July 6th, 2022 by Sarah Miles

We may not be known as a hot country but when temperatures soar in the summer (which they increasingly do), it’s important to have a strategy for keeping cool, whether that’s to allow us to work, to be able to sleep, or just get on with day-to-day activity at a comfortable temperature.

Fans are the most obvious solution but it’s not quite as simple as that as there are several different types on the market. To help you choose which option is the best for you, here is a general overview of the main types of fans available and what they are most suitable for.

How fans work

It’s useful, before we start, to explain how fans make us cooler, as they all use the same basic principle. You may be surprised to learn that fans don’t actually cool the air. What they do is move the existing air around. When air moves over your skin, it evaporates the moisture and loses heat energy, and this makes us feel cooler.

Fans, therefore, need existing airflow to work so they are most effective when you can maximise the amount of air in the space by opening a window or door. Place fans as close to this source of air as possible to maximise the cooling effect.

Desk Fans

Desk fans are, as the name describes, fans that are compact enough to sit on a desk or piece of furniture. Being small, they can be accommodated in most spaces, and are better for individual cooling. For example, in an office environment, some may feel the heat more than others so each person can have their own fan and choose their own settings. Being small and lightweight, you can even take them from one place to another. For example, if you have a hybrid office/home working pattern, you can use the same fan at work and at home.

Another advantage of a desk fan is that they are low cost, starting from as little as £19.50.

Here are some examples of the range available:

MYLEK 12-Inch Desktop Tower Fan – all the advantages of a tower fan (we’ll come on to these in a moment) but small enough to place on a desk. Because it has height, rather than width, it’s really compact but packs a big cooling punch. This fan is priced at £23.99 so is a really good value.

Prem-I-Air Mini Adjustable USB Desk Fan – perfect for workspaces as this mini fan plugs straight into your USB socket on your PC or laptop and is just £20 too.

Prem-I-Air 6 Inch Oscillating Desk Fan

Price: £12.00

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Tower Fans

Tower fans stand vertically so, while they have a small footprint that doesn’t require a lot of space, their height offers lots of cooling power for their size. They’re also probably one of the most stylish types of fans, with their minimalistic design that often comes in a choice of colours.

Tower fans are a great choice for spaces where quiet operation is valued, such as an office or bedroom, as the blades are encased in the housing so make very little noise.  

Prem-I-Air Oscillating Tower Fan – This is a great value tower fan at just £33.50, yet still has 3-speed settings and a timer so you can set it for a fixed amount of time when going to bed, so you don’t have to worry about waking to turn it off.

MYLEK Cyclops Tower Fan with Remote Control – so-called due to its cyclops-style digital display, this fan is a design feature as well as a functional item! It comes with tons of functions, including an ioniser for cleaner, fresher air.

Prem-I-Air 20" (50 cm) High Velocity Fan with 360 Degree Tilt Head

Price: £122.00

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Pedestal Fans

Pedestal fans are great for large spaces as their height allows them to move significant volumes of air, yet they are also light and easy to move around. One pedestal fan is usually enough to cool a whole office, so it is more energy-efficient than running a number of individual fans.

Prem-I-Air 20" (50 cm) High-Velocity Fan with 360 Degree Tilt-Head – this is a great fan for a large room and has a stylish design. Its adjustable height and 360° tilt head make it really flexible. Priced at £122.00.

Prem-I-Air 16 Inch Oscillating Pedestal Fan – a true bargain for a pedestal fan at just £27.50!

MYLEK 14 Inch Remote Control Electric Pedestal Fan

Price: £79.99

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Air Circulation Fans

Air circulation fans are powerful units that are most suited to large spaces such as warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and large open-plan offices as they keep air circulating all the time. They are useful for areas where natural airflow is limited, for example in warehouses where there tend to be few windows and high ceilings so air can stagnate. They can be floor standing or hung from the ceiling.

Prem-I-Air 12" High Power Air Circulator Fan – costing between £44.50 - £56.50 (depending on size) this is great value for the amount of power it has.

Commercial Turbulator Air Circulation Fan 450mm – these fans are considerably more expensive (starting at £479.99) but are highly powerful units intended for commercial buildings. Designed to be hung from the ceiling, they have a long throw and move air very efficiently

Prem-I-Air 14 Inch Powerful Air Circulator Fan

Price: £47.00

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