Fan buying guide
By Kyle Marshall Rance. Updated .
A good fan makes a hot UK summer night bearable for a few pence an hour. This guide covers what a fan can and cannot do, which type suits which room, what hot + cool and purifier fans add, how loud they are, and what one really costs to run.
A fan cools you, not the room
Fans move air across your skin, which speeds up sweat evaporation and makes you feel several degrees cooler. They do not lower the temperature of the room. The motor even adds a little heat, so a fan left running in an empty room achieves nothing.
Evaporative air coolers (sometimes sold as "air coolers" or "ice coolers") are fans that blow through a wet pad or a water tank. The air coming out of the front is slightly cooler, but they add humidity to the room and work best in dry heat. In a muggy British heatwave the effect is small, often only a couple of degrees at the outlet.
Neither a fan nor an evaporative air cooler is an air conditioner. Only an air conditioner, with a compressor and a hose venting heat outside, actually lowers the room temperature.
Which type of fan?
- Tower fans: tall and slim, with a small footprint and wide oscillation. Good for bedrooms and living rooms where floor space is tight. Airflow is gentler than a pedestal fan at the same price.
- Pedestal fans: a round fan head on an adjustable stand. They push the most air for the money and can be angled over a bed or sofa. They take up more floor space and the blades need the occasional clean.
- Desk fans: small (usually 9 to 12 inch) fans for a desk, bedside table or kitchen counter. Ideal for one person at close range.
- Floor and high-velocity fans: low, powerful drum or box fans that move a lot of air across a big room, garage or workshop. Effective, but usually loud.
- Bladeless fans: air is drawn in through the base and pushed out of a ring. Smooth airflow, easy to clean and safer around small children, but you pay more for the airflow you get.
- Air circulators: designed to move air around the whole room rather than blow at one person, often with vertical as well as horizontal oscillation. Efficient and usually quiet, a good all-year choice.
Hot + cool fans
A hot + cool fan has a heating element as well as a fan, so it doubles as a small heater in winter. That is handy for a home office or bedroom, but the running cost in heat mode is completely different (see below). Check that the fan-only mode is quiet enough for you, as that is the mode you will use most in summer.
Purifier fans
Purifier fans add a filter, often HEPA, that captures dust, pollen and pet hair as air passes through. They suit hay fever sufferers in summer. Replacement filters are an ongoing cost, so check their price and availability before you buy.
Misting fans
Some fans spray a fine water mist into the airflow. The mist cools your skin quickly and works well outdoors, on a patio or in a conservatory. Indoors they add humidity, can leave damp patches on nearby surfaces, and need clean water to avoid smells.
Noise
Noise matters most in a bedroom. As a rough guide, under 35 dB on the lowest setting is quiet enough to sleep next to, and many fans have a night or sleep mode. DC motor fans (common on air circulators and premium tower fans) are usually quieter and more efficient at low speed than traditional AC motor fans. High-velocity floor fans are the loudest type.
Running cost
Fans are cheap to run. At around 25p per kWh:
- Desk fan (about 25 to 40 W): under 1p an hour.
- Air circulator with a DC motor (about 10 to 30 W): under 1p an hour.
- Tower or pedestal fan (about 40 to 60 W): 1p to 1.5p an hour.
- Evaporative air cooler (about 60 to 100 W): 1.5p to 2.5p an hour.
- High-velocity floor fan (about 80 to 120 W): 2p to 3p an hour.
A hot + cool fan in heat mode is another story: at around 2,000 W it costs about 50p an hour, the same as any other 2 kW heater. For comparison, a portable air conditioner typically draws around 1,000 W while cooling, so roughly 25p an hour.
When you actually need an air conditioner
A fan is enough when the room is warm but not stifling and you mainly want to feel cooler. You need an air conditioner when the room itself stays too hot to sleep or work in, for example a loft bedroom or a south-facing flat that sits above 26°C at night, or when someone vulnerable to heat needs the room genuinely cooled. Our portable air conditioner guide covers sizing, venting and running costs.
How we put this guide together
Power and noise figures come from manufacturers' published specifications and the UK retailer listings we track. Running costs assume about 25p per kWh, a round figure close to typical UK unit rates, so scale them to your own tariff. The comparison between fans, evaporative air coolers and air conditioners follows how each one works: only an air conditioner removes heat from the room. We have not lab-tested every model. Written by Kyle Marshall Rance. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@aircondrop.co.uk.
Quick answers
Does a fan cool a room?
No. A fan moves air across your skin so you feel several degrees cooler, but the room temperature stays the same. Only an air conditioner, which vents heat outside through a hose, actually lowers the temperature of a room.
Is an evaporative air cooler the same as an air conditioner?
No. An evaporative air cooler is a fan that blows through a wet pad or water tank. The air at the front is slightly cooler, but it adds humidity and in a muggy UK heatwave the effect is usually only a couple of degrees. It has no compressor and no exhaust hose, so it cannot cool a whole room.
How much does it cost to run a fan in the UK?
At around 25p per kWh, a desk fan or DC air circulator costs under 1p an hour, a tower or pedestal fan 1p to 1.5p an hour, and a high-velocity floor fan 2p to 3p an hour. A hot + cool fan in heat mode draws about 2,000 W, so roughly 50p an hour.
Tower fan or pedestal fan: which is better?
A pedestal fan moves more air for the money and can be angled over a bed or sofa. A tower fan takes up less floor space and oscillates widely, but its airflow is gentler at the same price. Pick a pedestal fan for raw cooling and a tower fan where floor space is tight.
What is the quietest type of fan for a bedroom?
Air circulators and premium tower fans with DC motors are usually the quietest at low speed. Look for under 35 dB on the lowest setting and a night or sleep mode. High-velocity floor fans are the loudest type.
Is a bladeless fan worth it?
A bladeless fan gives smooth airflow, is easy to clean and is safer around small children. You pay more for the airflow you get than with a pedestal or tower fan, so it is worth it mainly if safety or looks matter to you.