The best fans and portable air conditioners are like gold dust at the moment, with many selling out as the UK continues through another heatwave. Some people are even looking into installing permanent air conditioning at home, but if you're not ready for that kind of investment, there's another option I'd recommend first.
I've tested plenty of fans over the years at T3, from the Dyson Hot+Cool HF1 to the Dreo CF714S Air Circulator Fan, so I've had a chance to try almost every style on the market.
Whilst they all do the same basic job, I've found that it's often the extra features that separate the good from the great, which is why I've ended up becoming such a fan of misting fans.
Misting fans combine a standard electric fan with a fine water mist, creating an evaporative cooling effect. As the mist evaporates, it absorbs heat from the surrounding air, helping you feel noticeably cooler than you would with a standard fan alone.
If you've always dismissed them because you think they'll leave everything damp, don't worry. The mist is so fine that it evaporates almost instantly, leaving you with the cooling effect rather than soaking your furniture or floor.
There are now a few great misting fans to choose from. Shark is probably the best-known brand thanks to its FlexBreeze HydroGo and FlexBreeze Pro Mist, both of which we've reviewed very positively.
If you're after something more heavy-duty, Ego's FN1000E Misting Fan is another excellent option. It's larger and more expensive, but it's powerful enough to cool bigger spaces and works just as well indoors as it does outside.
After using a misting fan, I don't think I'd go back to a standard fan. Having the option to switch the misting function on and off gives you the best of both worlds, and on particularly hot days, the extra cooling makes a much bigger difference than I expected. If you've never tried one before, this is the type of fan I'd recommend looking at first.
