The best fans to keep you cool at home or in the office in 2024, tried and tested
As soon as the temperature breaches 20 degrees in the UK, everyone goes looking for the best fan to cool their bedroom or workspace. Compared to air conditioning, electric fans are cheaper, smaller, lighter, more energy efficient (most costing around 1p an hour to run) and have an instant cooling effect on sweaty skin.
One thing to remember is that while fans cool you, they don’t actually reduce the air temperature in the room as an air conditioner would, unless you do one of two tricks. One is to place a bowl of ice water in front of a fan so that heat energy is removed from the air to melt the ice. (This is the principle used in air coolers.)
Another is to place a fan with its back to an open window to draw in cool air and a second fan facing another window to blow the warmer air out. This only works if the air outside is cooler than inside your home, though.
Below, we’ve reviewed the most popular fans sold in the UK, followed by some advice on how they work and the different types. If you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick glance at our top five:
At a glance – the best fans for 2024
How to choose the best fan for you
Fans range in price from £20 to well over £300, so what makes the difference? We think there are three main criteria.
Where the data is available, look for a fan with a higher airflow than 150m³ per hour as a measure of its cooling power. Most of the fans we recommend are three to ten times more powerful than that on their highest settings.
Secondly, look for a quiet fan: generally they range between 20dB at low fan speeds to 70dB at high speed. 20dB is about the same as a human whisper, 70dB is loud enough to hear over the chatter in an office.
Finally, if we’re honest, not many fans look nice. If you’re buying one for your home, consider biting the bullet price-wise and investing in a futuristic, bladeless Dyson or an unobtrusive tower fan.
A note on availability: during warm temperatures, many of the fans we recommend sell out. Where possible, we will recommend alternative retailers or similar fans.
How we tested the best fans
We've tested over 31 fans in our Lab in Des Moines, Iowa, where we spent hours evaluating each fan's power and assessing their design and extra features. We also sent top-performing fans home with our testers to gauge their performance over six months and share their feedback on what it was like to use each fan in real-world conditions. Backed by our testing in the lab and at home, here are our best fans to keep you cool.
In the past few years, we've tested bladeless fans that are incredibly quiet (and great for homes with kids and pets), models with remote controls or apps to make it easier to operate your fan from across the room, and combination fans that also serve as space heaters or air purifiers. We've also tested and loved plenty of simpler options that do their job incredibly at a very budget-friendly price. Which direction you go will be determined by your budget and how you expect to use your fan.
Fans are a quick and easy way to circulate the air in a space, which can make a hot, stuffy room feel cooler without raising your electrical bill as much as a window or portable air conditioner. While fans are not a new invention by any means, there are lots of newer styles and features to consider, especially if you're planning to use one as a primary way to circulate air in your home.
Best Overall
Better Homes & Gardens Tower Fan
View On Walmart
$48
Our Ratings
What We Like
Unique features
Relatively quiet operation
Sleek design
Affordable price
What We Don't Like
Base wobbles slightly during use
Only effective in direct line of flow
After we tested over 30 fans in various styles and sizes, the Better Homes & Gardens 3-Speed Tower wins our title as Best Overall, based on its affordable price, unique features (almost too many to test!), and sleek design. (Better Homes & Gardens is owned by The Spruce's parent company, Dotdash Meredith.) This tower fan not only oscillates but also has three wind modes—you can select natural wind, sleep wind, and regular wind, each available at three speeds. While testing, we were impressed by the fan’s quiet operation, even while using the highest, strongest speed on the regular setting. After testing this product at home, we noted that this fan kept our room cool and offered the perfect amount of noise at night. As you may expect from its name, the sleep mode produced an even quieter sound at each speed, and the wind mode had a stronger airflow but still produced a relaxing sound.
