The Dyson Hot + Cool: Energy Saver or Money Waster?

Dyson Hot + Cool laid out with parts
  • 1 hours
  • Beginner
  • 250-450

According to the Department of Energy, most homeowners spend half of their energy bill on heating and cooling their home. One common way to save during the harshest months is to use a fan or single room heater to avoid wasting energy on unoccupied rooms.

The Dyson Hot + Cool, also known as the AM09 Fan Heater, is a combination device that focuses on safety, energy efficiency, and unique design the company has become known for. The Hot + Cool differentiates itself from competitors by its bladeless design that definitely stands out, however, is this a viable option to save money and keep your home comfortable throughout the year? We tried out the Dyson Hot + Cool to see if it lives up to the high price tag.

Let’s first look at how the Hot + Cool works. Dyson fans and heaters all rely on “Air Multiplier” technology, which gives them their distinct bladeless design. Air starts in an opening to the large circle, or at the base of the device, and is accelerated to a high velocity. The air is then passed over an airfoil-shaped ramp (think about the shape of a plane’s wing) to create low pressure points behind and inside of the fan, thus pulling more air in so the airstream is continual and takes less energy to produce.

Dyson hot + cool tilt

The lack of blades automatically made the Hot + Cool safer compared to traditional fans. You can put your arm through the circular opening and touch any edge of the device safely. This also had the added bonus of easy cleaning since there were no heater grills or fan blades to deal with. When used as a heater, even on the highest setting, there was no risk of burns from touching the exterior. The Hot + Cool definitely heated up to the touch, but never enough to be a danger, and would automatically turn off after nine hours if left in heat mode.

The device is made from a tough thermoplastic that cuts down on weight, but helps it hold up for years of use. It specifically uses Acrylontrode butadiene styrene, most commonly found in riot gear.

The most important question is can it save money in the long run? The Hot + Cool claims to use 30% less energy than more traditional heaters and of course helps decrease the use of your home’s heat and air conditioning. While it’s hard to determine this on an individual level, it did effectively heat up and cool off a normal sized living room when place in the corner and has a maximum energy consumption of 2kw when in heat mode. The nice thing about the Hot + Cool is that is monitors temperature (33 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit), so you can select a precise degree you want it to heat up to and the device will automatically turn off and on to maintain it. This effectively solves the problem where other heaters stay on and tend to overheat a room, wasting energy.

Dyson hot + cool remote

The Hot + Cool also features two airstream modes: one for individuals (called Jet Focus), and another for the room. Jet Focus will send a strong current directly at you and can cover a farther distance, while the other spreads out in a room to slowly adjust the temperature evenly. This, paired with a standard oscillation option, helps get rid of cold spots. A nice design bonus was its ability to be tilted based on its own center of gravity, keeping it sturdily upright. In the event that the device did fall over, it automatically turned off. We tried pushing it over a couple times and the safety feature always kicked in after a second or two.

The device has a clear digital display at its base to let you know the temperature and which airstream setting it is on, and all options can be toggled from there. However, there is also a nice little remote control that has a bit of a curve and is magnetized to stay on top of the device when not in use. The remote also had added options for air speed and a timer with intervals ranging from 15 minutes to nine hours. The Hot + Cool responded easily to the remote, so you never have to leave the couch if you want to change anything.

Dyson hot + cool display

The Dyson AM09 boasts a redesign to reduce the previous model’s turbulence noise and claims the newer model is 75% quieter, earning a Quiet Mark accreditation. While we don’t have experience with the previous model, the Hot + Cool was far from unnoticeable when in higher speed settings. The noise wasn’t bothersome, just a normal amount of sound that can be forgotten once something like a TV is turned on, and lower settings were very quiet.

The only hiccup for the Dyson Hot + Cool came down to the price. It will set you back a couple hundred dollars, so don’t expect to see the savings right away. However, given the dual use, this is a device that can be used year round to cut back on household energy use and can be a safer option around pets and small children than more traditionally designed units.