Best cooling fans to help you deal with the heat at home

The heatwave we’ve spent all winter dreaming of is here, and we’re extremely pleased the sun has got his hat on. But, when temperatures rise, so do our discomfort levels.

Bright sunshine bouncing off the pavements and becoming trapped by the city’s concrete mean that temperatures can remain exceptionally warm, even after sun set.

That’s why now is the perfect time to invest in a cooling fan - for all those so-hot-you-could-fry-an-egg-outside days and the sweaty nights that follow. There are fans for every need, from designs with timers (ideal for helping you drift off to sleep without worrying about the electricity bill) to styles with oscillating heads that will have breezes rippling across every inch of the room.

While costs fluctuate (especially when temperatures nudge past the 30 degree mark), it’s worth digging a little deeper and investing in a high end model that will last you through this summer and summers to come. But if you don’t have loads to spend, there are plenty of excellent designs that won’t burn a hole in your wallet, too.

The selection, or fan club (sorry) is huge, so it can feel daunting to shop for one. Lucky for you then, that we’ve done the hard graft and rounded up the best styles to work for all budgets, tastes and needs.

Below, you’ll find world-renowned brands such as Dyson rubbing alongside USB-operated fans that are portable to keep you cool on the commute or during long road trips. Then there are table top, floor and tower styles designed to keep you as cool as a cucumber all season long.

To make shopping even easier, we’ve split our list into sections below:

• Floor-standing fans

• Bladeless fans

• Desk fans

• Tower fans

• Handheld Fans

Fans on sale right now

With the highest temperatures of the year fast approaching, they won’t be in stock for long, so get them while you can.

ANSIO Tower Fan 30-inch For Home and Office - was: £94.97, now: £59.97

Pro Breeze® Oscillating 30-inch Tower Fan - was: £79.99, now: £69.99

NETTA Tower Fan, Oscillation Desk Fan 14 Inch - was: £34.99, now: £29.99

Invero 16” Inch Pedestal Air Cooling Fan with Remote Control - was: £69.99, now: £60.99

Benross 43830 16-Inch Standing Fan - was: £31.99, now: £26.99

See our favourites below

Floor-standing fans

Set at floor level, rooms of all sizes will benefit from a decent floor fan. However it would be prudent to bear in mind your storage options for when you don’t need it, as well as the power it offers when selecting the best-fitting option for the intended space.

BONECO F220 Air Shower floor-standing fan 85cm

Some days are so screamingly warm, they make you want to stand inside a wind tunnel. Boneco’s Swiss-made design answers that breezy daydream, with 270-degree manual rotation, multiple speed levels and a max of 33W power usage. Thanks to the deep blades, the flow will torrent through your indoor spaces and circulate effectively around the whole room, bringing the temperature back down to reasonable levels.

If you’ve got high ceilings or multiple floors that you want to cool, the Boneco F220 is ideal: it will pour cool air in, just like a shower, to help you regulate temperatures quickly and quietly.

Buy now £159.99, Harrods

LOGIK L16PFGM17 16” Pedestal Fan - Gun Metal

This triple-speed fan will cut through stuffy rooms like bedrooms and home offices quickly and quietly, taking up as little room as possible. With adjustable height and wide blades to project air more efficiently, it’s the perfect investment buy to have in place as summer begins.

It’s a design that is made to last but should the worst happen, breakdown support is available, and you can also get a three-year replacement for an extra £9.60.

Buy now £49.99, Currys

Vornado 633 Room Ventilator

Vornado fans have a well-earned reputation across the pond as being powerful yet noticeably quiet and we’re pleased to report that the Vornado 633 is no exception. This impressive model can push air to a range of 75ft but still uses less energy than other fans (60W) with similar specs.

Using the power of patented Vortex technology, the lower blade rotation speed means it uses less energy while generating the same airflow — but with much less noise at just 65dB. The wide grill can be taken off for cleaning when required. It focuses the air circulation to cool the whole room without warm spots. For a powerful fixed airflow this is one of the best fans around and a foolproof way to get air moving FAST.

Buy now £58.60, Amazon

FUTURA Oscillating Pedestal Standing Fan

This three-speed fan comes with a remote control as well as a telescopic stand, making it simple to set up and control from wherever you are in the room - particularly helpful for anyone with mobility issues.

Operated by mains power, the 16” head oscillates so air projection will reach most corners of the room and there’s a built-in timer function too, which means you can keep it on to cut through muggy nights as you sleep without worrying about having to turn it off.

Best of all, it does all this while using as little power as possible (50W), making it one of the most economical and eco-friendly fans available.

