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Best pedestal fans for keeping cool in 2024
Breeze through summer with a new pedestal fan to keep you and your home cool.
By Gemma Lumley | Last updated Apr 9, 2024
The weather is nothing if not unpredictable in the UK. Sometimes it even gets hot! With 2024 set to be another record-breaking year, temperatures are set to soar and the best pedestal fan can be super handy for moving the air around your house to create a refreshing breeze.
Whether it’s to keep chilled in a heatwave or you want cooling relief for hot flashes, gadgets like a powerful fan or the best portable air conditioner or air cooler can be a game-changer. To help you find the best pedestal fans, from basic and budget priced to feature-packed and stylish, we have done the hard work for you. We've spent hours investigating Mumsnet forum users' independent and honest recommendations, consulted domestic technology websites to see what the experts rate, and scrutinised verified consumer reviews.
There are pedestal fans to suit all budgets, and many feature useful extras like remote controls, timers and quiet fan settings for overnight use. Whatever your requirements, we think you’ll be a fan of our helpful roundup.
Plus, if you're not sure which type of fan is right for you yet, we also have guides to the best tower fan, handheld fan, neck fan and desk fan so you can see which one is the right pick to keep you nice and cool this summer.
Quiet Mark certified
Great quality
Trusted brand
Impressive power
Beeps when you press buttons
Price: £150 | Dimensions: H86 x W38 x D39cm | Weight: 4.7kg | Cord length: 1.5 metres | Features: Variable speed; adjustable tilt; remote control; two-year guarantee
The Meaco 1056P Pedestal Fan is our overall best floor fan thanks to its stylish and futuristic design, impressive power and remarkable quietness. Meaco is a brand much-loved by Mumsnet users, and the 1056P is an excellent example of their robust, effective and high-spec products.
This easily adjustable pedestal fan is simple to use, reaches across large rooms and has a clever magnetic remote control that sticks to the stand so you don’t lose it. In addition, there are three speed settings and an energy-efficient motor, which comes with an impressive two-year manufacturer’s guarantee.
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Bargain price
Easy to store
Adjustable height
Not as effective as higher-priced options
Price: £25 | Dimensions: 24.41 x 24.41 x 48.82 cm | Weight: 3.89kg | Cord length: 1.5 metres | Features: Oscillating head; adjustable tilt; three speed settings
Sometimes, simple is best. If all you need is a pedestal fan to cool you down, and the idea of spending a lot gets you hot and bothered, the Igenix DF1655 could be the one for you. It’s simple, affordable, and perfect for occasional use at the hottest time of the year. It has a classic design in unobtrusive white that will suit most rooms, and the generous 1.5 metre power cord adds to this great fan’s versatility.
The adjustable height and fan tilt mean you can direct the air wherever you need it in the room. It also oscillates 80 degrees so it will reach across larger spaces. There are three speed settings, and the 50-watt motor creates a nice breeze without too much noise. It might not win any prizes for style, and it doesn't have any bells and whistles, but you might not care once you’ve reached a comfortable temperature!
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Looks great
Super effective
Brilliant quality
Expensive
Price: £330 | Dimensions: 40.64 x 43.18 x 68.58 cm | Weight: 5.44kg | Cord length: 1.8 metres | Features: Powerful; tilting head; five-year guarantee; three speed settings; easy to clean
The Vornado 783 isn’t cheap; however, Mumsnet users adore the brand, and the ultra-powerful yet quiet motor makes it worth the investment, especially if you will be a year-round user. The height is easy to adjust, and it has three speed settings and a multi-directional head to customise your cooling.
We love the futuristic design and stylish matte black finish. It's also super easy to clean annoying dust from the blades and the five-year guarantee is very impressive. That said, at this price, you'll certainly be wanting it to stand the test of time! The build quality is exceptional, and we are confident that a Vornado fan would last for many years of frequent use.
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Quiet Mark certified
Perfect for bedrooms
12-hour timer
26 settings
Pricey
Price: £154 | Dimensions: 34 x 34 x 88 cm | Weight: 5kg | Cord length: Not specified | Features: 26 speed settings; quiet; 12-hour timer
The Duux Whisper Flex Smart is the best pedestal fan for bedroom use. It is ultra-quiet and can be controlled from your bed with a smartphone app. We love the innovative oscillating head, which moves up and down and side to side and is super effective at keeping you cool.
This fantastic fan has a 12-hour timer, so you can switch it on and off in time for you to come home from work or retire to bed. It also has an impressive 26 breeze and speed settings to completely customise your cooling experience. In addition, the adjustable height means it can sit on the floor or a desk. The downside is the cost; you can pick up a much cheaper basic fan, but if you love high-tech gadgets, the feature-rich design makes it worth splashing out on.
Remote control and timer
Energy-efficient
Effective in a medium-sized room
Power cord could be longer
Price: £55 | Dimensions: 60.5 x 47.5 x 21.5 cm | Weight: 6.85kg | Cord length: 1.5 metres | Features: Remote control; two-year guarantee; energy efficient; three speed settings
The Futura is our best pedestal fan with a remote control and timer, the perfect cooling appliance for people who want to control the temperature of a room from a distance. At 16 inches, it is compact and sturdy so it will sit neatly on furniture. It is also energy efficient, using just 50 watts.
There are three speed settings, and it oscillates across 85 degrees, so it will effectively create a cooling airflow in a medium-sized room. You can choose the power and noise level to suit the weather and time of day, too. This is all topped off with a two-year guarantee, so it should get you through this summer and next at least (although there is no guarantee about how many warm and sunny days there will be!)
