Fans

Having a cooling fan blowing a breeze near to you can bring some much-needed relief on hot summer days.

Fans are different to air-conditioners, which move air from one place to another, using refrigerant to cool the air. Fans do not technically cool the air around them, instead relying on the wind-chill effect created by moving air already inside the house. The fans in our Topten page do not bring air from outside indoors.

While all these technologies represent the most energy efficient on the market, it is of course most energy efficient not to use them at all. Here are some things you can do before reaching for your cooling fan:

• Remove layers of clothing
• Use blinds to cut down on the heating effects of the sun
• Drink plenty of cool water, avoiding caffeinated or carbonated drinks
• Avoid direct sunlight, or any other sources of radiant heat
• Insulate hot pipework

The fans presented here are one of five categories: tower, table, floor, standing or ceiling fans. With the exception of ceiling fans, all are portable that allows you to move the fan, perhaps back into storage when air temperatures cool, or with you throughout the time you’re using it.

Ceiling fans should normally operate anti-clockwise to provide cooling effects, check the operating manual supplied with your purchase for details on controls.

All of these fans have high energy efficiency ratings, including using a maximum 0.5 kWh when in any standby mode. They also offer quiet operation.

If you’re experiencing uncomfortably warm air temperatures that cannot be controlled through natural ventilation (e.g. open windows) or other means, then purchasing an energy efficient fan could help you to be more comfortable.

While all these products are energy efficient, using the lowest power rating (W) that still provides you enough comfort will help you use less electricity – the electricity costs over 15 year product lifetime is a helpful tool for comparison.

More information about the selection criteria is found on the Selection Criteria page.