The tower fan is a simple product design that works well, and in a heatwave, they've quickly become a necessity. But why should you choose a tower fan over a traditional round-blade fan? A good question, and luckily, we have the answers.
The upright design of tower fans means that, unlike a conventional round-blade fan, the cool air is not focused on a very specific point, it’s distributed more evenly. The long and cylindrical tower drum fan creates a breeze by pushing the air out, rather than chopping it up into a stuttering gale (we're looking at you, round-blades). So, it’s a noticeably smoother and more pleasant breeze. This method of shifting air also has the welcome side effect of being quieter.
Related: The best Lay-Z-Spa hot tubs to buy
The utilisation of space is also much smarter with a tower fan. The small footprint makes them great for saving space, as they can be placed in the corner of a room or next to a desk without creating a hazard or obstruction. The tall height can almost entirely be given over to the drum-fan, which has a much larger area than its round-bladed cousin. The result? Space is saved, and cool air output is maximised.
Now, it’s time to check out the best tower fans the market has to offer:
The best tower fans
1 of 5Dyson AM09 Hot + Cool Fan Heater
Best tower fan investment
A tower fan not just for a heatwave the AM09 will be your companion all year round, no matter the climate. In a blistering heatwave, the cool air setting will push out 18-litres of fresh breeze every second. Dyson's unique low-noise bladeless design guarantees a smooth and steady flow and oscillates gently to spread its joy evenly around a room. Even though it's painful to think about it, in the winter months the AM09 will be able to pump out some hot air - up to 37-degrees.
Features: 10 Speed settings, bladeless design, 45 Degree airflow projector, oscillation, quiet, hot and cold air, aerodynamic diffusers, remote control
Dimensions: 72.5 x 27 x 25 cm
Review: "Best fan I've ever purchased."
2 of 5Q-Connect KF00407 Tower Fan 760 mm/30 Inch
Best tower fan for large spaces
It's too warm and you want to be cool. The Q-Connect is what you need. Settings are adjustable, so you can dial the fan speed up or down as necessary. The same goes for the oscillation – you can have it on a 90-degree rotation or stationary focus. It's simple and it works.
Features: 90 degrees oscillating, adjustable settings, suitable for large offices Dimensions: 76.3 x 18 x 19.5cm
Review: "Excellent fan. I got this for my mother to use during the recent very hot weather. My mother has always been dismissive of fans as all they do is blow the hot air around but with this fan, I had to set it so it was blowing the air around the room without blowing directly on my mother as she was getting too cold when the fan was blowing directly at her.
£22.91
3 of 5ANSIO Tower Fan 30-inch with Remote for Home and Office, 7.5 Hour Timer, 3 Speed Oscillating Cooling Fan
Editor's Pick
The ASIO Tower Fan provides you with something that a heatwave doesn't - choice. There is 60-degree oscillation, a trio of speed settings and three wind-type modes, allowing you to customise the breeze to suit your needs. There's also a 7.5-hour sleep timer for your overnight convenience, and a remote control.
Features: Three-speed setting, wind mode, 7.5 hour timer function, oscillation, integrated carry handle, digital display, remote control, 1.75m power cable
Dimensions: 24 x 24 x 76.5 cm
Review: "Nice fan! It's tall with a thin design making it a good space-saving option. I like that its lightweight, I can easily move it between rooms. The fan is very powerful and capable of cooling a large room. The oscillating function works really well. There are three noticeable speed settings, low, medium and high. The high is very loud, but that's expected when you want extra cooling power. I use the low setting at night and still get a nice cool breeze, the noise is tolerable, I've got used overtime."
£39.97
4 of 5MYLEK® Oscillating Tower Fan
Best small tower fan
This tower fan has a sleek design that will easily fit any place you need to cool down. It has a quiet operation system which will be perfect for your office during the day or your bedroom at night. It comes with a 12-hour countdown timer, so you don't need to worry about turning it off.
Features: Countdown timer, remote control, quiet tech, three speed settings, oscillating, air purifier ioniser function, room temp display, LED screen
Dimensions: 94 x 25.5 x 24.5 cm
Review: "I absolutely love this fan! It's powerful but compact and slim making it easy to fit just about anywhere. I was a bit sceptical about the whole "ion" thing but honestly it makes a real difference! The controls are easy to use and the remote really comes in handy. I will be buying a second one soon! Would absolutely recommend this to anyone needing a powerful fan with a small footprint!"
