Three power blowers compared: Which jet fan is good for what?
22/8/2026
Translation: machine translated
I am comparing three powerhouses from Kica that can stir up air and suck up dirt. Despite similar technology, they differ. Which one is suitable as a vacuum cleaner, air pump, power blower, or fan?
Quickly vacuuming the crevices in your car, inflating a SUP, clearing dust or leaves from small and large surfaces – this and more is possible with a handy device that sucks in air on one side and spits it out with decent pressure on the other. Half vacuum cleaner, half power hair dryer. Kica builds such compact dust blowers that can be charged via USB-C and, thanks to various accessories and performance specifications, each have a different focus. I tried out the Jet Fan 2S, the Jet Fan Ultra, and the Jet Fan Max.
Jet Fan 2S – versatile vacuum and blower
The smallest and lightest model is called the Jet Fan 2S and is the successor to a device that my colleague Lorenz Keller tested extensively two years ago. It convinced him primarily as a powerful car vacuum cleaner, and his five-star conclusion at the time was: «Overall, the Kica Jet Fan 2 is worth every franc thanks to its versatility.» Lorenz found the build quality to be first-class, but saw potential for improvement in the battery life at the highest setting and the operation.
To assess whether anything has changed in these areas, I first look at the specifications: The current 2S generation is said to have approximately 30 percent more power, with the maximum speed increasing from 101,000 rpm to up to 117,000 rpm. Nothing has changed with the 1100 mAh battery. On paper, there is no indication that the device has become more enduring. But, surprise: it still lasts 16:30 minutes at the highest setting. That is a good three and a half minutes more than what Lorenz measured with the predecessor model.
Details are now better resolved
If the new 2S runs at full load for a quarter of an hour, the housing gets quite warm. In everyday life, however, you will rarely need full power for that long at a stretch. To vacuum the hard-to-reach places in a car, a short boost in between is enough – and for larger surfaces, you will reach for a different vacuum. As with the predecessor, there are no fixed power levels, but a slider that you can use to regulate the power with your thumb. This works well. The resistance is pleasant and strong enough not to accidentally adjust the slider. I can still operate it without any problems while vacuuming. Lorenz confirms to me that this detail has been improved and the second point of criticism has also been eliminated.
Unlike the predecessor, the turbo button for maximum power is now located above the slider instead of below it – a significantly more ergonomic solution. If you press it, the 2S immediately ramps up to full power. If you let go, it takes one to two seconds before the power is reduced back to the setting selected via the slider. The device also continues to run for a moment when switched off.
Unlike a jet engine, the Jet Fan does not have multiple compression stages, but only one rotor. That is perfectly sufficient. Since the air is forced through a bottleneck with force, it reaches a high maximum speed. I measure with an anemometer and reach nearly the promised 27.5 m/s at a distance of about ten centimeters from the air outlet.
This corresponds to wind force 10, i.e., a heavy storm, triggered by a device weighing just over 300 grams that is 12.9 centimeters high and 7.39 centimeters wide. The noise remains within limits. A drone motor works inside – I assume you have the characteristic whirring in your ear. The noise remains bearable, even though I mostly use it at maximum power – regardless of whether I use it for vacuuming or inflating.
Practical as an outdoor companion
Of the attachments, the one for HR valves, as they are common on stand-up paddle boards, is my favorite. With it, the Kica 2S holds in the valve, I can let go of it, and it brings my 220-liter board to volume in just under a minute. Then the resistance becomes too great, and I still have to bring the SUP to the appropriate pressure with my squeaky hand pump. Since I have a second board with me, this saves me five to ten minutes of work before heading out onto the water.
When screwing it into the valve, there is a risk of accidentally screwing the attachment so tightly into the thread of the Kica 2S that it can hardly be loosened by hand. A second point of criticism is the manageable charging power of a maximum of 10 watts. After about two and a half hours, the battery is full again, which is completely sufficient for everyday life.
The Kica Jet Fan 2S is the ideal choice for: 80 percent of the people who are interested in such a gadget. With the 2S, you can vacuum hard-to-reach places in the car, blow out gaps with compressed air, stoke the embers when grilling, remove leaves from under the windshield wipers, and fill your SUP. Or you can have a hand fan on the lowest setting that lasts for three to four hours. All this in a beautiful aluminum housing.
Jet Fan Ultra – the handy wind cannon
The fact that this model appeals to a different target group is clear at first glance from both the packaging and the design of the device. Instead of being rounded and in poppy colors, it comes across as angular and black, more like a tool. The Ultra is not intended for vacuuming. There is only a flat filter that catches particles, no dirt container. The device is, as stated in the article description, a «multifunctional wind cannon». Instead of 27 m/s on paper (and also approximately in my anemometer test), this one manages 48 m/s – wind force 12+, far into the hurricane range. With 173 km/h, you sweep away almost everything.
