Best fans of 2024 – tried and tested models to keep you cool and beat the heat

Investing in one of the best fans is no doubt a brilliant way to help you keep cool as temperatures continue to rise – and if this summer is expected to be anything like last year's, buying one while it's early is something you'll thank your future self for.

Although a fan won't dramatically reduce the temperature of a room in the same way that one of the best portable air conditioners will, by moving the air within a room and keeping that airflow circulating, the breeze a fan creates will cool your skin and make hot and humid conditions far more bearable.

However, like most things in life, when it comes to choosing the best fan for cooling you down fast, you tend to get what you pay for. A budget fan will help to create a breeze, but the downsides are likely to be that dreaded drone-like noise and a lack of functionality. Should you choose to invest a little more, you can get powerful cooling performance alongside virtually silent operation, plus a whole host of added benefits such as remote control operation, smart home compatibility, cordless design, and more.

To help you make the best choice for your home, we've rounded up the best fans on the market, trying and testing bestselling options from market leaders Meaco, Duux, and Dyson, as well as affordable options from Amazon and more. We've rated each fan for cooling performance, noise, ease of use, assembly, and energy efficiency to help you find the right cooling fan for your budget.

Quick list

Short on time? This quick list is an overview of the very best fans currently available on the market. You'll find more information on each fan and why our team of expert testers recommend it if you keep scrolling.

Best fans of 2024

Best fan overall

If you're looking to invest in a fan that really does the business, then it's hard to fault the MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator. Whilst it's not cheap, it delivers powerful, reliable, energy-efficient and user-friendly performance for its mid-range price point.

This option offers 12 speed settings, and with its ability to move 1056 cubic metres of air per hour, it's the most powerful fan in our round-up. As it's a fan's ability to move the air that results in its cooling powers, it's no surprise that the MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator also did the best job of all the fans we've put through the Ideal Home testing process at cooling us down. Even more impressive is the fact it delivers such power whilst remaining very energy-efficient, using just 9.5-23.5W.

What's more, this fan's multi-directional oscillation means it's not just the person sitting directly in front of the fan who benefits from its temperature-reducing powers. A 60° vertical swing and 80° horizontal swing can be combined into a multi-directional oscillation that smoothly bounces air off walls, ceilings, and surfaces to circulate air and cool the whole room rather than just one area.

Thanks to its DC motor – part of the reason this fan requires a little more investment – it also delivers that cooling airflow almost silently. Whilst it can't quite beat the Duux Whisper Flex Ultimate Fan on the 'virtually silent' front, it comes very close, especially when you consider what powerful airflow this fan can dish out. There's no hint of the dreaded droning noise that's associated with most fans, instead the only noise is of gushing air.

Better still, there's no self-assembly required with the MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator – a surprising rarity amongst the fans we've tested, and a great plus point compared to faffing around with assembly in the middle of a heatwave. Its controls are very easy to use, there's a handy remote control, an on and off timer, and ECO mode which automatically shifts the fan speed depending on the temperature registered on the fan's in-built sensor.

All in all, whilst it may cost significantly more than a budget fan, the MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator offers so many added extras that it's definitely our first choice when it comes to beating the heat.

Read our full MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator review for more detail.

Best fan for bedroom

Why should you invest in one of the most expensive fans in our round-up? Because the Duux Whisper really does live up to its name. It's the quietest fan we've tested and virtually silent on its lowest settings. This makes it the perfect fan for the bedroom, and, even on its most powerful settings with its 13-50 dB noise levels it remains the quietest fan we've come across.

Thanks to its rechargeable battery pack, this fan is also one of the few models that can be operated cordlessly. Yes, regular recharging of the battery pack is a little annoying, but being able to place the fan anywhere you want without being tied to a power socket or having to negotiate the trip hazard of extension leads is a real boon.

The 'natural wind' mode is also a delight. This functionality mimics the subtle variation in speed of a natural breeze, and although it may sound trivial, if you're sat directly in front of the fan attempting to stay cool then the variation in airflow feels far less tiring against your skin than a constant blast.

