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Best fans 2026: quiet tower, desk and pedestal fans tested to beat the heat
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.
How our tests find you the best
We've tested 21 fans
To bring you the best, we've spent hours meticulously testing each fan in the search of the perfect balance of quietness, versatility and feel.
Noise
What use is keeping cool if you can't sleep or think? We measure fan noise in decibels, so you can find the right fan for your bedroom or home office.
Range of speeds
Gentle breeze or strong wind for rapid cooling? We use an anemometer to measure wind speeds on low and high settings, so you can choose.
We also test...
How pleasant the breeze feels (no matter the setting), how easy they are to assemble and use, how much electricity they use and how they withstand accidental knocks.
The best fans create a pleasant, quiet breeze, helping you to feel cool in stuffy rooms and making hot flushes more manageable, all without driving you mad with their noisy whirring.
We test tower, pedestal and desk fans – and even some hybrid models – from top brands including Duux, Dyson, Meaco and Shark.
Recently, in our search for the best cooling fans, we've also tested models that can also spray cooling water mist.
Three fans blew away the competition to be named Best Buys, and there are two Great Value picks for tighter budgets.
The tower and pedestal fans we tested
The biggest brands and the most popular 13 fans are listed below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the fan test results below.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.
| Electric fan | Price | Score | Quietness | Wind speed range | Pleasant breeze rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Digital access £8.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? | 87% | ||||
| 86% | |||||
| 85% | |||||
| 80% | |||||
| 78% | |||||
| 78% | |||||
| 74% | |||||
| 73% |
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations
Unlock tableGet Digital access £8.99 per month, cancel at any time.
Already a member?
Log in
Date tested: April 2026, April 2025, May 2024. Page last checked: April 2026. We're not able to show every retailer, and lower prices may be available.
Quietness is measured in decibels at the highest and lowest settings, and assessed by the quality of the noise produced. The wind speed range is based on the difference between the measured wind speeds at the highest and lowest settings. Pleasant breeze is based on a blindfolded panel's assessment of the fans' low, medium and high settings, at a two-metre distance from the fan.
The desk fans we tested
| Electric fan | Price | Score | Quietness | Wind speed range | Pleasant breeze rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Digital access £8.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? | 91% | ||||
| 81% | |||||
| 78% | |||||
| 78% | |||||
| 78% |
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations
Unlock tableGet Digital access £8.99 per month, cancel at any time.
Already a member?
Log in
Date tested: April 2026, April 2025, May 2024. Page last checked: April 2026. We're not able to show every retailer, and lower prices may be available.
Quietness is measured in decibels at the highest and lowest settings, and assessed by the quality of the noise produced. The wind speed range is based on the difference between the measured wind speeds at the highest and lowest settings. Pleasant breeze is based on a blindfolded panel's assessment of the fans' low, medium and high settings, at a two-metre distance from the fan.
A selection of the electric fans we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best fans from our tests.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.
Bush Rechargeable and Foldable Pedestal Fan
Available from Argos (£20)
Most recently tested April 2026
Dimensions (WxDxH) 21 x 21 x 79.5cm (10cm folded)
Cost to run per hour (high setting) Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal
Need to know 1.2kg, 3 speed settings, battery powered (lasts up to five hours on full charge), no oscillation (can manually adjust vertical tilt)
Duux Whisper 3 Pedestal Fan
Most recently tested April 2026
Dimensions (WxDxH) 34 x 34 x 95cm
Cost to run per hour (high setting) Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal
Need to know 3.8kg, 26 speed settings, 2.35-metre cable, horizontal and vertical oscillation, remote control included, programmable timer (up to 12 hours), night mode (halves the display's brightness and sounds turn off), natural wind mode (fan speed randomly varies), other colours available
Dyson AM07 Tower Fan
Most recently tested May 2024
Dimensions (WxDxH) 23 x 23 x 100cm
Cost to run per hour (high setting) Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal
Need to know 2.9kg, 10 speed settings, 1.8-metre cable, horizontal oscillation, remote control included, programmable timer (up to nine hours)
Dyson CF1 Desk Fan
Most recently tested April 2026
Dimensions (WxDxH) 36 x 36 x 55cm
Cost to run per hour (high setting) Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal
Need to know 1.8kg, 10 speed settings, 1.8-metre cable, horizontal oscillation (15, 40 and 70 degrees) and manual vertical tilt, remote control included, programmable timer (up to eight hours), can be operated with the MyDyson smartphone app, night mode (lowers fan speed and dims display)
