WHEN the temperature rises, the best tower fans are a fail-safe way to cool down.
Tall and slim, a tower fan is especially useful when you need to cool a whole room as its cylindrical shape means it can blast a breeze to a wide area so more than one person will feel the benefit.
It doesn’t take up much floor space so can sit in the corner of the room without dominating, yet it will still make a significant difference on a hot day.
Put one in the bedroom and you might even stand a chance of sleeping on sweaty nights as tower fans are generally quieter than pedestal or even desktop models. Plus, you won’t need to find room on your bedside table as the best tower fans are all free-standing.
While a tower fan may not actually lower the temperature like one of the best air conditioners, they are a lot cheaper and more energy efficient and can easily be stored away when not in use.
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Unlike most desktop fans, they also require minimal assembly to put together as the blades are already secured inside and you’ll usually only need to fit the base.
Other features to look for include a remote control, a choice of speeds and a timer function, while it’s worth noting the fan’s height as taller fans will cool a larger room more effectively.
Best tower fans at a glance:
- Best overall tower fan: Levoit Classic LTF-F362
- Best value tower fan: HOMCOM 30 inch
- Best mid-range tower fan: Challenge Digital
- Best premium tower fan: Dyson Cool Tower Fan
Levoit Classic LTF-F362 Tower Fan
Levoit Classic LTF-F362 Tower Fan, £89.99 from Amazon
Pros: A great price for a bladeless fan, quiet operation, good automatic mode, cools rapidly, easy to assemble
Cons: Wider than most tower fans
Rating: 5/5
This fan is a great compromise: it’s bladeless and packed with extras like the most expensive models, yet it’s only a little more expensive than the most basic tower fan.
It’s slightly chunkier than most to look at so it doesn’t quite tuck away in the corner, but it’s fairly inoffensive and certainly doesn’t feel like it’s about to topple over. It’s also a dream to put together, with a simple hand-tightened bolt and not a screwdriver in sight.
It has functions I didn’t even know I needed. I particularly liked the turbo mode which starts at the highest setting then automatically lowers once the room temperature has dropped three degrees – perfect when returning to a hot house after a long day.
The auto mode adjusts the fan speed according to the room temperature so you can leave it on and forget about it, while the sleep setting changes through the night without any sounds or display to disturb you. It’s the best tower fan I’ve used – at a great price too.
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Oscillation: 90-degrees; Speed settings: 5; Cable length: Not specified; Size: 16.51 x 16.51 x 91.95cm; Remote control: Yes
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Dyson Cool Tower Fan
Dyson Cool Tower Fan, £379 from Currys
Pros: Bladeless, very quiet, looks good, easy to clean
Cons: Expensive, not strictly a tower fan
Rating: 4.5/5
Okay, I know it’s not strictly a tower fan but this is almost the same size and shape as one, albeit with Dyson’s distinctive curves to give added flair.
Its minimal appearance and hint of grey look fantastic and it was by far the easiest fan to put together (the base just clicks and slides together). I also love how easy it is to keep clean without blades and a grill to gather dust.
Of course, it’s not cheap, but there’s no chance you’ll overheat with this fan nearby. It uses patented technology to draw in surrounding air and blast out a powerful, uninterrupted stream of air. It’s also a cinch to use. There’s just one button to control both power and airflow while an LED display shows the current setting.
There’s a timer for automatic shut-off up to nine hours and a magnetic remote that can be stored on top of the fan.
All this and it’s gloriously quiet, apart from on the very highest settings. I’m a very light sleeper yet it barely registered when it was switched on in my bedroom at night. However, if you’re dead set on a bladeless fan but don’t have a Dyson budget, opt for the Levoit Tower Fan instead.
Oscillation: Yes but not specified; Speed settings: 10; Cable length: 2 metres; Size:11 x 19 x 100.7cm; Remote control: Yes
Challenge Digital Grey Tower Fan
Challenge Digital Grey Tower Fan: £65 from Argos
Pros: Grey colour looks good, simple to put together, digital display, long cable
Cons: More expensive than some tower fans
Rating: 4/5
If you don’t like the look of most tower fans, this one is a good option. It comes in an attractive dark grey and the digital controls on the top make it look a little sleeker and more expensive than some of the other tower fans I tested. Better still, it was one of the easiest models to put together with no fiddly screws in the base but just one simple bolt that could be fastened by hand; a really clever touch.
It's very good at cooling so you won’t have complaints there. I used it on the other side of my living room and could easily feel the breeze. Plus, it wasn’t too noisy to run at the same time as my TV.
I also appreciated the long cable which meant I didn’t have to worry about positioning it near a plug. It has the same standard three settings and three different wind modes as the cheaper models like the HOMCOM 30-inch Tower Fan, but the digital controls, quieter operation and unobtrusive styling makes it worth splashing out a little more.
Oscillation: Yes but not specified; Speed settings: 3; Cable length: 1.8 metres; Size: 24 x 24 x 76.5cm; Remote control: Yes
Honeywell Comfort Control Tower Fan
Honeywell Comfort Control Tower Fan, £52.99 from Amazon
Pros: Unobtrusive in black, wide oscillation range, remote control, easy to use
Cons: A little noisier than some other tower fans, some assembly required
Rating: 4/5
I needed to sit in front of a fan and cool off by the time I’d wrestled this one out of its box as it was packed inside so tightly. Once it was out, there were a couple of tiny screws to tighten on the base which needed a screwdriver but the fan was then fairly stable and didn’t look like it was about to tip over whenever it was turned on.
