There’s nothing worse than suffering through a hot summer. The roasting hot days seem endless, and there’s only so many iced drinks you can make yourself. But who has the spare cash to buy or upgrade a whole air conditioning system?
Thankfully, there’s plenty of amazing fans that can cool you just like an air conditioner.
In this guide I’ve brought together the 7 best cooling air fans for your home. Ranging from the most powerful luxury models, right down to a tiny USB desk fan. Not sure what you’re looking for? Check out the quick buyer’s guide after the reviews!
Ready? Then let’s dive in.
Shortlist: Best Fans That Cool Like Air Conditioners
| Image | Model | Award | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Dyson AM07 Cold Air Fan | Best Luxury Cooling | Amazon |
 |
PELONIS Oscillating Tower Fan | Best Value | Amazon |
 |
Vornado 6303DC | Best Table Size | Amazon |
 |
Dyson Hot + Cool | Best With Heat Option | Amazon |
Detailed Reviews of Fans That Cool Like Air Conditioners
If you’re on this page because you’re trying to find the absolute best cold-air fan, this may be it.
All we’re looking at here is a fan.
Not an air purifier, not a heater, not anything other than a fan.
Sounds simple, right? Then why is it our ‘best luxury’ cold air fan?
Because this cold air fan is made with so much quality.
We’re talking ultra-powerful airflow while being extremely quiet.
Thanks to the bladeless operation the noise is kept super low. Not to mention that:
- It’s super safe for kids (no fingers going near blades)
- It’s super easy to clean (one wipe with a cloth)
While simple, it’s everything you could ask for in a fan.
The catch? It’s expensive. Like a few hundred dollars expensive.
My first thought was that’s way too expensive. But when I think about it, they do have a good case.
On the one hand, this cooling fan is way cheaper than an air conditioner.
Then you have the design itself.
The bladeless fan design isn’t only sleek, it’s safe and quiet. Without sacrificing on airflow. While this isn’t exactly a technological marvel, it’s a complete step up on normal fans.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Safe for Kids (Bladeless) | Expensive |
| Super Quiet | No Air Purifying |
| Powerful Airflow | |
| Easy to Clean | |
| Curved Remote Stores Subtly |
Our Verdict
In terms of purely operating as a cooling air fan, this is hands down the best model.
There are other options on this list that offer other functionality – like whole room cooling, air purification, or heating. But none are better a producing cold air straight to where you need it.
Not only that, but doing so powerfully, quietly, and all without fan blades. It’s pretty amazing.
Who needs an air conditioner when you have a cooling fan like this one?
Let’s go to the opposite end of the extreme from luxury. This is our Best Value choice by PELONIS.
One of the most popular fans on Amazon, and for good reason. For an extremely modest price tag (typically <$60), you’re getting a fully functioning modern fan.
Including timers, tower fan oscillation, 22-blades of strong airflow, and extremely modern looks.
I personally love the design – it’s so sleek and black. It definitely doesn’t look like one of the cheapest fans on this list!
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great Value Price | Limited Power |
| Modern Looks | Only 3 Speeds |
| Remote Control |
Our Verdict
This fan isn’t perfect – popular models often rarely are. For such a low price tag, it does lack a little in power. And only 3 speeds leaves a little to be desired in control.
But in terms of raw value on the dollar, it’s hard to beat an option like this one.
Modern looks, modern functionality, and enough power to provide cold air to a small space.
If you’re simply looking for a quality fan to replace or supplement your air conditioner – this is a fantastic option that won’t dent your wallet.
As any regular readers of this website know – I’m a big fan of Vornado.. fans.
Their whole-room cooling technique is unrivalled. I’ve not found any other type of fan that is so effect for getting cold air around an entire space (instead of only slightly oscillation).
Their ‘vortex’ technology cools down a whole room, just like an air conditioner does.
Not familiar with them? Here’s a quick video that explains all:
This fan in particular is one of the best that Vornado have to offer.
So good, in fact, that they offer a staggering TEN YEAR warranty on it.
I’ve gone through this warranty in detail and it’s legit. Although it’s quite pricey for a fan, you’ve got peace of mind that you’ve got it for 10 whole years.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Energy Efficient | Pricey; Get What You Pay For |
| Vornado Whole-Room Cooling | |
| 10 YEAR Warranty | |
| 99-Variable Speeds |
Our Verdict
This fan is the embodiment of Vornado as a company.
The build quality is fantastic. The remote controls 99-speeds just like the how old iPod controls used to work. And everything is designed to run using as little energy as possible – saving you money every month.
