papers or drying out contact lenses.
