It seems that summer has finally arrived! And with the thermometer currently in the high 20s (touch wood) now’s the time we all need to think about cooling off. With our unreliable British summers, most British homes don’t come with air conditioning (only 5% according to Time Magazine). And while desk fans might be working overtime, they aren’t usually built to keeping your whole home cool.
Fortunately, there is a new generation of high tech fans that can cool down rooms and spaces (not just a bit of your face) so we tried out some of the best fans around. Can they keep cool under pressure, or will they wilt in the heat? We put them to the test.
1. Best fan for outdoors
Try the Shark FlexBreeze Portable 11.3" Hybrid Pedestal Fan
The Flexbreeze can either sit in its stand as a room fan, or you can detach the top and it turns into a tabletop fan. There’s also a remote control that fits to the back of the fan with a handy magnetic strip, so you won’t lose it.
It comes with a nice long power cable, so if you want to move it around the room, you won’t constantly need to be plugging and unplugging or searching desperately for that extension lead you can never find. Keep it plugged in and it’ll charge as it’s in use. And when you want to take it portable, you get 24 hours of use before it needs a recharge. And it really is made for the outdoors, since its UV and water resistant.
All impressive stuff! But for us, the standout feature is the misting attachment. Clip it to the front, attach a hose and it’ll disperse a cool mist – great for hot days in the garden. Under certain conditions, the mister can cool down spaces by up to 5. That’s super refreshing and not something we’ve seen before.
2. Best fan for indoors
Try the Dyson Cool™ Tower Fan
Trust Dyson to come up with a truly high-tech fan! Without getting into the technical nitty gritty of it all, Dyson uses a technology that resembles a jet engine combined with a plane’s wing, which is designed to deliver an incredibly concentrated air flow.
Another incredible thing is just how quiet it is – 60% quieter than its predecessor. Too many fans might keep you cool but can often sound like a jet engine. This bladeless Tower Fan is super quiet at lower power settings. There are 10 speed settings that you can control remotely, so you won’t even need to get up. And at only 2.9kg, it’s easy to move around the house to where you want it. Very cool!
3. Best quiet fan for sleeping
Try the Duux Whisper Flex Ultimate Fan
How loud is 13 decibels? Slightly louder than normal breathing (10dB) but quieter than whispering from five feet away (20 dB). So, with a quiet mode of 13dB, the aptly named Whisper Flex isn’t exaggerating.
It’s light and cable free, so you can move it to wherever you need it. And its 12-hour battery life will see you through the night (or through a hot day at work) and it can be popped back into its docking station when it needs to be recharged.
The fact that you can adjust the tilt and fan speed through an app is a nice modern feature, but it also has a remote controller too. If it does become your bedroom fan, you can even dim the LED display so it doesn’t disturb you. It’s a little thing, but it makes all the difference.
4. Best fan for city living
Try the Boneco Air Shower Clean & Cool 9" Pedestal Fan
The Boneco Air Shower combines a fan that cools you down fast with a filtration system that purifies air as it chills your room. And if you’re living in the city or a busy road, you’ll be relieved to know that its HEPA ESP filter catches pollen, dust and mold. Its Germicidal UV-C light kills 99.99% of bacteria and viruses – so it not only helps you fight summer sniffles, but it tackles air pollution too.
And you don’t need to keep buying new filters either. In fact, you can remove the filter and even run it through the dishwasher!
Point its very adjustable head up at the ceiling and you’ll be showered by cool air. This is a great way of tackling rising warm air – especially when you don’t want to crack open a window on those stifling evenings.
So, there you have it. 4 amazing fans that each bring something different to help you beat the heat on those baking summer days. So, do yourself a flavour and change your creaking old fan for a serious bit of air-cooling tech. It’ll be a breath of fresh air!
If you want to do a bit more research before you commit to buying a new fan, our Fans, heating and air treatment buying guide is a great place to start.