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Compatible with Alexa, Google Home, Android and iPhone apps
Ability to set schedules
Temperature sensor
Relies on WiFi
Price: £88 | Dimensions: 42 x 135 x 40 cm | Weight: 7kg | Cord length: Not specified | Features: Smart controls; quiet; stylish; adjustable tilt and height; variable speed settings
The AirGo Smart Fan can be controlled using Alexa, Google Assist or an Android or iOS app on your smartphone. These are valuable features if you’re likely to lose the remote control that comes with similar pedestal fans. All you need to do is connect it to your Wi-Fi, download the app for your smartphone, and before you know it, you can be telling your fan to switch on or off, or setting up automatic schedules according to the weather forecast. It also saves your favourite settings, so you don’t have to adjust the speed and tilt every time you switch it on.
We love the combination of glossy black retro styling and the high-tech features on the AirGo. There’s also a handy eight-hour timer that turns on automatically when the room hits the ‘too warm’ temperature you set. This means you can keep cool, even when asleep or busy with work.
Retro design
Made from aluminium
Compact design
No remote control
Price: £70 | Dimensions: 110 × 46 × 18cm | Weight: 6.8kg | Cord length: 1.6 metres | Features: Stylish; adjustable height; tilting head; three speed settings
Quite often, everyday items like pedestal fans can have uninspiring designs. But, like the Vornado, this Swan SFA12610GRN Fan shows that doesn’t have to be the case. We love its retro styling which is also available in classic black, bold red and fresh yellow. This is a compact 16-inch pedestal fan, so it would be best suited to a desk, bedside table or living room. Crafted from aluminium rather than plastic, it feels super sturdy too.
The extra long 1.6 metre cord, height adjustability and tilting head give versatility to its placement in your home. In addition, the three speed settings provide ample cooling airflow for a medium-sized room, but the lack of a remote means it isn't as whizzy as some other fans on the list.
What is the difference between a pedestal fan, a desk fan and a tower fan?
Pedestal fans are floor or desk-standing, usually bigger and more powerful than desk-only fans. They typically have an adjustable tilt and will swing horizontally (or oscillate), so you can cover a more extensive area in a room to keep it at a comfortable temperature.
The clue is in the name with desk fans – they can sit on a desk or table, which usually means they are smaller, more portable (and can be cheaper too). However, a desk fan probably wouldn't do a good job keeping your bedroom cool like a pedestal fan.
Tower fans, on the other hand, are more similar to pedestal fans as they are designed to keep a whole room cool. Tower fans are usually slim and tall, so won’t take up quite as much room as a pedestal fan, but they are also typically a bit more expensive. A tower fan usually looks more modern and minimalist than a pedestal or desk fan.
How does a pedestal fan work?
The way a pedestal fan works is straightforward – blades spin around, move the air and create a cooling breeze. However, it’s probably just as important to understand what a pedestal fan won’t do – it’s not an air conditioning unit, so it won’t directly lower the air temperature in your house.
Of course, with UK summers typically being reasonably mild most of the time (unless a heatwave strikes), most people think an air conditioning unit would be overkill (both in terms of how much it costs to buy and run and how little it might get used!) That's why a pedestal fan could be just what you need.
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How do I choose the best pedestal fan?
When thinking about which pedestal fan to buy, you may want to take these considerations into account:
Size and shape of the room: A larger space will need a bigger, more powerful fan.
Height: Some pedestal fans can be adjusted to be effective whether sitting in an armchair, lying in bed or standing.
Tilt: Changing the tilt angle of the fan head means you can direct the blast of air to where it is most needed.
Speed settings: If it’s scorching, a high speed of spin/oscillation may be helpful. However, a lower speed and subsequent noise reduction would be more appropriate if you're working or sleeping. Most pedestal fans will have a minimum of three speeds, and some have an astonishing 28.
Quiet mark: A pedestal fan awarded a 'quiet mark' (the purple Q) will be relatively quiet, even on the most powerful setting.
Remote control: A clever feature that lets you switch your fan on and off and alter the speed settings without getting up from the chair or bed.
Smart settings: Control your fan using an app on your phone.
Timer: With a timer function you can cool your room before you go to bed or switch the fan off when you’re likely to have fallen asleep.
Energy efficiency: A low wattage and number of kWh used per annum will ensure your fan won’t cost you a fortune to run.
What’s the best pedestal fan?
The Meaco 1056P is the best overall pedestal fan on our thoroughly researched list. It is affordable and creates powerful cooling airflow during the day and a gentle breeze at night. It is also super quiet, easy to use and fully adjustable.
How we chose our recommendations
Because we know that there’s nothing like a genuine recommendation from a real parent, we first headed to the Mumsnet forums to find out which pedestal fans discerning Mumsnet users had bought. Next, we compiled a list of fans they recommended, noting how effective they found them and whether they were particularly good for specific needs.
We then researched the wider web, looking at which pedestal fans had won accolades or been featured in ‘best buy’ lists across websites and print media and what customers’ reviews said about them.
Having collated all that information, we picked the pedestal fans we thought would make the best buys in several interest categories.
Why you should trust us
Mumsnet has been helping parents make their lives easier since 2000, and, in that time, we've investigated, tried, and reviewed thousands of products.
As someone interested in creating an efficient and comfortable home with functional appliances for her family, our writer Gemma was determined to provide honest and independent advice on the best pedestal fans available in the UK.
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