Best Fan: Our pick of the best smart, desktop and pedestal fans (2023)

Whatever the time of year, we all know that the weather in the UK can be incredibly unpredictable – going from one rainy, overcast day to blazing sunshine the next, often leaving us unprepared for what lies ahead each day. . Add to that the fact that we're spending more time at home between work and rest, and more and more of us are understandably turning to fans and heaters to deal with any changeable weather.

With the best fans, you can stay comfortable in your home every month of the year, even without fancy air conditioning. And there are models that fit in all pockets and apartments.

It should be noted that most fans work by simply circulating the existing air rather than cooling it down, but increasing the airflow in your space goes a long way toward wicking away sweat, lowering your body temperature, and making you feel sedated. nice breeze blowing through the house. Oscillating fan options replicate this well, and some even have a feature that varies the fan intensity, almost making it feel like you're sitting in the shade on a cool summer day.

Some high-end fans promise to deliver cooler air in a similar way to an air conditioner. There are many great options for fans that fit on your desk, slim fans that can be tucked away in the corner, and bladeless fans that provide extra safety for kids and pets. We also preferred fans with timers and silent modes in our roundup, which are great to use in a bedroom while you sleep.

We've taken a look at some of the best and most popular brands and ranked them based on design, effectiveness and more. Scroll down to see what we think, and if you suffer from humidity and heat, check out our ratings.The best dehumidifiersto remove moisture and condensation.

The best fans of 2023

By far our current favorite fan, the Duux Whisper Flex Smart Fan offers incredible, yes, flexibility. True to its name, it can be used as a table fan or converted into a standing fan with the included extender, allowing you to choose the option that best suits your needs at the moment. At 35 inches tall, it's shorter than some, but we found it was just neck-length when seated, making it ideal for the home office.

Once set up with the app, you can switch between massive 26-speed settings, and you can also choose between a continuous flow of air and something more akin to natural wind (which rises and falls like a real breeze). Night mode ensures the base's LED display doesn't keep you awake, and to top it off, you can set the fan to swing vertically, horizontally, or both.

It's compatible with Google Home and you'll at least need the app to control the fan. Controlling the fan takes a little getting used to, but as long as you have a phone and WiFi you shouldn't have too many problems.

dream houseRating: 5 out of 5 stars |Read our full review ofDuux Whisper Flex Smart-Lüfter

Air circulators don't just move some air towards your face to create the illusion of cooling. Instead, they displace all the air in the room so it feels cooler. The award winning MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator may be a large unit, but it looks good enough to be a room feature and uses all that space to create an air force that makes all the difference.

Stagnant air warms you up, but move that same air around like a breeze and you'll suddenly feel fresh and invigorated - at least that's the theory of this circulator.

Despite all that power, the fan is nearly silent and provides nearly 360-degree airflow, even when it's not in the way against a wall. In addition, the vertical and horizontal oscillation expels air from all the walls and even the ceiling, making the whole room feel cool.

A solid 12-speed setup should give you the speed that's right for you, no matter where you sit or the size of the room. Speaking of size, it circulates a whopping 1,056 cubic feet of air per hour, so it can really work in most spaces.

The fact that it remains silent even at full power, probably thanks to that DC motor, makes it ideal even in a bedroom when you're sleeping or in a living room when you're getting lost in a movie. Remote control is useful because you can change from oscillating direction to fixed direction. So if you want a burst of extra cooling, you can stop it right away and enjoy the breeze.

In some ways, this beautiful beast is still cheap to operate, making it one of the best space cooling options available right now, especially for this affordable price.

dream houseRating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

A small fan with a lot of power, the Meaco MeacoFan 650 is the ideal solution for humid nights. The air recirculator is extremely quiet, even on one of the highest settings, and a dedicated Eco mode means you can rest easy knowing you can leave it running overnight without impacting your bills too much. There's also a timer feature so you can set the fan to stop once you're asleep.

Of course, it's not just for the bedroom, and a convenient carrying handle on top of the fan makes it easy to move around the house. Plus, there's a built-in temperature monitor displayed on the LCD screen, and you can use the magnetic remote control (which attaches to the center of the fan when not in use - handy!) to set it to your desired speed.

dream houseRating: 4.5 out of 5 stars |Read our full review ofCirculator de ar MeacoFan 650

As the name suggests, this company aims to provide energy to move the air to keep it cooler. But it also does so with a build that looks great no matter which model you choose. With less space than the Dyson design, it's still a good fan that enhances a room.

Importantly, it gives you the airflow you want on those hot, muggy days.

The Vornado fan is compact enough to fit in any room, yet moves air up to 85 feet. And the power saving references are good too. There are impressive efficiency savings of 80% more than previous models.