£64.99
- Rrp: £79.99
5 of 5Honeywell HY254E QuietSet Tower Fan
Best tower fan for night-time
This super-quiet tower fan from Honeywell comes with five different levels of control, and its main advantage is the technology that allows you to get an undisturbed night's sleep. The timer lets you program the fan for one, two, four or eight hours, and it also comes with a remote control.
Features: Timer, whisper quiet tech, remote control, control panel, oscillation, floor mountDimensions: 82.6 x 27.4 x 20.6 cm
Review: "I love this fan. I bought this last summer to deal with the heat. Obviously it does not cool a room down that is over heated, for that you need air conditioning, but as a fan, it works great. It looks good, just like the photo. I enjoy the settings, with different levels of power, the ability to turn, or a timer. The remote is also super handy. Good product. I would buy another."
Most affordable and effective tower fan
With nearly 5,000 reviews and a 4.3 out of 5-star average on Amazon, this oscillating tower fan by Bionaire comes highly recommended. It's an affordable option costing £55 but it doesn't shy away from adding crucial functions like an auto-off eight-hour timer, sleep and breeze modes that simulate natural airflow, and it comes in black or silver.
Dimensions: 14 x 14 x 74 cm
Features: 8-hour timer, oscillating option, three-speed, sleep mode, remote control
Tried and Tested by Deputy Commercial Content Editor Natalie Corner: "After doing some research, I opted for tower fan as a pedestal fan didn't seem like a durable and long-term choice. The Bionaire Tower Fan came up as one with a lot of positive reviews and was affordable, yet is something that would last me a long time. My bedroom is fairly small so it keeps me perfectly cool and during the night, it proved to be essential to sleeping thanks to the quiet sleep mode, plus the ability to switch between the oscillating movement or keep it still and the airflow directed one way."
Best silent tower fan
What you need in a fan is silence, and this Dreo option more than hits that requirement. It's a large piece of equipment but well worth the investment during any heatwave. The bladeless oscillation can be controlled via a remote control, so you can sweat in peace without having to get up and turn up the breeze higher.
Dimensions: 32.3 x 32.3 x 106cm
Features: Six-speed setting, wind mode, 12 hour timer function, oscillation, digital display, remote control, 1.8m power cable
* We tested out the Dreo Pilot Max Tower Fan which is currently unavailable but the standard fan is a similar model.
Tried and tested by Deputy Commercial Content Editor, Natalie Corner: "The first thing about the Pilot Max model is that it's very large. So make sure you have space in your home to store it when it's no longer hot. However, the height means the power behind the fan blasts out some really great cold air, and it's extremely quiet. During the recent heatwave having this on during the night didn't affect my sleep at all, it has a Night Mode which makes the fan barely noticeable. There are plenty of settings to work your way through, including the rotating option which has four different settings, longer turns to blast the air around the room or shorter to keep it focused. Highly recommended."
What type of fan should you buy?
When it comes to choosing what style of fan to buy you need to consider a few things, like the amount of space you have, how much you want to spend, where your electrical sockets are and if you want a powerful (and usually noisy) fan to really blast you, or something a little quieter so that you barely notice it.
Tower fan - a slim vertical design that will take up the least amount of space in your home. The upright design of the tower fan means that, unlike a conventional round-blade fan, the cool air is not focused on a very specific point, it’s distributed more evenly with an oscillating function.
Stand or Pedestal fan - the most common and affordable type of fan. The stand or pedestal fan is tall with a thin pole and an adjustable blade unit attached to the top. A budget option, but bear in mind cheaper styles can be quite flimsy.
Desk fan - know that you need to keep cool while working from home and don't have much space? A desk fan might be a better option and means you can direct the airflow in your personal space. Surprisingly effective, but only short range.
Portable handheld fan - handheld fans can be an absolute saviour when it comes to going out and about in the heat. If you're braving a commute or travelling somewhere you know doesn't have a fan then bagging yourself a rechargeable battery-powered fan is the best thing you can do.
William Lobley is a Deputy Commercial Content Editor and reviewer for What's The Best, specialising in technology, gaming, and outdoors. He also writes for Empire Online.
Subscribe to the What’s The Best Newsletter to keep up to date with more of the latest reviews and recommendations from Will and the rest of the What’s The Best team.