I used to think tower fans were nowhere near as good as pedestal versions, until I tried Meaco’s newest release

While we might be experiencing cooler temperatures after an extremely hot summer, seeing as cooling appliances had all but sold out by the start of the summer, I was pleased to see that Meaco had launched a new tower fan.

Most of the best fans I've tested over the last 12 months are out of stock, so if you've struggled to find a suitable option this summer, then it's worth seeing whether this new Meaco release might be suitable for your home, and picking it up so you're ready for the next bout of hot weather.

I've been testing the Meaco Sefte Tower Fan (small) in my own home for the last couple of weeks, and this is what it was like to use, and ultimately, whether I think it's worth your money.

In a nutshell

Fan aficionados Meaco have extended their Sefte range of fans to include two new tower designs.

I tested the small version, which is designed for desktop use, and was impressed by it's powerful wind speeds, and easy controls. It also offers a wide wind channel and multiple oscillation settings to customise the airflow to your preferences. It's also an affordable option, with an RRP of £69.99.

For those who want a floor-standing option, the large Sefte Tower Fan is almost twice the height of the small version and offers app connectivity so you can control it from your smart phone.

I've got to admit, I've avoided tower fans in my own home ever since I had a very cheap one back in my uni days that rattled whenever it moved and proved very ineffective unless you were sat right next to it. But this Meaco offering has definitely changed my mind!

Sarah Handley

As well as being Ideal Home's Renovation Editor, I also look after all of the website's heating and cooling content, which means I'm well versed in what it takes to keep your home a comfortable temperature year round and how you can do that in the most energy efficient way possible. I tested the Meaco Sefte small tower fan in my 1970s three-bed home, for more than two weeks during a heatwave . Find out more about how we test fans.

Specification

• Type of fan: Tower
• RRP: £69.99
• Weight: 2.5kgs
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 16.5cm x 49cm x 18cm
• Wattage: 2-20W
• Wind speed (metres/second): 2.2-6.9m/s
• Running costs per hour (based on energy price cap at the time of writing): 0.52p
• Number of fan speed settings: 12
• Noise in dB: 38-69dB
• Smart features: None
• Dual functionality: None
• Oscillation: Horizontal only (45°, 90°, 135° and 180°)

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

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As with all of the Meaco fans I've tried over the last 12 months, there's very little if any plastic included in the packaging and the Meaco Sefte Tower Fan is no different. It's all cardboard, paper and even a dust bag for the fan (which I'm definitely holding on to for storing it over the winter). The only bits of plastic I spotted was in the remote control battery compartment, and on the included battery packaging, and they were minimal.

The small tower fan is light enough that it's really easy to get out of the packaging single-handedly, and there was no assembly required on the fan itself. All I needed to do was add the battery to the remote control, position the fan where I wanted, plug it in and I was good to go.

My first impression of the fan was that I liked the neutral two-tone colourway (it's a off white and greige combo) that would be a subtle addition to most homes.

I like that there's no black screen (that I think would take away from the subtle appearance), instead useful information lights up on the front of the fan in a really pleasing way.

It's lightweight too, which meant it was easy for me to move from room to room. I also appreciated the compact dimensions of the base. This tower fan doesn't take up much room when it's popped on a table top, which makes it ideal for smaller bedside tables. This smaller version of the Sefte tower fan (it also comes in a taller version that is 92.5cm tall and app compatible), is just 49cm tall, meaning it's best suited to table top use. I used it primarily in my living room and bedroom, and it didn't feel cumbersome or overbearing in either space.

What's it like to use?

As with all of the Meaco products I've tried, the small Sefte tower fan is really easy to use by either the control panel that sits on top, or the magnetic and glow-in-the-dark remote control (the taller version can also be controlled by the Meaco app).

Both the on-board controls and the remote control are intuitive to use, with an obvious power button, up and down arrows to alter the wind speed, sideways arrows for sideways oscillation and a timer button for, you guessed it, setting the timer. The only button that may not feel intuitive for people who have never used a Meaco fan before, is the three dots, that switches the fan from normal mode, to night mode (where lights and beeps are turned off), to eco mode, which automatically adjusts the fan speed depending on the ambient temperature in the room.

