Dyson is the Apple of the home appliance world. Their products are innovative, yet they're often accused of charging too much. The company is more known for their wacky line of vacuum cleaners. However, they've recently branched off into electric fans. Their Air Multiplier sure is fancy looking. Best Buy had some on display for the summer so I'd though I'd play with it a bit.

The Air Multiplier claims its bladeless, but it actually not. There's a small impeller fan in the base. It pushes air up through an airfoil ring. Dyson claims this design multiplies airflow by sucking more air through the ring. It's a synergy machine. You supposedly get more out of it than the work it puts in.

It does work as advertised. You don't get the buffeting you get from a bladed fan. Just smooth air. It provides the same level breeze as a conventional desk fan on low settings. It puts out quite a bit on higher settings, on par with your typical 10'' box fan. Even the smaller units are suitable for large rooms. Whether it actually multiplies the air flow is a moot point, since it's hard to test that.

The Air Multiplier is a fan that works well as a fan. There's not much more to say. If the Air Multiplier was $100, I could recommend it. It's attractive and modern looking. It's just not worth the ridiculous asking price. I've seen it go for $380 in some stores. You might as well buy an air conditioner at that point.

Score: 7 out of 10

What works:
-It's a fan, and it works well as a fan
-Looks attractive
-Lack of external blades makes it safe around children and pets
-Relatively quiet

What doesn't work:
-Jaw dropping price, you're far better off buying an AC unit at this point
-Not much better than cheaper conventional fans