The Top 10 Everything of 2009

TIME charts the highs and lows of the past year in 50 wide-ranging lists

3. Dyson Air Multiplier

By Lev Grossman and Peter Ha Tuesday, Dec. 08, 2009

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It's not every day that we get to write about fans. After all, Schuyler Skaats Wheeler's original two-blade design has seen little to no innovation in the past 127 years. That is until James Dyson decided to do the impossible by making a bladeless, nonbuffeting fan. The Air Multiplier pulls in air through the base and propels it out through a circular airfoil-shaped ramp that runs along the inside of the halo. The whole nonbuffeting "feature" is a bit of a deal breaker, though. Who doesn't like to stand in front of a fan and quote Darth Vader? Price: $300 to $330.

Get the latest gadget news and reviews at Techland.com.

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