The best room coolers, compared.
Top pick: DREO DR-HPF013 pedestal fan Best value: Schallen 16 inch pedestal fan – Best value on price and a stated Type G plug, at about £29.99, on a different ASIN from the top pick, not the highest score. Updated 20 October 2026.
Room cooling on this amazon.co.uk shelf is a plug-in fan or a small evaporative cooler, not a refrigerant air conditioner. You use one in a bedroom, a living room, or at a desk during a hot spell. A fan moves air so you feel cooler. Energy Saving Trust says it does not lower the room temperature. An evaporative cooler can cool the air it blows and it adds moisture, so a humid day leaves it little to do. Judge a listing by the job, whether it states a BS 1363 plug, and whether a low speed and a timer suit sleep. If you need the room temperature to fall, look at [mobile air conditioning units](/hub/cooling/mobile-air-conditioning-units). You are choosing air across a room, air on one person, or a cooler airstream from a water tank.
Room cooling on this amazon.co.uk shelf is a plug-in fan or a small evaporative cooler, not a refrigerant air conditioner. You use one in a bedroom, a living room, or at a desk during a hot spell.
42 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +21,800 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will you use it?
The DREO DR-HPF013 pedestal is listed at 36 W, with a remote, 90° oscillation, a 90° pivoting head, and a timer up to 8 hours. Across 4.7 from 8,743 amazon.co.uk reviews, buyers say the air reaches across a room and that the lowest speeds are quiet enough that some people check the fan is still on. High speed is described as strong, and one reviewer writes that silent is not what you get once it moves a lot of air. Assembly is about five minutes in those notes, though the head feels low at the foot of a bed for some. The bullets say 8 speeds and the table says 3. The title says 20 dB and the table says 28.2 dB. The table also prints 120 V and a 2-pin connector, so a BS 1363 plug is not stated. At £79.99 the star line is the highest in this set, and the plug line is still unresolved.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a pedestal with a remote and you will confirm a UK plug in the box before you rely on it.
Less suitable: You need the listing itself to state BS 1363, or one agreed speed count and noise figure.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing show a UK plug?
No. The table prints 120 V and a 2-pin connector. A BS 1363 plug is not stated.
How many speeds does the listing give?
The bullets say 8 speeds plus an auto mode. The table says 3 speeds and 3 power levels.
Does the head move?
Yes. Oscillation is 90° horizontal, and the head pivots 90°. Bullets also say the height adjusts from 38 to 42 inches.
The white DREO Nomad One, model DR-HTF007, is a 36-inch tower listed at 42 W and 3.8 kg, with a remote, 90° oscillation, an 8-hour timer, sleep mode, and a display auto-off claim. The listing shows 4.6 from 47,486 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the same count and the same opening texts appear on the black ASIN, so the two colours are one pool. Reviewers in that shared file describe a clear step from a quiet low speed to air felt across a large lounge, with the LEDs off at night. The highest settings are audible, and one buyer counted a speed total that does not match the title’s 8. One shared review says a unit stopped after about a year and DREO sent a replacement. The title says 20 dB and the table says 28 dB. The voltage field is 120 V, with a standard AC cord and an ETL mark rather than a UK plug standard. Speeds are 8 in the bullets and 4 in the table. At £79.99 the rank is strong, and the plug line is not.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the Nomad One in white and you will confirm a UK plug in the box.
Less suitable: You need a stated BS 1363 plug, or a review count that belongs to this colour alone.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing show a UK plug?
No. The voltage field is 120 V, and the connector line is a standard AC power cord. The printed mark is ETL, not a UK plug standard.
Are the 47,486 reviews only for this white fan?
No. The same 4.6 from 47,486 and the same opening review texts appear on black ASIN B09MKPDJRT. Do not add the two counts.
What night controls are listed?
An 8-hour timer, sleep mode with auto mute, and display auto off are in the bullets. The rear grille and impeller are removable for cleaning.
The black DREO Nomad One lists 36 W and 220–240 V in the title, at 4.08 kg, with a remote, 90° oscillation, an 8-hour timer, sleep mode, display auto off and sleep mute. It shows the same 4.6 from 47,486 amazon.co.uk reviews as the white listing, including the quiet low setting, lights off at night, and coverage of a large lounge in one review. Those texts are not a second sample of 47,486 people. The connector is printed as EEC 7/7, a continental plug, not a UK three-pin. The title says 20 dB and the table says 25 dB. Bullets say 8 speeds and the table says 4, and reviewers do not always count 8 speeds either. Airflow is 28 ft/s in the title and 24 cubic feet per minute in the table. Noise on the top speeds is the repeated complaint, beside the price against a basic fan. At £79.99 it matches the white unit’s shelf price, with a different plug line.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the black Nomad One and you will only use it if the box contains a UK plug.