The included attachments are not screwed on, but held magnetically. Like the 2S, they serve to inflate leisure equipment and channel the powerful airflow. For example, to specifically blow dust out of crevices with compressed air. The switchable LED integrated on both sides helps with this. It is bright enough to make small particles visible.
The filter insert is advisable to protect the rotor and not to shoot the dust sucked in at the back onto the keyboard, the kit, or the circuit board at the front. However, the filter slows down the airflow somewhat. Although the Jet Fan Ultra has plenty of power, you should not expect results like with a compressed air spray. Its nozzles are all significantly wider; only in this way can the motor force the airflow through the opening. This stirs up small and larger particles, but you won't remove a sticky layer of dust with it.
The Ultra performs better as an enduring power tool when camping or at the lake. In the endurance test, it delivers full power for about 15 minutes before it becomes weaker and switches off after 20:10 minutes. Its 4000 mAh battery is fully charged again after about two hours, as it draws more power with a maximum of 18 watts than the 2S.
Hardly heavier and larger despite more power
The larger battery is hardly noticeable: At 323 grams measured by me, the Ultra is only slightly heavier than the 2S. Unlike the latter, the entire housing is not made of aluminum; only the sides and the upper part are covered with it. In return, it sits well in the hand with its pistol grip and is only minimally larger.
I don't like the HR attachment of the Ultra quite as much on the SUP: It is shaped more elongated, has only one notch for an O-ring (not included), and sits a bit wobbly. Furthermore, it has no bridge inside that keeps the valve open. So I have to snap it in manually and close it quickly after pulling it off so that the air does not escape. On the other hand, the magnetic attachment on the device has the advantage that there is no thread that could seize up when turning.
Otherwise, I miss the practical vacuum attachments, which is why I would rather choose the more versatile 2S. Flashlight, magnetic attachments, and more power notwithstanding. Power and endurance are not everything – but those who are looking for them in a compact housing will find them here.
The Kica Jet Fan Ultra is the ideal choice for: the 15 percent of people who, instead of vacuuming, prefer to stir up dust or other things and want to examine the result very closely with the integrated flashlight. The magnetic attachments are practical, the device is easy to grip, it is stronger, charges faster, and costs comparable money – only in terms of versatility does it draw the short straw.
Jet Fan Max – three sizes larger and stronger
Did I just write about power? Forget it. Both the 2S and the Ultra only deliver a lukewarm breeze compared to the Jet Fan Max. It has the size of a proper hammer (25.4 × 10.5 × 6.1 centimeters), weighs 1.3 kilograms, looks like a gun in an action movie with the suction attachment screwed on, and, once switched on, has a decent recoil.
I cannot check the maximum wind speed of 331 km/h; my measuring device only works up to 150 km/h. If the data is correct, the airflow of the Jet Fan Max is just below that of the strongest Hurricane Patricia ever measured.
And what do I do with it? Vacuum cobwebs out of the corners. That works excellently with the long attachment. A few weeks later in the year, the Jet Fan Max would also make an excellent leaf blower. And it is suitable for cleaning larger areas in cars or blow-drying the bodywork after a wash. With this device, you have to imagine everything the other two can do, just a bit bigger and stronger.
The replaceable battery provides the energy for the 785-watt motor with 24,000 mAh and lasts about 19 minutes at the highest setting in my test; towards the end, it becomes significantly weaker. I vacuum, blow-dry, and take a short break every now and then, as the housing runs very hot after a good ten minutes. Sometimes the device also takes a break: If it gets stuck, the Jet Fan Max switches off and shows an error message that disappears after restarting.
If the battery is at zero, you charge it fully in about two hours with a maximum of 54 watts. Unlike the two smaller models, there is a small display that shows you the battery level in percent when you briefly tap the power button. If you want to start the device, you must first hold the button for a few seconds before you can adjust the power steplessly via the slider and have it displayed on the screen. So you won't accidentally trigger a hurricane.
Unlike many a drill or cordless screwdriver, the Jet Fan Max is unfortunately not delivered in a solid tool box, but in a padded cardboard box. Attachments are available as separate accessories – with them, I might have been able to blow the last croissant crumbs out of the nasty gap between the passenger seat and the center console or inflate my eight-person tent.
The Kica Jet Fan Max is the ideal choice for: a small circle of perhaps 5 percent of people who are looking for a car hair dryer or leaf blower for larger areas. The Max also does a decent job as a vacuum, although the dust container and the added value compared to a normal vacuum cleaner are rather small – for this task alone, it would be too expensive for me.
Michael Restin
Senior Editor
Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.chSimple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
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