Dyson's new HushJet Mini Cool portable fan is only $99

Dyson announced its first portable handheld fan Wednesday, and its price is unexpected. The new HushJet Mini Cool launches this Thursday, April 9, at 11 a.m. ET for only $99. It's the cheapest Dyson gadget ever and an unusually approachable offering from a company known for its luxe floorcare, haircare, and air treatment tools. (...Recession indicator?)

Perhaps most impressively, the HushJet is even more affordable than the Shark ChillPill, a new portable fan released earlier this spring by one of Dyson's biggest rivals.

The HushJet weighs only 7.5 ounces, or just under half a pound, and measures 38 millimeters (1.5 inches) in diameter — making it just as big around as Dyson's skinny Supersonic hair dryer and PencilVac stick vacuum. The fan offers five airflow speeds and a "Boost" mode for an extra blast of air. It lasts up to six hours on the lowest speed setting and charges to full battery in about three hours.

The HushJet's brushless DC motor spins at up to 65,000 revolutions per minute (RPM), producing airflow speeds of up to a whopping 80 feet per second or 55 miles per hour. For reference, other portable fans vetted by Mashable staff peak at 3,000 to 7,500 RPM. The HushJet is compact yet super powerful.

In its press release about the HushJet, Dyson stated that "Acoustics are as important as power." The company said it designed the fan's nozzle so that it doesn't whine or make a high-pitched whir. Its spec sheet notes that it runs at 52dBA (A-weighted decibels) on the first speed setting, or about as loud as the hum of a fridge, and maxes out at 72.5dBA in Boost mode. At that highest setting, it's slightly quieter than the 77dBA Supersonic hair dryer.

Chief Engineer Jake Dyson said the company has been "obsessed with airflow" since 2009, the year it launched its first bladeless fan. "The HushJet Mini Cool fan is the culmination of that journey," he explained in a statement: "powerful airflow, engineered for life on the move by bringing elite cooling technology from every home to your hand."

The HushJet also tees up a new chapter in the Dyson vs. Shark rivalry. Shark's stick vacuums and hair tools are regarded as some of the best affordable alternatives to Dyson's expensive counterparts.

Shark launched a 3-in-1 bladeless portable fan called the ChillPill in March. It's 64 percent heavier than the HushJet and can only move up to 25 feet of airflow per second, but it has a longer battery life, 10 speed settings, and interchangeable heads with misting and cooling functions. It's priced at $149.99.

For its part, the $99 HushJet will come with a charging stand, a USB-C charging cable, a travel pouch, and a lanyard for wearing around one's neck. Dyson said it will drop additional sold-separately HushJet accessories this summer, including a universal mount that attaches it to strollers and other items.

The HushJet will be available in one mother-of-pearl-inspired stone/blush finish at launch this week. Additional carnelian/sky and ink/cobalt colorways will arrive in May and June, respectively, just in time for the start of wedding and music festival season.