I like that when the fan is connected to the power supply, it shows the ambient temperature in the room in really subtle way on the front of the fan, despite there being no visible LCD screen. Once you turn the fan on, there are small bars that appear around that ambient temperature that indicate which of the 12 wind speed setting you are on, as well as a numerical confirmation that flashes up for a second or two when you adjust the setting. If you are in night or eco mode, you'll also see a little moon or thermometer symbol display too.

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The wind speeds are powerful, ranging from 2.2m/s in speed one (which would be ideal for sleep) up to a very blustery 6.9m/s in speed 12, which will seriously get the air moving across your skin and was the one I turned to when it was 36°C outside and I was melting.

While the name Sefte is an Old English word that means quiet, gentle and undisturbed, and this tower fan definitely is quiet in it's lowest speed settings, it does get noisier as you go up to top speed. I clocked it at 38dB (which is equivalent to rustling leaves) up to 69dB, which is like a chat with friends, at top speed.

While the top speed isn't quiet, it's more likely you would only use this speed on rare occasions, and most likely during the day when it's hotter when the sound levels are less of a concern.

When it comes to the actual airflow, it's very impressive, even in such a compact package. Firstly, the tall and narrow design allows for a wide wind channel, which means you can feel it's effects on a larger portion of your body than you may with, say a pedestal fan that has a more concentrated channel. I found that when I had it on a sideboard in my living room, about three metres from where I was sitting, I could feel it's effects from the top of my head to my waist, which felt like it was offering maximum impact, especially on a hot day. However, in my bedroom, where I have a chest of drawers as a bedside table, it was too high to feel the direct benefit (but it's got me seriously rethinking my bedside table situation as a result!).

Secondly, I really liked the varying options this fan has when it comes to oscillation. It offers four different oscillation angles, from a narrow 45° to a broader 180°. When it roasting hot during the testing period, I definitely favoured the 45° angle as this felt like it was mostly aimed in my direction, and not blowing towards the window and making the blinds rattle. However, once it cooled down a little and I was trying to get some of the hot stuffy air out of my house, I preferred the 180° angle, which felt like it was having more of an effect on the room as a whole.

In terms of manoeuvrability, the small Tower fan was light enough to move around single handedly, by either holding the body of the fan in the crook of my elbow and holding on to the base, or by using the integrated handle.

Running costs

Using between 2 and 20W, this Sefte tower fan is very inexpensive to run, costing around 0.5p per hour to run, based on the July 2026 energy price cap.

Using the eco mode, where the speed will automatically adjust based on the ambient temperature (running in speed one and 19°C or under, up to speed 12 when the ambient temperature hits 30°C), will ensure it's used in it's most energy efficient manner.

Cleaning and maintenance

Keeping the Sefte tower fan dust free is key to it working most efficiently. You can easily wipe over the exterior with a dry cloth, but occasionally, it's worth dusting the fan blades themselves.

Making sure the fan is disconnected from the mains, you can remove the grill by unscrewing the screw beneath the handle on the back of the fan, and then unscrewing the screw at the base of the fan blades. Then you can remove the blades, dust them thoroughly and then following the same steps in reverse.

I found the screws to be on the small side so I needed to use a smaller screwdriver to remove them, and it was a little bit fiddly to screw the blades back in place. But with only a couple of choice words and deep breaths, I got it fitted back together.

Who should buy this fan?

If you are after a slimline and powerful fan that doesn't cost a fortune, then the small Sefte tower fan will be right up your street. With it's compact dimensions, it'll fit neatly on any table top, whether it's by the bed or on your desk, and it's quiet lower wind speeds will give you the comfort you need without distracting you from work or sleep. If you don't want to use it on a desktop, then I'd suggest opting for the larger floor standing model instead.

If a pedestal fan is more your speed, then the Sefte pedestal air circulator is one of the best fans I've ever used. It has multidirectional oscillation capability, which means it can direct air flow to ever corner of your room, bouncing air off walls and the ceiling and everything in between. There's also a battery-operated desktop version that is ideal if you don't want to be held back by the location or accessibility of your plug sockets.

If you are prepared to pay more for a fan, then the Shark TurboBlade performed really well in our tests. But it's around £100 more expensive.