On the top of the fan, you can find thoughtful features, including a magnetic area to store the remote; an LED-lighted control panel that turns off after a minute, so it doesn’t disturb you at night; a 7.5-hour programmable timer; and a handle, so you can easily carry the fan from room to room. In fact, we noted it was so light, we could move it with just one hand. However, we feel that this is not the best fan to travel with because it is not as compact as some other options we tested.
Regarding the fan’s effectiveness, while testing, we noted that it employs a direct flow and feels most cooling when it is relatively close up, with the airflow pointed directly at you. For example, while testing the airflow from different distances, we noted it was most cooling from 6 to 8 feet of its direct flow. Outside the direct flow (while the fan was stationary or oscillating), we could not feel it. So, if you are looking for a fan multiple people can feel in different parts of the room, this might not be the best option.
Tall and slender, this tower features internal oscillation: While the fan’s inside moves, the outside shell remains still. Although this product is designed to be more stable than a fan that entirely moves while oscillating (and provides more range of motion), the fan base wobbled a bit during use. However, this may be due to the way the fan was assembled, and we have had no issues with it toppling over. Overall, this affordable fan should keep you cool, has unique and useful features, and looks sleek in any room, making it our top pick.
How It Performed Long-Term
After using this tower fan for over six months at one of our homes, we continue to be impressed by its powerful airflow and quiet operation. We've enjoyed using it to cool us off during the warmer months, and even during cooler temperatures, we've found the fan helpful in circulating the air while cooking, as well as to cool the room after home workouts. Even after daily use for six months, it continues to operate like new, making it worthy of remaining our top pick.
Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 41.50 inches | Weight: Not listed | Number of Fan Speeds: 3 wind modes with 3 speed settings each | CFM: Not listed | Decibel Rating: Not listed | Cord Length: Not listed | Oscillation: Yes
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
Best Desk
Vornado Large Air Circulator
Amazon
View On Amazon
$90
View On Wayfair
$100
View On Home Depot
$100
Our Ratings
What We Like
Powerful and quiet
Adjustable
Simple design blends in
Five-year warranty
What We Don't Like
Doesn’t oscillate
No remote control
After testing the Vornado 660 Whole Room Air Circulator in our lab and at home, we found it to be a powerful option for any room. Small enough to sit on a desk or dresser, this fan is designed to circulate air up to 100 feet. And although it doesn’t oscillate, while testing in our lab, we noted that we felt the fan’s direct airflow up to 20 feet away. Plus, we loved that you can tilt it up to a 90-degree angle, from horizontal to vertical to point it where needed.
This fan lacks a handle and is a bit bulky compared with other desk fans, but it is powerful for its size and portable enough to carry from room to room. It also lacks a remote, but the push-button controls on the back of the fan, adjusting the speeds from whisper-quiet to turbo, are straightforward and easy to use. After using this fan at home for months, we not only noticed this fan circulating air in a rather large and lofty room, but it also cooled the space significantly. Overall we found it to be small, but mighty and found the color and design to be minimal enough to not be an eyesore or change the overall style of the room. We also love that it comes with a five-year warranty in case of any issues.
Dimensions: 15 x 13.5 x 11.8 | Weight: 7.32 pounds | Number of Fan Speeds: 4 | CFM: Not listed | Decibel Rating: 48 | Cord Length: 72 inches | Oscillation: No
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
Best Quiet
Pelonis Pedestal Fan
Amazon
View On Amazon
$85
Our Ratings
What We Like
Quiet at highest speed
Sturdy design
Wide oscillation
Powerful, strong breeze
What We Don't Like
A bit pricey
The Pelonis Standing Fan stood out for its quiet yet powerful performance and sturdy design during our lab and long-term home testing. Even at the highest of 12 air speed settings, the fan was relatively quiet, with a strong breeze felt at 6 feet and a noticeable breeze detected even at 20 feet. We've found the amount of features on this fan is really what makes it stand out, including wide, 85-degree oscillation; easily adjustable height; a digital display; a 12-hour timer; and basic remote control. The head of the fan even tilts up or down.
