Pro Breeze’s new hybrid fan has been helping to freshen up my home with its nifty scent pod, and I have high hopes that it’ll see me through a summer heatwave
This fan made easy work of circulating air from every corner of my home, and made it smell delicious in the process
If you are looking for great value for money when it comes to a fan for your home, then I think the Pro Breeze AirFlo 43'' Hybrid Pedestal Fan fits the bill. It's got nine effective speed settings, which, when combined with the impressive oscillation capabilities, will easily reach every corner of whatever room you use it in. Combine that with the scenting function, and you don't have to worry about your home not feeling fresh. I found it really easy to use and loved how there are multiple control options, from onboard buttons to an app on your phone. While I did have a couple of issues with app connectivity, I think the pros massively outweigh the cons, especially at this price point.
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Impressive scope of oscillation
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Really quiet in lower power modes
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Simple-to-use app and remote
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Height adjustable design
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Scent pod is a nice touch
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Good value for money
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I found it fiddly to connect to WiFi
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App pairing dropped a couple of times during testing period
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Horizontal oscillation can't be personalised
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Here at Ideal Home, we're big fans (pardon the pun) of a lot of Pro Breeze's product offering, especially when it comes to oil-filled radiators and dehumidifiers. But we hadn't tried any of their fans before
As I look after our guide to the best fans, I had high hopes when I spotted Pro Breeze had released a new pedestal fan.
In a nutshell
The Pro Breeze AirFlo 43" Smart Hybrid Pedestal Fan is a new addition to Pro Breeze's product line up, and is designed to be adaptable (thanks to it's ability to switch from a desktop design to a floor standing one) and ultra quiet with faster air circulation than the average desk fan.
And it's definitely impressive on those counts.
This one also has smart control capabilities, meaning it can be operated from your phone via the Pro Breeze App, or by using voice control through Alexa or Google Home.
While some fans we've tested have quite complex smart controls, this fan's smart capabilities are easy to get to grips with.
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 Pro Breeze Air Flo 43'' Hybrid Pedestal Fan (with Smart App) in my 1970s three-bed home daily for more than three weeks. As well as trying it out in my kitchen diner to see how well it performed in a larger space, and my living room, I used it in my bedroom every night. Find out more about how we test fans.
Specification
- Type of fan: Pedestal (but adaptable to desktop)
- RRP: £109.99
- Weight: 5.06kg
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 36 x 108 x 30cm
- Wattage: 24W
- Wind speed (metres per second): 0.8-4.6m/s
- Running costs per hour (based on energy price cap at the time of writing): 0.6p
- Number of fan speed settings: 9
- Noise in dB: 34-64dB (based on my measurements)
- Smart features: App/ voice control
- Dual functionality: None
- Oscillation: Multidirectional (85° horizontal, 30°/ 60°/ 135° vertical)
Unboxing, setting up and first impressions
The Pro Breeze AirFlo 43'' Hybrid Pedestal fan arrived at my house in a large carboard box, with the dissembled fan safely secured in formed cardboard inner packaging, with each part then wrapped in recyclable plastic.
Opening up all the parts, I could see I had the fan head, a pole/stem, a base, power cable, remote control, batteries and an instruction manual. After testing multiple other fans, the assembly of the AirFlo felt intuitive. For a desktop set up, I just needed to attach the fan head to the base, or for pedestal mode, attach the pole to the base and then the fan head to the pole. The pieces are attached by twisting, which for me was easily done one-handed with the pole, but when it came to attaching the fan head, it's dimensions, and the fact it says not to manually oscillate, meant that I needed two hands to fix the parts together, and it felt a little unsteady until the screwed parts found enough bite.
It only took me a minute to assemble, and it is possible to plug it in and start using it straight away via the on-board controls or remote control, but as this model offers app control, I wanted to get that set up too before I started using it.
Reading the instructions, this seemed very simple. I just had to download the free Pro Breeze App, register, and then pair the fan. But while it seemed simple, it look me multiple attempts to get the fan to pair. Firstly, the instructions say to set your WiFi network to 2.4GHz. Now that might sound totally sensical and doable to some people, but I have no idea how to do that. So I tried pairing the fan anyway (I'd recommend having your WiFi details and password to hand). The first couple of attempts said I'd used the wrong password (despite very careful inputting), then the app told me to reset my router, which I did. When that didn't work, I bit the bullet and ended up down a rabbit hole trying to figure out how to edit my WiFi network from 5GHz to 2.4GHz. But before I managed to actually do that, success! The fan had magically paired.
Fortunately, to do the extra steps to set up voice control via Alexa, it was pleasingly simple and pain-free, especially as I already had the Alexa app installed on my phone. Thinking about the voice commands I'd be prepared to use, I edited the device name to Pro Breeze Fan rather than its full name, which is the default.
In terms of looks, I loved its contemporary appearance, with a white and charcoal colourway, and a sleek black LED screen. The base is quite large (about the size of a dinner plate), which isn't a problem in pedestal mode. But I did have to move a few things off my bedside table so it would fit if I wanted to use it in desktop mode at night.
What's it like to use?
I'm a big fan (pardon the pun) of a fan that's super easy to use, and the Pro Breeze AirFlo is definitely that, regardless of the control option I chose. I liked the simple on-board controls, where there are only four buttons to contend with (on/off, wind speed, vertical oscillation, and horizontal oscillation). Pressing and holding some of the buttons gave me access to the timer function and Max mode, so you can do all you need to do via the onboard controls.
Whenever I changed a setting, I'd see it flash up on the display panel, which then turns off again, until you change another setting. This is great from both an energy-saving perspective and when using the fan in the bedroom at night. The fact that the display turns off will be good news to those with any light sensitivity.
