How to choose the best fan for you
5Temperature creeping up? Keep cool during the warmer months with a quality fan.
The best fans to buy: https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/fans/1404869/best-fans-heatwave
From tall tower fans to compact desk units, fans come in all shapes and sizes, with a variety of functions and at a range of price points to suit all budgets.
In this guide we’ll cover all the major styles and give you the rundown on which features to look out for so that you can find your ideal fan.
Which type of fan is best?
Most fans fit into one of four categories: desk fans, floor fans, pedestal fans and tower fans.
Pedestal fans: Freestanding pedestal fans are perfect for placing next to tables, desks and beds. Made up of a circular fan perched atop a slender stand, pedestal fans will usually offer oscillation and enough power to cover a large area. They can, however, be a little noisy and bulky.
Tower fans: Tower fans are ideal for locations where space is at a premium. They have a relatively small footprint but can still deliver plenty of cooling airflow. Most move left and right to deliver cooling over a wider area and you’ll find many come with a remote control too. You can’t tilt them, however, so you’ll need to make sure the model you choose is the right height for you.
Floor fans: Floor fans are powerful units designed to circulate air around larger spaces. The fan is typically circular, like a pedestal fan, but sits in a frame on the floor rather than atop a stand. They tend to be the largest type of fans and will often move the most air.
Desk fans: While desk fans can’t compete with larger units for sheer power, they are a compact, portable cooling solution that you can place just about anywhere. They usually offer adjustable tilt, allowing you to direct the airflow as needed, and some even offer automatic left and right movement, too.
How to choose the best fan for you
When weighing up different models fan speed is key. Ideally you’ll want a model with a range of speeds, allowing it to keep up in the height of summer and slow down when things start to cool off.
Fan noise is important too, especially if you want to run the fan while you’re watching TV or trying to sleep.
It can be tricky to evaluate fan power and noise without having the model in front of you and so you’ll want to check out the Expert Reviews website for our hands-on reviews and recommendations.
Features to look out for:
Oscillation:
An oscillating motor that allows the fan to repeatedly turn from left to right is well worth considering for larger spaces as the rotational movement helps spread the breeze over a larger area. Although less common, more advanced models can oscillate vertically, too.
Breeze and sleep modes:
Nearly all fans have different speeds to choose from but some also offer more advanced, automated speed variation. These modes allow a fan to either transition between faster and slower speeds, to imitate the feel of a natural breeze; or to gradually slow down from a faster speed to a quieter speed, so as not to disturb your sleep as the heat dies down.
Air purification:
Some fans even offer the ability to filter the air they circulate, pulling dust, pollen and other pollutants out of the air before blowing it back to you. This is especially useful if you suffer from allergies and allows the fan to double up as an air purifier.
Remote control:
A remote control lets you operate a fan from across the room and although cheaper models miss out on them, they’re more common than you think. Less common, however, is Bluetooth or Wi-Fi support. This lets you control a fan from the screen of your smartphone and often gives more data, such as the current temperature.
Timer:
While not quite as hands-on as a remote control, a timer is still a good feature to have, especially if you don’t want your fan to continue running all night, after you’ve fallen asleep.
For our complete rundown of the best fans on the market along with the latest deals, see our website: https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/fans/1404869/best-fans-heatwave
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