Fans are one of those products where the gap between cheap and good is immediately obvious the first time you try to sleep with one running. The Duux Whisper Flex 2 Smart is firmly in the good camp, and the reasons become clear quickly.
The nine-blade motor runs at just 13 decibels on the lowest setting. That is quieter than a whispered conversation and quieter than most bedrooms at night. Night mode dims the touch display completely so there is no glow to contend with, and the fan carries on doing its job without you noticing it is there. If sleeping through warm nights is the main reason you are buying a fan, this one is built for exactly that.
Speed control runs to 30 settings, which sounds like a gimmick until you actually use it. The difference between adjacent speeds at the quiet end of the range is genuinely subtle, which means you can find the right level rather than choosing between not enough and slightly too much. Natural wind mode varies the airflow rhythmically to feel more like an outdoor breeze than a machine, and it works better than you might expect.
Oscillation has been properly thought through too. Horizontal swing can be set to 30, 60, or 90 degrees and vertical to 45 or 90 degrees, so you can direct air into a specific part of the room rather than just sweeping it around.
The height adjusts from 54cm to 92cm by adding or removing the extension pole, which takes seconds. During the day it sits on a desk. In the evening it goes on the floor. At 4.2kg it moves easily between rooms. The DC motor draws as little as 2W at low speeds, making it cheaper to run overnight than almost anything else in your home.
Smart control works through the free Duux app over WiFi, covering speed, oscillation, mode, and scheduling. Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are supported for voice control, and a magnetic remote is included for anyone who just wants a button to press from the bed. An optional battery pack charges in two hours and gives up to 11 hours of wireless use, handy if you want to take it outside or use it somewhere without a convenient socket.
Quiet Mark certified. Available in black