Comes with a two-year guarantee.

Buy now £59.99, Amazon

Home Tripod Black Pedestal Fan - 16 Inch

There’s no need to toss and turn through muggy nights with this cool pedestal fan in your corner. The base is super-stable thanks to the tripod design and you can also adjust the height to 1.3m to suit all your needs.

The oscillating function will get cool air moving all around your space and there are three speed options to choose from to help you reach the ideal temperature. It runs on 50W and comes with a 1.7m cord so you’re not tied to keeping the fan right by the mains socket. Comes with a one-year guarantee.

Dimensions: H130 x W90 x D79cm.

Buy now £65.00, Argos

Duux Whisper Flex Smart floor fan

Working alongside all of the other smart gadgets in our house is this smart floor fan from Duux. Available in both black and white, this fan can be controlled via the app or the remote control provided.

With 26 speeds this fan is perfect for large spaces or just keeping your room ultra-cool regardless of the heat outside. You would expect the noise from such a powerful fan to be incredibly loud, however we were impressed with how quiet it was - you can even turn night mode on which further reduces the noise level and dims the display so there are no harsh lights.

The fan is extendable so it can be used as a desk fan (51cm) or placed on the floor (when extended to the full 88cm).

Buy now £248.00, Amazon

Bladeless fans

Got nosy toddlers and curious pets to worry about? A bladeless fan is the safest option as well as being the quietest. While Dyson is the undisputed king in this department, there are a few other worthy models that have made it into our edit.

Dyson Purifier HEPA Cool™ Formaldehyde purifying fan

Keeping air flowing around the room is all good and well, but if you live by a busy street, you run the risk of pushing pollutants into your space too.

Enter Dyson, long the leader when it comes to smart home electricals, and its Dyson Purifier HEPA Cool™ Formaldehyde purifying fan which not only cools warm air, but ‘washes’ it of nasty particles like formaldehyde (emitted from household paint, varnishes and printers), nitrogen dioxide (caused by road traffic, tobacco and fuel-burning heaters), PM10 particles from pollen and allergens (a godsend for hayfever sufferers an asthmatics) and general household odours (think cooking, pets and kids).

It comes with a magnetic remote control, which can sit happily atop the unit, but can also be controlled through your phone’s Dyson Link app via Bluetooth. There are 10 speed settings, and it propels cool air into the room using its patented air multiplier technology.

The smartest thing of all is that it continually detects dust, allergens, mould and formaldehyde particles in the room, before trapping them into high-performance filters that never need replacing. So, while it’s expensive, buying new filters is one cost you won’t have to factor in past the inital purchase of the machine.

It oscillates and also has the ability to remain stationary, giving you the choice of focused or circulating cooling. And you can set it to timer or keep it on night mode to keep sticky nights at bay.

As flexi-working means we spend so more time at home and with busy roads and general pollution tainting our space, Dyson’s latest device is a real investment in home air quality improvement. The twin action function - purifying and cooling - means it will become a household must-have this summer. Simple to set up and even easier to use, after just one night we felt the difference.

Comes with a two year guarantee.

Buy now £549.99, Dyson

Dyson AM07 White/ Silver Cool Tower Fan

If the above is a little too expensive Dyson’s older fans still offer excellent tech for money. The AM07 harnesses its famous ‘air multiplier’ technology to project a steady stream of airflow - all while running as quiet as a mouse.

Dyson has made this to be 60 per cent quieter and more energy efficient than its older models – and it’s been given a Quiet Mark award by the Noise Abatement Society to prove it. One for bigger spaces, the fan comes with a remote control and timer that will set it on and off at pre-set intervals ranging from 15 minutes to 9 hours.

It won’t purify the air, but if that’s something you’re happy to do without, this is a great device to add to basket.

Buy now £339.00, Argos

Dyson Pure Cool Me

If you’re looking for a personal fan for your home office, Dyson’s Pure Cool Me will clean the air of pollutants while keeping your space’s temperature regulated. It scrubs the air through an activated carbon and glass HEPA filter before using patented Dyson Core Flow technology to blow cooling, freshly filtered air just where you need it. Also available in white.

Buy now £299.97, QVC

Desk and table fans

If you’re looking for localised cooling without affecting temperatures elsewhere in the room, a small table top fan could be the option for you.

Honeywell HT 900E Powerful and Quiet Turbo Fan Black

This is one of the top rated desk fans in its category with more than 4,000 ratings on Amazon. Compact but powerful, it’s 25 per cent more quiet than comparable fans and offers three settings for intense cooling or just to keep the air moving around the room. Powered with a plug socket.