I also appreciated the simplicity of the remote control, which has the same four buttons as the on-board display, with the addition of Max and timer buttons.
But these were the control options I used the least. Instead, I preferred to operate the fan via the app on my phone. App control is largely very similar to the remote control, although I did find it a bit confusing that what is called Max on the remote is called Circulation in the app (this is effectively a single button that will put the fan on its highest wind speed setting and max oscillation).
In the App you have additional abilities to be able to create actions, like turning on the fan with specific wind speed and oscillation settings at a particular time, or when local temperatures reach a certain level. These were surprisingly easy to set up. I could also easily select how long I wanted the fan on for, which meant I didn't have to worry about turning it off before I went to sleep.
The app also offers some insights, but for me, these didn't seem that helpful. It just seemed to track the fan speed I chose. But over a longer term, this might become more useful and help determine which actions to set up. During the initial testing period, it didn't impact any of my decision-making.
However, as much as I loved the app control, twice during the three-week testing period, the fan inexplicably lost connection, and while reconnection should have a few short and simple steps, it took me multiple attempts to re-pair the fan with the app. If that happened in a heatwave, I definitely wouldn't have had the patience to reconnect it. Fortunately, there are multiple other control options to try.
I did try voice control a couple of times, and it's fine and useful when I have my hands full, but I didn't gravitate towards using it regularly. However, for those with any dexterity or mobility issues, this will be very useful indeed.
From a performance point of view, the nine wind speeds range from a very, very gentle breeze to a seriously strong blast. Using an anemometer to measure wind speed, I clocked the Pro Breeze AirFlo at 0.8m/s on its most gentle setting, up to 4.6m/s on its highest, most powerful setting.
And while I was initially a bit disappointed that the horizontal oscillation is either on or off rather than in selectable increments like the vertical oscillation, when you combine the two, the Pro Breeze AirFlo can reach every corner of the room with ease. Pop it in Max mode (AKA Circulation mode on the App) and the fan will switch to the highest wind speed and maximum oscillation, which will definitely clear a stuffy room in seconds.
I really liked how, in maximum vertical oscillation (120°), the fan head will tip gently towards the floor and then swoop to face directly towards the ceiling. And I could feel the breeze bouncing back from the ceiling, so I have no doubts that this is a fan that will work for multiple people in a room at once, rather than just as a personal fan.
As with any fan, its noise level is particularly important, and so I was thrilled when the lower fan speeds were so quiet that I could barely tell they were on. I clocked the lower settings from 34dB in the lowest, to 52dB in speed 5 (both of which are classed as a soft whisper. The sound level understandably goes up on the higher speed settings, with speed 6 clocked at 55dB (which is classed as gentle background noise, up to 64dB on the maximum setting (which is the equivalent of a chat with friends). It's not obscenely loud — it just feels like a hum in the background — although I wouldn't choose the highest setting when I was trying to drop off to sleep unless I was very, very hot.
The only other sound is the 60dB beeps that occur every time you change a setting. Again, these aren't an obnoxious sound, but when I was using the onboard controls and cycling through the wind speed settings, it was a bit irritating, and it's a shame they can't be muted.
Finally, another feature that I really liked was the scent pod. After all, who doesn't want their home to smell lovely? It was easy to remove the small disc that sits in the centre of the fan head, and while I didn't have any essential oils lying around, I did have a room spray that I applied a few squirts of to the sponge. Turning the fan on, it does gently scents the whole room with it. Delicious! Plus, the effects from that first spritz lasted well over a week.
Running costs
The Pro Breeze AirFlo 43'' Hybrid Pedestal Fan uses very little in terms of energy. Consuming only 24W means it costs 0.6p per hour to run based on the April 2026 energy price cap of 24.67p/kWh for electricity which was in place at the time of writing this review.
Both the timer function and app actions can help to keep energy usage as low as possible by ensuring you only use the fan when you need it. The fact the display isn't on constantly is another tick in the energy efficiency box.
Cleaning and maintenance
So far, the only cleaning the fan has needed is a little dust with a dry cloth, and I do like to whizz over the grilles on the fan head with my vacuum cleaner to help prevent build-up.
The instructions do say that every six months you should clean the built-in filter screen by unscrewing the rear grille at the base of the fan head, removing it and then taking out the filter and cleaning it with the brush attachment of your vacuum cleaner.
When it comes to the scent pod, while I've got no current plans to change up the scent I've used, if I did want to, I think I'd want to clean the sponge disc in warm soapy water and leave it to dry before trying a new scent out.
Who should buy this fan?
I think the Pro Breeze AirFlo 43'' Hybrid Pedestal Fan (with Smart App) is a great all-rounder that would suit most homes. It's great value for money, offering effective and quiet operation, all while using very little energy, with a close to £100 price point. While there were a couple of niggles I had around the reliability of app connectivity, it's really easy to use, which is what you want, especially if the reason you are using it is that you are roasting hot!
While this had just the right amount of smart capabilities for me, others may prefer something with even more smart features. In that case, the Dreo PolyFan 508S might be more your speed.
For something even quieter than the Pro Breeze AirFlo, you might prefer the Duux Whisper Flex Ultimate Fan, which is, so far, the quietest fan we've tested. It also has a rechargeable battery, so you can place it exactly where you want it without having to worry about trailing cables or the position of plug sockets.
If you aren't fussed about smart features, then I think the Meaco Sefte 10'' pedestal air circulator is ideal. Based on my own wind speed readings, it's more powerful (topping 5.2m/s in its highest power mode compared to the Pro Breeze AirFlo's 4.6m/s), quiet and adaptable between desktop and pedestal configurations and is simple to use via the onboard controls or remote control. The remote for the Sefte is also magnetic so you don't have to worry about losing it.