Canned air has long been a necessary evil in my life. As a technology geek, photography/camera geek, mechanical watch geek, and all-around cleanliness-obsessed person, I feel an endless need to blow away dust, dirt, and debris.
My roommate is also a 19 pound puppy who sheds an awful lot of hair. So not only do I use up multiple cans of Dust Off per month for him, but he also uses up at least one lint roller.
Well, no more. I haven’t dropped a dime on an air can or lint roller since I picked up the Kica Jet Fan 2 on a whim for about $99. In fact, this nicely designed handheld electric duster has climbed the ranks in less than a month and is now my number one tech gadget. Here’s why:
A lot of power packed into a small package
The Kica Jet Fan 2 is a little larger than the palm of my hand and weighs approximately 10.6 ounces. The solidly constructed all-aluminum shell gives it a luxurious feel.
The slider above the on/off button allows you to adjust the speed during use. The enclosed jet fan is powered by a brushless DC motor with up to 100,000 revolutions per minute. This is equivalent to a wind force of 20 meters per second, or 45 miles per hour. This is enough force to easily move my boyfriend’s iPhone 12 Mini across the desk.
The built-in 1100 mAh battery takes a while to fully charge (about 3.5 hours), but it can last quite a while depending on usage and fan speed. I often charge it once or twice a week.
Keep your gadgets clean
The Kica Jet Fan 2 comes with two attachments, a thin nozzle and a wide nozzle, and to my surprise, the wide nozzle is much more useful for removing debris.
In addition to blowing away dust and dirt, you can also use jet fans to pump up and deflate items like inflatable flamingos for your pool. I haven’t tested this feature yet, but I think the smaller nozzle will come in handy then.
Although I originally purchased it primarily to protect my camera gear and mechanical keyboards from dirt, I’ve also successfully used the Kica Jet Fan 2 to remove dust and grime from wall artwork, film negatives, vinyl records, video games, video game systems, my precious orange see-through N64, and more.
Additionally, the Kica Jet Fan 2 allowed me to remove dry mud and road grime from several bikes and give both a box fan and a well-worn portable air conditioner a thorough cleaning.
Common household dust is also easy to remove, but it’s best to have a vacuum cleaner on hand to suck up anything that gets blown away. I tried to utilize that jet power inside the car as well. With all the doors open, dust, pollen, pet dander, crumbs, etc. could be easily blown far away, saving a lot of vacuuming effort.
Blows away pet hair from clothes
Speaking of pet dander, this nasty body can be easily removed from even the most deeply embedded fur and hair from a finely knitted cashmere sweater without harming the clothing.
My puppy friend Belvedere is not allowed to sit on the bed. Despite knowing that, he sometimes hangs out there when I’m out (and forget to close his bedroom door).
He’s smart enough to leave his stuffed animal perch long before I get to the door, but a thick layer of pet hair on the comforter always makes him run away. Previously, it required 3 to 8 or more lint roller sheets to remove this hair. Now, all he has to do is blow a jet fan on the comforter for 15 seconds and it’s all good as new.
Lingering concerns about battery life
While researching electric dusters, I was initially tempted to go for a corded model, as recommended by my colleague Anthony Spadafora, but ultimately decided against the sophistication and hassle-free nature of a battery-powered solution. I succumbed to my nature.
This brings me to my biggest hesitation with Jet Fan 2. The device is great for now, but once the battery dies, it’s just a $99 aluminum paperweight. That being said, Kica includes his 1-year warranty on Jet Fan 2.
In any case, I am careful not to leave it on the charger for too long and only connect it when the battery is at zero. Does this increase the chances of Kica Jet Fan 2 lasting a long time? There’s only one way to find out.
I’ll check back in the future and hopefully I’ll have a good update on the performance of the Jet Fan 2. Until then, stay tuned.