The best fans for keeping cool in a heatwave
With temperatures soaring in the UK and summer (finally) getting underway, a cooling fan is a wise investment. Encouraging airflow and bringing down the room temperature, they are a hot weather essential. Heatwaves are now happening multiple times a year England, and while air conditioning might still feel like a step too far, trust us when we say you won't regret purchasing an oscillating fan. Who could say no to the feeling of a gentle breeze and well circulated air?
Sleeping when the barometer doesn't fall below 20 degrees overnight can be tricky–and sticky–so a fan is an essential to help ease the heat, move cool air around your whole room and lull you to sleep. It's not just overnight that you'll benefit from a fan, though. Day times are continually hitting over 30 degrees, so you'll need to employ some method of cooling yourself down.
How did we choose the best fans?
There are a few types of fan, so to aid you in your search we’ve broken them down, looking at air speeds, adjustable heights, noise levels and whether they’re remote controlled to make it easier to find the one for you.
From the best Dyson fan to pedestal fans, via tower fans, desk fans, super quiet bedroom option and those with clever sleep modes, we've rounded up the best fans to buy for your bedroom or living room, that will keep you cool, calm and collected.
What is the best fan at a glance?
Don't have time to read our full guide? We've compiled a list of the best below.
- Best fan overall: Dyson Purifier HEPA Cool™ Formaldehyde Purifying Fan, £449.99, John Lewis
- Best tower fan: Dimplex DXMBCF Mont Blanc Cooling Fan, £80, Argos
- Best desk fan: Stadler Form Fan Otto with Eco-friendly Bamboo Ring, £199.99, Amazon
- Best bladeless fan: Dyson Pure Cool Purifying Fan, £399 from John Lewis
Best fans
- Speed settings: 10
- Noise level: 62dB
- Night mode: Yes
- Wifi connectivity: No
- Remote control: Yes
- Weight: 3.9kg
- Pros: As well as cooling the air, it also heats it and purifies it.
- Cons: It is expensive, and you can only purify the air if you're also cooling or heating it.
Given the fact that temperatures keep rising, there's a decent argument for shelling out on a seriously reliable fan, and you simply can't beat a Dyson for power and performance. Best known for its bladeless fan design, this model is where things get really clever as it's actually a three-in-one machine offering more than just air circulation and cooling.
It works as a portable heater as well as a useful air purifier, removing pollutants from inside our home, which it can do simultaneously while cooling the air. It's an all round win win. It's the ultimate home gadget, especially for smaller spaces who don't want to buy (and annoyingly) store three chunky machines. True to Dyson's form, it's sleek and stylish as well as being truly effective at cooling down spaces, making it our top pick. It has ten speed settings, oscillates and comes with a remote control.
- Speed settings: 3
- Noise level: N/A
- Night mode: Yes
- Wifi connectivity: No
- Remote control: Yes
- Weight: 3kg
- Pros: It's light and is one of the more affordable fans, it doesn't take up much space and is good for bedrooms.
- Cons: Not a lot, to really pick we’d say it’s not versatile, so if you need something for your desk, you’d need to buy another.
For an inconspicuous option that doesn't take up too much space, we recommend the Dimplex Mont Blanc Cooling Tower Fan. It's nice and tall at 121cm high, features an LED screen and is equipped with a remote control, meaning you don't have to groggily haul yourself out of bed in the middle of the night to change the temperature. Additionally, it has a wide oscillation (not always a given with tower fans) and a choice of three fan speeds.
- Speed settings: 3
- Noise level: 48 dB
- Night mode: No
- Wifi connectivity: No
- Remote control: No
- Weight: 4.5kg
- Pros: It’s very powerful and will be great in a home office, and even potentially portable if you’re going away and have space to pack it in the car.
- Cons: For a desk fan, it’s quite expensive and heavy.
This fan is one for people who don't want to compromise on design, thanks to its sleek mid century modern look. Don't be fooled by thinking it's all about aesthetics here though, this is an industrial power fan that can seriously cool down a room. It comes with three power levels, so you can adjust it from light cool breeze to rapid cooling on the highest setting. It’s also one of the quietest fans, so although it’s small it could also be a good option to have in the bedroom for light sleepers, meaning it's an easily portable fan too. The environmentally minded will be pleased to hear that the outer shell of this fan is made from 100% sustainable bamboo.
- Speed settings: 26
- Noise level: 13 dB (at lowest speed)
- Night mode: No
- Wifi connectivity: Yes
- Remote control: Yes
- Weight: 6.4 kg
- Pros: It's powerful and quiet.
- Cons: Some people say the voice controls aren't the easiest to use.
Duxx is often described as revolutionalising the world of fans. And this fan is the perfect example of that, as it has hit the holy grail of being a very powerful fan, while also still being quiet. It's the quietest in the list, which is only 13 dB on the lowest setting. Its accolades don't stop there though, as there's 26 settings, a remote control and even voice control, plus the fan oscillates both horizontally and vertically giving extreme cooling power, and the height is adjustable.
- Speed settings: 10
- Noise level: 62dB
- Night mode: Yes
- Wifi connectivity: No
- Remote control: Yes
- Weight: 5.5kg
- Pros: It's more affordable than the Dyson HEPA Cool™ Formaldehyde Purifying Fan.
