We unbox the Dyson Air Multiplier and give it a quick run through to see if this bladeless fan lives up to the hype.
Dyson's bladeless fan, or Air Multiplier, is available in two sizes. One with a 30cm diameter for its gapin' hole (seen here) and a slightly smaller 25cm version. The 30cm model comes in either white or grey/silver, while the 25cm unit is only available in a funky blue and grey colour scheme.
To cut down on packaging the Air Multiplier's been split in two.
In lieu of blades, the Air Multiplier has an impeller that sucks in air from the holes in the unit's base.
To find out more about how the bladeless fan works, watch our interview with James Dyson.
Assembling the Air Multiplier is a cinch. Place the top and the bottom halves together so that the arrows almost match up, hold the base, give the top a small twist and voila! The arrows line up and the unit's good to go.
When we spoke with James Dyson in the past, he sounded decidedly British, so we're not sure why the assembly stickers are written in Scandinavian.
Once assembled, the Air Multiplier's ready to rock and roll. The small knob on the base controls air speed, the button to the left is for power and the button on the right allows the Multiplier to swivel automatically through about 180 degrees. The fan can also be tilted slightly up or down.
A great party trick.
When we placed the Air Multiplier a few metres away, the Air Multiplier provided plenty of cooling even when it wasn't turned up to full power. In larger rooms, such as a living room or master bedroom, it doesn't seem to have the same reach as regular fans though.
With the Air Multiplier set to 11, it doesn't exhibit the gustiness of a normal fan; there's just a constant jet of cool air. Indeed, shaking it like a Polaroid picture was the only way Randolph Ramsay (editor of