Honeywell HT900E TurboForce Power Desk Fan
Most recently tested May 2024
Dimensions (WxDxH) 28 x 16 x 27cm
Cost to run per hour (high setting) Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal
Need to know 1.5kg, three speed settings, 1.8-metre cable, no oscillation settings (can manually adjust vertical tilt)
Igenix DF0035 Tower Fan
Most recently tested April 2026
Dimensions (WxDxH) 22 x 22 x 80.5cm
Cost to run per hour (high setting) Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal
Need to know 2.5kg, three speed settings, 1.7-metre cable, horizontal oscillation, remote control included (requires 2 x AAA batteries), programmable timer (up to seven hours), sleep mode (reduces wind speed by one level every 30 minutes), natural mode (varies wind speed randomly)
John Lewis 16" Pedestal Fan
Available from John Lewis (£30)
Most recently tested April 2025
Dimensions (WxDxH) 44 x 40 x 120cm
Cost to run per hour (high setting) Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal
Need to know 5kg, three speed settings, 1.5-metre cable, horizontal oscillation
John Lewis Water Tank Air Cooler Tower Fan
Available from John Lewis (£99)
Most recently tested April 2026
Dimensions (WxDxH) 31 x 31 x 103cm
Cost to run per hour (high setting) Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal
Need to know 6.5kg, three speed settings, 1.7-metre cable, horizontal oscillation, remote control included (requires 2 x AAA batteries), programmable timer (up to seven hours), sleep mode (cycles down windspeed over time), natural mode (varies wind speed randomly), cooling mode (cools air with 4.5-litre water tank), includes two ice packs to add to water tank
Levoit LTF-F362 Tower Fan
Most recently tested April 2026
Dimensions (WxDxH) 17 x 17 x 92cm
Cost to run per hour (high setting) Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal
Need to know 4.1kg; 12 speed settings; 1.7-metre cable; horizontal oscillation; remote control included; programmable timer (up to 12 hours); has turbo mode (highest setting, then switches to auto mode when room temperature drops by 2.7ºC), auto mode (speeds changes depending on room temperature) and advanced sleep mode (increases/decreases speed every time temperature changes by 1ºC)
Meaco Fan Sefte 10" Pedestal Air Circulator
Most recently tested April 2025
Dimensions (WxDxH) 34 x 34 x 110cm
Cost to run per hour (high setting) Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal
Need to know 5.4kg, 12 speed settings, 1.5-metre cable, horizontal and vertical oscillation, remote control included, programmable timer (turn on and off, up to 12 hours), has an eco mode (speed changes depending on room temperature) and night mode (reduces speed by one step every 30 minutes to the lowest speed)
Meaco Fan Sefte 10" Table Air Circulator
Most recently tested April 2025
Dimensions (WxDxH) 26 x 22 x 43cm
Cost to run per hour (high setting) Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal
Need to know 2.95kg, 12 speed settings, 1.5-metre cable, horizontal and vertical oscillation, remote control included, programmable timer (turn on and off, up to 12 hours), has an eco mode (speed changes depending on room temperature) and night mode (reduces speed by one step every 30 minutes to the lowest speed)
Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo FA050UK Misting Fan
Most recently tested April 2025
Dimensions (WxDxH) 20 x 22 x 28cm
Cost to run per hour (high setting) Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal
Need to know 1.8kg, five speed settings, 3.8-metre cable, no oscillation settings (can manually adjust vertical tilt), has gentle (speed randomly changes) and strong (speed randomly changes) breeze modes, has built-in misting function (continuous or intermittent), can run off built-in battery (approx 12 hours on lowest speed or one hour on the highest speed)
Shark TurboBlade TF200S Multi-Directional Cooling Tower Fan
Most recently tested April 2026
Dimensions (WxDxH) 31 x 31 x 129cm (96cm if fan blades are rotated horizontally)
Cost to run per hour (high setting) Log in or join Which? to instantly reveal
Need to know 8.8kg, 10 speed settings, 2.9-metre cable, horizontal oscillation (45, 90 or 180 degrees), manually tilt fan blades vertically, remote control included, programmable timer (up to 12 hours), sleep mode (fan speed adjusts to best settings for ambient noise, dims display and mutes chimes, boost mode (high wind speed above highest standard level), breeze mode (varies wind speed randomly)
More fans from our tests
Here are the rest of the fans we've tested, listed in alphabetical order.
| Electric fan | Price | Score | Quietness | Wind speed range | Pleasant breeze rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bush 7" Desk Fan | Argos (£15) | ||||
| Dyson AM09 Hot & Cool Tower Fan and Heater | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50021220 | ||||
| John Lewis 30" Tower Fan | John Lewis (£50) | ||||
| Meaco 1056 Desk Fan | SQUIRREL_TEXT_12879497 | ||||
| Russell Hobbs RHMDF1201WDB 12" Desk Fan | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50007395 | ||||
| Shark FlexBreeze FA220UK Hybrid Pedestal Fan | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50014402 |
Date tested: May 2024, April 2025, April 2026. Page last checked: April 2026. We're not able to show every retailer, and lower prices may be available.