I particularly liked the fact that it came in an attractive black colour which makes it less obvious when it’s in the corner of a room. There’s a handy slot to store the remote as well so you (hopefully) won’t lose it. For the price, I was generally impressed with how efficient this tower fan cooled.
It oscillates 110-degrees so the breeze really does reach a large area and it felt cold within seconds. There’s a mode to simulate a natural breeze and a dedicated sleep setting which drops both the fan speed and noise considerably.
It’s still not as quiet as the Dyson Cool Tower Fan but it’s significantly cheaper with great cooling capabilities.
Oscillation: 110-degrees; Speed settings: 3; Cable length: Not given; Size: 12 x 12 x 40.75cm; Remote control: Yes
HOMCOM 30 inch Tower Fan
HOMCOM 30 inch Tower Fan, £31.99 from The Range
Pros: Great price, very little assembly, remote
Cons: Doesn’t look as good as some other tower fans
Rating: 3.5/5
This barely costs more than the cheapest desktop fan, so I couldn’t believe it was possible to get a decent tower fan for this price. Yet unless you’re cooling a vast room, this model delivers everything you’ll need from a tower fan this summer.
Best of all, it comes almost ready straight out of the box and I only needed to attach the base, which was easy enough once I’d positioned the cable in the right place. It did sometimes feel a little wobbly when I was using it, particularly when it oscillated, so it’s worth being sure the base is properly fitted before switching it on.
I was also impressed that it had so many functions for the price, including three speed settings, a ten-hour timer and three modes, including natural breeze and sleep airflow.
Though I tested the model in white, it also comes in black if that’s a better fit with your décor. My only complaint is that the 70-degree oscillation was smaller than some other fans like the Honeywell Comfort Control Tower Fan, which might be a better option if two people plan to share the same fan at night.
Oscillation: 70-degrees; Speed settings: 3; Cable length: 1.5 metres; Size: 22 x 22 x 77cm; Remote control: Yes
Status 32” Tower Fan With Timer
Status 32” Tower Fan With Timer, £36.99 from Robert Dyas
Pros: Easy to put together, cools well, good price
Cons: Dials are a bit awkward, timer makes slight noise
Rating: 3.5/5
Another fantastically priced model, this tower fan has no frills but couldn’t be easier to put together. It sits straight on the base with a chunky locking nut to keep it secure, though I found it important to firmly tuck the cable into the designated slot to stop the fan wobbling during use.
It has no remote control or digital display but is all operated with two dials. One selects the settings and oscillation and the second the length of time the fan will run for.
I did prefer to avoid using the timer during the night as I could notice a very faint ticking noise from this, but the fan itself worked well to blast out a breeze that could be felt several metres away.
If a remote control is a non-negotiable, opt for the HOMCOM 30 inch Tower Fan with 3 Speed 3 Mode instead, but otherwise this is a great buy on a budget that will keep you cool all summer.
Oscillation: 80-degrees; Speed settings: 3; Cable length: Not specified; Size: Not specified; Remote control: No
B&Q White 3-speed Tower Fan
B&Q White 3-speed Tower Fan, £32 from B&Q
Pros: Attractive curved shape, white gloss exterior looks good, great price
Cons: No remote, slight noise on operation
Rating: 3/5
There’s not much to choose between tower fans when it comes to style, but this one from B&Q has a bit more pizazz, with its curved body and white glossy exterior.
Operation is a little more old-fashioned, with traditional push buttons and a dial to set the length of time you want the fan to run for. There’s a further button to push to make the fan oscillate.
This makes it brilliantly simple to operate and it’s – sorry – a breeze to assemble too, with a base that slots together and is secured by simple screws. It cooled the immediate area quickly and could still be felt a few metres away.
However, I did hear a very slight ticking sound in the background during use because of the manual timer, although my son didn’t notice it at all when he used it overnight.
Just be warned if you’re lazy that it doesn’t come with a remote so you will have to get off the sofa to operate it.
Oscillation: 70-degrees Speed settings: 3; Cable length: 1.6 metres; Size: 24 x 24 x 86cm; Remote control: No
How we tested these tower fans
I assembled each one of these fans to find out whether they up and running in moments or had me pulling my hair out in despair.
I also studied the instruction booklets for each fan and tested every single mode and setting, including any night mode to see if the fan really was quiet enough to sleep through.
For every one, I considered its price tag, cooling power, any extra functions and how it looked on display in my house, including how sturdy it appeared.
Where to buy tower fans
There are several models of tower fans to choose from and they’re readily available online and in shops. However, it’s best not to wait to buy one until hot weather is forecasted, when prices may rise and stock sell out.
Instead, read the reviews above and get one in advance so you can be smug all summer. These are the places we’d recommend looking:
- Amazon
- John Lewis
- Dunelm
- Argos
- Meaco
- Robert Dyas
- The Range
- B&Q
- Wilko
How much does a tower fan cost?
The price of a tower fan shouldn’t get you hot under the collar. There are excellent tower fans available in the £50 to £60 region which come with digital displays, sleep modes and remote controls.
It’s also possible to pick one up for as little as £30 but these models to tend to have push buttons and dials and can be a little noisier when operating.
