Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2010

Design outfit Yuento’s website is always good for a giggle, not least for the tongue-in-cheek ways in which it convinces potential buyers of its products’ appeal. The Magic Umbrella, which we wrote about a few months back, was described as good for “stowage fetishists”; the Ele-Fan, by contrast, is likely to appeal to “duct maniacs.” Terminally obscure market demographics aside, this compact little number makes a nice alternative to the time-honored electric fan, offering pinpoint-accurate breezes and hours of fun spent balancing ping-pong balls in the air stream. It also doubles as an aroma diffuser, which is really rather clever.

Yuento Ele-fan, ¥10,500. Available from branches of Idea International.