My kitchen was feeling hot and stuffy, so I swapped one of the lightbulbs for this viral £15 ceiling fan — it took seconds to fit and is surprisingly effective

I'd spotted this affordable ceiling fan all over my Instagram feed, and was intrigued by the fact that it could be connected to an existing light fitting without needing to call an electrician. So I knew I had to give it a go in my own home, but I'll be honest, I wasn't convinced it was going to be any good considering it cost just £15.

I'm always looking for ways to keep my south-east facing home cool, especially when a heatwave hits. I've relied on the best fans and portable air conditioners, but sometimes, floor-standing appliances aren't always appropriate, and you might not want to clutter surfaces with a desk fan. That's where ceiling fans can come into their own. But while some ceiling fans will require professional installation, that's not always the case.

With minimal assembly needed, this £15 Kouamor ceiling fan from Amazon is essentially installed like a lightbulb, and once in place offers three different wind speeds, as well as different light tones and brightness levels.

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So how did I get on with it in my home? Set up was quite easy. I simply needed to push the fan blades into the base (I had to use a bit of force to ensure they were seated properly, and fortunately Up and Down was written on the blades so I knew I was fitting them the right way up), and slot the lamp holder to the lamp body.

Once that was done, I just removed the existing light bulb and lampshade in my kitchen diner (making sure the power was off), and attached the ceiling fan. If you are thinking of buying one, make sure you check the type of light fitting you have. B22 is your standard bayonet fitting, while E27 is your standard screw fitting. If you do find you have the wrong one and can't or don't want to send it back, you can buy either a B22 to E27 adapter or E27 to B22 adapter from Amazon for around £5 for a pack of two.

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Once I'd attached the ceiling fan, I flipped on the light switch and then used the remote control to select my desired setting.

The light it gives off is a decent brightness, and I liked that I could choose between cool, neutral or warm light, and select the brightness level I wanted. I often work from my dining room table, so the natural light function was ideal.

Turning the fan mode on, I was initially a bit concerned as it seemed a little wobbly (my fitting is at the end of a cable, not fitted into the actual ceiling) but after a couple of seconds it stabilised and created a lovely downwards breeze. I felt most of the effects sitting directly beneath it, or at least close by, and while I could hear a gentle whirring sound, it wasn't distractingly noisy.

The remote is easy to get to grips with too, although there is a button with a moon and star, that despite pressing it, I have no idea what it actually does.

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