Not to mention the insanely unbeatable 10 year warranties. There’s a reason Vornado have enough confidence to offer these – the fan is fantastic!
Unless it’s 90+ degrees out, I’d say this is worth more than an air conditioner any day.
This has got to be the most advanced fan in the world.
Though, I guess it’s not really a fan. It’s more than that.
Dyson have taken their market-winning cool air purifier fans, and combined them with a super quiet space heater.
The result is an incredible pairing of functionality, quality, and quietness.
Let’s talk about the heater first.
The heat can be spread or focused as needed.
It’s a simple convection heater, but paired with the fan, can spread that heat around your whole room. Or, if needed, focus it directly straight to where you need it. The heater is exceptionally quiet – and combined with the fan it’s such a subtle way to add a great amount of heat to your space.
The fan itself is high quality. As we expect from Dyson. Quiet and powerful is the secret to a great cold air fan. Plus the 350-degree oscillation makes for effortless room cooling.
Having a HEPA filter in there too for super-purified air is the icing on top.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Also a Space Heater | Expensive |
| Certified HEPA Filter | |
| Powerful Airflow | |
| 350-degree Oscillation |
Our Verdict
This fan can seriously do anything.
It’s like an air conditioner. And a heater. And a fantastic fan.
All in one.
Quiet and powerful cool airflow in any direction.
Heating, in the same way.
Top-of-the-range air purification with a HEPA Filter.
All wrapped in a package from the leading brand name in this market – Dyson.
It’s not cheap, but boy is it worth it.
As someone who works with appliances for a living, this is one of my favorites fans of any category.
Seriously.
It’s just such a great fan.
You won’t find any other model that gives you this amount of powerful and cold air while also being super silent.
Check out just how quiet it is – the only real sound is the wind from the powerful airflow.
The custom built fan blades, as well as looking good, are designed for absolute quietness. In terms of pure functionality as a fan, this is unbeatable for me.
The control panel and remote are so modern, with a nice blue tint.
The height is easily adjustable – meaning it can give you cold air flowing directly where you need it.
Not to mention the high build quality. I’d be surprised if these models weren’t still running perfectly 10 years from now.
Of course, there’s other great features too. The remote control, programmable timers, and speed variations are all top notch.
For a more detailed review, check out our coverage of the quietest pedestal fans.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Super quiet custom fan blades | Expensive for a fan (>$100) |
| Powerful, stable frame | |
| Nicely designed remote control | |
| Quality build - made to last |
Our Verdict
Pedestal fans offer a great deal of functionality.
When comparing pedestal to tower fans, we found pedestals to give much stronger, accurate airflow. Not to mention being quieter.
And for me, this is the absolute best pedestal fan out there.
It’s just a 10/10 in all the areas we look for. Quietness, power, functionality, and build quality. With all the modern features you expect (height adjustment, remote control, timers).
If you’re considering a pedestal fan, this should be the one.
This is one hell of a unique fan.
And I’m not just saying that – it was a Finalist in the 2019 Housewares Design Awards.
Sure – we’ve all heard of battery powered fans before. But they’re about the size of our hand! This is one packs some serious power.
Rated up to 1,500CFM, the amount of airflow this little fans produces is crazy. Especially when it’s running only from it’s rechargeable battery.
So what’s the catch? Battery lasts 1 hour tops?
Nope. It can run on battery for up to 24 hours. Seriously.
Not only that – but they’ve included a trick I absolutely love. The battery pack also has a USB port. Meaning you can charge your phone from your fan! What!
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Runs on Rechargable Battery (up to 24h) | Only on Floor/Surface |
| Sturdy; Use Outside | |
| Super Quiet | |
| HUGE Power (1500CFM) |
Our Verdict
This powerful fan will give you plenty of cold air in limitless locations. Camping with the kids, sailing with friends, or even just out by the barbeque.
It’s not just a gimmick, either. Thanks to the brushless DC motor it operates super silently while still outputting a TON of airflow. All while being powered by a battery which lasts up to 24 hours. And doesn’t take that long to charge.
It’s not as capable at cooling as an air conditioner, but it’s one hell of an impressive fan.
It really changed my perspective on what’s possible with battery-based appliances.
Lastly I wanted to include this great little runner.
It’s minuscule in comparison to the other fans. Coming in at a whopping price tag of around $12.
Don’t let the picture fool you, this cool air fan is only a few inches tall. But size isn’t everything.
This fan is powered entirely from a USB slot. And yet it still provides more than enough air to keep you cool.