We did note that this fan is a bit heavier than expected, and with its handle a bit too close to the blades, it isn’t the easiest fan to carry. However, it was light enough to move with one hand. Also, we noted that we had to cycle through each speed to change speed settings, but it was still quick and easy to do.
How It Performed Long-Term
After using this fan for over six months at home, we continue to be impressed by its array of features, quiet blades, and exceptional performance in cooling any room. We are even happy that it has a heavy base which prevented our dog from knocking it over! We've also appreciated its adjustable height, and haven't noticed any change in the looks or performance of the fan during this time.
Dimensions: 15.75 x 15.75 x 51.18 inches | Weight: 12.35 pounds | Number of Fan Speeds: 12 | CFM: Not listed | Decibel Rating: 38 dBA | Cord Length: Not listed | Oscillation: Yes
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
Best Splurge
Rowenta Turbo Silence Extreme+ Stand Fan
Amazon
View On Amazon
$180
View On Wayfair
$180
View On Walmart
$127
Our Ratings
What We Like
Cools a large space
Five speed settings
Includes remote control
Sturdy base
What We don't Like
Large footprint
Heavy to move
For a fan that cools a larger space without being too noisy (and is, on some settings, almost silent!), we recommend the Rowenta Turbo Silence Extreme+ Stand Fan. Although it’s not the most stylish or affordable option we tested, this powerful, sturdy, and effective oscillating fan is well worth its slightly higher price point.
We love how versatile it can be, with an adjustable height from about 43 to 57 inches and five speed settings so you can tailor it to suit your needs. Choose the powerful Turbo Boost setting when you really want to cool down or Silent Night Mode when you need it to be as quiet as possible. In fact, while using this speed, we noted that the fan was almost silent. Note that this fan is heavy and takes two hands to move. However, we appreciated the sturdy base and found that it wasn't easy to tip over.
While testing, the airflow performance in front of and to the sides of the fan’s direct line was impressive—we felt the airflow from as far as 20 feet, as well as when we were out of the direct flow. The fan oscillates about a foot in each direction, so the airflow can directly reach more parts of the room.
How It Performed Long-Term
After over six months of using this fan at home, we continue to be impressed by its very quiet, yet powerful performance. We've found it very effective in cooling down a small room that does not have an air conditioner, making it comfortable enough to work or watch TV in the summer. We especially love being able to easily switch between oscillating and fixed positions (depending on hot the room is!) with the remote control. And although this isn't the best portable option and isn't easy to tuck away when not in use, we haven't found it to be an eyesore either.
Dimensions: 18 x 17 x 53 inches | Weight: 17.6 pounds | Number of Fan Speeds: 5 | CFM: 2400 on maximum speed | Decibel Rating: 35 dBA on minimum speed | Cord Length: Not listed | Oscillation: Yes
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
Best Large Room
Lasko Fan & Space Heater Combo Tower
View On Amazon
$130
View On Wayfair
$152
View On Wayfair
Our Ratings
What We Like
Combined fan and heater
Tall, to reach higher areas
Tip-over safety feature
Easy-clean filter
What We Don't Like
Short cord
After testing the Lasko FH500 Fan & Space Heater Combo Tower, we found it to be a great value, with features that can help make a larger room feel comfortable year-round. This 1,500-watt combined heater-fan is ETL-listed, meaning it's certified as meeting the requirement of widely accepted safety standards. It features a bladeless design and tip-over safety feature, so it should automatically shut off if it falls over. While testing, we found this four-speed fan effective at circulating the air, even as far as 20 feet. And at its highest setting, the sound is subtle enough to act as white noise. We also like that the unit has built-in storage for the included remote control.
