Meaco 1056P Pedestal Air Circulator review: "very, very quiet and powerful"

Price on writing: £150 | Buy now from Amazon

How we tested

Mumsnet editor Poppy put the Meaco 1056P Pedestal Air Circulator Fan to the test in her three-bedroom home in Sussex. Taking detailed notes on ease of use, quality and how effectively the fan cooled her and the room, she tested the fan over the course of two months in various rooms.

What Mumsnet users say

"What has really made the biggest difference to me is I bought a new fan - a Meaco 1056, pricey but not as much as a Dyson but it is brilliant. For the first time in my married life we can have a fan on all night without complaints from my husband about the noise." - Spiderysummer

"Meaco 1056 Air Circulator Fan. Very, very quiet and powerful. We have 3 - the dog pinched the 1st one as he didn't like our noisy old fan!" - hennaoj

Our verdict

If you're hesitant to splash out on a portable air conditioner but still want tip-top cooling in your home, Meaco make some of the best pedestal fans and desk fans around. What's more, many of their products are Quiet Mark certified, so they're among the best quiet fans you can buy.

Mumsnetters love the 1056P pedestal fan, and after trying one out for myself, I love it too. With useful details such as a handle, magnetic remote control (which I keep stuck to my radiator for safekeeping) and easily adjustable height, it's a great thing to have around during hot weather.

The fan has a large, good-looking fan head that smoothly swivels and oscillates, distributing and cooling air all around the room. It's quiet enough to have on at night, too, and its Night Mode reduces fan speed every 30 minutes until it reaches its lowest setting, keeping you cool for the rest of the night at just 29dB.

At less than 1p per hour to run, it's eco-friendly. There's an Eco Mode that adapts to the room temperature and adjusts fan speed accordingly.

The fan does have some drawbacks. Unlike similar fans like the Duux Whisper Flex Smart, the 1056P isn't app-enabled, so you can't set schedules or control it from another room. Meaco have recently launched their own app, but at the time of writing it's only compatible with their air conditioner and dehumidifier ranges.

The fan also beeps when you press a button, even on Night Mode, and there's no button to turn these noises off, which is a major con if you're looking for a fan for your bedroom.

While the 1056P is still available to buy and will be for the next 2 years, Meaco have recently launched a new pedestal fan - the MeacoFan Sefte Pedestal Fan. It's a little more expensive than the 1056P, and less adjustable, but it's also quieter and the beeps can be turned completely off. I tested and compared both models, and found it difficult to pick a favourite. I prefer the look of the 1056P, but there's no denying the Sefte is quieter.

So if you're looking for a fan to help you sleep this summer, the new Sefte is the better fan. For a fan that looks great in any room, I'd opt for the 1056P.

Related: The best neck fans, tried and tested

How easy is the Meaco 1056P Pedestal Air Circulator to set up and start using?

The Meaco 1056P Pedestal Air Circulator is straightforward and simple to assemble. While it does arrive in pieces, they easily and intuitively click together, so the fan can be built by one person in a matter of moments with no tools required.

There's a hold-down button to adjust the height of the fan, and a handle on the top to help you adjust it and carry it from room to room.

I like the distinctive round remote control, which is magnetic to stop it going missing. The controls are clearly marked with text and symbols, and it's also possible to control the fan from its base, although you can only turn off the display lights using the remote control.

Read next: The best handheld fans for labour, commuting and hot flushes

What's the Meaco 1056P Pedestal Air Circulator like to use day-to-day?

The Meaco 1056P has a delay timer for both switching on and off, so you can set it to start cooling before you get to your desk or bed. I like that you can adjust the height of this fan to get it just right for your room - however, at its tallest it's not quite as tall as the new Meaco Sefte Pedestal Fan.

When switched off, the base of the fan displays the room temperature, which is a nice touch. When on, the fan provides a range of speeds that you can tailor to how much cooling you require. If it's a gentle breeze you're after, the fan's lowest setting is just 29dB and provides a pleasant, constant stream of air. At the higher end of the scale, the top setting is powerful enough to stand up against hot weather, moving stuffy air efficiently, although it's markedly noisier at this speed.

The fan is very well designed and noticeably more powerful than cheaper fans. Mumsnetters love Meaco, who pride themselves on taking consumer feedback onboard and designing products that are both high quality and affordable.

I like being able to choose between pointing the fan directly at myself for maximum cooling, or having it oscillate up and down and side-to-side to cool the whole room down. The oscillate is designed to bounce cool air off the walls, delivering up to 1056 cubic metres of airflow per hour.

It's quiet enough to sleep with it on in the room, and the gradual reduction in speed as the night progresses works well to not disturb your sleep.

Related: The best cooling pillows for a great night's sleep

Does the Meaco 1056P Pedestal Air Circulator offer good value for money?

At £150, the Meaco 1056P certainly isn't cheap. You can pick up a basic pedestal fan like the Igenix DF1655 Pedestal Fan for just £22. However, it's abundantly clear when comparing this Meaco fan to a cheaper design just how much better the Meaco performs, even against premium competition.

Meaco is recommended again and again in the Mumsnet Talk forums, with users often preferring them to the much more expensive Dyson fans which retail for as much as £700.

In short, if you're wondering whether the Meaco 1056P Air Circulator Fan is worth its £150 price tag, we think the difference it'll make to how cool and comfortable your home is this summer is well worth the money.

About the author

Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She's been researching and reviewing home and parenting products for 2 years, with a particular focus on laundry and cooling. From washing machines to baby monitors and dehumidifiers to cooling pillows, she loves to deep-dive into research and find the best products out there.

Poppy is also an award-winning, best-selling children's and parenting author of books such as Don't Worry, Be Happy, The Extraordinary Book That Makes You Feel Happy and Mother Power. She specialises in children's mental health and her books are used by therapists, teachers and SENCOs across the UK. She won a The Week Junior Book Award in 2023, her books have been translated into several languages and she's been featured in The Guardian, The Sunday Times and The Sun.

After earning a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Leeds and a PGCert in Fashion and Lifestyle Journalism from University of the Arts London, she worked in fashion for most of her 20s. When her children were young, she undertook an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Chichester and re-trained as an author and freelance writer.

About Mumsnet reviews

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