Best smart fans to keep you cool over the summer months

The smart revolution continues to expand over every inch of our homes. We can switch on the heating before we get home, have fridges order more milk when we’re running low, and even get obscure questions answered just by saying them out loud.

With summer here, our attention has turned to keeping cool as temperatures rise. While desk fans are handy for WFH days and a tower design with a timer is perfect for nodding off to a gentle breeze, techies know one above them all is superior: all hail the smart fan.

This isn’t one that’ll appear on a panel of University Challenge; rather its ‘smartness’ lies in its tech capabilities. There are models that can purify air, hook up to Alexa and be controlled through apps, keeping you one step ahead of a heatwave.

Dyson leads the charge, naturally, but it’s far from the only brand adopting new tech into household appliances. We’ve gathered the best models below, all at varying price points, to help take the edge off summer temperatures. If you’re new to them, don’t worry - you’ll soon be a fan.

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Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde

Dyson has long been the leader of the pack when it comes to smart home electricals, and its latest launch builds on the popularity of its bladeless Hot+Cool collection.

The Dyson Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 Smart Air Purifier not only heats and cools your space purifies too, making sure your household is breathing in nothing but the finest particles. It’s not just pushing cool air around, but ‘washing’ it clean first, making it a godsend for anyone with allergies or conditions like asthma.

It comes with a magnetic remote control (which can sit happily atop the unit) but can also be controlled through your phone’s Dyson Link app via Bluetooth. There are 10 speed settings, and it can propel hot as well as cool air into the room using its patented air multiplier technology.

The smartest thing of all is that it continually detects dust, allergens, mould and even formaldehyde particles (from ageing furniture and wallpaper glue) in the room, before trapping them into high-tech filters that never need replacing - so while it’s expensive, buying new filters is one cost you won’t have to factor in past the inital purchase of the machine.

It oscillates and also has the ability to stay in place, giving you the choice of focused or circulating cooling. And you can set it to timer or keep it on night mode to keep sticky nights at bay.

As we spend so much more time at home and with busy roads and general pollution tainting our space, Dyson’s latest device is a real investment in home air quality improvement. The triple action function - purifying, cooling and heating - means it will become a household staple to have on call year round. Simple to set up and even easier to use, after just one night we felt the difference.

Comes with a two year guarantee.

Buy now £600.00, Argos

Dyson AM07 White/ Silver Cool Tower Fan

If the above is a little too expensive Dyson’s older fans still offer excellent tech for money. The AM07 harnesses its famous ‘air multiplier’ technology to project a steady stream of airflow - all while running as quiet as a mouse.

Dyson has made this to be 60 per cent quieter and more energy efficient than its older models – and it’s been given a Quiet Mark award by the Noise Abatement Society to prove it. One for bigger spaces, the fan comes with a remote control and timer that will set it on and off at pre-set intervals ranging from 15 minutes to 9 hours.

It won’t purify the air, but if that’s something you’re happy to do without, this is a great device to add to basket.

Buy now £350.00, Argos

AirGo Smart Fan

Picture the scene: a sweltering night before a day WFH. Avoid toiling at a stuffy desk and turn your fan on while you’re brushing your teeth; the AirGo can be controlled through an accompanying app. You can use it to adjust the speed or temperature when you’re busy fixing lunch or making a call - handy if the fan is on the other side of the room.

It also works with Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa voice assistants so you don’t even have to use your handset if it’s charging or not in the immediate vicinity.

Noise-wise, it comes with noise-reduction technology which means it won’t make a racket when you need to concentrate or trying to get off to sleep.

Buy now £89.99, Amazon

Dyson Pure Cool Me

If you’re looking for a personal fan for your home office, Dyson’s Pure Cool Me will clean the air of pollutants while keeping your space’s temperature regulated. It scrubs the air through an activated carbon and glass HEPA filter before using patented Dyson Core Flow technology to blow cooling, freshly filtered air just where you need it. Also available in white.

