Beating the heat isn’t easy but with the best fan by your side, humid days and nights can be that little bit more bearable. So, the Good Housekeeping Institute has done the homework and tested hundreds of fans to bring you this detailed guide to the top picks for every need, space and budget.
Below, we’ve broken down the difference between tower, pedestal, desk and handheld fans, detailing the benefits and potential drawbacks of each, as well as bringing you the best options to buy from each category.
If you’re after something that cools as well as circulating the air, we’ve also included our experts’ top-rated air coolers, all tried and tested in the lab.
What to read next
Tower fans
The best tower fans are designed to maximise air flow. They use a motor to draw hot air in through the back and sides and then push it back out at a consistent pressure. This powerful stream of air is what helps cool you down when you’re feeling hot and bothered.
Typically, tower fans are tall and slim (making them easy to store and good for tight spaces) and are quite energy efficient, with most models costing around 1p an hour to run when we tested them in the lab. Many also come with remote controls and app connectivity so you can turn your fan on without having to leave your bed or sofa. On the downside, the tall design does make them less stable, and they’re often less powerful than pedestal fans.
Our experts' top tower fans
Pros
- Powerful and versatile
- Easy to use
- Has a remote control
Cons
- Lowest setting isn’t very powerful
- Not very stable
Score: 92/100
Quickly working to make our testers feel more comfortable in a hot room, this is one worth grabbing before it sells out (which it quite often does in a heatwave – you have been warned!). It only offers 90 degrees of oscillation but there are 12 speeds to cycle through, and the LED display and intuitive design are a real bonus for the price tag.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Wasn’t noisy in testing
- Has a night mode, which reduces noise for better sleep
Cons
- Took trial and error to find the perfect setting – some air speeds feel quite similar
- Fiddly to set up filters
Score: 89/100
With built-in HEPA and carbon-activated filters, this sleek Dyson fan is an investment in good air quality. There are 10 air speeds to choose from and 350 degrees of oscillation so you can enjoy its cooling power from almost any spot in your room. It’s expensive but effective and you can control it from the app for ultimate ease.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Controls are responsive
- Has a night mode, which hides the bright display panel
Cons
- Not very stable
- Lowest setting wasn’t overly energy efficient
Score: 79/100
This well-designed tower fan freshens the air in your room while cooling it, thanks to its unique ion technology. It only oscillates up to 70 degrees, but its highest setting is powerful and effective.
Shop more of the best tower fans
Pedestal fans
The best pedestal fans contain a motor that turns curved blades inside the main body. These blades shift large amounts of air, creating that refreshing breeze-like sensation. They’re typically more powerful than a tower fan but can also be louder.
A traditional pedestal fan can look less sleek than a tower fan – something to bear in mind if you care about form as much as function.
Our experts' top pedestal fans
Pros
- Horizontal and vertical oscillation
- Has three heights, so can be used as a desk fan
- Control panel and remote are responsive and easy to use
Cons
- Cleaning the fan blades is a little fiddly and requires a screwdriver
Score: 90/100
This powerful pedestal fan was simple to assemble and straightforward to use from start to finish, earning rave reviews from experts and panellists. Its 12 speed settings and three airflow modes provide plenty of power to keep you comfortable in the heat and it consumed minimal electricity on test.
Pros
- Vertical and horizontal oscillation
- Has a timer that can be controlled from the app
- Consumed less than one pence an hour (0.001kWh) on test
Cons
- Slightly top-heavy so may be tricky to move and less stable than others
Score: 89/100
This pedestal and desk fan can be controlled from your phone or even via Alexa. It proved powerful in the lab and effectively cooled our panellists both via its direct stream of air and its overall effect on the room. It gets noisier from the fourth setting upwards, but it wasn’t any louder than your average dishwasher at max power.
Pros
- Has a clear LED display with auto-dimming at night
- Consumed 0.001kWh per hour on test (less than a penny)
- The fan was stable in use, even when oscillating
Cons
- Tilt must be adjusted manually
- Needs assembling and requires a screwdriver, which isn’t supplied
Score: 80/100
Testers loved this good value pedestal fan for its good range of air strengths, 12 speed settings, and three modes including a sleep function. It produced slightly more noise on max power than our winners but wasn’t any louder than you’d typically expect from a fan. All the controls were easy to use and responsive.
Desk fans
Essentially a mini pedestal fan, the best desk fans are small enough to sit on your desk or bedside table but still powerful enough to keep you cool. They work in the same way as pedestal fans, with spinning blades that push the air outwards around the room.
As they’re designed for desk use, they’re usually very quiet as well as being small and compact.
Our experts' top desk fans
Pros
- Easy to move thanks to carry handle
- Rated best for energy efficiency in testing
- Quiet
Cons
- Need a screwdriver to detach the grille for cleaning
Score: 91/100
Powerful, portable and quiet, this desk fan is a worthy winner. There are 12 air speeds as well as three different settings, including a night mode, which automatically turns the display off to help you get a good night’s sleep while keeping you cool. It also comes with a three-year warranty for peace of mind.
Pros
- Quiet
- Has a tiltable head
- Touch controls are responsive
Cons
- Can’t be disassembled for cleaning
Score: 89/100
Despite the more affordable price tag, this Philips fan impressed thanks to its powerful wind strength across the three speed settings. Sadly, it doesn’t oscillate (despite the manual claiming it does), but it’s still a reliable fan if you don’t need to share it with others in the room.
