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The Sun
11 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
I tested fans to keep you cool in a heatwave the winner costs 1p an hour to run
SUMMER is finally here with temperatures all over the UK set to hit 30 degrees this week, if not hotter. Whilst we all love the sun, it can make us feel a little sticky and sweaty especially when trying to sleep at night. A good fan is a must if you want to keep cool. Electric fans are a good option as they are cheaper, smaller, lighter and more energy efficient than air conditioning. But prices of fans vary and some don't do much to keep you cool at all, which can make buying one a challenge. Pedestal fans are a great option and tend to be more powerful than tower or table top fans. We've tested top brands including Meaco, Morphy Richards and Daewoo. Here's how they compare: Morphy Richards Air Flex 9inch Circulating Pedestal Fan £149.99, Speed settings: 8 It's expensive, but this has a DC motor which enables the fan to use less energy whilst still giving an outstanding performance. In fact, DC motors are meant to be up to 70% more efficient than air conditioning units. So, with this, you'll get maximum cooling without the worry of soaring electric bills. It's reasonably quiet and offers eight speed settings as well as advanced oscillation, which means it can direct airflow both horizontally and vertically. The fan made the entire room feel fresher, cooler and more comfortable - even when it hit 30 degrees outside. Performance: 5/5 Value: 4/5 Total score: 9/10 Status 16inch Oscillating Stand Fan £19.99, Speed settings: 3 For the price, I can't really grumble. It's not the most aesthetically pleasing, but given this cost less than £20, this was surprisingly powerful. It blew enough air around to keep a reasonably-sized room cool and it wasn't overly intrusive, though the noise measures around 40 decibels, which was higher than most. The oscillating function was very effective. The frame was a bit flimsy and it wouldn't withstand much - a child or a pet bumping into it could easily knock it over. Performance: 3/5 Value: 3/5 Total score: 6/10 Daewoo Pedestal Air Circulator Fan £79.99, Speed settings: 3 This fan was easy to put together and at 5kg, it's not too heavy, so it was easy to move from room to room too if you needed to. For nearly £80, it looked pretty flimsy and it only had three speed settings - most of the pricier ones had more to choose from. It does have a built-in oil diffuser, which did make the cool air smell lovely and created a lovely relaxing vibe around the room. It also had dual oscillation - up and down and side to side - which was effective at keeping the entire room airy and cool. Performance: 3/5 Value: 3/5 Total score: 6/10 Vonhaus Air Circulator Pedestal Fan - 16 inch £74.99, Speed settings: 12 This fan is hard to beat. Not only was it one of the best at cooling me down, it's a real design feature too. The innovative blade design is engineered to evenly push the air in a way that bounces off walls and surfaces. It's sleek and stylish yet easily cooled my kitchen diner, which is the largest room in my house. At night, a soft ambient backlight kicks in which was so calming and perfect for winding down. It has 12 speed settings to choose from and is energy efficient. Even though it's reasonably powerful at 35 watts, it only costs around 1p an hour to run. It also has an aromatherapy function which allows you to add a few drops of your own essential oils and the fan will spray cool air, that also smells amazing. Performance: 5/5 Value: 5/5 Total score: 10/10 Zanussi 16inch Pedestal Fan £24.99, Speed settings: 3 For less than £25, you are getting a reasonably powerful fan. However, the legs were not very sturdy. They are hollow plastic and lack weight making the entire product a bit top heavy. I worried about it being knocked over. It's not the quietest but at the same time, the noise wasn't overly intrusive. It also has 90-degree oscillation and it gives out a decent breeze even on the lowest setting. For a budget option, it's alright. Performance: 3/5 Value: 4/5 Total score: 7/10 Meaco Sefte 10inch Pedestal