Buy now £299.97, QVC

Dimplex Ion Fresh cooling fan

While this fan can’t be controlled by anything other than the included remote and control system, it’s smart thanks to a feature called the Ioniser. This optional mode washes air clean of dust particles, particularly helpful if you live with someone with allergies or your home is by a busy street. So, rather than pushing air around the room, it will flood your space with fresh air - a healthier prospect all round.

The tower design comes in a black and copper colour scheme and also has a tilt feature and 70 degree oscillation so you’ll always find the right angle to enjoy cooling breezes, wherever you are in the room. Meanwhile a natural mode mimics outdoor wind and the sleep mode gradually cuts the fan’s speed before shutting down completely, a godsend when you’re trying to catch your 40 winks. Comes with a three-year manufacturers guarantee.

Buy now £90.00, Argos

Princess Smart Black/Silver WIFI Connected Tower Fan

The Princess Smart Tower fan works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, so if you like talking to your electricals, this fan ticks the voice control box.

The slim three-speed tower design won’t hog space, even in the smallest of spaces while the 50W motor comes into its own when the mercury soars past 25 degrees (one can dream).

The black and silver Princess oscillates in an 80 degree arc and has a timer so you can set it before bed or have to turn off before you get home to enjoy the perfect temperature in your home, whatever the weather. Use the control panels or connect with the app.

Buy now £100.00, Argos

Govee 36 Inch Smart Tower Fan with WiFi App Control

There's no need to cower in the shadows when the heat rises with this powerful Wi-Fi fan in your corner. Hook it up to an Amazon Alexa device and you can issue voice commands too.

The Govee Home App-controlled fan offers more speeds than most at eight, plus three modes, so whatever breeze you're imagining you'll be able to fine-tune to achieve. If you're not sure, the Auto mode is intuitive and will balance temperatures for you.

It's a quiet little thing too, operating as low as 38dB so you won't be distracted, whether you're watching telly or trying to finish off a work report. Other notable features include a 75-degree oscillation, a maximum wind speed of 6m/s, a 24H timer, easy-grip handle, custom and schedule modes, and a safety lock.

Buy now £99.99, Amazon

SMART AIR Cool + Purify Tower Fan - White

While we wait all year for warm summer days, sleeping when there’s a hot spell is no fun at all. That’s why a smart fan like this one is so useful.

There are 12 speed settings (which you can feel from up to six metres away) and a choice of four wind modes, including Baby to help your little one drift off. But that’s not all: this fan purifies and sterilises air too, obliterating 99 per cent of harmful particles in your home.

It works via the touch display and a remote control so you can control it from anywhere in the room.

Buy now £299.99, Currys

GEOSMART PRO AirLit Smart Pedestal Fan with Beauty Mirror - White

Answering the age-told question - "can a fan be a multi-hypenate?" - Geosmart knocks versatility from a single appliance out of the park. It’s not just a fan, this device is also a ring light, a smartphone holder and a mirror, making it a summer dressing table must-have.

Set it on your desk, or extend the stand to raise it from the floor. In terms of features, choose from four fan speeds, tilt and oscillate. It’s USB charged with a full battery giving you 15 hours of run time, making it perfect for taking on trips away. Download the app to increase its potential; as well as controlling it from afar, you can set automatic schedules too. And it’s Google and Alexa voice assistant compatible too. All at this bargainous price. Phew!

Buy now £84.99, Currys

BONECO F220 Air Shower floor-standing fan 85cm

Some days are so stiflingly warm, they make you want to stand inside a wind tunnel. This Swiss-made design more than answers that breezy daydream, with 270-degree manual rotation, multiple speed levels and a max of 33W power usage. Thanks to the deep blades, the flow will torrent through your indoor spaces and circulate effectively around the whole room, bringing the temperature back down to more comfortable levels.

If you’ve got high ceilings or multiple floors that you want to cool, the Boneco F220 is ideal: it will pour cool air in, just like a shower, to help you regulate temperatures quickly and quietly.

If this model doesn’t seem quite the right fit for you, Boneco offers a number of other stylish coolers, air purifiers and desk fans from £80.

Buy now £159.99, Harrods