Thanks to its raging success on Kickstarter, the Zera Max handheld fan could soon be a staple in many a camper's gear box. It produces a mighty flow of wind from a compact form factor, making it a tool with tons of uses in the woods and at home.
When you think about it, it's pretty remarkable how much a steady and strong stream of wind can come in handy when you're camping. Not only can it keep you cool on those sticky nights and blow the mosquitoes away, but it can also help blast away debris from your tent's front door, inflate your air mattress and your lake toys, and even fan the flames of your campfire.
Over 700 people seem to agree about the utility of a good blower, as that's how many have pledged to buy the Zera Max fan on Kickstarter. That level of support means the gizmo has already raised more than $81,000 in a campaign with an initial ask of $3,846. And there are still 30 days left to go.
The Zera Max looks a bit like a handheld hammer. It measures 35 x 80 x 123 mm (1.4 x 3.15 x 4.8 inches) and weighs 265 g (0.6 lb).
The fan has a digital display on the handle that indicates the mode and power levels. A slide switch lets you start and control the flow of air. This means you can get a gentle breeze to give the campfire a little extra O2, or you can turn it all the way up to 150,000 RPMs to blast away the leaves on the picnic table while camping, or get the dust off your keyboard at home.
Power is provided by a 4,000-mAH battery which is charged via an included USB C cable. The makers say a full charge should keep the fan blowing at "normal" speed (which they don't quite define) for about three hours.
While you can find similar (albeit less powerful) fans online, the true genius of the Zera Max is that its operation can also be reversed simply by flipping it around, so it becomes a mini but mighty vacuum cleaner.
The base pledge of US$89 gets you the Zera Max along with three different nozzles that snap on and off thanks to the use of powerful rare earth magnets. These nozzles help you better tailor the airflow to your needs. To get the vacuum functionality though, you'll need to upgrade to the combo set for $109, which adds the vacuum canister attachment along with a few brush nozzles and two additional magnetic nozzles. The upgrade makes a lot of sense as it pretty much doubles the utility of the device for just $20 more.
As with all crowdfunding purchases, the usual cautions apply. Although the Zera company has already run and fulfilled a successful Kickstarter campaign for an electric toothbrush, there are quite a few comments complaining about that device's functionality, so you might want to have a look before pledging.
In the plus column are the following videos from the makers, which show the fan in action and lend credence the power claims.
If all goes according to plan, Zera says the fans will start shipping this December.
Source: Kickstarter