Air Circulator with Storage Bag £179.99, Speed settings: 12 A super low energy fan that costs from just 0.1p an hour to run. It was easy to assemble, sleek and so quiet you'll forget it's even there - hence it's name 'Sefte' which is an old English word meaning 'quite, gentle and undisturbed'. It was very quiet and unobtrusive yet has a powerful airflow of 1,140m3ph, allowing it to cool a room quickly. Previously, fans I've used in the bedroom keep me awake at night with their flashy displays but this has a night mode, which switches off the display light, mutes the buttons and gradually reduces the fan's speed overnight. The handy remote means you can control it without getting out of bed. I'm not surprised it's proving very popular this summer. The only downside is the price. At nearly £180, it's a pricey purchase. Performance: 5/5 Value: 3/5 Total score: 8/10 Duux Whisper Pedestal Fan £179.99, Speed settings: 26 This Duux fan has some incredible features including 26 speed settings, horizontal and vertical oscillation and a 12-hour programmable timer. The 26 settings certainly give you plenty of options to choose from but I loved the natural wind mode which is designed to replicate outdoor cooling by varying the fan speed. It also has a night mode where the speed will decrease to the lowest setting over 2.5 hours. The breeze this creates is pleasant and it lived up to its "whisper" name as it was one of the quietest I tested. Even on the highest settings, the noise was not overly intrusive. The touchscreen panel was a little difficult to operate, it was easier to use the remote control. It's very energy efficient, only costing around 0.8p to run on the highest speeds. Performance: 5/5 Value: 3/5 Total score: 8/10 Air Craft LUME Quiet 2-in-1 Pedestal Fan £119 Speed settings: 12 Say goodbye to hot stuffy days with this cutting-edge fan, which did a brilliant job of cooling larger rooms. It's quiet. In fact, the manufacturers claim it's never louder than an electric toothbrush. You pretty much forget it's there though on its highest it does go up to 60 decibels. What I loved most was that it came with an illuminated backlight which was very calming and could be used even with the fan switched off. It's easily controlled with a remote control and has front and back guards for fan blades. It has three modes - normal, natural and sleep. Natural runs at alternating speeds to simulate a natural breeze with occasional gusts and in sleep mode, it gradually reduces speed every 30 minutes until it reaches the lowest level. Perfect for hot, restless nights. Performance: 4/5 Value: 3/5 Total score: 7/10 EcoAir Equinox 16inch DC Low Power Consumption Fan £49.99, Speed settings: 12 This product is easy to assemble, efficient and economical. I thought it had an impressive power output for less than £50 and just like the Morphy Richards' fan, it has an energy efficient DC motor. It has 12 settings but it did get a bit noisy once you get to level five and I wouldn't have wanted to keep this on through the night. The fan isn't as sleek and stylish as others but it's reasonable value for money and once you've paid for it, it will cost pennies to run. It also has an energy saver function and will turn off automatically within 12 hours of the last adjustment on the control panel. Performance: 4/5 Value: 4/5 Total score: 8/10 How to keep cool in hot weather Most of us welcome hot weather, but when it's too hot, there are health risks. Here are three ways to keep cool according to the NHS... Keep out of the heat if you can. If you have to go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11am and 3pm, wear sunscreen, a hat and light clothes, and avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter. Cool yourself down. Have cold food and drinks, avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks, and have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes. Keep your living space cool. Close windows during the day and open them at night when the temperature outside has gone down. Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35 degrees. Check the temperature of rooms, especially where people at higher risk live and sleep.
