Coway Airmega Pedestal Fan P50 Review: Anti-Applications

I almost tested it 45 likes WIRED Over the past couple of years, so I can say this with some authority: Your fandom doesn’t need an app. If the app helps connect the device to your smart home system to enable voice control, that’s fine, but the fan is supposed to blend unobtrusively into the background of your life, not taking up any remaining scraps of real estate on your phone or in your mind.

Kowai, the maker of some of our products Favorite air purifiers (which, I’ll note, is also app-free), agrees, which is why its first standalone fan, the P50 pedestal fan, eschews app-based controls. Turn the fan on or off, change the oscillation, or adjust the speed up and down using your voice or the remote – no phone or Wi-Fi needed. It’s a solid concept from a brand that’s proven its strength in reliability and build quality, but after living with this fan for the past couple of weeks, I’m not sure its marquee feature is actually its main selling point.

The basics, well done

P50 isn’t Coway’s first fan. This distinction goes to Airmega goalis an air purifier/fan that looks like a small projector and is really not a serious contender for large spaces or rooms that need a lot of airflow. However, the P50 is Coway’s first standalone fan, producing a sufficient but not quite impressive 866 bpm on its highest setting. (For reference, competitor The similarly sized PolyFan 508 base from Dreo Up to 1040 feet per minute.)

The P50s have 12 speeds, and at 26 dB on low (68 on high), it’s the quietest fan I’ve tested yet. Quay says this is due to the “eagle feather” design of its blades (which aren’t quite hawk-like) and the brushless motor, an increasingly popular option I first noticed last year Drew 519 tower fan. Brushless motors are quieter, more efficient, and usually last longer than traditional brushless motors, which use carbon or graphite brushes to alter electrical current as the motor rotates. As with most newer fans, the P50’s main grille also detaches for easy cleaning of internal components.

One of the first things I noticed when assembling the P50 was the fact that the wire doesn’t run through the center column, like some other fans — it sticks out about an inch below the back of the touchpad. This is because parts can be removed to make the fan longer or shorter – from 23 inches to 41 inches, adding a unique touch of versatility. Admittedly, this is an unwieldy process that involves disassembling the fan, but it also helps that it weighs just under 14 pounds, and it’s easy to move by grabbing a loop on the back. The dimensions of the fan are sufficient that it was not too heavy and it was not easy to fall, which is one of the biggest dangers of pedestal fans.

Ermega, we need to talk

Voice control is probably the least impressive part of this fan, despite it being the main feature. In order to voice activate a command, one must first say “Hi, Airmega” or “Hello, Airmega”. (“Hello” or “Hello” is required. Yelling “Airmega!” over and over in frustration will not result in an answer.) Next, one must wait to hear “Hello! This is Airmega!” Again with a voice somewhat reminiscent of Alexa+’s “rude teen” intonation that I have been indirectly quoted as finding it “unbearable.” Only then is it time to post your request, as long as it’s one of 30 or more precise phrases that the fan understands. You’ll know when you understand because she’ll chirp “Airmega on it!” Before implementing the directive. And if he doesn’t understand, well… he won’t do anything.

The first couple of times I used the P50, I happened to have the included voice command guide nearby, so aside from the annoyance of having to wait for the “Hey, this is an Airmega!” And “Airmega it!” Responses: Voice control of the fan was smooth. It was only after I sat down in another area of ​​the living room, away from the voice command guide, that things started to go downhill. “Ermiga! Run!” I said.