Energy-Saving Fans with Special Functions Growing Popular

July 8, 2018

Tokyo- Energy-saving fans with deodorizing and other special functions are becoming popular in Japan, which has reached the height of summer.

Energy-saving fans running on a direct-current motor allow users to make fine adjustments to the blade rotation speed. Compared with conventional fans with an alternating-current motor, DC motor fans generate gentle winds with less electricity.

This year, manufacturers added new functions to such fans.

Panasonic Corp. released the F-CR339 fan billed to create air flows as natural as cool highland breezes. The product also features a function to reduce smells on clothes dried indoors based on the company's "nanoe" technology.

In April, Dyson K.K., a Japanese arm of British home appliance maker Dyson Ltd., launched the Pure Cool air-purifying bladeless fan. Users can check the condition of the room air on its display screen or through a smartphone app.

Higher-end DC motor fans are pricy. Many models carry retail prices of around 20,000 yen.

But they are becoming popular on increasing consumer awareness of electricity-saving products after the 2011 nuclear disaster at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s Fukushima No. 1 power plant.

"An increasing number of people choose to buy DC motor fans instead of using air conditioners," said an official at major electronic retailer Bic Camera Inc. .

In January-June, sales of such fans at electronics retailers jumped nearly 20 pct from a year before as major Japanese makers entered the market one after another from 2010, according to private research company GfK Japan. Jiji Press