Dyson Hot+Cool™ Formaldehyde HP09 Purifying Fan review: our verdict on Dyson's multi-talented fan

Price on writing: £595 | Buy now from Amazon

How we tested

Mumsnet editor Poppy put the Dyson Hot + Cool through its paces in her 3-bedroom home over the course of two months. Catching both freezing and hot weather during the testing period, she took detailed notes on the user-friendless of the fan and how effective it was as a heater, fan and air purifier.

Dyson Hot+Cool™ Formaldehyde HP09 Purifying Fan: our verdict

Having tested a selection of the best tower fans, Dyson's iconic bladeless design really stands out from the crowd. It's quiet, sleek and looks great in any room. But it's not just a pretty face - this particular model has three functions: it's a cooling fan, a heater and an air purifier.

Thanks to the great British climate, I got to test the Dyson Hot+Cool as both a heater and a fan, plus an air purifier once hayfever season hit. As a heater, it's very efficient, and warms you up within a minute or two. Set to oscillate side to side, it warms the whole room with ease.

As a cooling fan, it delivers a refreshing stream of air. While it's worth mentioning that the Dyson Hot+Cool is not an air conditioner and circulates rather than cools air, it does so effectively, banishing stuffiness and cooling your skin. While it's not as quiet as the Duux Whisper Flex or the Meaco Sefte, it's still quiet enough for a bedroom or WFH office.

For those with allergies, the air purification function of the Dyson Hot+Cool is a real game-changer. Other than the mildest sniffles when the pollen count is high, I'm lucky enough not to suffer, so I'll hand over to Mumsnet users' perspectives of Dyson's air purification:

"I have a Dyson air purifier to keep the dust down, it's very effective... Sorts my allergies out and saves me £££ on heating." - brand recommended by dizzydizzydizzy

"DH suffers at night time and last year we got a Dyson air purifier fan (admittedly it was ridiculously expensive but it was lock down and I was fed up!).....anyway it worked fabulously, DH managed to sleep through the night and didnt wake me up with his snoring/death breathing." - brand recommended by Ilikewinter

The Dyson app gives you information on your home's air quality - including the types of impurities the fan is filtering out for you, and allows you to control the fan via a virtual remote control.

Sure, there are some minor niggles - the remote control buttons could be more sensitive, and the fan is slightly awkward to tilt upwards - but on the whole it's a brilliant machine that'll be useful all year round in the UK, not just during heat waves like other fans. If you have the budget and are looking for something top of the range that can perform multiple functions, the Dyson Hot+Cool is a cut above.

Read next: The best neck fans for keeping cool on the go

How easy is the Dyson Hot+Cool™ Formaldehyde HP09 Purifying Fan to set up and start using?

There's a bit of assembly involved in setting up the Dyson Hot+Cool. With two filters to fit to the base, it's a little bit fiddly, but once they're in that's all the building you need to do. The remote control works straight out of the box and the app was easy to download and pair with the fan.

The heat and fan functions are easy to work out and adjust the target temperature and fan speed via the remote control or app. Using the air purification function on its own took a little bit of working out - you have to change the direction of the air flow to turn off cooling completely.

There's a night mode and an auto-off timer, which are straightforward to use. The fan oscillates from side to side, but not up and down. It can be tilted, which involves firmly holding onto the base and tilting the fan head backwards to achieve the best angle for you.

Read next: The best pedestal fans for your home

What's the Dyson Hot+Cool™ Formaldehyde HP09 Purifying Fan like to use day-to-day?

I set the Dyson Hot+Cool up in my study, where I work from home 5 days a week. It's quite a chilly room and I was glad of the heater in the spring, preferring it to the oil radiator I had previously used to keep me warm while working. I like that you can adjust the temperature of the fan, and how speedily it heats you up. When the temperature dropped I pointed the fan directly at me for a blast of heat, rather than letting it oscillate to heat up the room.

When we finally got some hot weather, the fan efficiently cooled me down. At higher speeds, it's a bit noisy, but set at a lower speed and oscillating to cool the room, it's really pleasant. Compared to bladed fans like the Meaco Sefte, the Dyson disperses air in a more gentle way, even at close range it's not too intense.

The air purification can run alongside the heater, fan or on its own. I found it did make a difference to how much I suffered with hayfever during high pollen days. It's very quiet running on its own, and I found the stats on the app interesting - turns out I have great air quality in my study. The purifier filters out gases and 99.95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns from the air in your home. The catalytic filter continuously destroys formaldehyde and it's the only purifier on the market fully sealed to HEPA H13 standard.

I don't have loads of storage in my home, so I really like that the Dyson Hot+Cool is useful all year round.

Read next: The best handheld fans for labour, hot flushes and commuting

Does the Dyson Hot+Cool™ Formaldehyde HP09 Purifying Fan offer good value for money?

The price of the Dyson Hot+Cool is its biggest drawback. While it features high quality technology that no doubt justifies the price, spending £600+ on a fan is out of the question for most UK families.

If you have the budget and want something that can heat, cool and purify the air in your home, this is a unique and brilliant product. Its purification standards are second to none, so it's a godsend for those with allergies or asthma.

If you're set on a Dyson but want to spend less, it's worth noting that Dyson make several models with various functions at lower prices:

• Dyson AM07 Cool Tower Fan, £350

• Dyson Pure Fan and Air Purifier, £300

• Dyson AM09 Hot + Cool Fan Heater, £400

I really like having the Dyson Hot+Cool by my side; it looks great, works efficiently and it's genuinely useful, whatever the weather.

About the author

Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She's been researching and reviewing the products Mumsnetters swear by for 3 years, with a particular focus on home essentials, laundry and fans. From a highly-recommended retractable washing line to the best quiet fans money can buy, and Mumsnet's favourite dehumidifier to the steam generator iron that'll cut your ironing time in half, she loves to deep-dive into research and find the very best products on the market.

Poppy is also an award-winning, best-selling children's and parenting author of books such as Don't Worry, Be Happy, The Extraordinary Book That Makes You Feel Happy and Mother Power. She specialises in children's mental health and her books are used by therapists, teachers and SENCOs across the UK. She won a The Week Junior Book Award in 2023, her books have been translated into several languages and she's been featured in The Guardian, The Sunday Times and The Sun.

About Mumsnet reviews

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