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- Powys County Times
How to stay cool and sleep better during a heatwave
The UK heatwave is here - and with it comes hot sticky days that turn into sweltering nights. While the return of warm weather is welcome for many, rising temperatures can quickly lead to discomfort, making it harder to focus, relax or sleep. While the sun is great while you want to have fun - it can be hard when you're hoping to work, or sleep - and keeping your home cool can be tricky. Chris Michael, chair of air treatment specialists Meaco - they do more than just dehumidifiers - shares his favourite ways to stay cool. Five ways to stay cool and get a restful night's sleep this summer 1. Use a cold water bottle Fill your hot water bottle with water and freeze it before bedtime. This makes a simple and effective ice pack to keep you cool overnight without adding to your energy bill. 2. Close blinds and curtains Direct sunlight through windows quickly heats up your home. Keep blinds, curtains and windows closed during the hottest part of the day, especially those facing south. Once the temperature drops in the evening, open them to let cooler air in. 3. Take warm showers Although it seems counterintuitive, a warm shower before bed helps the body regulate its temperature more effectively. Cold showers can trigger the body to generate heat, whereas a warm shower encourages the body to cool down naturally. 4. Buy a fan (ideally before the rush) As soon as warm weather is forecast, fans start to sell out quickly. Buying a high-quality air circulating fan in advance ensures you're ready. Look for reputable brands with strong reviews and clever features like ECO mode to save energy. For bedroom use, choose a quiet fan. Loud fans can disturb sleep, so consider models that are Quiet Mark accredited and include Night Mode for uninterrupted rest. Low energy consumption is also key, especially if you plan to run the fan all night. 5. Check windows and doors Gaps around windows and doors can let in heat during summer just as they let out heat in winter. Sealing these gaps is a quick, cost-effective way to keep your indoor space cooler with less effort. How a MeacoFan can help you keep your home cool this summer With Quiet Mark accreditation, Meaco fans are ideal for bedrooms, children's rooms and home offices, as they include timers, temperature sensors, night modes, and intuitive controls to help you stay focused, relaxed, and well-rested. Meaco has expanded its quietest and most energy-efficient fan line with the new MeacoFan Sefte® 8' Portable Battery Powered Air Circulator. It offers mains or battery operation, making it ideal for use at home, while travelling, or outdoors. The replaceable battery extends the fan's life far beyond that of typical sealed battery models, aligning with upcoming EU regulations and reducing waste. The 8-inch model joins the Sefte 10' Table and 10' Pedestal Air Circulators, recently named Best in Category by Which? for their outstanding performance, quiet operation and build quality. Recommended reading How a fan can help you sleep in a heatwave With better sleep being the number one reason people buy a fan, it's worth investing in one that's quieter, more energy-efficient, and ideally features a dedicated night mode. Meaco has a glow-in-the-dark remote control to make it easier to adjust settings without turning on a light.
Scotsman
2 days ago
- General
- Scotsman
MeacoCool MC Series Pro review: Portable air conditioner tested in UK heatwave
The MeacoCool MC Series Pro portable air conditioner blends easily into contemporary interiors while delivering powerful cooling. | Meaco This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. I tested the MeacoCool MC Series Pro 7000 BTU during June's muggy weather – and it transformed my overheated stone cottage into a perfectly chilled retreat. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... I live in one of those classic British homes that was clearly designed for a different climate – a 300-year-old stone cottage in the countryside. Thick walls mean it's bitterly cold in winter, and come summer, it turns into an oven. After solving the winter chill with an energy-efficient air source heat pump, I turned my attention this year to fixing the problem at the other end of the thermometer. We'd tried a cheap DIY-store 'air cooler' last year – the kind where you fill a tray with water and hope it wafts out some moisture. It looked like an air conditioner, but frankly, it did little more than stir the hot, sticky air around. When Meaco offered me the chance to review their MeacoCool MC Series Pro 7000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner – their 2024 smart-enabled model – I jumped at it. You can buy it for £329.99 direct from Meaco here, or via Amazon for £309.95. After testing it throughout June's humid heatwave, I can confidently say: this is the real deal. Not your average portable fan – but is it really portable? Let's talk size and setup first. I opted for the smallest in the MeacoCool Pro Series – the 7000 BTU model, suitable for rooms between 12–22m². Even as the 