Best Handheld Fans and Wearable Fans (2026)

Jun 16, 2026 7:48 PM

The Best Handheld and Wearable Fans for People Who Hate Being Sweaty

Whether you’re at a festival, tennis match, or wedding, these hand fans and wearable cooling devices will make the heat way more bearable.

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Before I started using a handheld fan, I was a total skeptic. I’d seen the ones that attach to your phone or fit in a bag, and I couldn’t imagine they’d provide any real relief from the heat—and they seemed completely unnecessary. But now that I’ve used the fans on this list, I don’t know how I was functioning without them.

There are certain scenarios where having a portable fan makes your life so much better: Outdoor concerts, weddings, festivals, amusement parks, sporting events, backyard parties. I don’t live in New York City anymore, but I could imagine having one of these on the subway would be a game changer. Despite their size, they do actually create a significant breeze—in some cases, it’s enough to stop you from getting sticky, shiny, and sweaty. If you want to make it through a ridiculously hot day without your makeup melting or pitting out, you need one of these handheld fans.

For more ways to stay cool, check out our guides to the Best Fans and the Best Window ACs.

Updated June 2026: We've added new fans from Dyson, Shark, and Aecooly, removed discontinued fans, and ensured up-to-date links and prices.

Best Handheld Fan Overall

Photograph: Kat Merck

Photograph: Kat Merck

Video: Kat Merck

PlayHot

Handheld Turbo Fan

This fan was a godsend during a sweltering outdoor concert. It bends at the neck, so I was able to set it up on the picnic table and blast it toward my face without even holding it, then straighten it back into the standard position to carry it with me as I walked around. It also comes with a lanyard that allows you to hang it from your neck. It felt stronger than the other handheld fans I tested, and I liked that the blades were contained, which made the airflow feel more concentrated and meant I couldn’t catch them on anything. It kept my face from melting off on the 100-degree day I used it, and while it isn’t slim enough to slide into a clutch or pocket (like some other fans on the list), it fit into my small crossbody bag.

There are five speed levels, and the 5,000-mAh battery lasts from three to 12 hours depending on which level you’re using. A digital display lets you know what level you’re using and how much battery life you have left (you can get a full charge in three hours). The only cons to this fan are that it doesn’t have any other uses (no charging bank or flashlight capabilities, like some options on this list), and it’s a bit loud, with a drone-y sound. It didn’t bother me at a loud concert, and I was even able to talk to a friend without any problem, but if you’re in a quieter setting, it might be an issue. At only $20, it’s a solid investment for any outdoor festivals or weddings where you need a heavy-duty airflow to really stave off sweat. —Kristin Canning

WIRED/TIRED

WIRED

Hands-free carry and operation

5 speed levels

Long battery life

TIRED

Can't fit into a pocket

Best Waist Fan

Photograph: Kat Merck

Video: Kat Merck

Aecooly

Portable Waist Fan

I liked the 3-in-1 design of this chunky waist fan, which lets you wear it on your belt or waistband inside or outside your shirt, on a strap around your neck, or propped up on a table or desk. It's not super lightweight at nearly three-quarters of a pound (which means you can't wear lighter-weight pants or shorts if you plan to clip it on your waistband), and it's not exactly quiet at 53 decibels, but with five speeds and a top wind speed of 866 feet per minute, it's one of the more powerful waist fans I've tried. There's also a “flashlight” on the side with a strobe option, but it's about the size of a BB, so don't count on it illuminating anything important. I haven't verified the claimed 18-hour battery life, but one charge has lasted me a few months of short-stint uses. —Kat Merck

WIRED/TIRED

WIRED

Hands-free cooling

Provides a powerful breeze

TIRED

May tug on lightweight pants

A little loud

Flashlight isn't big enough to be useful

Best Neck Fan

Photograph: Kat Merck

Jisulife

Portable Neck Fan

This no-nonsense neck fan looks a little bit like headphones, with a 5000 mAh battery and five speeds. I like that it’s super-lightweight and comfortable if you need to wear it for long periods—I wore it during a day-long hike around New Orleans’ Garden District and Audubon Park, and I frequently wear it while playing pickleball. However, the ends don’t adjust or angle, so if you don’t like where the air is directed, there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s also not too loud; around 40 decibels on low. Color options on Amazon are limited, but if you buy direct from JisuLife you have access to more options like navy, forest green, and pink. —Kat Merck

