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Should you buy an air conditioner or an electric fan this summer?
Sam – an ex-science teacher – uses his physics degree and five years of experience at Which? to test everything from beard trimmers to electric bikes and trampolines.
When temperatures rise, an electric fan or air conditioner can help you beat the heat – but which is right for you?
In most cases, a reliable fan will do the job – the best we've tested are effective, easy to use and simple to store away once the typical British weather returns. But if your home gets unbearably hot, a fan might not be enough.
Our extensive testing has found that the best air conditioners can cool an entire room by 10 degrees in 30 minutes or less. Below, we compare electric fans and portable air conditioners to help you decide which is best for your home.
Air cons vs fans: how do they work?
An electric fan doesn’t actually lower the temperature of a room. Instead, it circulates air around your body, helping sweat evaporate faster so you feel cooler.
Air conditioners work differently. They remove heat from the air, physically lowering the temperature of a room. The trade-off is that they use far more electricity than a fan.
To feel the full benefit of a fan, you’ll usually need to sit fairly close to it. A good air conditioner, on the other hand, should cool the entire room, so you’ll notice the difference wherever you are.
Most portable air conditioners also need to vent warm air outside through a hose. If your model doesn’t include a window sealing kit, you’ll need to leave a window partly open, which can make it less energy-efficient.
Our expert guide to the best portable air conditioners explores typical energy usage and costs.
Air conditioners vs electric fans: size and storage
Portable air conditioners are bulky, heavy and harder to move around, so if you're short on storage space, an electric fan is usually the better option.
A desk fan can work well if you mainly need cooling while sitting at a desk, relaxing on the sofa or trying to sleep. They're compact enough to place close to you on a table or bedside cabinet, and lighter models are easy to carry from room to room.
Pedestal and tower fans are larger, but can circulate air more effectively around a whole room while still taking up less space than a portable air conditioner. They're also generally easier to move and store when the weather cools down.
If you're short on space, go for a fan.
Go for a fan if you're short on space. Choose a desk fan for personal cooling, or a tower or pedestal fan if you want to cool a larger shared room. A portable air conditioner can cool more effectively, but it takes up much more space and can be awkward to move around, especially in smaller homes.
Air conditioners vs electric fans: weight
Considering their size, it’s no surprise that portable air conditioners can be heavy.
At the time of writing, the lightest air conditioner we've tested weighs 21.5kg, which is roughly three times heavier than the heaviest fan we've tested.
Desk fans are usually light and easy to carry, while pedestal and tower fans are taller and have weighted bases. Even so, most are still relatively easy to move from room to room.
Portable air conditioners are bulky and awkward to move around. Once summer ends, you may need help storing one away, or enough space to leave it in place year-round. Choose an electric fan if you want something lighter and easier to move around your home.
Air cons vs electric fans: ease of use
Setting up a portable air conditioner can take more effort than using a fan. In our testing, some models needed to be left standing upright for up to six hours before they could be switched on.
Many models also come with a window sealing kit to help stop warm air getting back into the room, although these are often only suitable for sliding, sash or French windows.
If you buy a smart air conditioner, you'll also need to connect it to your wi-fi network. To keep any portable air conditioner working efficiently, you'll need to clean the dust filters and vents regularly.
Portable air conditioners take more time to set up and maintain than fans. If you want something simple that's ready to use straight out of the box, a fan is the easier option.
Air cons vs electric fans: extra features
Some portable air conditioners can also work as dehumidifiers, which could be useful if your home is prone to damp or condensation. However, standalone dehumidifiers are usually easier to use and more effective for everyday moisture control. See our dehumidifier reviews to find the best model for your budget.
Many air conditioners also include extra features such as sleep or night modes to reduce noise, smartphone app controls and fan-only settings. But if you expect to use the fan mode most of the time, it may make more sense to simply buy a fan instead.
Electric fans can come with useful extras, too, including remote controls, timers and multiple speed settings. We've also tested fans with built-in misting functions that spray a fine water mist into the airflow for extra cooling.
Portable air conditioners often come with more features than electric fans, but many fans include useful extras of their own and are usually simpler to use.
The best desk fans
We've seen that a good desk fan can make a big difference if you mainly need cooling while working, relaxing or sleeping.
In our rigorous tests, the best models combined strong airflow with low noise levels and a wide range of speed settings, making them much more versatile than cheaper alternatives. Some also include useful extras such as oscillation, timers and remote controls.
| Product | Which? test score | Quietness | Wind speed range |
|---|---|---|---|
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| 81% | |||
| 78% |
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The best tower fans
Tower and pedestal fans are a good choice if you want to cool a larger space without taking up too much room.
During testing, our top-rated models produced a consistent, pleasant breeze while staying relatively quiet, even at higher settings. We also found that spending a bit more will often get you a wider range of speeds and smoother airflow.
| Product | Which? test score | Quietness | Wind speed range |
|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Digital access £9.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? | 87% | ||
| 86% | |||
| 85% |
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The best air conditioners
Portable air conditioners are far more effective than fans at lowering the temperature of a room, but our tests found big differences between models.
The best air conditioners cooled rooms quickly and evenly while staying relatively quiet and energy efficient, whereas weaker models struggled to distribute cool air properly or were awkward to move around and use.
| Product | Which? test score | Cooling effectiveness | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Digital access £9.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? | 78% | ||
| 77% | |||
| 75% |
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