Despite its high price tag, this fan also offers better energy efficiency than many cheaper models over the long run. The affordable Honeywell Turbo Force Power Fan retails at under £25 but uses 40W of power to run compared to the Duux Whisper Flex Ultimate Fan's 3-32W.

There are downsides beyond its price point; namely the fact that this fan requires self-assembly – you'll only have to do it once, but if you're already a little hot and bothered from the heat then it's a bit of an annoyance. And, unlike the MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator which excels at simplicity of use, this Duux fan really has little too much functionality – does anyone really need 30 speed settings? – and its awkward controls make it a faff to operate at times. Although it does offer Smart functionality when connected to WiFi if you're keen to connect a fan to your Google Home hub or Alexa.

Really though, this fan is all about the noise, or lack thereof. If you're looking for the quietest fan out there, we think this is it.

Read our full Duux Whisper Flex Ultimate Fan review for more detail.

Best bladeless fan

If you're looking for the crème de la crème of the fan world, then a Dyson bladeless fan is perhaps the most aspirational buy. Well-executed design, innovative oh-so-stylish bladeless design, and powerful multifunctional performance mean a Dyson fan easily stands out from the crowd.

However, even if you have the budget for a Dyson fan's eye-watering price tag (prices start from £399.99 and increase to £699.99, although you can sometimes make savings with Dyson discount codes), deciphering which Dyson fan is the right one for you from the brand's extensive and bewilderingly-titled product range is a feat in itself. That's because Dyson doesn't actually make a standalone fan. Instead, the fan element is almost incidental, combined with 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 appliances more focused on air purification, humidifying, or heating. In this case, the Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact not only cools but also helps with air quality issues.

Our Kitchen Appliances Editor, Molly Cleary, found that it was a fantastic sleep aid for those especially hot nights and its air-purifying functions were perfect for tackling the often humid, stifling feeling that accompanies British summer and making for a more comfortable home. However, it is quite an investment and if you don't need the extra air treatment functions, there are plenty of other more affordable options in this guide that are just as good if you can't decide whether a Dyson fan is worth it.

Read our full Dyson Purifier Cool Autoreact fan review for more detail.

Best energy-efficient fan

The EcoAir Kinetic Fan is a robust and well-built fan that offers powerful performance, relatively simple assembly, straightforward and easy-to-use controls, quiet operation, and best-in-class energy efficiency.

Although its DC motor means a more expensive initial outlay, as a result, the EcoAir Kinetic uses just 1-18 watts of energy to run, making this the most affordable fan we've tested in terms of running costs.

And whilst our reviewer found the Duux Whisper Flex Ultimate Fan just pipped the EcoAir to the post in the 'virtually silent' stakes, this fan is still super quiet compared to most. Plus, it's powerful, with the ability to circulate up to 3264 m³/of air per hour.

The EcoAir Kinetic's downsides are its size, which means it's not the best fit for a small home and can make storage a struggle if you're not blessed with a garage to stash it out of sight when it's not in use. It's also not the most portable fan in our round-up, weighing in at 5kg, the heaviest of all the fans we've tested. Our reviewer also wasn't entirely sold on its slightly dated appearance, although they were impressed by its build quality.

However, it's a solid performer, its low energy consumption is very impressive, and it's one of the simplest fans to operate at its level of performance, and – when temperatures rise and patience gets frayed as a result – that simplicity could well be worth its weight in gold.

Read our full EcoAir Kinetic Fan review for more detail.

Best fan and air purifier

The Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP09 Formaldehyde is such a 3-in-1 beast, combining a fan, air purifier, and heater into one uber-stylish package. In our opinion, it's perhaps the most versatile of all the Dyson fans, offering functionality that best suits British homes and will offer useful year-round use.

To make the most of its features, our tester found it's best to employ 'continuous monitoring' and 'auto' mode, whereby the purifying fan heater will continuously monitor air quality, temperature, and humidity information, display results on the LCD screen and in the Dyson Link Smart app, and on-board sensors will adjust the settings of the machine accordingly.