The circulator has touch controls and a timer system, but there's also a remote for easy use of the strong 99 speed settings. So yes, this offers the perfect balance between noise and comfort.

dream houseRating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Dyson Pure Hot+Cool HP09 Formaldehyde is the latest entry in Dyson's range of popular fan/heater/air purifier combinations and promises to control not only the temperature of your bedroom, but also your home of nasty pollutants such as pet dander. pets and as a novelty. a model - formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde-free features aren't a huge selling point in our book, but that doesn't mean the HP09 isn't one of the best fans and air purifiers on the market. Plus, we think the gold case looks better than traditional silver, and it has a wide range of 10-speed settings. Lastly, smart compatibility and a user-friendly app make it incredibly easy to use even for non-technical users.

This could be perfect if you're looking for something with a little more power and don't mind paying more for an all-purpose device that will serve you all year round.

dream houseRating: 4 out of 5 stars |Read our full review ofDyson Pure Formaldehyde Hot+Cold

Russell Hobbs may be more famous for his kitchen appliances than his fans, but you wouldn't know it was this beautiful wood-look table fan. Available in black, white and gray, the Scandi Cooler takes a classic design with updated aspects that make it infinitely more modern.

There are three speed settings, and you can adjust the fan's tilt and oscillation to your liking. The slim, heavy base ensures it doesn't tip over, and while it lacks smart features, it's pretty customizable. The fan arrives unassembled, but just a few clips and screws and you're done.

The wood-look blades and metal body are striking and deliver on the promise of a Scandinavian-style device. Overall, this is a simple offering with just a handful of speed settings and nothing fancy, but it will appeal to the minimalists and tech-averse among us. It's also quiet considering its all-metal design, though it's a bit louder at its most powerful setting.

dream houseRating: 4 out of 5 stars |Read our full review ofRussell Hobbs Scandi style table fan

If you're looking for a fan with a classic style, the Swan Retro Table Fan is probably perfect for you. Available in nine colors, the 12-inch fan features a powerful four-blade configuration in a beautiful shiny metal casing.

But betting on appearance does not mean giving up attitude. You get an oscillation mode, three speed settings, and a 140mm adjustable height.

This is a table fan, so you'll need to place it on something if you want more height. Also, this isn't the perfect option if you need a really quiet fan. It's more of an airflow noise than the hum of the engine. Anyway, the day is probably better for most people than the night.

If you care about style, don't want to break the bank, and want to enjoy a classic bladed fan, the Swan Retro Table Fan should meet all your needs.

dream houseRating: 3 out of 5 stars

How to choose the best fan for your home

It's time to decide what you want that fan for and how much you want to spend. This should help narrow down your options as there are so many options. Would you like this fan for a large or small room, for example? Is it day or night or both? Do you need to run the fan all day or do you need a timer? Is a remote control a deal breaker? Is design an essential factor?

Here are the basic fan types and what they offer to see which one suits your needs.

1. Table fans

Small shape, to sit on a table, often with pendulum movement and sometimes with height adjustment. Generally cheaper but less powerful than larger options.

2. Standing fan

It's like a big table fan on a pole. That means you get more power, more height adjustment options, and broader overall space cooling coverage.

3. Turmfan

This is for smaller rooms where an oscillating fan is needed to cool the entire room area.

4. Bladeless cyclonic fans

These are essentially Dyson fans that use high velocity air to circulate air in a room or cool a person directly. They are generally quieter and more energy efficient than the rest, making them ideal for day and night use.

How noisy are the fans?

You should also consider how much noise is disturbing your sleep and decide if you want to spend more to avoid this problem. Light can also be an issue at night, so be sure to find out if the monitors can automatically turn off or turn off in night mode.

If your main concern is beating the heat while trying to fall asleep, our guide will give you some useful tips.how to look cool in bed.

How much electricity do fans consume?

If you plan on using it as a night fan, ask yourself if you want to keep it on all night. If the answer is no, a timer function is a must, if only to save energy. In general, electric fans don't consume a lot of energy, but it's still worth doing some research and tracking their usage.

Fans consume much more energy than an air conditioner, costing just pennies for a 40-watt fan that runs for 8 hours. As detailed inour researchTo determine how much energy your fan uses while it's running, simply convert the energy to kilowatt hours by dividing it by 1000. Then multiply by the number of hours.

If you know how much you pay per kilowatt, you can calculate the cost here.

What is the purpose of your fan?

Make sure you know what the fan will be used for. For example, do you just want it on one desk to cool down while you work, or do you need to cool another room at certain times? Maybe you need some affordable options or a more expensive DIY fan to move.

What are the side effects of a ventilator?

You have to take your eyes into account. Yep, if it's not humid heat then all that blast of dry air can dry out your eyes. So if you suffer from this problem anyway, perhaps a moisture-based cooling system would be better for you.