Less suitable: You need a stated UK three-pin plug, or a review count separate from the white fan.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the printed plug a UK three-pin plug?
No. The connector is printed as EEC 7/7, which is a continental plug. The title and voltage field say 220–240 V.
How many speeds are on the page?
The bullets say 8 speeds and 4 modes: Normal, Natural, Sleep and Auto. The table says 4 speeds and 4 power levels.
Is the review count separate from the white fan?
No. This listing shows the same 4.6 from 47,486 and the same first reviews as white ASIN B0BT7LPSBY.
The DREO Cruiser Pro T1, model DR-HTF018, is a 42-inch tower at 35 W and 4.44 kg, with a remote, 90° oscillation, a 12-hour timer, and a display the bullets say dims after 30 seconds. Across 4.6 from 26,164 amazon.co.uk reviews, people leave the low or sleep setting on overnight and describe several distinct speeds, with a slimmer footprint than an old pedestal. High speeds are too much if you sit still in the stream, and the column is over a metre tall. One review says a unit stopped just under two years and DREO replaced it. The title says 9 speeds and 20 dB; the table says 6 power levels and 25 dB. Airflow is 8.5 m/s in the title, 1,473 cubic feet per minute in the bullets, and 1,270 in the table. The table prints 120 V and a C13 or C14 connector. At £89.99 the review file is deep, and a UK plug is not stated.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the longest timer in this set and you will check the lead in the box.
Less suitable: You need a stated UK plug, or one agreed speed count and noise figure.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing show a UK plug?
No. The table prints 120 V, and the connector line is C13 or C14. A BS 1363 plug is not stated.
How many speeds and how loud is the printed figure?
The title says 9 speeds and 20 dB. The table says 6 power levels and 25 dB. Bullets also say 20 dB.
Is there a timer and a remote?
Yes. The timer is 12 hours, and the control type is a remote plus electronic touch. Bullets say the display dims after 30 seconds. Keep the interior dry and do not place it near a humidifier.
The Warmco D3 is a USB-C desk fan of about 399 g and 8.3 W, with a 10,000 mAh battery and four speeds. Across 4.6 from 3,923 amazon.co.uk reviews, buyers use it as a bedside or travel fan, praise the low speed overnight, and say the battery lasts a working day or a night on the lower speeds, with a charge percentage on the display. The top speeds are stronger than some people expected from a personal fan, and the body folds flat. One review still hears it at night and accepts that. A full charge is a day of use, so one buyer keeps a second unit to avoid downtime, and the USB-C lead has to stay with you. The table says 50 dB and a bullet says under 40 dB on speed 1. Oscillation and a timer are not stated. There is no mains plug. At £31.49 it is personal coverage, not the only cooling for a living room.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a battery fan for one person at a desk, on a bedside, or in a bag.
Less suitable: You need air across a room, or a fan that plugs into a 13 A socket.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this fan plug into a UK wall socket by itself?
No. It is cordless, charged by USB-C. The bullets say 5 V / 2 A. There is no mains plug in use.
How long is the battery claim?
The battery is 10,000 mAh. Bullets say up to 24 hours on low or 10 hours on high. There are 4 speeds and an LED battery percent.
Will it cool a living room?
The listing is a personal desk, bedside or travel fan of about 399 g. Oscillation and a timer are not stated. It is not a floor tower.
The Honeywell TurboForce HT900E, table model HT900E1, is a 30 W turbo at 1.18 kg that the listing places on the floor, a table, or a wall mount. Across 4.5 from 28,764 amazon.co.uk reviews, buyers praise a strong draught for the size and a simple three-speed unit, and some prefer it to a tower they already own. The same notes say it is not quiet, despite the quiet-operation line, and that it does not sweep the room, so it hits one direction. Bullets mention both a 90° oscillating head and 90° variable tilt; the feature list does not include oscillation, so treat the sweep as unresolved and the tilt as listed. The tilt does not always stay put. There is no remote and no timer. Noise bullets span 39–56 dB, and dust collects at the back because at least one buyer could not open it. Airflow is described as felt up to about 7 metres. Voltage is 240 V and BS 1363 is not spelled out. At £35.32 it is an entry price for one person.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a compact turbo aimed at one person and you will check the plug.
Less suitable: You need a confirmed sweep across the room, or a timer for sleep.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this Honeywell oscillate?
