CNET Picks $50 Jisulife Pro1 Mini as Best Compact Handheld Fan

Q: With thousands of reviews, can this discounted chopper really eliminate onion tears and completely transform your back-to-school meal prep?

Probably not completely, but it can meaningfully cut prep time and may reduce onion tears for many users. The Fullstar 4-in-1 vegetable chopper highlighted by FOX News Deals is being sold for about 53% off, bringing it to under $25. It is designed to chop, dice, slice and julienne, and includes a catch container that helps keep prep neater. That makes it well suited to repetitive tasks common in back-to-school cooking, such as cutting onions, peppers, carrots and other produce for lunches, salads and weeknight dinners. The strongest case for it comes from scale and consistency of user feedback. Related coverage says the gadget has tens of thousands of Amazon reviews, strong ratings and repeated praise for speeding up prep. Some reviewers specifically say it helps them avoid or lessen onion tears because the onion is cut quickly and with less direct exposure than hand chopping. Still, “eliminate” and “completely transform” are stronger claims than the evidence supports. Onion tears depend on factors such as onion variety, freshness, and how much vapor escapes during cutting. A manual chopper can reduce exposure, but it is not a guaranteed tear-free solution for every kitchen. For busy families, the more realistic benefit is efficiency. If you regularly prep vegetables for school lunches or fast dinners, this compact, low-cost tool appears to offer good value. It is best viewed as a helpful time-saver with broad customer approval, not a miracle fix.

Q: Does this viral under-$25 kitchen gadget actually save time, or is it just another hard-to-clean plastic clutter trap?

It can save time, but only for the right user. For people who prep onions, peppers, carrots, cucumbers or similar vegetables several times a week, a manual chopper like the Fullstar usually does speed up repetitive cutting and keeps pieces more uniform. The built-in container also reduces mess, and many users say it helps with onion prep because exposure is shorter. The catch is cleanup and effort. Manual grid choppers are not effortless: you still have to pre-cut larger vegetables so they fit, press down with force, and then wash blades, lid and container. Independent testing beyond the sales coverage is mixed. Some outlets have praised this category for fast everyday prep, but others, including Wirecutter, found many viral veggie choppers tiring to use and not worth it compared with a good knife or a small food processor. In head-to-head testing cited in the search material, the viral Fullstar was beaten by the Mueller Pro-Series, which reviewers found sharper and easier to use. So this is not automatically a clutter trap, but it can become one if you cook only occasionally, dislike hand-washing blade assemblies, or expect it to replace all knife work. It makes the most sense for busy households that want quick, small-to-medium batches and are willing to trade some cleanup for faster prep. If you chop daily and want true convenience, a compact electric mini food processor is often the better long-term buy.

3 articles · Updated · CNET · Jul 29

$50 Jisulife Pro1 Mini won CNET’s compact handheld-fan recommendation after a summer of testing, with the editor citing its small size, quiet operation and easy portability.
At 6.35 ounces and 2.17 by 1.97 by 5.59 inches, the fan is the smallest model tested, yet its 17-mph top speed was judged sufficient for everyday cooling.
Its 4,250-mAh battery lasts up to 30 hours and recharges in as little as 2 hours, beating Shark’s ChillPill on runtime and topping Dyson’s HushJet Mini Cool by a wide margin.
Noise also helped its case: CNET measured 69.9 dBA at top speed, lower than Shark, Dyson and Jisulife’s Ultra2, though still louder than Blueair’s AlwaysCool.
The recommendation comes as hotter summers and more heat waves drive demand for portable cooling, with CNET positioning the Pro1 Mini as the best option under $60.