- Cons: It's expensive.
If you still want a bladeless fan, but don't want the all singing and dancing heater and cooler version, then the cool purifying fan is a good option. It does still purify the air, making it a good buy for those who suffer with hay fever too, as it can clear pollutants and allergens from the air too.
Boneco F220 Air Shower Fan, £159.99 from Harrods
- Speed settings: 4
- Noise level: 58 dB
- Night mode: No
- Wifi connectivity: No
- Remote control: No
- Weight: 6.7kg
- Pros: Has its own unique way of cooling the air.
- Cons: Not a huge amount apart from not having a remote.
While air conditioners are very energy intensive, expensive and large, this floor fan offers something similar and is a wise buy. With 27 degree air circulation and innovative Swiss design, what makes it stand out from the crowd is that the manufacturer recommends you point it at the ceiling. This creates their signature ‘air shower’ feeling, which is designed to cool down the room quickly. It has four speed levels and the height is adjustable to ensure your space is kept cool.
- Speed settings: 3
- Noise level: 42 dB
- Night mode: No
- Wifi connectivity: No
- Remote control: Yes
- Weight: 6.3 kg
- Pros: It is designed to help you sleep and its timer function ensures its energy efficient.
- Cons: Nothing to really note.
Swan's most updated fan has taken things up a notch by adding a useful remote ensuring it's genuinely quiet. Its powerful airflow cools rooms and has three different modes ranging from normal, natural and silent which aid with sleep and working. Other features include a timer, which ranges from 30 minutes to 7.5 hours that can help save energy, while it also has the ability to tilt and it has adjustable height for maximum air flow.
.png)
- Speed settings: 3
- Noise level: 68 dB
- Night mode: Yes
- Wifi connectivity: No
- Remote control: Yes
- Weight: 4.5 kg
- Pros: The remote control means you don’t have to get up or out of bed to change settings, or turn it off.
- Cons: Some people have said the night mode isn’t that great as it can be noisy.
This fan features an easy to use control panel with LED display and an infrared remote control. Thanks to its ‘large oscillation angle’, it can cool a whole room efficiently. Using the control, you can programme the fan for up to four hours cooling, making it a great nighttime fan. Further benefits include three wind modes: normal, natural breeze and ‘sleeping’, which can be customised to different preferences.
- Speed settings: Multiple
- Noise level: N/A
- Night mode: No
- Wifi connectivity: No
- Remote control: Yes
- Weight: 3.6 kg
- Pros: Energy efficiency is very important in a time when bills are very high. It’s relatively lightweight, and also has a huge amount of settings and proves to cool entire rooms well.
- Cons: It doesn't have preset speeds, just a dial.
Vornado began making fans in the 1940s and still uses its signature vortex air circulation to run its fans. Now, it’s around 80 percent more energy efficient, without compromising on power.
It features a dial for speed settings so you have a huge variety of different speeds to choose from. While the automatic switch off makes it even more energy efficient by not running the fan unnecessarily. It can be programmed to run between 1-12 hours via remote control or the control button. Air can move air up to 24 metres squared, so this machine is up to the challenge of cooling even the largest rooms.
- Speed settings: 1
- Noise level: N/A
- Night mode: No
- Wifi connectivity: No
- Remote control: No
- Weight: 2 kg
- Pros: Very affordable, easy to pack away, great size for a desk.
- Cons: It's not very powerful and isn't going to be great for bedrooms.
For something simple and small, the John Lewis Anyday Desk Fan is a sweet number to cool you down while working and, at £15, it is really affordable. It's not the most powerful model but for consistent airflow and cooling, it does the job, and it has two speed settings too. Thanks to its dinky size, it's also easy to pack away from your desk if you're working from home and works really well as your own personal fan at work.
Which fan is best for me?
The most suitable fan for you is the one which best fits your needs, so make sure you assess what they are before you purchase. Those struggling to sleep in the summer heat may want to make sure their choice of fan is whisper quiet. The noisy whirr of a fan can be just as irritating as suffocating heat. Additionally, you may want to purchase an option with a remote control so you can leisurely switch it on and off from your bed. For a small room or those who work from home, a desktop fan is a great option.
What is the best fan brand?
Whilst Dyson is certainly the most well known fan brand, there are a number of other specialists who are well worth looking at. Lasko, Honeywell and Vornado all make high specification fans that can cool a whole room and range from bladeless fans to silent fans and ultra-quiet fans.
More great shopping stories from House & Garden
- The best mattresses to buy for quality sleep
- 39 best bed frames to buy now
- Our edit of where to buy bedding
- 32 online furniture stores to refresh your space
- Our edit of the best sofas for all budgets
- Ready made curtains: our pick of the best
- The top places to buy crisp, white sheets for a hotel-worthy bed
- The best garden furniture stores to help you spruce up outdoors
- Our favourite wooden armchairs to buy now
- Our editors pick the best coffee tables in all shapes and sizes
- Adventures on foam: we review DUSK's new hybrid mattress
- Up-and-coming interior designers pick their must-haves for your house
