PLANNING ahead and snapping up one of the best desk fans is the perfect way to keep your cool this summer.
A desk fan won’t take up as much room in your home as a larger tower or pedestal fan, but is still one of the most versatile models you can buy. It can of course be used while you WFH and is useful in kids’ rooms while they do homework or revise for summer exams. It can also be moved easily to a bedside table to help you sleep on a sweltering night or placed anywhere you need extra cooling, from a kitchen counter to a coffee table.
Remember a fan won’t really lower the temperature of the room in the way an air conditioner will, but it will create a breeze to make stifling heat more bearable. However, the best fans are cheaper, smaller and easier to store during the rest of the year than portable air conditioners, so are a more convenient choice for most people. Just don’t wait until a heatwave is forecast before deciding to buy, as you might struggle to get your hands on one then.
Best desk fans at a glance:
- Best overall desk fan: MEACO MeacoFan 360
- Best value desk fan: OCCOPA USB Desk Table Fan
- Best mid-range desk fan: Challenge
- Best premium desk fan: MEACO MeacoFan Sefte
- Best looking desk fan: Tower Cavaletto
MEACO MeacoFan 360 Air Circulator Portable 6” Desk Fan
MEACO MeacoFan 360, £74.99 from Currys
Pros: Very neat looking, quiet, no self-assembly, oscillates
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Cons: More expensive than most desk fans
Rating: 5/5
This model is best suited to anyone who doesn’t want a giant desk fan taking up space. It’s oddly cute, with a solid, contemporary design and – hooray! – comes already assembled straight from the box so I just had to plug in and go.
It barely took up any room at all on my desk and didn’t look cheap and plasticky as so many desk fans too.
In fact, it looked so good, I had no qualms also using it in my living room. Unlike most other desk fans, it has a whopping 12 settings so I could use the lowest ones when I wanted to freshen up the air when working, but could also blast out a breeze on a higher setting on a hot day. There’s a six-hour timer for using overnight and I had no problem sleeping with it on as it’s one of the quietest fans I tested, certified by Quiet Mark for its low noise levels.
Though it is more expensive than most of the other best desk fans, it’s a great buy that I know I’ll use every day over summer.
Power: 10W; Speed settings: 12; Cable length: 1.6 metres; Size: 30 x 21 x 21cm; Weight: 1.36kg
MEACO MeacoFan Sefte 10” Air Circulator
MEACO MeacoFan Sefte 10” Air Circulator, £119.99 from John Lewis
Pros: Fantastic cooling, comes ready assembled, can be operated with remote control, excellent night mode, very quiet
Cons: More expensive than most fans
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Rating: 4.5/5
This fan got a thumbs up from me before I’d even switched it on as it arrived all in one piece, although that should be expected at this price.
It’s sturdier and looks far more modern than most other desk fans, and I liked the fact that it could be operated with a (glow in the dark) remote control which is handy when you don’t want to get out of bed to turn it on.
Its cooling prowess is downright astonishing. The high-efficiency DC brushless motor spin air faster than the average fan so it really feels like cold air is circulated around the room rather than warm air being simply moved around.
I felt cooler in seconds when using it in my living room even when I wasn’t facing the fan directly, which I was amazed by. There are masses of thoughtful details including three angles of vertical and horizontal oscillation, a digital temperature display and an eco-mode that changes the fan’s speed automatically depending on the surrounding temperature.
The night mode is particularly clever and reduces the speed of the fan by one setting every half an hour as you drift off. You can also turn off the noise of the buttons and the fan itself is whisper-quiet. I even kept it on during a work Zoom call and no one noticed.
It's certainly not cheap but this desktop fan is definitely worth the splurge. Although for similar technology at a slightly lower price, you could opt for the MeacoFan 360 Air Circulator Portable 6” Desk Fan.
Power: 2600W; Speed settings: 12; Cable length: 1.6 metres; Size: 29.8 x 20.9 x 21.3 cm; Weight: 3kg
OCCOPA USB Desk Table Fan
OCOOPA USB Desk Table Fan, £16.99 from Amazon
Pros: Easy to charge from a computer, very simple to work, surprisingly powerful, no assembly
Cons: Needs a USB port to charge, doesn’t oscillate
Rating: 4/5
Short on space? Even the most cluttered desk will be able squeeze in this teeny fan, which charges by USB port only, making it very handy next to a computer. I did need to add a USB adaptor to a plug to also use it by my bed at night though.
It’s so light, you could even throw it in your suitcase to bring away on holiday if you fancied.
Though I found the first setting a little weedy, I was really surprised how powerful the other two settings were and was (pardon the pun) blown away by just how much this tiny fan cooled me down.
It couldn’t be simpler to operate, with just one button to turn it on and off or change speeds, and it’s very quiet so didn’t distract me while I was working.
The only downside is that it doesn’t oscillate but can be manually moved up and down as needed. However, if you prefer a less direct breeze or are sharing the fan with someone else, you might prefer to opt for the oscillating Challenge Oscillating Black Desk Fan – 12 inch instead.
Power: 4W; Speed settings: 3; Cable length: 1.09 metre USB cable; Size: 16 x 9 x 17cm; Weight: 320g
Challenge Oscillating Black Desk Fan – 12 inch
Challenge Oscillating Black Desk Fan – 12 inch, £25 from Argos
Pros: Nice black colour, long cable, oscillates, fairly quiet
Cons: Some self-assembly needed, no remote control
Rating: 4/5
Proof that you really don’t need to spend too much to find a fan that does the job, this Challenge model is a great buy. I was particularly happy to discover it was one of the easiest fans to put together as well. Although there is some self-assembly needed, it’s very simple for someone on their own and there’s only one small safety screw that requires a screwdriver.
