Introduced in 2009, Dyson's Air Multiplier bladeless fan is still probably the trendiest, most unique device one can buy for moving cooling air around a room. Today, the British company announced that consumers will now be able to use that same bladeless technology for heating a room, in the form of the Dyson Hot fan heater.
Like the cooling fan before it, the ABS-bodied Hot uses Dyson's proprietary Air Multiplier technology. This involves using an impeller in the base of the device to draw air in through slotted intakes (also in the base), then blowing that air out through a small aperture in the fan's "loop amplifier." The inside surface of the loop is shaped like an airfoil, so the air that is blown into it is channeled forward. Air behind the loop is drawn in by this outwards airflow, and is subsequently also propelled forward itself, the end result being that the fan reportedly expels six times more air than its impeller sucks in.
What's different about the Hot is the fact that it also includes a heating element in its base. This can be set, either on the fan itself or with a remote, to heat a room to anywhere from 1 to 37 degrees Celsius (33.8 to 98.6F). A built-in thermostat will turn the fan off when the desired temperature is reached, and turn it back on again when the temperature drops. Users can also adjust the oscillation and rate of airflow.
For people who don't already own a regular Dyson Air Multiplier, the Hot can also be set to blow unheated air.
The Dyson Hot is available as of today at John Lewis stores in England, and can be purchased nationwide for GBP269.99 (US$427) as of next month. There is word yet regarding availability or pricing in other markets.