Having one of the best fans is an excellent way to keep your home cool in the summer if you don't have air conditioning. They all tend to work in the same way: they move air around in the room, creating a gentle breeze effect to help cool you down.
While fans might not be as effective as an aircon system, they're much cheaper to buy and to run, and unless you live in a particularly hot climate they're most likely to be the best option for you. We've assembled our nine of our top picks, from leading brands including Dyson, Dreo, Meaco and even Shark. They've all been tested extensively by experienced reviewers, rating them not just on how well effectively they cool a room, but also in terms of how easy they are to set up and use, how noisy they are (important if you want to be able to use your fan at night) and whether any additional features are genuinely useful.
Read on to discover the best fans for your budget and your home. And if you want to get more control of your heating system in the colder months, check out our guide to the best smart thermostat options too.
The quick list
Can't wait to chill out? Here are the basics on all of our favorite fans right now. If you like what you see, you can either click straight through to a store page, or jump to our more detailed write-ups to get all the facts.
Best overall
Dreo's PolyFan 704S is a quiet, powerful pedestal fan with nine speeds and full angle control, and you can run it with an app or voice commands.
Best budget fan
This inexpensive Meaco fan runs for up to 14 hours on a single charge and it's lightweight enough to take absolutely everywhere.
Best Dyson fan
Dyson's high-end fan looks amazing, has a filtration system for allergy sufferers, and features 10 speed settings plus integrated sensors.
Best for outdoors
Shark's FlexBreeze works indoors and out, it'll spray you with a cooling mist when needed, and it'll run cordless for up to 24 hours.
Best for big rooms
The MeacoFan1056P oscillates both horizontally and vertically, has 12 speed settings plus a remote control, and it's low on noise.
Best tower fan
This Dreo fan delivers a lot of features for its price including 12 speeds, four modes and four oscillation degrees, and it runs quiet.
Load the next three products...
Best desk fan
We love this stylish desk fan's retro looks and it performs well too, with three speed settings and a reassuringly solid build quality.
Best cheap smart fan
This tower fan can be controlled with a touch panel, app or voice commands, and has eight speeds plus customizable options.
Best for bedtime
Slightly heaper than most Dyson fans, this compact offering has 10 speeds and an oscillating head, plus HEPA filtration for allergies.
The best fans: tried and tested by us
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Best fan overall
The Dreo PolyFan 704S is one of the best pedestal fans we've ever seen, and while it's not exactly cheap, it ticks pretty much all the boxes. It features nine speed settings to help you stay cool without freezing, and even at maximum power it's surprisingly quiet. While it only has a small (9" / 22.7cm) fan head, it has a 110ft / 33.5m wind distance and you can angle it by 150 degrees horizontal and 120 degrees vertical.
The Dreo PolyFan 704S isn't available in the UK, however the Dreo PolyFan 513S is a good alternative. It's available for £149.99 at Amazon and packs the same smart features and quiet operation, but it's smaller and lighter with a 100ft wind distance and fewer power settings.
Adding to its versatility is the option to control it via an app or with voice commands through your smart speaker. Not only can you directly control the fan's speed and angle, with the app you can also set schedules and timers as well as programming it to maintain the right ambient temperature for you. Our reviewer particularly loved the voice controls, as well as the 3D Angle Control in the app that enabled her to set the angle of the fan simply by running her finger across the screen.
It's not perfect; while the fan head itself looks elegant, the stand and base look disappointingly plastic and chunky. That said, this use of plastic reduces the fan's weight, and at 17.82lb / 8.1kg it's easy to pick up and move around. But if you're after a powerful and quiet fan with smart features at a price that won't bankrupt you, it's almost impossible to go wrong with this one.
Read our full Dreo PolyFan 704S smart fan review
Best budget fan
Our reviewer didn’t realize they needed a cordless fan until the MeacoFan 260c Cordless Air Circulator showed up. This simple fan is inexpensive, easily charged via USB, and even has a built-in light. But the great thing about this fan is that it’s so lightweight and compact, that you can move it around the house with you.
