It's set to be a scorcher this weekend with temperatures expected to reach over 30 degrees Celcius. While it's lovely if you're lucky enough to be bathing by a pool or have time off work to visit the best beaches in the UK [1], it can be a struggle at work or at night. Sure, you can wear your best white dresses [2] to keep cool or try some heatwave hacks [3] to feel more comfortable, but sometimes a fan is all that will work in lieu of air conditioning.
And you can always tell when the temperature in the UK has risen too far when your local electrical shop has sold out of fans. Fortunately, there are plenty of options online to help cool you down when the temperature soars. From floor fans for home gyms to desk fans for your work space, and tower fans to keep a whole room pleasant day or night, we have found a whole lot of fans that come with all kinds of handy features. There's speed and wind mode settings, adjustable tilts and oscillation options, and remote controls and timer functions. Ahead, check out the best fans to match every budget and every requirement, and you'll feel ready to beat the heat.
Best Cheap Fan
Glamouric Portable USB Mini Desk Fan [4] (£15)
The antirust, all-metal fan has a vintage copper appearance. It has four aluminium blades and a brushless axial motor for quieter operation. You can adjust it 360 degrees and place on a desk, wall, or rope. The three anti-vibration pads help keep it stable.
Most Handy Fan
Q Connect 6" Clip Fan [5] (£17)
This mains-powered fan has a sprung clip to attach to surfaces. It has two speeds and is tiltable.
Best Classic Fan
John Lewis & Partners 12" Desk Fan [6] (£20)
This is a classic and a great price, too. It has three speeds with the option to have it set still or oscillating for a cooler working day.
Best Office Fan
Oypla 12" Desk Fan [7] (£25, originally £30)
A fan that has a simple three-speed push button speed control, with the option to have it in a fixed position or oscillating. You can also tilt it to direct airflow.
Best Quiet Fan
Honeywell HT-900E Turbo Fan [8] (£25, originally £30)
You can mount this fan to the wall, as well as use it as a free-standing desk or floor fan. The variable tilt fan head can pivot up to 90 degrees, and it has a powerful three-speed motor. It has reduced the noise by 25 percent compared to the previous model, too.
Best Standing Fan
Schallen 16" Pedestal Fan [9] (£30)
This standing fan — which also comes in black — gives you the choice of three speeds with push-button controls. It has an adjustable height and fan head tilt angle, with an oscillating function.
Most Economical Fan
Futura 16.5" Pedestal Standing Fan [10] (£60, originally £90)
This fan bills itself as one of the most economical fans, due to its low 50W power consumption. The oscillating fan with three air speed settings comes with a remote control and a timer function.
Best Sleek Fan
Dimplex Black Tower Fan [11] (£85)
With nearly 1700 reviews on Argos and 1000 of them featuring a 5-star rating, this fan is a solid investment. You can operate the fan from your bed with the included remote, adjusting the speed settings (there's three), setting the timer, and oscillation controls.
Best Gym Fan
Pro Breeze 20" Floor Fan [12] (£90, originally £93)
Ideal for using in your home gym, garage, or workshop thanks to its heavy-duty design and powerful 120W motor. You get three air flow speeds and an adjustable fan head tilt option (from floor to ceiling).
Best Black Fan
Ansio 30" Tower Fan [13] (£65)
The tower fan — which comes in grey or white, too — has a three-speed setting as well as three choices for wind mode (normal, nature, and taper). It has a timer function, carry handle, and digital display on its top-mounted control panel, as well as a remote control.
Best Remote-Controlled Fan
Pro Breeze Oscillating 40" Tower Fan [14] (£100)
This fan features a 90-degree automatic oscillation and the choice of three fan speeds, with an on/off timer, too. As well as the control panel, it also has a wireless remote, so you can adjust the speed, oscillation, and timer from your bed or desk.
Best Fan to Cool a Room
Dyson Cool AM07 Tower Cooling Fan [15] (£350)
With no blades, this fan uses Air Multiplier technology instead to direct airflow around the room. It has a sleep timer function and comes with a remote that has 10 settings.