WIRED/TIRED

WIRED

Very comfortable to wear for long periods

Not very loud

TIRED

Hard to angle correctly

Not very many colors available on Amazon

Best Cooling Jacket

Photograph: Kristin Canning

Photograph: Kristin Canning

Ororo

ZenFlow Power Cooling Jacket

Like heated vests and socks, clothing with built-in cooling is becoming more streamlined, functional, and fashionable. This jacket from Ororo looks like your standard windbreaker, save for the two circular fans on the lower back. You turn them on (there are three levels of airflow) with a button on a cord that attaches to a chargeable battery in the pocket, and you can remove the fans, cord, and battery when it’s time to wash the jacket. The cooling sensation is surprisingly strong and the fans aren’t too heavy or annoyingly loud—the only downside is the back and sides puff up like you’d expect when the fans are on.

The jacket itself is comfortable, made from a stretchy, lightweight, abrasion-resistant fabric, with five pockets, an adjustable hem, and the option to zip off the sleeves and convert it to a short-sleeved jacket. The battery works for 5.5 hours on the high setting and 9.5 hours on the low setting. I’d choose this jacket over waist and belt fans for superior upper body cooling and comfort, if you can deal with looking a little like the Michelin Man. —Kristin Canning

WIRED/TIRED

WIRED

Washable

Superior torso cooling

TIRED

You look like the Michelin Man

Relatively short battery life

Best Purse Fan

Photograph: Kristin Canning

Photograph: Kristin Canning

Photograph: Kristin Canning

Gaiatop

Portable Handheld Fan

This fan was a great companion during a late-summer parade, providing some airflow without much noise. I appreciate that the fan blades are soft, and they stop automatically if they hit something—it’s the type of fan you could hand off to a kid without much worry. It can also stand up on a table, and when folded, easily fits in a small purse or clutch. It comes in pretty pastel colors and has tiny, pointed ears, with a button that looks like some kind of cute creature, though I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be an owl or a cat.

At only four ounces and with a small lanyard, you could definitely attach this fan to your phone or keychain to always have it at the ready. It has 10 to 17 hours of battery life, depending on which of the two speeds you use. I wish the higher speed was stronger—it helped provide some relief during a parade, but it didn’t totally prevent sweating, like the PlayHot Handheld Turbo Fan. Still, for the price, size, and low noise level, it’s a decent cooling option. This Aecooly fan ($10) is also a small, slim, pocket- or purse-sized option. —Kristin Canning

WIRED/TIRED

WIRED

Fits in a purse

Fan blades are soft and safe

Very pretty

TIRED

Not very high fan speed

Only two fan speeds

Best Multiuse Fan

Photograph: Kat Merck

Jisulife

Handheld Mini Fan

This fan has little plastic ears and a printed-on bear mouth and produces a pretty strong breeze for its size, at 472 feet per minute (measured with my anemometer). It’s quiet (44 dB on low) and lightweight at 4 ounces, making it easy to slip into a pocket, and the blades immediately stop spinning if they come in contact with an object, which makes this a safe fan for kids to use. (Though annoying if you're walking and holding it close to your face, which it will inevitably bump.)

I also found the battery life to be pretty solid, and appreciate that a light on the bottom doubles as a flashlight. A USB-C port on the back makes it a portable power bank. However, note that the 2,000-mAh battery isn't the strongest, and lasts about one phone charge. If the blue pictured here isn't your thing, there are seven other options, including two shades of pink, mint green, and orange. —Kat Merck

WIRED/TIRED

WIRED

Serves triple duty as a fan, flashlight, and power bank

Small enough to carry in a pocket

Quiet

Solid battery life

TIRED

Fan itself is small, so it must be held close

Cutesy look may not be for everyone

Best Handheld Misting Fan

Photograph: Kat Merck

Photograph: Kat Merck

Video: Kat Merck

Aecooly

Cold Air Ultra Personal Cooling System

If you're serious about cooling down, no handheld fan I've tried has worked as well as this misting fan with 100 speeds and a digital touchscreen. It supposedly can cool skin down to 18 degrees Fahrenheit, and while I was not able to quantify this exact number, it is effective enough that my teen son has since refused to use any other handheld fan but this one, effectively ending his tenure as one of my testing helpers.

