While Britain is often synonymous with grey skies and wet weather, this summer has been a hot one for us. And as the resident of a top-floor apartment with no A/C (and one who frequently works from home), I’ve certainly felt it.
In my time of need I, like many, turn to the trusty fan. For me it was an aging desk companion that squeaks incessantly, and steadily deconstructs itself as the fan blades spin off their rotor. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t great at keeping me cool either.
During the day I could struggle through the frustrations, but sleeping became a nightmare. Every night I was kept awake by a combination of fan noise and the feeling of my brain melting in my head.
I did try opening a window instead and this worked for a time until – several nights in a row – I heard screeching outside at 1am from what I hoped was foxes and not (as it sounded) a horror movie victim running afoul of Jason Voorhees.
And then my hero emerged: a bladeless fan. Quiet. Effective. Perfect for my needs.
My saviour has been the Dyson Cool CF1 desk fan – which is our pick for the best fan for sleep in our best fans guide.
The four-star machine comes with 10 fan strengths – on its sleep mode (a 4/10) it measured at only 35dB which is “equivalent to a whisper” as our reviewer put it, and at its max setting it’s still only 45dB. Even on lower-powered, quieter modes it can spin out a good amount of breeze.
I can set this fan up on my bedside table, turn on sleep mode, and stay cool all night – which has led to much better sleeping on my part. It’s also great for using while I work, the low noise means I’m able to stay focus on my tasks while keeping cool.
The only downside of it being so quiet is I’ll frequently forget I’ve left it running, only to realize at midday that it’s still chilling my bed. Speaking of negatives I should also note that at £249.99 it isn’t the cheapest option out there.
As I’ve found, a good fan can make a world of difference, but you can find alternatives that aren’t as expensive and are still a life-saver when the temperatures ramp up. Case in point, Cesci Angell from our reviews team (who reviewed this Dyson fan for us) swears by the small but mighty MeacoFan Sefte.
Just like the Dyson it’s quiet yet effective, and while it isn’t as pretty, it does have the added benefit of being an air circulator rather than a fan – I’m told this means it can serve the dual purpose of circulating cool air in the summer or warm air in the winter.
So if you feel like your cheap supermarket fan isn't cutting it check out our guide to the best fans and treat yourself. I haven't regretted my upgrade, and I expect you won't either.
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