Currently, the 260C is not available in the US, but the Dreo Fox One is a close alternative. It's available for $36 direct from Dreo or at Amazon. It's not cordless but it's small, light and quiet with a 70ft range, adjustable tilt and three speed settings.
Depending on which setting you choose, the battery lasts between 4 and 14 hours – and, thankfully, it can still be used while charging. It doesn’t oscillate, but then it doesn’t really need to since it’s designed to be positioned close by.
On test we used it in the kitchen while cooking on a hot day, while on our Peloton bike, and even had it running sat on the table while eating dinner in the garden. And in every scenario, it made the hot weather more bearable. We welcomed not having to move a big, heavy fan around, nor having to think about the nearest available power outlet. It won't replace a bigger fan, but the 260c makes a great addition to your home. Trust us, this is the fan you didn’t know you needed.
Read our full MeacoFan 260c Cordless Air Circulator review
Best Dyson fan
If it's the best-of-the-best you’re after, the Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact is it. As well as cooling the air, it purifies it – so although it does cost more than the rest of the options in our list, you won't have to factor in buying one of the best air purifiers too. The purification makes it a great choice for anyone who suffers from seasonal allergies.
Dyson fans have become somewhat iconic for their shape and style. Nevertheless, as is the case with most Dyson appliances, it certainly isn’t a case of style over substance. It's a tad bulky, though, and might look over-sized in smaller rooms.
We were disappointed that there isn't an accompanying app, but it does at least come with a remote control. We tested it during a summer heatwave, and while its slower approach to cooling didn’t quite satisfy our immediate needs, it did reduce the temperature in the room eventually.
Allergy sufferers will reap the benefits of its advanced filtration system – arguably one of its strongest features. And with 10 speed settings to choose from, plus a bunch of integrated sensors, this is a far more sophisticated model than a simple air-moving fan.
Read our full Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact review
Best fan for outdoor use
If you're after a fan that doesn't just cool your home but also helps you stay chill when you're out in the garden, you need to check out the Shark FlexBreeze. Shark's first foray into the world of fans is a solid winner for outdoor use, not only because it can be used cordlessly so you don't have to run a long cable out to it, but also because of its mister attachment that envelopes you in a cooling haze. It's rain- and UV-resistant too, so there's no need to worry about it getting ruined under a hot sun or a sudden downpour.
Our reviewer appreciated how incredibly versatile the Shark FlexBreeze is: it can be used as a pedestal fan or, thanks to fold-out legs on the removable head, as a desk fan. It can be used both corded and cordlessly (in cordless use it'll run for up to 24 hours) and on its lowest setting our reviewer found it to be virtually silent.
He was less impressed by its lack of smart features and the fact that it only has five speed settings, and while it has up to 55 degrees of manual tilt and 180 degrees of automatic horizontal oscillation, there's no automatic vertical oscillation. Despite this, and the fact that the fan itself is quite on the hefty side, he was impressed enough to buy not one, but two Shark FlexBreeze fans for his home.
Read our full Shark FlexBreeze fan review
Best fan for large rooms
Although not cheap, the MeacoFan 1056P is an excellent floor-standing fan that sits on a sturdy base. In a step up from most fans, it oscillates both horizontally and vertically, which means it's super-effective at pushing air around the room. Combine this with 12 speed settings and it's no surprise our tester enjoyed the cool air this fan pushed out during a heatwave.
Happily, through testing, we were able to sleep with the fan on, thanks to its quiet operation. The remote control is a nice touch, particularly if you want to adjust settings during the night. We also welcomed the fact that the remote control attaches to the front of the fan magnetically, so you won’t lose it.
The front grille does allow space for little fingers to pass through, so we wouldn’t recommend leaving it switched on in a room with unsupervised small children. That said, this is an impressive fan that you’ll be pleased to have around, especially during the summer. It's not available in the US, however the Dreo PolyFan 704s at #1 should be a more than acceptable alternative.
