The Q-Fan: Panasonic’s latest creation has been touted as the apogee of “Outstanding performance [and]exquisite design”, and they must be pretty confident that it will deliver, because it’s written on the box!
As we removed it from the packaging, the first phrase that came to mind was “it looks like a disco ball!” There is no doubt that this is original and undeniably “cool”, but we were eager to see if it would actually blow us away!
Right now, you’re probably wondering “is this design purely aesthetic?” Nope! It’s essential to the fan’s distinctive functionality.
There are 2 modes available: Fan Mode and Circulator (Turbo) Mode
Fan Mode (1/f Yuragi) – which means “Natural Breeze”
Now that summer – and 2017 – are in full swing, relaxation and the melting away of beginning-of-the-year stress, is what we need and this sphere’s Fan Mode could be the solution. This mode (also known as 1/f Yuragi) “creates soft, a refreshing and comfortable natural breeze for you.” – This isn’t a marketing slogan, it’s a fact. According to research by Panasonic, “The comfortable and subtle air flow is designed to match our body’s biological rhythm (heart beat) and nature’s rhythm (the specific elevation and its air flow). Thus, “calm” air flow is delivered, even when used for long duration”
Furthermore, this helps to decrease body temperature, which will help you recover after a day in the sun. It is a perfect companion to help you when you need some “quiet time”.
Circulator (Turbo) Mode
Now, here is where the fan comes to life! Once this mode is activated, the air absorbed by the innovative suction inlet, is amplified 7 times and releases a torrent of high-speed air flow. This is possible thanks to the unique sphere-shaped structure that essentially creates a vacuum of air that builds up immense pressure, which is then released through the centre.
The 360-degree rotation capability allows you to choose the direction of the air flow. The only drawback is that it doesn’t revolve automatically, which is a bit frustrating, but is definitely not a deal breaker.
“The air absorbed by the innovative suction inlet, is amplified 7 times and releases a torrent of high-speed air flow.”
Our experience
The second we lifted it out of the box, we were intrigued – to say the least. The glossy finish caught our eye and really enhanced the creativity.
Setting up the fan is as simple as it gets: we literally placed the unit on its stand, clicked in the power-supply jack and plugged it into a standard power socket – that’s it! There are no other cumbersome cables. The only issue that we had here was the operation manual: the print was very small and it took us a while to find the instructions written in English.
We were divided about the placement of the function buttons, which are situated at the rear; this made it a bit awkward to operate as we constantly had to get up and either reach forward and over – or turn – the unit in order to change the mode and speed.
Initially, when we turned it on, the airflow was weak and it took us a minute to figure out how to turn up the speed. Once we did, we pushed it to the max and were greeted by a straight blast of cool air.
A final criticism that we had was that at first glance, we assumed that the air would flow from all of the openings, substantiating “360-degree” rotational claim; however, this was not the case.
What you get in the box:
– The Q-Fan unit
– A circular stand
– Power supply
– Operational manual
Final words
There is no doubt that the Q-Fan is a superbly-talented player in the “new era” of technological design, but there are still a few issues that we believe need to be addressed.
Firstly, the fan is not as powerful as we expected – even when we turned the Turbo Mode up to full blast, if we were more than 2 metres away, we couldn’t feel a strong air flow.
Secondly, auto rotation should be part of the functionality. The reason for this is that because the air only flows in a straight line, you will need to keep adjusting it if you want to cool down a whole room.
Having said this, the Q-Fan is a feat of engineering and design. We believe that with a few tweaks this will be a cool addition to the home.
*The Q-Fan is available in 3 different colours: Crystal Red; Champagne Gold or Pearl White
VERDICT: 7/10
Recommended retail price: R2999
*Note: This was the cost at the time of the review and is subject to change.