Horizontal sweep is not clearly specified. Bullets say both a 90 degree oscillating head and 90° variable tilt. Treat the tilt as listed and the sweep as unresolved.
Is there a remote or a timer?
No remote is in the included components, and no timer is in the table. Control is buttons. A wall-mount feature is listed.
Does the listing name a UK plug?
No. Voltage is 240 V and the model suffix is HT900E. BS 1363 is not spelled out.
The DREO DR-HTF017 is a floor tower at 45 W, about 92.6 cm tall and 3.79 kg, with four speeds, 90° oscillation, a remote, a 1–8 hour timer and a sleep mode. Across 4.4 from 2,365 amazon.co.uk reviews, buyers describe a gentle breeze on the lowest setting and stronger air higher up, and several call it quiet enough for sleep, dogs, or a guest room. The slim body and handle are praised for moving it between rooms. The base clicks together for some people in about 10 minutes, but more than one review says the halves are fiddly because the cable must be threaded first, and one buyer needed a second person. The voltage field says 240 V, while the connector line is NEMA 5-15, which is not a UK 13 A plug. Title and table both list 28 dB, which is more consistent than the 20 dB towers. At £74.99 one buyer still found the peak airflow short of the price.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a sleep-mode tower and you will confirm the plug before you trust the 240 V line.
Less suitable: You need a stated UK 13 A plug, or a base you can click together on your own.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing show a UK 13 A plug?
No. The table says NEMA 5-15 and a standard AC power plug. Voltage is 240 V. Do not treat NEMA 5-15 as BS 1363.
What timer and speeds are listed?
Four speeds, modes Normal, Natural and Sleep, and a timer from 1 to 8 hours. Oscillation is 90°.
Does the box include a remote?
Yes. The included line is a remote. Reviews describe a click-together base, and one reviewer needed a second person because the cable threads through the base halves.
The MBSM ARD-08BB is a tabletop circulator at 40 W and 1.65 kg, with 70° oscillation, 90° manual tilt, a remote, and a timer from 1 to 12 hours. Across 4.4 from 236 amazon.co.uk reviews, several people use speed 1 only and call that setting strong for the size, including one buyer who ran it through a London hot spell. Speeds 2 and 3 were too noisy for office work for one buyer, and another needed earplugs to sleep. The tilt does not point down far enough for a high shelf or bedside in more than one review. A remote failed after a couple of weeks in one note, and a replacement was not obtained. Listed noise is 25 dB in the title and the table. The voltage field says 220 V, and a UK plug is not stated. Two size lines print 20.5 × 24 × 29.5 cm and 22.5 × 27.5 × 33 cm. At £49.99 the front grille comes off, and the review file is the smallest among these fans.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a one-person circulator with a long timer and you will check the plug.
Less suitable: You need a large review file, a downward tilt onto a bedside, or air from a floor tower.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing state a UK plug?
No. The voltage field is 220 V, and the connector is not stated as BS 1363.
How far does it sweep?
Auto oscillation is 70° horizontal. Manual tilt is 90°. There are 3 speeds, a remote, and a timer from 1 to 12 hours.
Is this a whole-room tower?
No. It is a tabletop circulator. Bullets put the height at about 11.6 inches. The front grille is detachable for cleaning.
The Dr. Prepare desk tower puts a 16 W draught on a desk or bedside from a body about 32.5 cm tall and 889 g. Across 4.3 from 5,565 amazon.co.uk reviews, buyers set it on a windowsill or a bedside and often stay on the low speed, because medium and high move more air and high is loud. The title states a UK three-pin plug, with timers at 2, 4 and 8 hours, 110° oscillation, and a remote on the included-components line. The cable is listed at 4.6 feet, and reviewers call that lead annoyingly short, so the unit sits next to a socket. The item-type line still prints 16W US, and a rechargeable line conflicts with a mains-only reading, so check the plug in the box. Listed noise is 60 dB, with a bullet that says under 60 dB on high, and no sleep mode is stated. At £35.99 it is the top pick here for one person who wants a stated UK plug, and reviewers say it is weaker than a floor tower if you wanted the whole room.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a stated UK plug and a timed draught for one person at a desk or bedside.
Less suitable: You need air across a living room, or a lead that reaches without sitting on the socket.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing state a UK plug?
Yes. The title and the connector line say a standard UK plug, at 240 V. The item-type line also prints 16W US, which conflicts with that.
What timers are listed?
The listing gives 2 hour, 4 hour and 8 hour timers.
Does it oscillate?
Yes. Horizontal oscillation is 110°, with a swing button. It is a desk tower, about 32.5 cm tall, not a full-height floor tower.