Read our full Meaco MeacoFan 1056P review
Best tower fan
The Dreo Pilot Max might not be a low-cost option, but for the price it offers plenty. In our opinion, it represents fantastic value for money – which earned it the top spot for a budget fan. Not only does it offer 12 speeds, four modes, and four oscillation degrees, but it sports a sleek, minimal design that allows it to sit unnoticed in the corner of a room.
For full functionality, you’ll need to download the app, but it’s easy to use and worth the bother for the added features it brings – although there is a remote control included in the box, too. Our tester was particularly impressed with this fan's quiet operation.
The fan can detect a room's current temperature and adapt its setting accordingly – pretty advanced tech, given the price. Most importantly, we can report that, on test, it did a great job of delivering a cooling breeze, no matter where we used it.
Read our full Dreo Pilot Max review
Best desk fan
In search of a desk or countertop fan that isn’t an ugly, generic white fan? This is the model for you. The Vornado VFAN Sr. Vintage is a cool, retro-looking fan that you won’t want to hide in the corner. Admittedly, it's expensive for a desk fan, but we think it’s worth the outlay to avoid having to stare at an eyesore everyday.
The sturdy metal construction bucks the trend of flimsy plastic fans, and with a simple mechanical dial to switch between the three speed settings on offer, this fan is about a simple as they come. Those hoping for app connectivity and multiple setting options, the, should scroll on.
In use, we found the Vornado VFAN to be relatively quiet and, despite its size, it did a surprisingly good job of delivering a breeze and keeping a medium-sized room feeling cool on a stifling hot day. Note, this fan doesn’t oscillate, but it is designed to move air in what Vornado calls a "vortex action", which we found effective. Plus, the 360-degree pivot allows you to angle it in any direction.
Read our full Vornado VFAN Sr. Vintage review
Best cheap smart fan
When it's so hot that you can't even be bothered to move, the Govee Smart Tower Fan could be an absolute godsend. Not only is there an accompanying app that you can use to operate it instead of the fan's touch panel, but there's also the option to connect it to your Alexa or Google Assistant for full voice control. Our reviewer found this to be her preferred way of using this fan, although she found that it could be frustratingly temperamental at times.
Feature-wise the Govee Smart Tower Fan is a winner for its price. It has eight speed settings as well as customizable options to suit your own temperature needs, including a Nature mode that constantly adjusts the rhythm of the airflow so that it feels more like a breeze than a constant blast of air.
Its unobtrusive design means that you can stick it in a corner and forget about it, and it'll easily cover medium-sized rooms thanks to its 26-foot air range and 75-degree oscillation. It's not too noisy, either, with an average 38dB noise level that comes down to 34dB in Sleep mode. There's even the option to hook it up to a Govee thermo-hygrometer (sold separately) so that it'll automatically adjust its fan speed based on your room's temperature and humidity.
One thing to bear in mind that this is a lightweight fan with a small footprint, and our reviewer found that it's easily knocked over if you have pets or small children. However since we reviewed the Govee Smart Tower Fan it's had an update including, says Govee, a more stable base.
Read our full Govee Smart Tower Fan review
Best fan for sleeping
The Dyson Pure Cool Me offers many of the benefits of the Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact at #3, but in a more compact form. It’s cheaper than the larger Dyson fans, but is still far from being a budget option.
Controlled via a handy remote, this capable fan is ideal for smaller rooms, such as your bedroom or home office. And unlike Dyson’s larger floor-standing fans, this one sits happily on your desk or counter. Its 10 speeds and oscillating head move air around effectively, although it doesn’t cool the air like some other Dyson fans.
This is another great choice for allergy sufferers, thanks to HEPA filtration that removes 99.97% of allergens. On test it proved a welcome addition to our bedroom; it produces very little noise, particularly in its night time mode, and sports an attractive, compact design.