Buy now £25.99, Amazon

Symple Stuff Blue Retro Table Fan

With a retro design, this table fan not only brings cooling breezes into your space but offers a style injection too. It comes propped up on little non-slip feet to help air projection and there are two speed settings to help you adjust the air to your needs.

Measures 31cm x 27cm x 11cm, and available in two other shades.

Buy now £38.00, Wayfair

SMARTDEVIL Desk Fan

Cute and compact, this USB operated fan weighs in at a dinky 6oz. There are three speed levels - low, medium, high - and boasts 360 tilt rotation. It’s got superb reviews on Amazon, with one reviewer writing: “I decided to try this little gadget to move around with me to keep me cool without freezing everyone else at the same time. It’s brilliant. Not too noisy and very portable.”

Buy now £16.99, Amazon

Russell Hobbs 12 Inch Scandi Electric Desk Fan

This Scandi-inspired grey and wood desk fan is a fashionable and, of course, practical addition to a bedroom or study. With three speed settings (we found that level one did the job pretty well), 180 degree oscillation and an adjustable tilt, you’re sure to keep cool no matter the temperature of the room.

Buy now £42.99, Amazon

Duux Globe Table Fan

Keep calm and carry on as the Globe fan will provide much needed escape from the heat up to seven metres away - making it ideal for a kitchen counter, living room coffee table or bedroom desk. It might not be the most fashionable fan but when you feel the cool breeze on your face, you’ll instantly forget about that. With a two metre long cord, the fan doesn’t have to be plugged in right next to the socket, giving you greater flexibility on where you put it.

Buy now £60.00, Argos

Tower fans

Typically a compact design and boasting stealthy operating noise, these fans are ideal for placing in the bedroom, lounge or office.

Natale 78.5cm Oscillating Tower Fan

With the height of summer still a few months off, now’s the time to buy a fan before they all sell out again. Slim and compact, this oscillating tower fan is the quickest way to bring temperatures down thanks to the three speed settings and three types of wind (natural /normal/sleeping).

Enable the time when you’re sleeping and easily move it around the house of office with you thanks to the handle-top.

A remote is included but you’ll need one CR2025 battery to get it working (not included). Effective to a five metre range.

Buy now £42.87, Wayfair

Dimplex DXMBCF Black Tower Fan

One of the highest rated fans on Argos, this tall bladeless cooler is freestanding and compact enough to sit in tight corners and small bedrooms. It measures H121cm x W31cm x D31cm and comes with a remote control and timer function so you can operate it remotely.

The most promising review?: “Stylish, beautifully crafted, slim and elegant. It performs effortlessly. I love it.” One year guarantee included with purchase.

Buy now £60.00, Argos

John Lewis & Partners Wood Effect Taper Tower Fan, 35inches

Fingers, whiskers and paws will stay safe around John Lewis's stylish bladeless tower fan. Covered in a light wood effect pattern, the 90cm tall fan quietly gets on with the job of cooling your space with three speed settings and the same number of wind modes.

You can fix air flow to one spot or have the fan oscillate around the room depending on your needs. Use the timer to get the fan to switch off an hour or two after you fall asleep so you can nod off without distraction - you can set it for up to eight hours.

Buy now £90.00, John Lewis

Handheld Fans

Need cooling to go? These handheld designs have you covered.

STATUS AirBlast MIXCRHHFANS Rechargeable Handheld Fan

Small fan, small price - big air flow. Stash this fan in your bag or pocket on warm days for instant relief when you need it. The fan is lightweight and portable but the best bit is that it’s rechargeable - so no need to constantly buy batteries. Just plug in the USB charger when you need to top it up.

Buy now £6.99, Currys

Khu Khu printed fans

If you want a fan that will really turn heads, look to Khu Khu at Wolf & Badger, where there’s a range of beautifully printed hand fans on offer. Granted, it requires a little effort to keep you cool but just think what you’ll save in battery costs and space! While it’s probably not one for the home or office, the designs make great travel companions, whether it’s on the sweltering Central Line or picnicking in the park.

Buy now £60.00, Wolf & Badger

HonHey Handheld Fan, 3 in 1 Misting Fan

Offering extra cooling thanks to a humidifier function, you can mist and cool yourself with this cute handbag hero, which also comes in green and white.

Charging in 90mins, it can offer up to 20 hours of operating use when used at the lowest speed, and six hours on the third, the highest, making it ideal for all sorts of journeys when air con is in short supply.

Blades are soft, so won’t nick if you accidentally fumble fingers across them, and it can charge via a USB port too, making it a far greener option than a device which uses regular batteries.

Buy now £16.99, Amazon