Even with pools and air conditioning, sometimes it’s just nice to have a fan blow cool air in your face, especially on a humid day. And considering the uncharacteristically hot spring we’ve been having, you may be looking to get a fan sooner than intended.
Technology has improved vastly over the years, so it can be difficult to choose the right fan for the right purpose. From huge pedestal and tower fans to small handheld ones, here are our picks for the best cooling fans this summer.
The Best Misting Fan: Dimplex Misting Fan
If your fan is just blowing warm air around the room instead of cooling it down, you might be better off getting a misting fan. Misting fans use water to help cool down an area more efficiently.
This Dimplex Misting Fan holds up to 2.5L of water and turns it into a fine mist that evaporates into the air at a rate of 0.16L per hour to help cool the room it’s been placed in. It has four speed settings, three different modes and comes with a remote control so you don’t need to get up to change the settings.
With 360-degree oscillation, this misting fan will be a crowd-pleaser and the go-to for when you don’t have access to air conditioning.
The Best Pedestal Fan: DeLonghi Pedestal Cooling Fan
A pedestal fan is best suited to smaller rooms and what makes it useful is that its height is often adjustable, so it can breeze over your desk or your bed. When shopping for a pedestal fan, it’s best to select one with varying RPMs and the ability to oscillate.
The DeLonghi 360-degree Pedestal Cooling Fan Black is a tough one to beat thanks to its 360-degree horizontal oscillation and 90-degree vertical oscillation. It also has three speeds and three different wind modes — Normal, Nature, and Sleep, which means that no matter where you place it, you’ll be able to cool down the room at a speed and noise level that’s suitable for any environment.
You also have the option to play with a timer that can run for up to eight hours, remote control functionality and an LED display.
The Best Tower Fan: Nordic Turbo Tower Fan
Tower fans often sit taller than their pedestal counterparts, and are better at covering a medium to large space, like a living room or dining area. What we love most about them is that they often have a sleek design that takes up minimal space in your home or office.
The Nordic Turbo Tower Fan is 77cm tall and avoids the common ‘wobbly base’ problem by having a wider, 28 by 30cm base. The LED display can be controlled directly on the device or with the included remote control.
It has two speed settings, meaning it’s ideal for medium-sized rooms or office environments, and it has an eight-hour timer to help keep electricity costs down.
The Best Bladeless Fan: Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool
Also known as an air multiplier, a bladeless fan has no visible blades and usually possesses a circular or oval-shaped ring with a hollow space in the middle. It works by using a compressor to draw in air before releasing it through its loop by utilising an invisible fan hidden inside its base.
This cheeky Dyson Hot+Cool purifier has got two things that other fans don’t. This bladeless boy kills two birds with one stone. You won’t need to toss it into storage come winter because the Dyson Hot+Cool fan will keep you cool in the hotter months and keep you warm in the winter. In addition, it has an air-purifying function with a HEPA H13 filtration system.
You might be concerned that such a small device may not be able to cover a whole room, but you’ll be glad to know that this Dyson unit boasts two, powerful air modes for both personal and long-range cooling or heating.
While the price tag is quite steep, just know that this is a three-in-one investment. Not only is it a heater and a cooler, but it’s also a handy dandy air purifier. We highly recommend it if you’re asthmatic or suffer from allergy symptoms. It claims to be able to remove 99.97 per cent of pollutants and allergens as small as 0.3 microns.
The Best Desk Fan: SmartDevil USB Desk Fan
When you’re working remotely and your home lacks air conditioning, a basic desk fan is your best friend. Desk fans are fantastic for their personalised cooling coverage and portability, but also their affordable price tags.
This SmartDevil USB Desk Fan stands at 17cm tall and runs on USB power, meaning you can take it anywhere as long as you can connect it to a USB port. Convenience aside, this small unit is surprisingly powerful and equipped with two power settings and five blades for a quieter cooling experience.
The Best Neck Fan: JISULIFE Portable Neck Fan
We’ve been buzzing over this amazing find that feels revolutionary ahead of summer.
Save yourself some dollars off your electricity bill by wearing this fancy JISULIFE portable neck fan everywhere you go. Passing for a pair of over-ear headphones and equipped with three wind speeds, no one would guess you’re using this lightweight accessory to keep yourself cool for up to 16 hours.
What To Consider When Shopping For A New Fan
The way you choose to cool down your home will be dependent on the amount of space you have in your home and your budget.
Our top tip is to choose a fan with a number of different speeds to control the amount of rotations per minute (RPM) for you. On a particularly hot day, sitting in front of a strong breeze is a lifesaver from the sweats. Keep in mind that most come with three different cooling modes: low, medium and high. If you can find anything with more, that means you’ve found one with a wind speed that can be personalised to your preferences.
In addition, you don’t want to select one that keeps you up all night so finding one with minimal noise is essential for a good night’s sleep. Keep an eye out for fans that oscillate too. If you have a large room, a unit that blows in only one direction likely won’t keep everybody happy – except for that lucky soul who gets to hog it.
Finally, we recommend picking a fan that is lightweight (4kg and under) so you can carry it with you from room to room.
Lead Image Credit: Dimplex