When the air conditioners are gone, a fan is the fastest, cheapest way to make a heatwave bearable — and unlike an AC, you can almost always find one in stock. The catch is that "a fan" covers everything from a €15 desk clip to a quiet bladeless tower, and they're not interchangeable. This guide explains which type to buy, how to actually cool down with it, and what to look for.
Do fans actually cool you down?
A fan does not lower a room's air temperature — it moves air, and moving air speeds up the evaporation of sweat from your skin, which is how your body sheds heat. The result is that you feel several degrees cooler even though the thermometer doesn't move. This is why a fan pointed across where you sit or sleep works, while a fan blowing into an empty corner does almost nothing. Used at a window at night, a fan can also help flush hot air out and draw cooler air in.
The four main fan types
Each type suits a different job:
- Tower fans: Tall, slim, oscillating; good for a whole room and tidy in a corner. Often the quietest mains fans.
- Pedestal (standing) fans: Adjustable height, strong airflow, great value for covering a room.
- Table and USB fans: Compact, cheap, ideal for a desk, bedside, or home office.
- Bladeless fans: No exposed blades, quieter, and safer around kids and pets — but the most expensive.
For cooling a living room or bedroom, a tower or pedestal fan is the right call. For a workspace, a table fan is enough. Compare what's available on the fans page.
How to get the most cooling from a fan
Placement beats power. Point the fan across your body, not just into the room. For an extra few degrees, set a bowl of ice or a frozen water bottle in front of the airflow so it picks up the chill. At night, position a fan facing out of an open window to exhaust the day's heat, and open a window on the opposite side to create a cross-breeze. Oscillation helps a shared space; a fixed direction is better when you're cooling one person.
Noise: choosing a fan for sleeping
If you want a fan running while you sleep, noise is the deciding factor. Tower and bladeless fans tend to be quietest, and many have a low "night" speed. A little steady airflow noise can even help some people sleep, but a rattly motor will not. If quiet matters, prioritise a model known for low noise and check that its lowest speed is still enough to feel.
Running costs
Fans are cheap to run — a fraction of an air conditioner's electricity — so you can leave one going through a hot evening without worrying about the bill. That low cost, combined with wide availability, is exactly why a fan is usually the first and smartest cooling purchase, even if you later add an air cooler or mobile AC.
Fans for babies, nurseries, and pets
For a nursery or around pets, safety leads: a bladeless fan removes the exposed-blade risk, and any fan should be placed out of reach and aimed to circulate air gently rather than blow directly on a sleeping baby. Gentle air circulation helps a room feel cooler without a harsh draught.
Where to find fans in stock
Fans restock far more often than air conditioners, but the best models still run low on peak days. Rather than guessing, check a live stock map by postal code to see which stores near you have fans now, sort by distance, and reserve for pickup. If you're also weighing a stronger option, see how fans stack up against air coolers and ACs before you decide.