The mist is so fine that it will not wet fabric or any other surfaces, and it's got a little loop at the bottom so you can hang it if need be. It also doubles as a phone charger—or a duster or pool-toy inflator with the included magnetic attachments. The only downside is the sound, a high-pitched jet-engine whine common to these fans. I recommend using the misting feature to avoid using the fan at higher speeds, as my ears began to ring if I used it on high for more than 20 minutes or so. —Kat Merck

WIRED/TIRED

WIRED

Mist cools but doesn't saturate

Doubles as phone charger, duster, and pool toy inflator with attachments

TIRED

Annoying sound

Best Battery Life

Photograph: Kat Merck

Jisulife

Portable Handheld Fan Ultra2

This fan is so strong it’s almost comical—1,614 feet per minute on my anemometer. (For reference, this is stronger than a typical full-sized fan.) It also emits a high-pitched whine not unlike a jet engine (60 decibels on its lowest setting), and its mallet-like shape makes it too bulky to slip into a pocket. However, it does double as a power bank and a flashlight, and it’s got a short carrying lanyard you can attach to make it slightly less unwieldy. The 9,000-mAh battery is also a plus. Jisulife says this can last up to 25 hours, which I have no reason to doubt, as I’ve been using it off and on for three weeks and the battery has yet to run out. —Kat Merck

WIRED/TIRED

WIRED

Incredibly powerful

Doubles as a power bank and flashlight

Long battery life

TIRED

Sounds like a jet engine

Too big to fit into a pocket

Best Bladeless Fan

Photograph: Kat Merck

Aecooly

Aero Pro Hand Fan

This periscope-shaped “powerful turbo air tube” won both a Red Dot and iF Design award last year, and the curved shape is both easy to transport and hold. I also like that there are no rotors or blades to knock into, and the airflow was impressive for a hand fan—807 feet per minute on high (there are six speeds total). It doesn’t double as a flashlight or phone charger, but it does come with a digital display, which shows you the battery and speed levels, and a short lanyard for carrying. Don’t plan on using this one if you’re going to have a conversation, though, as it was over 50 decibels on low. —Kat Merck

WIRED/TIRED

WIRED

Curved shape is gorgeous and easy to hold

Impressive airflow

Easy-to-read digital display

TIRED

Pretty loud

Doesn't double as a power bank

Others Tested

Shark ChillPill 3-in-1 Personal Cooling System for $150: New this year, Shark's first entry into the handheld fan market looks like two stacked cylinders—one the controller, the other a tube that can variably be a regular fan, a refillable misting fan, or a metal cryo-inspired cold plate you can press to your neck or pulse points. The latter is a super-unique feature that I love, but I didn't like that you have to swap out separate attachments for each function (and carry them around in a bag if you're traveling). It's a little awkward to hold, and it also does not come with a lanyard or an easy way to carry it, which one might expect at this price point. It does, however, come in seven cool anodized-metal colors.

Dyson HushJet Mini Cool for $100: With so many decent portable hand fans on the market for around $20, I'd expect great things from a fan costing $100 or more, and while this one is fine (aside from a resemblance to—I'm sorry to have to say—a worm anus), the windspeed and overall performance were only marginally better than the cheaper fans. I do like that it comes with a stand for use on a desk, though, as well as the ribbon lanyard for wearing around your neck. It also gets points for not producing a high-pitched jet-engine whine like the similarly priced Ultra2 fan above, but its performance and features are otherwise subpar in comparison.

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Kristin Canning is a freelance journalist with over a decade of experience serving as the former features director at Women's Health Magazine and holding prior editor positions at Health, Self, and Men’s Health. She has traveled around the globe to review the best destinations for wellness and to test the latest fitness apparel and gadgets. Kristin is particularly interested in emerging ... Read More

Kat Merck is a commerce editor for WIRED, where she covers smart bird feeders, indoor gardening systems, kitchen composters, and all things sustainable home tech. As a forestry major at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Kat practiced axe throwing on her college logging team and trained as a wildland firefighter ... Read More

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