Read our full Dyson Pure Cool Me review
Find the best deals on Dyson products with our Dyson promo codes.
How to choose the best fan
What are the best fans to cool a room?
Most fans don’t actually lower the air temperature in a room. However, when the outside temperature is lower than that inside your home, a powerful fan can help pull air in through open windows, thereby cooling down a room.
On hot and humid days, the breeze created by a fan can have a cooling effect on your body, even when the room temperature remains unaffected. This in turn will make you more comfortable and reduces the unbearable sweaty feeling that makes it difficult to relax and sleep.
That said, there are fans such as the Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact that will actively reduce air temperature while also delivering a pleasant breeze. So while they’re an expensive option, if you don’t have AC and you’re really struggling to cope with high temperatures, they're a worthy investment.
Which is the quietest fan?
While your main priority when shopping for the best fan are likely to be how effective it's going to be at moving air around and keeping temperatures comfortable, you're likely to lose your cool if it makes too much noise when it's doing so.
As a rule, the more powerful a fan is, the more noise it's going to make when it's doing its thing. So while a quiet fan may be less of a disturbance, it's also likely to be less effective at keeping you cool. The good news, though, is that none of these fans are unbearably loud; the loudest on our list is the Shark FlexBreeze that'll kick out 62db on its highest setting, and that's roughly equivalent to a normal conversation.
Five of our listed fans have a quietest volume of 35dB or less, and they're unlikely to cause you any disturbance at all. Of these we rate the Dyson Pure Cool Me as the best fan to have on when you're sleeping, because it's quite as well as incredibly effective.
Here are all the fans in our list, arranged in order of how quiet they are:
| Name | Min. noise | Max. noise |
|---|---|---|
| MeacoFan 260c Cordless | 20dB | 60dB |
| Dreo Polyfan 704S | 25dB | 51dB |
| Dreo Pilot Max | 25dB | 48dB |
| Meaco MeacoFan 1056P | 29dB | 60dB |
| Dyson Pure Cool Me | 35dB | 61dB |
| Shark FlexBreeze | 37.5dB | 62dB |
| Govee Smart Tower Fan | 38dB | 60dB |
| Vornado VFAN Sr. Vintage | 41dB | 53dB |
| Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact | 46dB | 61.5dB |
Is it safe to use a fan overnight?
In short, yes. There's no real danger of one of the best fans overheating and setting on fire in the night, as the movement of air keeps the motor cool; in fact the only real danger could be if you have a floor-standing fan that's powered by a cable that you could trip over if you get up in the night.
That said, there can be downsides to sleeping with a fan on. According to sleep experts at Amerisleep, these include triggering allergies by circulating dust, pollen and other allergens, causing congestion by drying out your nose and throat, drying out your eyes and skin and even aggravating muscle aches.
However even if any of these negative effects are the case for you, you can minimize them and still enjoy the benefits of sleeping with a fan on, by investing in an oscillating fan that doesn't blast you with a constant stream of air in one direction, setting a timer so that your fan turns off after an hour or two, and by keeping your fan set up at a distance with you so that you can enjoy the movement of air without being in the path of a concentrated airflow.
How we test fans
We've kept our cool when reviewing the fans for this guide. Each one has been used in our reviewers' homes during some hot spells throughout the year(s), proving their worth.
The fans we've reviewed include floor fans, desk fans, cordless fans, pedestal fans and a cooler / air purifier option. Each one has been called in to cater for the different cooling requirements in our homes. For example: those who work from home frequently will be looking for a desk fan, while those who want the power but have limited floor space may prefer a pedestal fan or a tower fan.
When we're testing we take into account the price and availability, design and performance. We measure the noise levels and the effectiveness of each of a fan's settings (if there is more than one setting). We like to test each product for a minimum of two weeks before either returning the model, or hanging on to it to test over a longer period. In those instances we do continue using the appliance, we'll update our reviews and this guide with any new findings.
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