5 Fans That’ll Actually Keep You Cool at Home and on the Go

5 Fans That’ll Actually Keep You Cool at Home and on the Go
At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

With summer hot on the horizon, finding the best fan for you can be awfully tricky. Some of us don’t have the luxury of sitting poolside or switching on the aircon to combat the heat. Instead, we’re packing away our heaters in favour of pulling out ye olde reliable pedestal fan.

Fan technology is getting better and better each year, and the sheer amount of competition makes it difficult to know which one is going to blare white noise all night and which one won’t. If you’re someone who runs hot, this could be the most crucial choice you make for years to come.

What To Consider When Shopping For A New Fan

Which fan you choose will be dependent on the amount of space you have in your home and your budget.

Our top tip is to choose a fan with a number of different speeds to control the amount of rotations per minute (RPM) for you. On a particularly hot day, sitting in front of a strong fan breeze is a lifesaver from the sweats. Keep in mind that most fans come with three different modes: low, medium and high. If you can find anything with more, that means you’ve found one with a wind speed that can be personalised to your preferences. Any less, then don’t bother.

In addition, you don’t want to select a fan that keeps you up all night so finding one with minimal noise is essential for a good night’s sleep. Keep an eye out for fans that oscillate too. If you have a large room, a fan that blows in only one direction likely won’t keep everybody happy – except for that lucky soul who gets to hog it.

Finally, we recommend picking a fan that is lightweight (4kg and under) so you can carry it with you from room to room.

Thankfully for you, we’ve done the hard yards to round up the best fans money can buy to keep you cool come December. You’ll find that there’s something for everybody in here from a cult-favourite Dyson to a humble desk fan.

The Best Pedestal Fan: Pelonis 16-Inch Pedestal Fan ($318.30)

Pedestal fan
Image: Pelonis

A pedestal fan is best suited to smaller rooms and what makes it useful is that its height is often adjustable, so it can breeze over your desk or your bed. When shopping for a pedestal fan, it’s best to select one with varying RPMs and the ability to oscillate.

The Pelonis 16-Inch Pedestal Fan is a tough one to beat and its 3,700 ratings bolster its status as one of the best standing fans on the market. Earlier, we highlighted how RPM is a crucial component to consider when making your choice and this one factor is what makes it stand out above the rest: it has a whopping 12 fan speeds to choose between.

You also have the option to play with a timer that can run for up to 12 hours, remote control functionality and a silent motor with a low 38-decibel sound quality.

Shop the Pelonis pedestal fan here.

The Best Tower Fan: Lasko Tower Fan ($367.55)

Tower fan
Image: Lasko

Tower fans often sit taller than pedestal fans and are better at covering a medium to large space, like a living room or dining area. What we love most about them is that they often have a sleek design that takes up minimal space in your home or office.

Lasko is a well-known household brand that makes a number of fantastic fans. As the crème de la crème, we had a hard time choosing our favourite one but what won us over was this one’s wood-grain design and the fact that it’s taller than most tower fans at a solid 43-inches high.

This Lasko tower fan covers all the bases you need so you can beat the heat. It’s quiet, remote-controlled and has a shut-off timer that can run for up to 7.5 hours.

You can shop it here.

The Best Blade-Less Fan: Dyson Hot+Cool Fan Heater ($599)

Blade-less fan
Image: Dyson

What is a blade-less fan and how does it work?

Also known as an air multiplier, a blade-less fan has no visible blades and usually possesses a circular or oval-shaped ring with a hollow space in the middle. It works by using a compressor to draw in air before releasing it through its loop by utilising an invisible fan hidden inside its base.

The benefits of owning a blade-less fan include the level of reduced noise, no sharp blades to protect little ones from and the fact that it is way easier to clean than a regular fan. Generally, you don’t need to worry about eye-popping electricity bills since going blade-less requires less energy consumption thanks to its clever airflow output. Another bonus is that most of them are short and lightweight meaning you can pick them up and take them with you to another room with ease.

Our top pick

This cheeky Dyson Hot+Cool fan heater has got two things the others don’t. This fan-less boy kills two birds with one stone. You won’t need to toss it into storage come winter because the Dyson Hot+Cool fan will keep you cool in the hotter months and keep you warm in the winter. You read that right.

You might be concerned that such a small device may not be able to cover a whole room, but you’ll be glad to know that this Dyson fan boasts two, powerful air modes for both personal and long-range cooling or heating.

While the price tag is quite steep, just know that this fan is a 2-in-1 investment. Not only is it a heater and a fan but it’s also a handy dandy air purifier. We highly recommend this fan if you’re asthmatic or suffer from allergy symptoms. It claims to be able to remove 99.97% of pollutants and allergens as small as 0.3 microns.

Shop the Dyson Hot+Cool fan heater here.

The Best Desk Fan: Fancii USB Desk Fan ($24.99)

Desk fan
Image: Fancii

When you’re working remotely and your home lacks air conditioning, a basic desk fan is your best friend. Desk fans are fantastic for their personalised coverage and portability but also their affordable price tags. This Fancii Small Personal USB Fan stands at the same size as an iPhone, translating to less desk clutter.

It also happens to be USB powered so once it’s juiced up, you can take it with you anywhere – no need for an electrical output or an annoying charger cable. Convenience aside, Fancii’s desk fan is surprisingly powerful and equipped with two power settings and a dual fan. All for just $24.99.

Pick up your Fancii USB Desk Fan here.

The Best Neck Fan: JISULIFE Portable Neck Fan ($64.61)

Image: Amazon

We’ve been buzzing over this amazing find that feels revolutionary ahead of summer.

Save yourself some dollars off your electricity bill by wearing this fancy JISULIFE portable neck fan everywhere you go. Passing for a pair of over-ear headphones and equipped with three wind speeds, no one would guess you’re using this lightweight accessory to keep yourself cool for up to 16 hours.

Get your JISULIFE portable neck fan here.


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At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

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