I tried it: Shark’s new bladeless, shape-shifting fan is here to save summer

Living in an apartment without central air conditioning, I consider fans an absolute necessity, especially as the temperatures start rising. I rely on these gadgets to stay cool in rooms that don’t have window or wall AC units, and I even favor them in rooms that do to save money and keep air circulating ... at least until I'm faced with unbearable heat.

I have a few standbys (fan-bys?), but as a longtime home writer — and relentless comfort seeker — I’m always on the hunt for the next big thing. So when I saw that my colleague Julia Webb included the new Shark TurboBlade Fan in our Most Anticipated Products round-up for March, I had to give it a try. The brand says it's “the most powerful bladeless fan” out there. How cool is that?

After testing it, I can say it's pretty cool, indeed. Here's my honest review (aka what makes this fan the ultimate warm-weather companion). While you’re at it, consider more ways to get your home in gear for the season with our guides to the best iced coffee makers and the best outdoor sofas. And here are our picks for the best Shark vacuums, so you can really make a splash at home.

What I liked: Its cooling, shape-shifting abilities!

One of the things I appreciate about SharkNinja products, including the brand's vacuums and air fryers, is that they’re really intuitive — and this fan was no exception. When I opened the box, there were three main pieces: a base and two “fins” (bladeless fan attachments), each labeled with stickers for easy reference, along with a remote control and instructions.

Setup was super easy: I clicked each piece into place in a matter of a few minutes. With the fan set up, I was eager to test-drive its shape-shifting abilities, something that caught my attention when I saw it at a media preview (and which we talked about in our Most Anticipated Products story). I was able to pivot the long, narrow fins from horizontal to vertical and — even more impressive — twist the vents in different directions to target different areas.

Better yet, I was able to adjust the height of the fan so it was blowing at the exact level I needed, particularly helpful for cooling my entire king-sized bed. The fan oscillates up to 180°, so I'm sure it would also be useful for long tables or low seating arrangements.

The TurboBlade has five power speeds to choose from, with the highest beating out other fans I had in my apartment in terms of intensity. Bonus: The TurboBlade has great coverage! According to Shark, it can blow up to 80 feet, which I happily confirmed in my testing.

What I would change: The high-power mode can get "turbo-y"

If I had to change something about the Shark TurboBlade Fan, I guess I would say the louder “white noise” associated with the highest power mode. Though, as someone who tests products for a living, I’d say a slightly louder motor is a typical tradeoff for more powerful machines and settings. (For context, it wasn't loud enough to disturb a movie, and I know some people welcome white noise when they're sleeping.)

The only other thing that could possibly make the Shark TurboBlade Fan more desirable would be if it doubled as an air purifier. Or maybe had a built-in speaker? Doubled as a floor cleaner? Otherwise, I’m curious to see if Shark ends up rolling out any additional versions: The gold finish is beautiful but I'd love to see a chrome option.

I'll also note here that this device isn't cheap at $250. (That said, Dyson's bladeless fan is $370 when it's not on sale, so at least it's more affordable than that.)

The verdict: It’s powerful. And it could cut down your electric bill

Pipe dreams aside, the Shark TurboBlade Fan managed to meet — and exceed — my expectations. I love how sleek it is, particularly helpful for smaller spaces, and that it's configurable for circulating air to different places. It's also one of the more powerful and far-reaching fans I’ve tested, particularly useful for cooling larger crowds or areas.

I really appreciate the convenience of being able to control the fan from afar, and I love how easily it wipes down — no dust bunnies here. The loud white noise that accompanies the most powerful setting is a small price to pay in exchange for staying cool (and perhaps even saving some money on AC) when temperatures start to rise!

We received complimentary samples of some products and purchased others ourselves, but we reviewed all products using the same objective criteria.