The PureMate PM850 is a 43-inch floor tower, 109 cm tall and 4.3 kg, drawing 60 W with a BS 1363 plug and a 230 V field stated on the listing. Across 4.2 from 2,001 amazon.co.uk reviews, several buyers say it does the job in an average room, and some call the low setting quiet enough for a bedroom. It offers 70° oscillation, a remote, an 8-hour timer, and a sleep mode whose bullets say the lights turn down. The same reviews include a buyer who found high speed barely moved air, a beep that cannot be muted, and a unit that answered a television remote. Oscillation creaks on a wooden floor in at least one note, and one review says the lights come on when the fan is switched off. The cable is 1.5 m in the bullets and 1.8 m in the table. At £99.00 it is the dearest fan in this set, with a 52 dB table figure and an air-purifier claim that has no CADR.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a floor tower with a stated UK plug and a night mode, and the £99 price is acceptable.
Less suitable: You wanted a budget fan, a muteable beep, or one agreed cable length.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the PureMate use a UK plug?
Yes. The connector is stated as BS 1363, and the voltage field is 230 V. The cable is 1.5 m in the bullets and 1.8 m in the table.
Is there a remote and a timer?
Yes. The bullets include a remote with batteries, and the timer runs up to 8 hours. Modes are Normal, Natural and Sleep.
Does the listing measure the air purifier?
No. Air purifier and aroma are claimed. No CADR or filter class is in the table.
The Schallen 16 inch pedestal moves room air at 40 W from a stated Type G plug and a 230 V field. Across 4.0 from 6,922 amazon.co.uk reviews, buyers praise the air for the money, including on low, and some call it cheap to run in their own words. Three speeds and oscillation are listed, with no angle and no decibel figure, and quiet operation is only a feature line. There is no remote, and the specification table does not list a timer. The lowest speed is still strong for sleep in the review notes, with a hum under the fan noise. More than one review says stand screws work loose, the pole bends, or the fan falls, which is why the score deducts for the stand. Assembly needs a small Phillips screwdriver the box does not include, and the blade nut tightens counter-clockwise. At £29.99 it is the best value in this comparison, not the highest score.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheap pedestal with a stated UK plug for daytime use in a room.
Less suitable: You need a timer, a remote, or a stand the reviews treat as solid overnight.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Schallen use a UK plug?
Yes. The bullets and the connector line state a Type G standard UK mains plug, at 230 V.
Is there a remote or a timer?
No remote. Included components are the cord only. A timer is not in the specification table.
Is assembly tool-free?
No. Reviews say a small Phillips screwdriver is required, and the listing does not include one. The blade nut tightens counter-clockwise.
The BLACK+DECKER BXAC65014GB is a 65 W evaporative cooler with a 6 litre tank and a listed 300 m³/h, not a refrigerant air conditioner and not a fan with an exhaust hose. Across 2.9 from 288 amazon.co.uk reviews, buyers who like it describe a pleasant breeze when the water or ice setting is on, sometimes in an attic where a hose unit cannot vent. Several others say it does not drop the room temperature and call it a fan, not an air cooler, useful only if you sit in the stream. The tank is awkward because of the pump, and reviews say you fill from a jug with the tank partly out. It has three speeds, a remote, an app, a weekly timer and a sleep mode, and it adds moisture. Silent operation is claimed with no decibel figure. Both 220 V and 240 V are printed, and BS 1363 is not stated. At £87.29 and 2.15 kg it is the only water-tank unit in this set.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a nearer, wetter airstream, you can ventilate, and you do not expect the room thermometer to fall.
Less suitable: You need refrigerant cooling, a drier room, or a listing that states a UK plug.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a portable air conditioner?
No. It is an evaporative air cooler with a honeycomb filter and a 6 litre water tank. No exhaust hose is stated. It adds moisture.
Does the listing state a UK plug?
No. 220 V and 240 V are both printed. The model suffix is GB. BS 1363 is not stated.
How do you fill the tank?
Reviews say the tank is awkward to remove because of the pump, and that you fill from a jug with the tank partly out. A weekly timer is claimed via the app, the remote or touch.
Scores use the twelve amazon.co.uk listings in this comparison, the prices and star lines on those pages, and the review notes for the same ASINs. Shelf date 20 October 2026. This is not a laboratory test. A star rating is not a noise measurement and not a drop in room temperature. Weights sum to 100. The highest score is the top pick. Best value is the strongest price with a stated UK plug on a different ASIN, not the highest score.
