O2Cool Rechargeable Fan Review

The O2Cool Rechargeable Fan is a game changer for summer travel and rides in stuffy planes, trains, or cars.

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Travel + Leisure / Marcus Millan

I recently returned from visiting Northern Vietnam during the hottest time of the year; picture unrelenting, stiflingly hot, humid weather that never lets up, day or night. Luckily, I had a travel hack to keep me cool for extended periods of time: the O2Cool Rechargeable Deluxe Necklace Fan.

I had made a last-minute Target run hours before leaving for my trip, remembering that the weather in Thailand on my trip several years ago was some of the hottest I had ever experienced, and I suspected that Vietnam might be the same. I turned out to be right, and was endlessly grateful that I had picked up my travel fan.

From the moment my journey started to the second it ended (and beyond; New York has been having a very hot summer and my apartment was without A/C for several weeks), this unassuming fan was a life saver. From sitting on the hot, stuffy plane to wandering through the busy streets of Hanoi to sleeping in the unventilated hostel dorm room, my O2Cool fan had me covered. This small but mighty device was the envy of every traveler, as I remained cool and comfortable for hours on end from walking tours to bar crawls and more.

Target

This fan is rechargeable and lasts up to 11.5 hours on a full charge, so you don’t need to worry about keeping it on all day long. It also comes with a USB charging cord, so there’s no need to bring batteries. While traveling, I charged it every night while I slept so it would be ready to go for a full day in the morning.

It’s budget friendly, and the adjustable lanyard hangs around your neck to keep you hands free while it cools your face and neck. It’s also small, lightweight, and compact, so it’s super easy to toss into a corner of your carry-on, daypack, or even evening bag when you’re on the go. Plus, it comes in fun colors like purple, blue, turquoise, pink, and black. This fan has three strong speed settings that offer excellent airflow to keep you cool no matter the activity. Best of all, it has a super simple design and is very easy to use — a huge plus for travelers like me that don’t like to fuss with complicated instructions or setup procedures.

There’s so much to love about the O2Cool Rechargeable Deluxe Necklace Fan, from the hands-free necklace lanyard to its convenient rechargeable design. This fan is great for summer festivals; long travel days; stuffy car, train, or plane rides (and yes, these things can happen in winter); and walking around in hot weather. It’s lightweight and has a compact size perfect for tossing into your purse or daypack. And I never once had to worry about battery life. I bought it on a whim, as an afterthought ahead of my trip; now I’ll never take another trip without it.

Sophie Mendel

Will using a portable travel fan in public make you look like a tourist? Yes. But do you already look like a tourist, with your backpack, fancy camera, and athleisure outfit? Probably. Trust me, regardless of how you look walking down the street fanning yourself, it’s worth it to keep you feeling cool and comfortable.

Another thing to consider with this portable fan is that, as with any non-battery-operated, rechargeable device, you’ll need to keep track of the charging cord. However, if you keep the cord in a safe place with your phone charger and other important items while you’re traveling, you shouldn't have an issue grabbing it to recharge whenever you need.

The O2Cool fan is absolutely worth it for anyone traveling to a warm weather destination. At such an accessible price point and available at Target, Walmart, and on Amazon, it couldn’t be easier to grab before leaving on a trip. And because it’s rechargeable, you can be sure it’ll last throughout the duration of your trip and beyond. After making a one time investment of $15, I now have an essential, reusable travel product I’ll never travel without again.

Price at time of publish: $15

Sophie Mendel is a commerce editor at Travel + Leisure where she assigns, edits and publishes the product reviews and recommendations that help travelers select the best fashion, beauty, and travel products for their adventures. She has traveled to 50 countries and lived in five, and is always on the lookout for products that make travel more comfortable and convenient.