I tested the portable Meaco Sefte® 8” Rechargeable Fan, here's my verdict

Price on writing: £116 | Buy now from Amazon

How I tested

I put the Meaco Sefte Rechargeable Fan to the test in my family home, over the course of three months (including two heatwaves) in summer 2025. Comparing it to other fans including the Meaco Sefte Table Fan and the Dreo Smart Table Fan, I took detailed notes on its effectiveness, value for money and user-friendliness, scoring it against tailored fan testing criteria.

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Meaco Sefte 8" Rechargeable Fan: my verdict

Meaco fans come highly recommended on the Mumsnet forums. From their 1056P Pedestal Air Circulator to the 2024 update of the Sefte Pedestal Air Circulator (not to mention the brilliant Meaco Portable Air Conditioner that keeps selling out), it's clear this company really know how to keep British homes cool year after year.

We've been using the Meaco Sefte Table Fan in my home for the past year, mostly in my son's room at his computer desk, so I was excited to test out and compare this new rechargeable addition to the Sefte range.

It's fair to say the fan did not disappoint. Despite being a little smaller than the corded Sefte, and with a couple of fewer functions (I'll go into the differences in more detail later), it's just as powerful and quiet as its corded cousin. What I really liked about the cordless design was the fact you could bring it anywhere.

While it's not quite as portable as a neck fan, being able to place it exactly where I wanted it - including in the garden on a sweltering summer day, and on the kitchen table while I cooked during a heatwave - was a real godsend. It's quiet enough to use at night, too, and runs for up to 17 hours on a full charge, so it could sit in exactly the right spot in my bedroom, without a power cord trailing across the room.

Priced around £120, it's a smidge more expensive than the corded model. The portability really did make a difference, especially when it brought some much-needed breeze to the garden seating area on muggy days.

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Is the Meaco Sefte 8" Rechargeable Fan good for heatwaves?

With 12 speed settings, side-to-side oscillation and a tilting head, the Meaco Sefte's airflow can be customised to just the angle and strength you need. Needless to say, I was glad to have this little guy around when temperatures soared earlier this year.

While it's true that a cheaper fan will take the edge off on a hot day, Meaco Sefte fans have expertly-designed brushless motors for quiet operation, and blades that keep the air in your room moving, preventing stuffiness and bringing the relief of a cooling jet of air.

The fact it's portable is the cherry on top, as it meant I could put it on the kitchen table while I cooked, bring it into the garden seating area and position it perfectly in my bedroom during hot nights.

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Is the Meaco Sefte 8" Rechargeable Fan quiet enough for bedrooms?

The Meaco Sefte 8" Rechargeable Fan operates from just 27dB (that's quieter than a whisper) at its lowest speed, so it's definitely quiet enough to have on at night, even for light sleepers like me.

What's more, there's no mechanical noise or squeaking from the Sefte. It oscillates silently on its base, and has a brushless motor to minimise sound from inside.

Night mode is accessible either on the base of the fan or on the remote control, switching off all beeps and lights with a single touch. You can also turn off the lights and beeps separately - I always like to turn beeps off where possible!

Related: Best air conditioners for bedrooms

How does the Meaco Sefte 8" Rechargeable Fan compare to other Meaco fans?

The Meaco Sefte Rechargeable is just as quiet and effective as other Meaco fans, but there are some subtle differences between the corded and rechargeable versions of the Sefte.

The Meaco Sefte 10" Table Air Circulator (left) and the Meaco Sefte 8" Rechargeable Fan (right)

Firstly, the rechargeable is slightly smaller than the corded. I sat the two fans next to one another to compare air flow, and you can notice a stronger breeze from the corded fan, but it's by no means a huge difference.

The rechargeable also has fewer functions. It oscillates side to side, but not up and down, whereas the corded does both. The corded also has a pause button which the rechargeable doesn't, but to be honest, the fans both retain their settings when you turn them off, so this function doesn't seem very useful.

There's a price difference of around £15 to £20 between the two models, so you do pay more for the portable fan and its rechargeable battery. I found it to be a genuinely useful innovation, though, so I think it's worth paying that bit more if you value versatility.

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Does the Meaco Sefte 8" Rechargeable Fan offer good value for money?

At £115 at the time of writing, this fan is on the expensive side when compared to other desk fans. When compared to the Dreo Smart Table Fan, which retails for £75, the Meaco lacks app connectivity, but excels in versatility thanks to its rechargeable battery.

While there are other cordless and rechargeable desk fans on the market, the Meaco stands out because of its trusted brand, powerful air flow, range of settings and quiet operation. I think it's great value - plus, the rechargeable battery is replaceable, so you can be sure it'll keep you cool for many years to come.

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, laundry and fans. 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.

With an MA in Creative Writing and a PGCert in Lifestyle Journalism, Poppy's written about parenting topics for The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Mirror and The Sun. She's a best-selling, award-winning author, and her books for children and parents have been translated into 12 languages.