Fans might be good for keeping you cool at home, but all those bulky plug-in models are no good the second you step outside the door. Thanks to improvements in battery power and motors, portable fans, handheld, wearable or simply wire-free, are as good as their fixed counterparts.
The good news is that there are a lot more products to choose from. The bad news is that many, handheld models particularly, are cheap no-brand models that are basic at best.
If you want a bit more from a portable fan, then you’re in the right place. Here, we’ve rounded up a variety of products, including handheld fans that you can take on the move, and battery-powered ones that are ideal for quickly moving around the house or taking into the garden.
It’s important to work out what you want from a portable fan before you buy. If travel is your primary objective, whether that’s sitting on the beach or stuffed into a hot train, then a handheld model is ideal.
Make sure you buy one with enough battery life, enough power to cool you and quiet enough operating levels.
For wider cooling of multiple people and at a greater range, a battery-powered fan is ideal as you can carry it where you need without needing a power socket. Standing fans are good where you don’t have surfaces; desktop versions are useful in bedrooms or for when you want to put a fan on a table.
There’s a lot to consider, but our in-depth testing means that you can rely on our product choices. If you want a plug-in model, then check out our guide to the best fans.
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Learn more about how we test fans
We test every fan using the same process so that their performance is easy to compare.
First, we measure air flow in metres per second (m/s). We take readings at two distances (15cm and 1m) to see how much the air flow drops off. We do this at both the minimum and maximum fan speeds to understand the full performance range. A good fan should offer a wide range of speeds, from a gentle breeze to a powerful blast of air.
We also measure noise levels at the lowest and highest speeds to see how loud each fan is. You can read more in our detailed guide, how we test fans.
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