Although it is not height-adjustable, this combination heater and fan is tall enough to reach over a bed (when used as a fan), so it is a great option for most bedrooms. In fact, when testing in a small bedroom, we found it to be almost too powerful! We also noted that the cord is shorter than the other options we tested, but since the airflow can reach relatively far, it shouldn’t pose too much of a problem. We also appreciate how easy the permanent filter is to access and clean—press the EZclick Filter button on the cover on the back of the fan to open, then use your vacuum’s brush attachment to clean.
How It Performed Long-Term
After using this fan for over six months, our at-home team testers said her whole family loves this fan—including her dog. This fan offered her open floor plan living, dining, and kitchen area a "natural breeze" environment and helped circulate the air from the AC unit. We did note that this fan isn't completely quiet, but it's not loud enough to be disturbing during working or sleeping hours. After almost constant use in the warmer months, we never noticed a change in its performance. Also, even with two dogs knocking into the fan from time to time, impressively, it has never toppled over.
We've also used the heat setting during cooler months and found it to warm up the room nicely. However, only the bottom half of this tall unit functions as a heater, so it feels a bit bulky when only using that setting.
Dimensions: 12.5 x 12.5 x 41.88 inches | Weight: 12.5 pounds | Number of Fan Speeds: 4 for fan, 3 for heater | CFM: Not listed | Decibel Rating: Not listed | Cord Length: 72 inches | Oscillation: Yes
The Spruce / Rachel Marek
Best Small Room
Lasko Tower Fan
View On Amazon
$70
View On Wayfair
$71
View On Home Depot
$61
Our Ratings
What We Like
Blends with decor more than others
Remote control storage
Tall with carrying handle
Oscillates
What We Don't Like
Can’t feel it more than 10 feet away
For small spaces, the Lasko Oscillating Tower Fan is our top choice out of the options we tested. With a relatively small footprint and wood panel design, it blends into a room better than other options. We found that it has plenty of features that make it great to use at night, including a 7.5-hour programmable timer and a nighttime setting that dims the display and gradually decreases the fan speed. We also appreciate the built-in, space-saving storage for the remote.
As far as performance, we found that this three-speed fan was quite powerful and relatively quiet when we tested it from 10 feet away. However, we noted that at 20 feet, we couldn’t feel the fan at all, which would be an issue only in larger spaces.
After testing this fan long-term at home, we found that it was a complete game changer in an apartment, which only has one AC unit in the bedroom. We left this fan running on high and oscillating every day while we worked from home. We sometimes even forgot to turn it off because it operated so quietly. Overall, this fan’s design and features make it a great option for small bedrooms or other compact spaces where you want powerful circulation but quiet operation.
Dimensions: 13 x 13 x 42.5 inches | Weight: 14.5 pounds | Number of Fan Speeds: 3 | CFM: 634 | Decibel Rating: Not listed | Cord Length: 72 inches | Oscillation: Yes
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
Best Budget
Crane Circulating Desk Fan
Amazon
View On Amazon
$50
View On Wayfair
$72
View On Walmart
$50
Our Ratings
What We Like
Tilts in three angles
Oscillates
Lightweight
Remote control
What We Don't Like
Need to manually tilt fan
If you are looking for a budget-friendly, compact, and adjustable fan, look no further than the Crane Oscillating Desk Fan. While testing this fan, we loved how the three adjustable angles (straight up, 45 degrees, or 90 degrees) allowed the air to focus on different areas of the room. Although you need to manually adjust the tilting feature, we appreciated being able to select the three speeds and programmable timer options via the digital display or by using the remote control.
As far as cooling performance, we felt the breeze up to 20 feet, although it was strongest up to 6 feet. We also found this fan fairly light and portable, with areas underneath you can use as carrying handles. This fan is marketed as a desk fan, but while using this fan at home, we found it rather bulky to actually sit on a desk all the time. However, we still appreciated how easy it was to maneuver on a bedside table. Plus, the top portion of the fan can fold down, so we were able to easily store it when not in use.
Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.5 x 7.75 | Weight: 6.5 pounds | Number of Fan Speeds: 3 | CFM: 12.5 | Decibel Rating: 40 dBA | Cord Length: 60 inches | Oscillation: Yes
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
Best Tower
Dyson Purifying Fan
View On Amazon
$636
View On Dyson.com
$430
View On Hsn.com
Our Ratings
What We Like
Fan and air purifier combo
Bladeless design
Lightweight
9-hour timer with 15-minute increments
What We Don't Like
Expensive
Could easily tip over
After testing the Dyson Pure Cool Air Purifier and Fan for over six months, we've continued to appreciate its cooling and air-purifying features and sleek, stylish design. This tower fan doubles as an air purifier (with HEPA filter) and claims to remove over 99.97 percent of pollutants and allergens as small as 0.3 microns. It also offers a blade-less design, a remote control, a nine-hour timer, an easily removable filter, and 70-degree oscillation.
While testing in our lab, we could feel the airflow as far as 20 feet on the highest setting. However, we noted that it wasn't until the sixth setting (out of 10) before we started hearing or feeling the airflow; lower, we had to put a hand right up to the fan. We also noted that it is fairly quiet on its highest, strongest setting, so it shouldn’t disturb you at night or while watching TV. In fact, while testing at home, we appreciated the fan's white noise and found that it was louder than our ceiling fan, but not as loud as the AC.
How It Performed Long-Term
We used it almost daily in addition to a ceiling fan (or AC on especially hot days), and have not noticed any changes in its performance. We continue to enjoy the sleek, stylish design and have used the air purifying feature to help circulate the air during the winter months as well. Although this unit is more expensive than other, more powerful fans, we continue to think it's an excellent option for anyone looking for a stylish fan with an array of helpful features.
Dimensions: 7.7 x 7.7 x 40.1 inches | Weight: 7.9 pounds | Number of Fan Speeds: 10 | CFM: 10.3 | Decibel Rating: 56 dBA | Cord Length: 78 inches | Oscillation: Yes
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
Best Window
Genesis Window Fan
Amazon
View On Amazon
$49
View On Home Depot
$49
View On Walmart
$63
Our Ratings
What We Like
Each side can expand 6.5 inches
Intakes and/or exhausts air
Can be used freestanding with legs
What We Don't Like
Temperature settings are misleading
Lacks a remote
When space is an issue, a great option is a window fan—this type of fan directly brings in fresh air or exhausts the room air without taking up valuable floor space. We tested the Genesis Twin Fan and found it to be versatile and budget-friendly. You can expand it from 24 to 37 inches to fit your window, and its detachable legs permit it to be freestanding on a table. While testing, we found the fan to be lightweight and easy to move with one hand, thanks to the built-in handle.
We also appreciated the ability to select the airflow direction (in or out) of each fan individually. The unit also features three speed settings and five temperature settings (from 60 to 80 degrees), thanks to its built-in thermostat. And while this window fan is not the most powerful fan we tested, we felt the airflow up to 20 feet in front of it, as well as circulating the air around the room.
How It Performed Long-Term
While using this fan at home for over six months, we felt that it definitely made a difference in keeping a room cool and preventing it from becoming stuffy on hot days. When used in the window, we found it useful to be able to operate each of the two fans separately, so one was bringing air in, and the other was pulling air out. However, we felt that the temperature settings on this fan were confusing, (especially since it is not an AC with a cooling feature), but the low-to-high speed setting is pretty straightforward and useful. When the weather was cooler, we continued to use it as a standalone fan on the floor to keep us cool after workouts. We've noticed no changes in the performance or appearance of the fan during this time.
Dimensions: 24 to 37 x 12 x 4 inches | Weight: 8.4 pounds | Number of Fan Speeds: 3 | CFM: 706.21 | Decibel Rating: Not listed | Cord Length: 72 inches | Oscillation: No
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek
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The Spruce / Rachel Marek