A good fan makes a hot-and-sticky day more bearable. Pretty much every home could do with a fan, especially if you don't have air conditioning.
A fan isn't as straightforward to purchase as you would think. Do you need something blade-less? Something quiet? A tower design? Or a fan that fits in the window?
It's also possible to spend a little or a lot on a fan. Which is where we come in. To help you figure it out, we've taken a look at all the best fans currently available online.
Are there different types of fans?
There are a lot of different fans out there. They all perform very similar tasks. The main difference is how they look. Ceiling fans are self-explanatory. There are also desk fans, which you can place on a counter or unit, and tower fans which stand upright. Pedestal fans are as similarly independent but have a different look, which is also true of floor fans. That's a whole lot of fans, we know. We've focused on the devices that require minimal effort and installation.
How powerful are fans?
A fan's power is measured by the airflow it generates in cubic feet per minute. Referred to as CFM, the higher the rating, the more powerful the airflow. Most fans offer more than one fan speed so it's possible to choose a setting that works well for your situation. Sometimes, you may want a more gentle breeze.
It's even possible to determine what CFM you need. You'll need to know the size in cubic feet of the room you're cooling. From there, you can divide the cubic feet by the CFM rating of a fan. The result tells you how many minutes it takes for the fan to change the air in the room. The lower the number, the more effective it will be at cooling your space.
What features do fans offer?
If you're looking to cool down, you need a fan with a high CFM rating to ensure superior airflow. It's also useful to consider if you need one that has blades or a bladeless design. The latter is particularly useful if you have young children or pets who may try to get too close to a fan's blades.
Automatic oscillation is a good idea as well, because it means the fan moves from side to side automatically, widening its coverage and keeping hot air at bay.
From there, things can vary depending on your needs. For some users, variable speeds are essential with different speeds useful for managing cold air. Being able to adjust the height or fan head can be useful but isn't always vital.
Similarly, some high-end fans provide more than just good air circulation — they also include air purifying features. Also check if your new fan has quiet technology. No one likes a device that makes too much unnecessary noise.
What is the best fan?
This is really an impossible question to answer, but we've lined up a selection of impressive options from top brands such as Dyson and Honeywell. There should be something for everyone and every budget in this roundup.
These are the best fans in 2023.
