British summers are known for their humidity and, as we're all aware, the design of our homes aren't optimised for warmer weather. This means that fans are as popular as ever, and more and more brands are bringing out products that promise the world. Whether that's silent running, energy-efficiency, extended speed options or just a stylish design, we now have more choices than ever before in how we choose to cool down.
The Duux Whisper Flex Smart Standing Fan is one product that wants to fulfil all of your needs with smart home compatibility, adjustable height and a sleek, high-quality build. We tested it out in the height of summer to see whether it could be as good as promised. Read our review below, or check out how it measured up against the best fans in our guide.
The Duux Whisper Flex standing fan lives up to its name, offering the flexibility of an adjustable stand, vertical and horizontal oscillation, and smart home compatibility.
Duux Whisper Flex Smart Standing Fan
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(Image credit: Duux)
Duux Whisper Flex Smart Standing Fan: Set-up & Features
Type:Desk/Pedestal
Noise:13-50dB
Speed settings:26
Smart?Yes
Dimensions:34 x 51-88
Weight:6.5kg
Setting up the Duux Whisper Flex is a bit more involved than most fans, but also extremely simple, with the box containing the base, stand extension rod and main face. The instruction talk you through assembly, which requires securing the fan's face with a single screw. Once done, we were pleasantly surprised by how sturdy and high-quality the fan looked and felt.
There are a total of 26 fan speeds, ranging for a barely-there breeze to a heavy gust, and we found ourselves keeping things at around 12-15 for a balance of noise to effectiveness. You can also choose between standard fan mode and 'natural wind', which mimics the less constant breeze that you would find outside. This is a fun feature, and not one we've seen from other fans. Night mode turns off the lights on the display, and you can set a timer for the fan to switch off anytime up to 12 hours.
Oscillation is fantastic, with the option for horizontal, vertical or both at once. On higher settings, this means it can effectively cool an entire room with ease, and we were impressed by how quietly it ran even when working so hard.
The only drawback is the fact that you'll need to purchase a separate charging stand in order to use the Whisper Flex as a portable, wireless fan.
(Image credit: Duux)
Duux Whisper Flex Smart Standing Fan: Design
Used as a desk fan the Duux Whisper Flex is pretty standard and works beautifully but, as a pedestal fan, it comes up shorter than other models. We're not sure why this is the way Duux decided to go, but at full height the fan will only come to waist height on most people. This may make it unsuitable for some, but we found it was used most in our house as an office fan - where it's the ideal height or blowing on the back of the neck as you work - and a sleep companion.
It's this sleep aspect where the fan makes most sense, as it's the ideal bed height. This means you can enjoy direct airflow on particularly sticky nights, and the wireless option means you can place it in the perfect location whether that's beside you, at the foot of the bed, or anywhere else.
Our only real complaint about the design of the fan was its control panel, which is difficult to get used to. The raised disc on the Whisper Flex's base allows you to change the fan's speed, switch to night mode and adjust oscillation, but we found it much easier to use the app for this. The app also handily uses GPS to determine the temperature and humidity outside.
Duux Whisper Flex Smart Standing Fan: Our Verdict
We loved the Duux Whisper Flex Smart Standing Fan while testing during an English heatwave, with it offering relief as we slept, while we were sat watching TV and while working. While we were unable to test the wireless feature offered with an additional battery-pack purchase, portability would make the fan even more useful for on-the-spot cooling.
About this review
All of our reviews are based on real experience of the product in question, and the Duux Whisper Flex Smart standing fan was tested at home for multiple weeks before a verdict was formed. This ensures that all of our recommendations can be trusted to be informed and independent by our readers, and that products perform as they should in real-world home environments.