Stars
40%amazon.co.uk stars divided by 5, then times 40. A 4.3 line gives 34.4. A 4.7 line gives 37.6. The star line is not a noise reading and not a room-temperature drop.
Review depth
15%More weight when the count is in the thousands, less when it is a few hundred. The white and black DREO DR-HTF007 share one 47,486 pool, so that depth is not counted twice.
Room-cooling fit
25%A floor tower or pedestal that can move air across a room scores higher than a desk or battery fan. The Honeywell scores low here because horizontal sweep is not clearly specified. The Warmco scores low because it is personal airflow.
UK plug clarity
10%A stated BS 1363, Type G, or standard UK plug scores 10. A voltage field with no plug sentence scores in the middle. A printed 120 V, 2-pin, NEMA 5-15, EEC 7/7, or C13/C14 line scores 1. A 120 V line is not rewritten as a UK plug.
Price band
10%The £29.99 to £36 shelf scores 10. Mid prices score less. £99 scores 2. Best value is this band plus a stated UK plug on a different ASIN from the top pick, not the cheapest title alone.
Choose the job and the plug before the decibel line in the title. A tower, a pedestal, a desk fan and an evaporative cooler are not the same purchase, and a fan does not lower the room temperature.
Room cooling on this shelf means a plug-in fan or a small evaporative cooler, not a refrigerant air conditioner. You are choosing air across a room, air on one person, or a cooler airstream from a water tank. A fan moves air so you feel cooler. Energy Saving Trust says it does not lower room temperature. An evaporative cooler can cool the air it blows and it adds moisture, so a humid day leaves it little to do.
The BLACK+DECKER BXAC65014GB is a 6 litre, 65 W water cooler. It adds moisture. Reviews often report little or no drop in room temperature. A fan does not lower room temperature either.
A 20 dB title often disagrees with a 25 dB or 28 dB table on the same ASIN. A printed 120 V, NEMA 5-15, EEC 7/7, or C13/C14 line is not a stated BS 1363 plug. A price in pounds does not fix that.
The white and black Nomad One listings share one 4.6 from 47,486 pool, including the same opening texts. Adding the counts counts the same reviews twice.
Decide whether you need air across a room, air on one person, or a wetter airstream from a tank. A floor tower or pedestal covers a room. A desk fan, a circulator, or the 400 g Warmco does not. UK mains are nominally 230 V and the domestic plug is BS 1363. In this set Schallen states Type G, PureMate states BS 1363, and Dr. Prepare states a UK three-pin plug. Several DREO tables print 120 V, NEMA 5-15, EEC 7/7, or C13/C14. Treat that conflict as unresolved.
For sleep you want a low speed, a timer, a remote if you will not get up, and a display that can go dark. Read the noise reviewers describe on the low setting. A 20 dB title often disagrees with a 25 dB or 28 dB table, so do not treat the title as a measured bedroom level. At Ofgem's 26.32 p/kWh Direct Debit average for England, Scotland and Wales from 1 October to 31 December 2026, a 40 W fan for eight hours is about 8 pence. That is arithmetic, not a bill.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a stated UK plug and a timed draught for one person. The Dr. Prepare desk tower is the top pick at about £35.99, with timers at 2, 4 and 8 hours. Reviewers say the lead is short and that it is weaker than a floor tower if you wanted the whole room.
You want a low speed, a timer, and lights that turn down, on a floor tower with a stated UK plug. The PureMate PM850 states BS 1363 and a sleep mode, at about £99. Some reviews call high speed weak, and the remote beep cannot be muted.
You want air across a room and the lowest price with a stated UK plug. The Schallen 16 inch pedestal is the best value at about £29.99, with Type G stated. There is no remote and no timer, and more than one review says the stand works loose.
The top pick is the Dr. Prepare desk tower at about £35.99. It scores 83, the highest here, with a stated UK plug and 4.3 from 5,565 reviews. The item-type line still prints 16W US beside that plug, and reviewers say it is a desk or bedside draught, not a floor tower. Best value is the Schallen 16 inch pedestal at about £29.99, a different ASIN, with a Type G plug stated and 4.0 from 6,922 reviews. The score deducts for repeated stand failures. Skip the Dr. Prepare if you need air across a living room. Skip the Schallen if you need a timer, a remote, or a stand the reviews treat as solid overnight.
Schallen 16 inch pedestal fan
Best value on price and a stated Type G plug, at about £29.99, on a different ASIN from the top pick, not the highest score.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources named below. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts on these twelve listings are the figures stored for this comparison. Shelf date 20 October 2026. This is not a laboratory test.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are taken from those listings. We did not run a lab test.