Pros
- One of the most powerful fans we tested
- Wireless and portable
- Comes in lots of colours
Cons
- The water tank requires frequent cleaning with vinegar
- No timer
Score: 88/100
If you find regular fans just don’t cut it in a heatwave, try this misting option from Shark. The lightweight fan sprays you with fine water droplets as it blows air for an extra cooling effect …let’s just say our testers were big fans. It doesn’t oscillate but it’s still a smart buy for hot days.
Shop more of the best desk fans
Portable and handheld fans
Keeping cool at home is one thing, but maintaining a comfortable temperature on the go is an entirely different challenge. Whether you’re tackling sweaty trains or buildings with no air conditioning, the best handheld fans are there to save the day.
Handheld models typically use less energy, but their small size limits their power. Consider them a more affordable option for quick relief in the heat.
Our experts' top portable and handheld fans
Pros
- Great distribution of air
- Well built
- Powerful
Cons
- No quiet mode
- Expensive for a handheld fan
Score: 92/100
Boasting 100 speeds and a battery that lasted three hours on the highest setting, this handheld fan is our winner for power and portability. It easily fits in your handbag and comes with a lanyard so you don’t forget it on the go (as if you would!). While pricier than others, it’s worth the investment for the speed range alone.
Pros
- Easy to wipe clean
- No external blades for hair or fingers to get caught
- Great for commuting
Cons
- Not very discreet
Score: 87/100
Neck fans are an excellent hands-free alternative for the commute and this one was a hit with our testers who also loved three different wind speeds. The 78 air outlets distribute plenty of cooling air around the neck and it stayed on easily, too.
Pros
- Has a sturdy base
- Can alter the direction of air flow by tilting the head
- Affordable
Cons
- Chunkier than other handhelds
- Only has three speeds
Score: 86/100
This mini fan can be used on a desk, in your car or as a handheld model, offering plenty of versatility on a hot day. Granted, it’s not the most powerful fan we’ve tried but it was still effective at providing and distributing a cooling breeze. It also charges in a speedy 2-3 hours from empty.
Shop more of the best portable and handheld fans
Air coolers
The best air coolers are actually somewhere between a fan and a portable air conditioning unit, and, as the name suggests, they work to cool the air rather than recirculating it. They draw warm air in, pass it over a cold-water tank, and cool the air as the water evaporates.
Prices can vary for these models and it will depend on your preference. Some premium models come with added features like app connectivity and timers, while others keep it simple.
Our experts' top air coolers
Pros
- Has an LED night light for lulling you to sleep
- Water tank is easy to remove and refit
- Low energy consumption due to size
Cons
- Lack of premium features
- Build is a little plasticky
Score: 81/100
Mini and budget-friendly, this cooler is great for popping on your desk or bedside table. It effectively cooled our test room in half an hour and has a good range of fan speeds. We did find it on the noisy side though, so it might not be best for light sleepers.
Pros
- Has a sleep mode
- Quieter than other models
- Controlled via your phone
Cons
- Small water tank
- Plastic build doesn’t feel durable
Score: 80/100
Connect this cooler to your smartphone so you can easily switch between settings and speeds from the sofa. Its cooling effect was more localised than with other models, but the powerful air strength made up for it.
Shop more of the best air coolers
How we test fans
The aim of our fan testing is to assess the effectiveness and range of each model's air strengths and speeds, and see whether they can keep us cool during hot weather.
Our experts assess the power of each tower, pedestal and desk fan by tracking the air strength with an anemometer. Measured in feet per minute, this shows how much air each fan blows out, and we take readings on both the fan’s highest and lowest settings at two different distances to see how powerful the air feels from up to 75cm away.
We also measure the sound levels and record energy consumption at the highest and lowest settings over a three hour period.
Next, we ask our in-house panel to sit in a 30°C room for 30 minutes with the fan running and and tell us how cool and comfortable they felt.
Finally, we rate the design, ease of use and clarity of instructions before awarding an overall score.
For air coolers, we follow similar protocols, but we also measure how effective the air coolers are at reducing the temperature of a space. Our experts do this by placing it in a 30°C room and measuring the temperature after 30 minutes, 90 minutes and two hours.
Why you should trust the Good Housekeeping Institute
For over 100 years, the Good Housekeeping Institute has been testing household products to help you separate the good from the great. Over this time, we’ve been constantly fine-tuning our testing protocols to ensure we test products robustly and fairly against their claims.
Our quality assurance and protocols manager, Blossom Boothroyd, has five years’ experience testing homes products in the lab and oversees the creation of all our protocols, ensuring we review products exactly as you use them at home.
Once testing has been completed and analysed by our testers, all the results are then passed to senior homes and lifestyle writer, Megan Geall. She’s written hundreds of product reviews and makes sure she answers all the most frequently asked questions in her write-ups.
Megan is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s senior homes and lifestyle writer. She loves diving into the latest product releases to find the very best buys on the market and has written hundreds of product reviews on everything from the best vacuum cleaners and coffee machines to the best ice cream makers and robot window cleaners.
When she’s not writing about the newest gadgets and gizmos for your home and garden, you’ll find her running every distance from 5km to 100km or relaxing at home with her cat – there really is no in between.
Megan has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously written for Stylist, Glamour, Women's Health, TimeOut, SquareMeal, and YOU magazine. You can find Megan on Instagram @meganlouisegeall.
