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The best fans to help you beat the heat, plus tips on how to keep your house cool without AC

The Recommended scoured the internet to find the best fans to help you keep cool during a heatwave and some top tips to help you keep your home cool as temperatures rise.

This competition is now closed

By Isobel Nutbrown

Published: August 5, 2022 at 2:30 pm

Ahead of more record-breaking temperatures this summer, now is the best time to invest in a good fan. As the warmer months creep in and temperatures start to climb, fans become essential in our day-to-day lives. Whether they’re keeping you cool at your desk or helping you finally get some sleep, electric fans are the answer to stuffy summer days and sticky, sleepless nights.

If you’re in the market for a fan, you’ll know the options are endless. From the more affordable classic pedestal fan to high-end smart models, there is a fan to suit every lifestyle. So, what are the best fans?

The Recommended scoured the internet to find the best fans for every eventuality, from bladeless towers fans to portable options. We’ve got you covered. We’ve also thrown in some top tips and tricks to help you keep your cool in warmer weather.

Jump to the best fans:

How to keep your house cool in the summer

Aside from investing in expensive air conditioning or a more affordable electric fan, there are a few other practical things you can do to help you keep your house cool in soaring temperatures.

Create a through breeze: The first thing we think to do when our houses reach sauna-like temperatures is thrown open the windows. The most effective way to do this is to open windows in both the front and back of your house and keep internal doors open to create a through breeze that circulates air around the house.
Close the curtains: Windows can let in up 25% of heat, so closing curtains and blinds to keep your home shaded is key to keeping your cool.
Use bowls of water: Okay, hear us out on this one. It seems odd, but placing bowls of cold water around the house is a free but effective way of cooling warm air and lowering temperatures.
Use LED lightbulbs: So, it turns out that traditional incandescent lightbulbs are really inefficient and give off up to 90% of their energy as heat, which, when our living rooms have sunk seemingly to the eighth circle of hell, is the last thing we need. LED and energy-saving lightbulbs, however, are a lot more efficient, converting 90% of their energy as heat and using way less energy.

How to cool down a room

One way to cool down quickly is by closing doors to unused areas and keeping cool air circulating where it’s needed most. Here are some top tips on how to cool down a room:

Create an ice fan: If you have invested in an electric fan, adapting our last tip to include a fan can be a really quick and effective way to cool down a room. Simply fill a bowl with ice and cold water and place it in front of the fan. This will push cool air and icy droplets around the room and help you to chill (literally).
Use a hot water bottle: If you’re specifically trying to cool down a bedroom to help you get some sleep, a hot water bottle may be your unlikely best friend. The same way a hot water bottle keeps you toasty if you fill it with hot water, if filled with cold water and put in the freezer for a few hours before bed, a cold water bottle can help you cool down and drift off.

The best place to put your fan to cool down

If you do have an electric fan, make sure you’re getting your money’s worth by using it as effectively as possible.

As heat rises, the coolest air will be at floor level. Facing your fan towards the wall and angling it upwards will help decrease temperatures by bouncing cooler air off the wall and back into the room.

Placing your fan in front of an open window, facing outwards, can also help cool your house down by pushing warm air from the inside of your home outside.

The best fans

Best powerful fan: Honeywell TurboForce Power Fan

Packs a punch

This small, portable fan proves that size isn’t everything, with cooling power that can be felt up to seven meters away and a 90-degree oscillating head.

This versatile fan can be used on various surfaces, from floors to desks, and promises to keep you cool without keeping you up due to its discreet, quiet design. This fan allows you to customise your comfort with three variable speed settings to suit every situation.

Best quiet fan: Dreo 106cm Tower Fan

For sound sleep

This electric fan is made with a tower design that can be controlled digitally via a small remote. The remote allows you to control three modes and six speeds.

This fan is equipped with a high-powered motor and a unique air-duct design that provides 7.3m/s that works to distribute airflow and cool temperatures effectively. This fan’s bladeless design is safer for children and animals and also works to minimise noise through the sleep setting and air-duct design for a more peaceful environment. The Dreo Tower Fan is also designed with a clear LED display that allows you to track room temperature, speed, mode, and timer settings.

Best bladeless fan: ANSIO Tower Fan 30-inch with Remote

Safe and durable

Bladeless fans are thought to be safer to have around children and pets and provide quality cooling ability in a sleek, durable design.

These sleek bladeless designs are available in four colourways and are sure to complement any décor. They are designed with three wind and speed settings and rotate for well-circulated cooling power. This tower fan can be operated manually by the top-mounted control panel or via the remote control for convenient cooling.

Best portable fan: COMLIFE Versatile Portable Fan

For on-the-go comfort

This versatile fan uses an octopus tripod design and 360-degree rotation to adapt to any environment for on-the-go cooling comfort.

This portable fan is child and baby-safe with an ultra-fine mesh covering that prevents blades from being touched by little fingers. The battery-powered design of this handy fan removes the ties of power cords, and the high-performance brushless motor provides strong wind and fast speeds with low noise output.

Best desk fan: SMARTDEVIL Desk Fan

For a cooler, clearer head

This compact, portable desk fan helps keep you cool at work and comes equipped with a convenient USB charger.

This desk fan weighs only six ounces yet still provides effective air circulation with a 360-degree tilting design. Despite its power, this fan is engineered with an ultra-quiet mechanism for quality cooling power that won’t disturb you at work.

Best pedestal fan: Pro Breeze® 16-Inch Pedestal Fan

Classic, effective design

This pedestal fan comes equipped with a powerful 55W motor and 16-inch rotating fan head. This fan is also made with an adjustable height function allowing you to adjust your fan to fit your space.

This fan’s versatile design is accompanied by an easy-to-use LED display and remote control that allows you to adjust speed and timer settings across four different modes. The timer function also allows for up to 7.5 hours of continuous cooling, a great solution to sticky summer nights.

Best smart fan: Princess Smart Tower Fan

A high-tech experience

This mart fan allows for a truly bespoke experience, from the app that controls cooling settings from your phone to the voice control capabilities.

This bladeless tower fan features three wind speeds, a powerful 50W motor, and an 80-degree oscillating range for quality cooling and air circulation. The free smartphone app allows you to control your device remotely, and the voice control feature is compatible with Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant for truly convenient cooling.

Best affordable fan: Scandi Tower Fan

Where value meets quality

This stylish Scandi-style tower fan delivers cooling power with a price tag that won’t make you break a sweat

This affordable fan has a unique and stylish design and is available in a variety of heights to suit every space. This fan comes equipped with three speed settings, an 80-degree oscillating range, and a convenient two-hour timer to help keep you cool for longer.

Best purifying fan: Dyson Pure Cool Me Personal Purifying Fan

Breathe easy

This purifying fan works to remove pollutants and cool air at the same time for a refreshing cool breeze.

This purifying fan provides a filtered stream of cool air using Dyson’s innovative core flow technology to help you stay cool and refreshed all year round. The Dyson Pure Cool Me is designed with a removable filter for easy maintenance and helps ease allergy sufferers’ symptoms by removing unwanted gases and pollutants from the air.

If you would like to read more expert-recommended round-ups, check out our Household page, where you’ll find more home recommendations, including the best rattan garden furniture recommended by garden designers.

Isobel Nutbrown

Staff Writer

Isobel Nutbrown is a Staff Writer at The Recommended and works with leading industry experts to help readers make informed decisions and shop smarter online.

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