The best fans to buy in 2026 during a heatwave from £14.99

While many places have air conditioning, travelling to and from destinations can leave us all feeling pretty uncomfortable, so a hand-held fan can help you feel way more comfortable.

This is a bargain, and if you don't want to splash out on a Shark ChillPill, it's a decent alternative. With five speeds ranging from a gentle breeze to what I'd describe as a fierce wind, the LED screen indicates what setting you're on. There's one button to keep pressing to find your ideal setting, and holding it down eventually switches the fan off.

The handle is a decent size and easy to grip without feeling sticky or slippery, and it folds at the base of the fan so you can prop it easily on the desk. It's sturdy enough that it won't fall over. The other bonus is the accompanying neck band, so you can slip it over your neck.

The battery easily lasts hours, so there's no being caught out on the go, and the protective grille can be easily removed to clean the insides, preventing any functionality issues down the line.

Tested by Helen Pike

Light and easy to move from room to room (note it needs the use of its power cord, though), this is a handy addition to the room that does its job without being too imposing.

The bladeless design is perfect if you live in a home where small hands, paws or snouts may be in the vicinity (my greyhound loves it, and he's usually suspicious of fans).

There's nine speed settings and three modes - 'natural' for a breezy cycle, 'high' for extra power, and 'sleep' for quiet nights. The eight-hour timer and 'eco' mode allow peace of mind and practicality, as does the fact that it can be connected via Alexa and Google Home, which I did very easily.

A couple of downsides, though not enough to put me off, include the fact that it's not height adjustable (I just placed it in higher spots if needed), and the cable isn't hardwired, so it's possible it might get knocked out in a busy spot. You might want to think about placing it in a lower traffic area of your home.

At its loudest, it's a similar level to a fridge or dishwasher. You won't have trouble hearing the TV over it or having a conversation.

Tested by Paul Lang

Portable and easy to set up, the Morphy Richards tower fan is a convenient option and its size and shape means it can fit into areas where a traditional circular fan may look a little out of place.

While I couldn’t adjust the height, I could direct the airflow up and down, and it oscillates by 90 degrees. If you find some fans too powerful, this could be a good solution for you. With six speed settings, I found the lowest to be very weak and even on the highest it wasn’t overwhelming. I had to be quite close to feel the airflow, and after some time trying it out, found that using it on my desk gave the best results, providing a concentrated airflow to my face and upper body. It has a seven-hour timer, so you can set it up without remembering to switch it off throughout the day or night.

One other feature to flag is the charging ports for other devices – you can charge your phone here, too, without it disrupting the power of the fan. A real desk side essential.

Tested by Louisa Riley

This budget fan is a summer handbag essential. It’s small enough to squeeze into your handbag, making it a must-have for your daily commute or travel bag. It is quick to charge, and lasts for a couple of days when used occasionally and about three hours when used constantly. It’s simple to use and comes with two basic speed settings: fast and very fast!

The only downside is that trying to switch the fan off when using the highest setting can be tricky, and you run the risk of getting your finger caught. Thanks to the flip handle design, you can also place it flat on your desk, making it a great way to keep cool when working from home. For such a good price, it’s worth splashing out on a few to keep them handy when you need them.

Tested by Lara Nugent

Suitable for both floor and desktop, the stand adjusts anywhere between 47.3cm and 100cm high. While it has a cord, it can be used cordless while the battery lasts (which is anywhere between 12-28 hours, depending on the setting you use), so you’re not restricted by where the socket is in your room. It’s lightweight and easy enough to move around without discomfort.

It has a wide oscillation angle - moving up, down, left and right - and rather than focusing just on fan speed, it has four ‘smart modes’: normal, natural, sleep and baby, each adapted to the scenario (for example, the ‘natural’ setting mimics a typical gentle breeze you’d expect outside, rather than a static distribution of air). It’s Alexa-enabled, so you can connect it your Alexa app to turn it on and off (it also has a timer so you can do this without).

At its highest setting, the fan noise reached just 22 decibels and didn’t distract me from watching TV. At its best, it helps cool down a busy living room without feeling like the focal point.

Tested by Michelle Hall

Unlike traditional fans which will be stored away once summer is over, this doubles up as a heater so it'll be just as useful when the cold snap arrives.

There are nine cooling speeds and four heating speeds, with temperatures ranging from 5°C all the way up to 35°C. There's a huge range in variation with the fan, ranging from a gentle breeze all the way up to what I'd describe as a gale-force wind, so a '4 or 5' on the settings is probably optimal for most.

The height or fan itself isn't adjustable, but it oscillates by up to 80 degrees so it covered a good area without needing this extra feature.

While it does make a noise (I had to turn the TV up slightly on medium settings), it's not intrusive, and barely noticeable on lower settings. The timer (up to eight hours) gave me peace of mind that I could set the fan so switch off during the night without having to do it manually myself.

From the ambient light it emits to the remote control, it's a stylish appliance that has been a godsend so far during the hot weather.

Tested by Lynn Gibson

As the name suggests, the Duux Whisper 3 is super quiet, so there’s no adjusting your TV or smart speaker to accommodate the noise. There’s also an ultra quiet option, with the starting sound from just 13 decibels, so if you’re looking for a nighttime fan that won’t disturb your sleep, this is a great option.

There’s a lot of elements that make this both user-friendly and convenient, and its features factor in an understanding that aiming a breeze at just one part of the room won’t always suffice. The fan oscillates both horizontally and vertically, helping to distribute air evenly throughout the room. The adjustable height adds to this, too, enabling the stand to extend from 73cm to 95cm.

There are 26 speed settings, a huge amount of variation, so there’s no chance of feeling too hot or cold. Its lowest setting produces a gentle breeze that was comfortable when I was sleeping nearby, while the strongest setting was capable of circulating air throughout a large room.

The accompanying remote control meant I could adjust the speed and oscillation without having to get up, and the long power cord meant I didn’t need to use an extension cord where it needed to run.It’s one of the most impressive pedestal fans I’ve used, and its modern design and functionality all adds to the premium feel.

Tested by Rachel Cope

This striking fan is very different from the basic hand-held models that you typically see people with in the summer. It feels sturdy and well-made, compared to others which feel flimsy and easily breakable.

As with many other Shark fans, the ChillPill comes in several colours. It’s made up of two connected cylinders, one containing the fan and the other housing the controls and battery, which also acts as the handle. It requires charging before use (it comes with the required USB-C cable) and needs around 3.5 hours charging time to build up 11 hours of use, depending on the settings and accessories you’re using.

About those accessories – one is an ‘instachill cryo plate’ attachment which you can apply directly to your skin for a powerful cooling effect, and the other is a fan that acts as a mister too. You can the fan while it’s charging, but you won’t be able to activate the mister or use the chiller plate.It’s easy to switch between attachments – there’s just a few extra steps involved when fixing the mister on. While it’s portable, it’s worth noting that it’s bulky enough not to fit into a pocket. There are accessories to make it easier to carry around or attach to a bike.

There’s 10 settings in total, the lower ones being more suited to indoor use and the higher ones accommodating a hot environment outside. The noise is minimal on the lowest settings but can get quite noisy on the highest. Having said that, the highest settings are incredibly powerful so may not even be required. Shark helpfully has a guide on which settings are best for different scenarios, and the power switch doubles as a digital display so I could easily see which setting I was on.

It’s a real step-up from basic hand-held fans, and powerful enough to make a proper impact when outdoors. The chilling plate is a brilliant addition and really helped to bring my core temperature down – ideal if you generally run hot.

Tested by Paul Lang