Shark ChillPill review: a seriously impressive bit of kit

RRP: £130 | Check price at Shark and Amazon

How I tested

I tested the Shark ChillPill myself over the course of a month during the UK summer heatwave before taking it on a four-day holiday to Malta, where temperatures exceeded 30°C. I used it at the beach, by the pool, while travelling around the island and indoors without air conditioning.

I compared its airflow with a budget handheld fan, paid close attention to battery life, portability, comfort and durability, and assessed how useful each of its cooling features was in everyday situations.

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My verdict

I really enjoyed using the Shark ChillPill. It's beautifully designed, feels well made and offers features you simply won't find on a £20 handheld fan. The airflow is strong, the misting function cools your face without leaving it soaked and the InstaChill ColdFront plate gives almost instant relief when you're overheating.

After using it for a month during the UK heatwave and taking it everywhere from beaches to buses in Malta, I reached for it far more often than I'd expected. It also proved tougher than it looks, surviving travel, pool days and sand without picking up scratches or scuffs.

My biggest reservation is the price. At £130, you're paying a lot more than you would for most handheld fans. The ChillPill is better than cheaper alternatives, but I'm still not convinced it's more than £100 better.

If you regularly travel in hot climates, commute without air conditioning or struggle with heat intolerance, I can see the appeal. For everyone else, I'd probably spend the money on a quality desk fan for home and a cheaper handheld fan for travelling.

Shark ChillPill: what's in the box?

Inside the box you'll find:

• Shark ChillPill fan

• InstaChill ColdFront plate

• Misting attachment

• Accessory storage pouch

• Charging cable

The accessories come in a neat little storage bag, although I was disappointed that the fan itself doesn't fit inside. Given the price, I'd have liked a pouch large enough to protect the whole thing when throwing it into a beach or commuter bag.

What's the Shark ChillPill like to set up?

Getting started couldn't be much simpler. After charging it, it's ready to use almost immediately and the controls are easy to get to grips with. The rotating sections click satisfyingly into place, making it easy to switch between different positions, while the control dial is simple enough to use without looking down.

Changing between the accessories is less polished. Removing them is easy enough, but lining the replacements up isn't always obvious, so I often ended up rotating them until they clicked into place.

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What's the Shark ChillPill like to use day to day?

I tested the ChillPill throughout the UK heatwave before taking it to Malta for four days. It travelled everywhere with me, from the beach and pool and hot indoor spaces without air conditioning.

It's comfortable to hold for long periods and feels far more premium than the average handheld fan. Despite being thrown into bags and exposed to sand, it still looked almost new by the end of testing. Sand did find its way inside the casing after a few beach trips and I could hear the odd grain rattling around, but it never affected performance and eventually worked its way back out.

Although one of its selling points is the ability to stand upright on a desk, I didn't make much use of this because I already have a Meaco Sefte Desk Fan cooling my home office. I can see it being much more useful for anyone working in cafés, hot-desking or commuting into the office, where a compact personal fan makes far more sense.

Battery life was excellent. Despite using it regularly for a month, I never needed to recharge it after the initial charge.

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How well does the Shark ChillPill perform as a handheld fan?

Comparing the Shark ChillPill with a VonHaus Handheld Fan

For a handheld fan, the airflow is impressive. I compared it directly with the VonHaus handheld fan, which costs less than £20, and the Shark produced a noticeably stronger blast of air at full power.

I spent most of my time using speed six, as it struck the best balance between airflow and noise. At the maximum setting of 10, it becomes noticeably loud. I'd happily use it outdoors or while working on my own, but I wouldn't have it running during a Zoom meeting or while chatting to someone.

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How well do the Shark ChillPill's cooling features perform?

The misting attachment quickly became one of my favourite features. I used it during both the UK heatwave and my trip to Malta, especially indoors where there was no air conditioning. What impressed me most was that it cooled my face without leaving it feeling wet or making my clothes damp, something that often puts me off portable misters.

I tended to use the mist in short bursts rather than continuously, so the small water reservoir wasn't a major frustration. Refilling it is a little fiddly, though, and I wouldn't want to be doing it on a windy beach or while travelling on public transport.

The InstaChill ColdFront plate is the feature that really sets the ChillPill apart. It becomes cold almost instantly and gives quick relief when you're overheating. Pressing it against my wrist helped me cool down much faster, while my wife, who suffers from migraines, found it particularly soothing for targeted cooling. It's the one feature I haven't come across on any other handheld fan I've used.

Is the Shark ChillPill good value for money?

This is the part that gave me pause. I loved using the ChillPill and there were plenty of moments when I was glad I'd packed it. The fan is powerful, the mist works brilliantly and the ColdFront plate is genuinely useful.

What you have to decide is whether those features justify spending £130 on a handheld fan.

For the same money, you could buy an excellent desk or tower fan that cools an entire room and still have enough left over for a decent handheld fan to use on your commute or on holiday. For most people, that combination will make more sense.

The ChillPill comes into its own if convenience is your priority. If you spend lots of time travelling in hot countries, regularly commute without air conditioning or simply want the most feature-packed handheld fan available, it's a seriously impressive bit of kit. Everyone else is probably better off waiting for a discount.

About the author

Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She researches and reviews the products Mumsnetters swear by, with a particular focus on home essentials like steam irons, vacuum cleaners and heated throws.

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.