Quietness is measured in decibels at the highest and lowest settings, and assessed by the quality of the noise produced. The wind speed range is based on the difference between the measured wind speeds at the highest and lowest settings. Pleasant breeze is based on a blindfolded panel's assessment of the fans' low, medium and high settings, at a two-metre distance from the fan.
How we test fans
We buy the bestselling and most searched-for fans from UK retailers. We buy every fan we test – no freebies from manufacturers – meaning our reviews are honest and unbiased.
After testing fans for a few years and surveying the general public to ask them what the most important factors are when choosing a fan, we now place greater emphasis on each fan's noise and wind speed range.
We regularly revisit the fans on sale to see if any more popular models need testing. When we find them, we do.
- Noise We use a decibel meter to get objective measures of how loud each fan is on low and high settings. We also have a panel of testers who rate the quality of noise, penalising a fan if it makes whirry, rattly or other unpleasant sounds.
- Wind speed We use an anemometer to objectively measure wind speed (in metres per second). The best fans have a big difference between their low and high settings. as well as a panel of testers to provide an objective perspective.
- Pleasant breeze A panel of blindfolded testers rate each fan on various settings, assessing how strong the fan feels relative to the chosen setting, and if the airflow is continuous or feels intermittent.
- Ease of use We assemble each fan and run through all the settings, rating how easy they are to build, control and operate.
- Durability Simulating accidental knocks, we tip each fan over multiple times to see which fans are the most robust.
- Energy consumption We run each fan on its highest setting while oscillating to sort the efficient from the energy guzzlers
Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent
What's the quietest fan for sleeping?
While the charity Electrical Safety First recommends not leaving a fan on all night, as there’s always a risk that the motor could overheat, many people still seek out a quiet fan with enough oomph for a comfortable night's sleep during summer.
The key features to look out for are:
- Fans with a range of speed settings to make it easier to fine-tune that balance between noise and airflow.
- Fans with programmable timers switch off after a set period, so you don't have to get up to turn them off, and it's safer than running all night.
- Fans with sleep modes automatically lower the fan speed over time, dim display lights and mute any sounds.
Of course, the most important factor is how quiet a fan is.
We've measured the decibels from every fan at a 1.5-metre distance, on their low and high settings. Join Which? to find out which won't disrupt your beauty sleep.
Do fans cool a room?
The best electric fans create a refreshing breeze that will make you feel cooler by aiding in the evaporation of sweat from your skin.
But they don't actually cool the air in your home - they just move it around. So don't leave them running when you're not in the room, it's just a waste of power.
Electric fans vs air conditioners
If you want to cool a room on hot summer days, especially a large one, you could consider investing in a portable air conditioner.
They're usually more expensive and use more electricity than fans. But they pump out cooled air that will actually reduce the room's temperature.
Some also have features such as dehumidification and smartphone control.
Read our extensive reviews of the best air conditioners
How to make a fan blow cold air
To make a fan actually cool air, you need to introduce something that takes the heat out of it:
- Place ice packs or a bowl of ice in front of the fan The frozen water absorbs the heat, which lowers the temperature of the air moved by the fan.
- Use a fan with a built-in water tank or mister These work on the same principle as placing a bowl of ice in front of a normal fan, but the cooling function is built in.
These measures will make the air in front of the fan cooler, and will certainly feel refreshing if it's pointing directly at you. Realistically, though, it won't significantly lower the room's overall temperature, especially if it's a large one.
The best way to lower the temperature in your home with a fan is to exhaust hot air and replace it with cooler air.
- In the evening/night, when the air is cooler outside, place a fan facing outward about one metre from an open window.
- Open another window, ideally on the opposite side of your house – this creates a system throughout your home that blows warm air out and draws in cooler air.
- You can enhance this effect by using a second fan by the second window, pointing inward to help move the cold air in.
- During the day, when the temperature outside rises higher than inside, shut your windows - you want to keep as much of the cool indoor air in as possible.
- Draw curtains to block direct sunlight, which can heat the home through radiation.
- If you need to cool down during the day, point the fan at yourself.
Does a fan help with hot flushes?
Common symptoms of menopause include hot flashes and night sweats. A fan can help ease these by cooling the skin down.
Of course, you can't carry a 6kg tower fan around with you, but we're currently testing portable handheld fans, so check back here soon for our recommendations for on-the-move relief.
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