It's impressive stuff, but if you purely want a fan that performs well, then in our opinion, the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool HP09 Formaldehyde is an investment you don't need to make. Meaco and Duux offer fans with comparable cooling effects for considerably less cash, but if you're also considering investing in an air purifier, and you have the budget for a Dyson fan's super-cool good looks, this is a stylish investment you may be happy to make.

Read our full Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool™ Formaldehyde HP09 Purifying Fan Heater review for more detail.

Best affordable fan

The Honeywell Turbo Force Power Fan is one of the cheapest fans we've reviewed, which is no doubt why it's one of Amazon's bestselling fans. In fact, this budget fan has racked up over 20,000 ratings, with Amazon shoppers giving it an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

However, there's rarely a bargain without a catch, and the downside to the Honeywell Turbo Force Power Fan's affordable price point is its intrusive noise and limited functionality.

For some, its budget price tag will be worth putting up with the increased noise levels – this is a fan that perfectly illustrates the dreaded droning noise that most of us associate with a bog standard fan and soon became tiring to the point of us turning it off long before we'd cooled down in our testing – for others the investment in a quieter fan, like the top-of-the-range MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator or Duux Whisper Flex Ultimate Fan will be worth its weight in gold.

It's also not the coolest fan out there, the MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator, Duux Whisper Flex Ultimate Fan, and EcoAir Kinetic Ultra Silent Air Circulation DC Fan all deliver a more powerful, and therefore cooler, airflow. And it lacks functionality. There are just three speed settings, and there's definitely no automated oscillation or 'natural wind' mode here, although you can manually tilt the fan through 90˚ up-down.

The Honeywell Turbo Force Power Fan is basic in all senses of the word, however, that's also part of its appeal. There's no self-assembly to do, and no faffing with bloated control options, its manual control button couldn't be simpler to adjust, even if it feels a bit cheap.

Ultimately, this fan is all about the price point. You can generally pick up the Honeywell Turbo Force Power Fan for under £30 which makes it a very cheap option, as long as none of its downsides are deal breakers for you.

Read our full Honeywell Turbo Force Power Fan review for more detail.

Best handheld fan

As the weather heats up, we think this super cute and super affordable handheld fan from John Lewis & Partners is going to become your new best friend.

This versatile handheld fan is perfect for staying cool on the go, with its compact design easily slipping into a bag and making it the ideal companion for any commute or adventure away from the air con. Even better, the handle cleverly incorporates a fold-out stand, so it can be set up hands-free on your desk or table once you reach your final destination.

The fan comes with a rechargeable battery and charging cable included and can be fully charged in around 5 hours. Handily the charging cable also plugs into a standard USB port, so it can also be recharged via your laptop. We found battery life to be great, with the fan able to operate for approximately 9 hours on low speed, 6 hours on medium speed, and 4 hours on high speed, and it was surprisingly quiet for a bladed design.

Each year John Lewis & Partners launches the fan in a new set of shades – this year white, sage green, orange, and navy – and unsurprisingly, each year they sell out in record time as temperatures rise. We thoroughly recommend you beat the rush and snap yours up now whilst they're still in stock – after all, there's a good reason most of the Ideal Home team now won't leave the house one!

Best tower fan

We have a review of the Levoit Classic 36-inch tower fan in the works, but we included it in this list because by all accounts it’s a good price and regularly gets good reviews from verified purchasers across a multitude of websites.

With its included remote control, you can control your fan setting at the touch of a button which is great for keeping our Senior Digital Editor, Jenny, cool overnight without her having to get out of bed. Plus it features an Advanced Sleep Mode which turns off display lights and slowly adjusts the fan speed based on your stages of sleep.

Its 90-degree oscillation will make it easy for everyone to get a turn and with its five fan speed options, it's temperature responsive, which means it automatically adjusts its speed based on the room temperature. So, for example, if a room is significantly stuffy you'll get a blast of cool air at a maximum speed of 25ft/s.

And if you're wondering if it's quiet, we can confirm it really is and it has been certified ultra-quiet by QuietMark, so there's no need for earplugs overnight.

Set up is super easy too. Well, technically, there isn't much setup at all. Just snap the base pieces together, connect them to the unit and it's good to go. This makes it super easy to clean as you can simply remove and wash the back cover to keep it dust-free.