AirCraft LUME Quiet Air Circulator Fan review: "ridiculously quiet"

Price on writing: £149 | Buy now from Aircraft

How I tested

I tested the AirCraft LUME Quiet Air Circulator Fan for a month, including during a two-week heatwave. I mainly used it in the bedroom at night and in my home office during the day.

I looked at noise levels, cooling performance, ease of use and how the backlight worked in a real bedroom. I used the remote, timer, oscillation settings, backlight and different modes, paying particular attention to how easy it was to adjust from bed, how noticeable the sound was overnight and whether the 3D air circulation made a difference on hot, stuffy nights.

I also compared its power and usability with the Meaco Sefte pedestal fan. Over the longer term, I considered the practical details that matter day to day, including how easy it was to move between rooms, how much space it took up, how straightforward it was to assemble and whether the option to switch between pedestal and desk fan modes was genuinely useful.

Related: Best fans

My verdict

The AirCraft LUME is a very good bedroom fan and, after a month of testing that included a two-week heatwave, that's where it impressed me most. It's powerful, ridiculously quiet and well suited to overnight use - it's even Quiet Mark certified. The soft backlight is useful too.

It's also nicer looking than most fans. The off-white finish and curved shape feel softer than the stark white plastic common on cooling appliances. The slim profile helps, particularly in a bedroom or home office where a large pedestal fan can make the room feel cluttered.

I found its performance comparable with the Meaco Sefte fans I tested alongside it. The airflow was strong enough for hot days, but it worked particularly well on stuffy nights. The 3D circulation moved air around the room instead of focusing it on one spot.

There are a few annoyances. The remote is handy and I used it most of the time, but it doesn't feel as premium as the fan itself. It's also not glow in the dark, which isn't ideal when you're using it half asleep. I wasn't keen on the power cable plugging into the stem halfway up either, as it looks messier than a design where the cable runs into the base.

Still, it's a strong option. At £150, it isn't cheap, but if you want a fan for regular summer use in a bedroom or home office, the AirCraft LUME justifies the price. Lakeland's three-year guarantee helps too.

What's the AirCraft LUME Quiet Air Circulator Fan like to set up?

Set-up was straightforward. I had to assemble it, but the parts went together easily and it was ready to use without much faff.

One thing worth knowing is that, although the LUME works as both a pedestal and desk fan, it doesn't use a simple telescopic pole. Lakeland describes the height as adjustable and AirCraft says it can transform between formats, but I'd suggest choosing one set-up and sticking with it.

Switching between the two isn't difficult, but it's enough of a job that I wouldn't want to do it every day. If you're planning to use it as a bedside fan at night and a desk fan during the day, that may become irritating.

Once assembled, it's easy to position. The slim profile doesn't take up much floor space and, in desk mode, it feels stable.

Read next: Best quiet fans

What's the AirCraft LUME Quiet Air Circulator Fan like to use day to day?

The AirCraft LUME is an easy fan to live with. I mostly used it in the bedroom overnight, then moved it into my home office during the day. It's light enough to carry between rooms and doesn't dominate the space.

The remote quickly became my main way of controlling it. The buttons are easier to understand than those on the fan itself and it meant I could change settings from bed during hot nights.

My biggest criticism is the remote itself. It works well enough, but feels fairly basic compared with the fan. Unlike some Meaco remotes, it isn't glow in the dark, which meant a bit of fumbling around in the dark.

The smaller details are well thought through. You can switch off the beeps with a single button press, which is excellent at night. The timer runs from one to 12 hours, so you can set it before bed instead of leaving it running until morning.

The oscillation is flexible too. It moves vertically as well as horizontally. If you switch the fan off, it returns to its neutral position. If you pause it, it stays where it is. Small detail, but useful.

The plug socket remains my least favourite design choice. It sits halfway up the stem and looks untidy compared with fans that route the cable through the base.

How well does the AirCraft LUME Quiet Air Circulator Fan perform at night?

Night-time performance is one of the LUME's strongest points. I tested it through a two-week heatwave and used it most often in the bedroom. On lower settings it was quiet enough that I occasionally forgot it was running. Even on higher settings it was comfortable to sleep with.

AirCraft says the LUME offers 12 speeds and three modes: Normal, Natural and Sleep modes. Sleep mode gradually reduces fan speed every 30 minutes until it reaches the lowest setting.

The 3D circulation worked particularly well on warm, stuffy nights. Instead of blowing directly at me all evening, it helped move air around the room and made the space feel fresher.

I also liked the backlight. It's soft enough to work as a nightlight and much more pleasant than the bright displays found on some fans and air purifiers. There are three brightness settings and that the light can be used independently of the fan.

I couldn't properly test it as a child's nightlight because my children no longer use one. Even so, the light is soft enough that I can confidently say it'd work well as a nightlight in a kids bedroom.

How well does the AirCraft LUME Quiet Air Circulator Fan perform in a home office?

The LUME performed well in my home office too. It has plenty of power without needing to run at maximum speed and matched the Meaco Sefte fans I compared it with.

Its slim design works well in smaller spaces. In pedestal mode it takes up little floor space. In desk mode it feels stable, though I'd still be inclined to leave it in one configuration rather than swapping regularly.

The oscillation is useful during the day as well. Because it moves both vertically and horizontally, it circulates air around a room more effectively than a standard left-to-right fan.

It also looks good enough to leave out permanently. If a fan is going to sit in your office or bedroom for weeks at a time, appearance matters.

Is the AirCraft LUME Quiet Air Circulator Fan good value for money?

At £150, the AirCraft LUME sits at the premium end of the market. You can buy a basic pedestal fan for much less, so the value depends on how much use you'll get from the quieter operation, timer, remote control, backlight and wider air circulation.

Compared with other fans around the same price, including the Meaco Sefte range, it performs very well. It's attractive, capable and particularly good for overnight use.

The remote and cable placement are the two main weaknesses. Neither affects performance, but both feel slightly out of step with the rest of the design.

If you only need a fan for occasional hot afternoons, there are cheaper options. If you want something for regular use in a bedroom, nursery, child's room or home office, the AirCraft LUME is easy to recommend.

About the author

Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She researches and reviews the products Mumsnetters swear by, with a particular focus on home essentials like steam irons, vacuum cleaners and heated throws.

From a highly recommended retractable washing line to the best quiet fans money can buy, and Mumsnet's favourite dehumidifier to the steam generator iron that'll cut your ironing time in half, she loves to deep-dive into research and find the very best products on the market.