It makes a nice change to see a fan in black, and this looked much better out on my desk than the usual white plastic ones. The long cable made it easy to reach the nearest plug and the oscillating function and adjustable tilt meant I could position the fan to suit me. Though it might not be quite powerful enough to be felt on the other side of the room, it does the job well on a desk or bedside table, and all for an excellent price.
Power: 40W; Speed settings: 3; Cable length: 1.8 metres; Size: 47 x 34 x 25cm; Weight: Not specified
Tower Cavaletto 12in Metal Desk Fan
Tower Cavaletto, £39.99 from The Range
Pros: Looks good, unusual colour, looks more expensive than it is
Cons: A little tricky to put together
Rating: 3.5/5
I actually double checked the price of this desktop fan when it pulled it from the box. Its deep navy colour with smart copper accents is a refreshing change from the white plastic of most desktop fans, so it looks far more expensive than it is and won’t stick out like a sore thumb in a stylish office.
It is a little bit fiddly to put together (although my DIY skills are questionable at best) and I struggled to get the blades in the right position.
However, once it was up and running, this fan does everything you’ll need, with three speed settings, 70° automatic oscillation and an anti-slip rubber base.
It cooled me down fast even on the lowest setting and I also liked the fact that the long cable meant I didn’t need to worry where the nearest plug was.
Power: 35W; Speed settings: 3; Cable length: 1.6 metres; Size: 42 x 34 x 25cm; Weight: 2.85kg
Benross White 9” 21W Table Fan
Benross White 9” 21W Table Fan, £16 from B&Q
Pros: A little smaller than most, fairly quiet, oscillates
Cons: Only two speed settings, some self-assembly required, no remote control
Rating: 3/5
As good weather is never guaranteed in the UK, it’s understandable if you’d rather spend as little as possible on a machine that you might only use for a matter of days each year.
This fan is a fairly basic model that doesn’t overcomplicate matters. There are two speeds and it cools decently, as long as you’re sat fairly close to it. I had no complaints when it was next to me on my desk and, as it’s a little smaller and less powerful than the similar-looking Status 12-inch Oscillating Desk Fan, it’s also quieter - useful if you don’t want to switch it off every time you make a phone call.
I actually preferred using a fan with less oomph when I was WFH as it meant the papers on my desk didn’t keep blowing away every few seconds. However, I didn’t find it strong enough to use in the living room or bedroom.
The buttons are a little clunky to use but I barely pressed them once the fan was on my desired setting. While there are no extra functions like a night mode or a remote control, it’s ideal for one person to keep cool without blowing the budget.
Power: 21W; Speed settings: 2; Cable length: 1.5 metres; Size: 39 x 29 x 22cm; Weight: 2.6kg
Status 12 inch Oscillating Desk Fan
Status 12 inch Desk Fan, £24.99 from Robert Dyas
Pros: Quite powerful, oscillates, can stay in a fixed position, can cool a larger space
Cons: Some self-assembly required, no remote control
Rating: 3.5/5
This fan is surprisingly powerful for its size. It’s a little bigger than some of the other standard desk fans I tested, which means it also works well in a shared bedroom at night for two people to both feel the breeze.
It doesn’t have too many other bells and whistles, but it does have three settings and oscillates. It’s simple to assemble and I especially liked the easy hand-turned bolt on the base to keep it stable that replaces more fiddly screws. It’s not overly noisy either though there’s no night mode and I found the highest setting a little too noisy to sleep through. Otherwise, this is a basic but reliable desktop fan that won’t let you down.
Power: 40W; Speed settings: 3; Cable length: Not specified; Size: 52 x 35 x 23cm; Weight: 1.69kg
How we tested these desk fans
First, I assembled every one of these fans to check it was possible to do it on my own or whether it proved difficult. Then I used each one next to me on my own desk during long days on the computer and making work calls, testing whether I could talk while the fan was operating, if the wind was too powerful for the papers on my desk and whether it was easy to direct the breeze where I wanted.
I also used each fan in my bedroom to see if the fan’s noise was quiet enough to sleep through and if there was a dedicated night mode. I considered whether I’d mind the fan being out on display during long summer months, if it had a remote or extra functions and if it offered good value for money.
Where to buy desk fans
Desktop fans are easy to pick up year-round, but it’s worth buying one before the temperature rises to guarantee the best selection. Once you’ve read my reviews above and made your choice, the best places to shop include the following:
- Amazon
- John Lewis
- Argos
- Meaco
- Robert Dyas
- The Range
- B&Q
- Dunelm
- Wilko
How much does a desk fan cost?
The cost of desktop fans varies depending on how many extra functions it has and how good it looks. If you just want to keep cool for less on the odd sweltering day each year, it’s easy to pick up a desktop fan for around £20.
More advanced models with remote controls and several settings can cost up to £100 or more. Spending this much will really pay off if you plan to use the fan most nights and will struggle to sleep if it’s too noisy, or if it will be used regularly while you’re working and you want it to last.
As an added bonus, the more expensive the fan is, the less likely you are to have to assemble it yourself.
