I am inspired by the creativity of Dyson products from bladeless fans to bagless hovers. They are undoubtedly expensive but functionality and aesthetics often come at a price.

Dyson’s latest range of fan is their 12 inch AM06 desk fan, which only emits cool air. It comes in 3 colours, black/nickel, iron/blue and white/silver. Dyson makes a bold claim that it is 75% quieter that previous models. They market the black/nickel model for £250 and £220 for the other two variants. In terms of specifications, all 3 models are identical apart from colour. This marketing strategy is similar to charging different pricing for different paintwork on a car. But is a premium of £30 worth it? I hardly think so unless one is after a particular colour theme.

I decided to put the machine to the test on a warm summer day by powering it up to its maximum speed of 10. True to its claim, the machine is substantially quieter than its previous models, although I can’t be sure if it is really 75% quieter. However, the trade-off comes in terms of power. Standing barely 1 meter away from the fan, I could hardly feel any freeze.

I do like the concept of a bladeless fan but given the poor performance of the AM06, I am sticking with substance over form.