Review of Fidget Moire: Animated Aromatherapy Diffuser for Your Car
The world’s first animated car air freshener
Check out the latest gadget for drivers who want to accessorize the dashboard of their car: the Fidget Moire.
Unlike other air fresheners or decorative vent clips, the Fidget Moire has a design that makes it unique on the market: a rotating image that uses barrier-grid animation to produce a spiral of mesmerizing, steady movement. The design is inspired by wind-powered mechanical sculptures.
The company Number Zero markets the Fidget Moire as “the world’s first animated car air freshener.” As I’m a fan of accessorizing my Hyundai Veloster Turbo with the latest vehicle gadgets — and admittedly obsessed with air fresheners — I was excited to try Fidget Moire when I received one from Number Zero to review.
Let’s check out the Fidget Moire and see if it’s as therapeutic as it aims to be.
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How does Fidget Moire work?
Fidget Moire is based on those fidget spinners that were such a fad half-a-decade ago, providing repetitive tactile motion for relieving stress or boredom. Number Zero founder and inventor Mr. Wu thought of a way to modify the design; the result is the Fidget Moire.
Using a wagon wheel-like design, two interlaced images rotate to produce a movement effect that appears to be fluid animation. Inside, a clever three-stage gear system slows down the rotation of the image so it’s 1:44 the speed of the dial being spun underneath. That way, you can spin the wheel as fast as you want while still enjoying a leisurely, calming animation.
But what if you want to enjoy the device in your car? Number Zero sells the Fidget Moire with a vent clip adaptor that will allow it to slide between the vent strips and uses the breeze from the car vents to spin the image.
Plus, the device can emit a scent as an air freshener that is spread further when attached to a fan. The Fidget Moire comes with three pre-scented felt pads made of compressed cotton that have been soaked in a perfume typical of vehicle air fresheners. Alternatively, you can buy your own unscented felt pads directly from the company and add a few drops of essential oil or perfume.
Product packaging and quality
The Fidget Moire is the size of a bulky pocket watch that can fit in the palm of your hand. It comes shipped in a square cardboard box that’s lined with cushy foam padding formed around the exact shape of the device. Unless the box gets accidentally crushed in transit, I doubt any damage would come to it with normal handling.
Apart from the front image screen, the majority of the Fidget Moire is covered with sturdy metal that didn’t show scratches from abrasions during my tests. The company claims that it utilizes “industrial-level CNC workmanship” to produce the Fidget Moire and nano-coating on the product to make “the surface scratchproof, durable & resistant to bacteria.” I can’t confirm or deny that, but I do vouch for the sturdiness of the product’s metal casing.
No assembly is required to prepare the Fidget Moire for use in your car. Simply slide the clip through the vent cover until it’s wedged in firmly enough.
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Overall assessment: Does it do what it claims?
I received Fidget Moire model FG0002 (black and red stripes). From initially opening the box, I was impressed with how nifty the Fidget Moire is and fun it is to spin — even by hand. The radial animation is very smooth and not jittery when it spins. It definitely produces the hypnotic visual effect that it aims to.
Would that be distracting when you’re driving? Probably, for most people, so you might want to mount it on the passenger’s side beyond your periphery so you’re not tempted to look down at it.
I had to increase my fan setting to at least medium-speed to get the dial to begin spinning. Once it did start spinning, it looked beautiful and operated smoothly. I have no complaints about its function.
The vent clip is wrapped in a silicone sleeve to grip the grilles without sliding off. My Veloster’s vent screen is very small and narrow, and the clip was a bit too thick to fit as far back as it should. But, it did stay in place the entire time I drove with it on the vent.
I had trouble understanding how to open the Fidget Moire to insert the pad since it didn’t come with any directions. But, there are diagrams on the product page on the company’s website that show to squeeze and slide out the base from the car adapter to add the scent pad. I don’t know how long the scent will last, but so far mine retained its aroma after two weeks of intermittent use of the air conditioning.
While I like the visual design that my Fidget Moire came with, I would like to see more designs offered in the future, particularly ones that would match the style of a vehicle customized for street racing or a rugged pickup truck. Current designs are limited and lean largely toward oceanic- and Asian-inspired aesthetics. Or, an ability to swap out screens to change the animation would offer more value from the product. Different color designs would also be great to match the car’s paint.
Overall, the Fidget Moire is a clever device with fresh design ideas. I’ll admit that I was skeptical about an air freshener that retails at $60, but I can’t deny that the Fidget Moire is a mesmerizing, quality-made product. It’s a neat accessory for your dashboard if you’re willing to spend the money and an attractive way to make your car smell better.
Fidget Moire products in various designs are available for purchase on the Number Zero website.
Product provided for review by the manufacturer.
Aaron is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo (which recently replaced his 1995 Saturn SC-2). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing… See more articles by Aaron.