Granted, it’s fairly limited in use. If you have it sitting next to you while you’re working, you’ll find that it’s more than enough to keep you much cooler and comfortable while you’re working.
However, it’s not exactly going to cool the whole room like an air conditioner!
One use I’ve found for this type of tiny cold air fan is to also use it to cool your laptop. If your laptop fan is working like crazy, this ice-cool air from this little fan can help keep your gadgets cool, too.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| SUPER Cheap | Desk Area Only |
| USB Powered | |
| 4.9ft Cable | |
| Totally Quiet |
Our Verdict
This fan is a fantastic option for supplemental cooling.
For not much over 10 bucks you can stay cool at your desk for as long as you’re working. And the running costs? Practically nothing.
This isn’t going to cool your whole room – the other fans on this list are for that. But I wanted to include this as an extra option.
For a bit of extra cooling, or just to save money by only cooling your work area, this is a great option to consider.
Quick Buyer's Guide to Cold Air Fans
Figuring out which fan to buy can be tricky. Especially when models are so similar, and especially when we’re shopping online.
Personally, I find that the easiest way to figure it out is to know what you want. Think about each different aspect of these fans, and consider what’s most important you.
Price? Power? Features? Air Filters?
By knowing which of these you value most, it makes it easier for you to know which fan model will suit you the best.
Let’s dive into the categories.
Power / CFM
First up is how powerful of a fan you need. How much airflow (cubic feet per minute) that would cool your space.
It’s worth noting that unfortunately, there isn’t a fan out there that produces ‘cold’ air. That’s called an air conditioner – and those are the only appliances that cool the air down!
Instead, a fan relies on powerful acceleration of the air to make it feel cooler because it’s travelling quickly. So in this way, a more powerful fan is a cooler fan.
Aside from the desk and value fan recommendations, the rest of the fans on this list all are more than capable of handling a small-medium sized room.
Quietness
With power can sometimes come great… levels of noise!
There’s no getting away from it that higher fan speeds give us higher noise levels. That’s why it’s important to get a fan quiet enough that you can run it on high without being too bothered.
Now – every fan in the world will market itself as quiet. Most aren’t. What to look for are those fans that scream (or whisper) ‘I’m made to be quiet!’ – things like custom fan blades, bladeless fans, or just excellent build quality go a long way to keep noise levels down.
Build Quality
There’s no use getting a bargain if it’s only going to last a month.
While I never like to rely on brand names, this is often where a known company is a safer bet. Good build quality (as in the products and workmanship) affects everything about a product. Look for models with metal parts or high quality plastic, modern controls, and a sturdy base.
I’ve made sure all these models on this list are of great build quality, but you should always double check. One great sign is to check the…
Warranty
A warranty can be a great sign of the confidence a company has in their own product. If it’s build to last, they shouldn’t have any problem extending things beyond the minimum of 1 year.
The most incredible example is right here on this list. Vornado offer some of the longest warranties in the world. The 10-year warranty on this list is almost standard for them, which is a guarantee of how quality their product really is.
Features
In this day and age, even a microwave can have wifi connectivity and probably do your kids homework for them.
What I’m trying to say is – some modern features are must haves, and some are gimmicks. It’s important to know which is actually important to you. Have a think about –
- Timers. Saving you energy by turning the fan off after a certain time (great for sleeping next to)
- Speed settings. Ranging from a bulky 1-3 dial to a digital dial of 100 settings on a Vornado fan
- Remote Control. These should be standard with any good modern fan. An absolute gamechanger, mostly in that you don’t need to get up from the couch to change it while watching the game.
- Wi-Fi Connectivity. I wasn’t kidding, some fans do have WiFi connection. Mostly this is used to turn your phone into a remote control.
Other Functions (Heat / Air Purification)
For a price, it’s very possible to combine fans with other appliances. Two models on this list also include heat and/or air purification.
These are quite a seperate issue to plain old cold air fans. You should have a good think about whether you would pay money to buy these functions seperately as other appliances and then about how much you’d pay.
If that hike in price is less than the higher cost of the combined item, then look into reviews of whether these things have actually worked. Some ‘heaters’ can turn out to be nothing more than lukewarm gimmicks.
If all of these are giving you a green light, then it might just be worth it!
Conclusion
Getting a fan that can cool like an air conditioner can make a real difference against the heat of summer.
Whether that’s cooling at your desk, by your bed, or even keeping a whole room cool for the family – they can make a huge difference to your comfort levels.
All for much less than an air conditioner.
I hope this quick guide has helped you out – if it has, please consider supporting us by checking out some other articles.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Hope you have a great day!
-Craig
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