'baby' of the range, it's still a 20.5kg unit, measuring 701 × 341 × 335 mm. That's compact enough to fit in the corner of our small living room but not something you'll want to haul up and down stairs daily. Calling it 'portable' is a bit generous – yes, it's on castors and easy to move short distances, but this is not a plug-and-go unit you'll shift from room to room each afternoon. The need for an exhaust hose and sealed window exit makes it better suited to being semi-permanently installed for the summer season. That said, you do get two types of window kits in the box – a rigid one for sash windows, and a flexible fabric one (with zipper) for outward-opening windows like ours. We ended up threading the hose through our catflap into the conservatory and cracking the windows in there – a quirky but effective workaround that saved us from drilling or faffing. Performance that speaks for itself – even in oppressive humidity I first put the Meaco to the test on a sticky June afternoon when the inside temp had crept up to 25°C with humidity over 65%. I set the target to 21°C using the intuitive remote and started the unit in cooling mode on low fan speed. Within five minutes, I could feel the difference. Within half an hour, the room had hit the set temperature, and humidity dropped to a far more bearable 48%. It wasn't just noticeable – it was transformative. From muggy and oppressive to cool and breathable, it turned our cramped cottage into a haven. That's a feat I've rarely experienced in any UK home, let alone one as poorly insulated against summer as ours. Clean design, clever controls The digital control panel on the MeacoCool MC Series Pro makes it easy to set your ideal room temperature with precision. | Meaco I really like the design of this unit. The display is positioned both on the top and the side, so you can check temperature readings from across the room. Controls are clear and easy to use: you've got three operating modes (Cool, Fan, and Dry), two fan speeds, a Sleep Mode, and a timer for pre-cooling rooms before bedtime. The new-for-2024 Meaco App is a standout addition. I used it from upstairs to start cooling the lounge before I came down – and yes, it worked. The app mirrors the remote's simplicity but adds the convenience of remote scheduling and control. If you've ever longed to walk into a perfectly cooled room after battling the sun outside, this delivers. A-rated energy performance and realistic running costs Meaco claims it costs just 21p an hour to run, based on an average unit price of 27.03p/kWh. I checked this against my smart meter and found that during active cooling (compressor running), usage peaked around 28–31p/hour, which is still excellent. For us, that means we can run it during the worst of the day – say 1–5pm – and pay little more than £1 for an afternoon of blissfully cool air. Compared to the cost of disrupted sleep, ruined WFH days, or just feeling drained and uncomfortable, that's money well spent. Sleep mode makes hot nights bearable One of my biggest gripes with older fans and cheap air coolers was the noise and lights keeping me up at night. Thankfully, as we experienced on the night we hoiked the unit upstairs, Sleep Mode dims the lights on the unit and drops the fan to a gentler hum. At just 51dB, it's not whisper-quiet, but it's quiet enough that it didn't bother us – even in a very small room. I've had nights with a higher-end Dyson fan that were noisier than this. The ability to schedule on/off times up to 24 hours in advance means you don't have to run it all night either. I set it to turn off at 2am, once the temperature had dropped and we were already sound asleep. What I'd change – and what I wouldn't The MeacoCool MC Series Pro vents hot air through an extendable hose, meaning it needs to be positioned near a suitable window - or cat flap! | Meaco I won't pretend it's a perfect experience. The flexible window kit is fiddly to install and does look a bit slapdash in an otherwise tidy room. And although the unit is technically portable, I suspect most people – like us – will just choose one room and leave it there. But if the compromise for true air cooling is that it's a little bigger, heavier, and less sleek than a 'personal air fan', then I'm more than happy with the trade-off. Because this actually works. And once you've experienced proper air conditioning on a UK summer day, it's hard to go back. Final verdict: it's an investment – but one that pays off in comfort If you've been burned by 'air cooler' gimmicks in the past and are finally ready to experience actual air conditioning without splashing out for a full installation, the MeacoCool MC Series Pro 7000 BTU is a smart buy. It's affordable, effective, and thoughtfully designed – and unlike so many 'cooling' gadgets on the market, it genuinely delivers. Buy the MeacoCool MC Series Pro 7000 BTU Air Conditioner for £329.99 from Meaco here Also available from Amazon for £309.95 here
Scotsman
3 days ago
- General
- Scotsman
Meaco Sefte 8in portable air circulator review – quiet, cordless and brilliant
Meaco's new portable Sefte is the product of extensive research all aimed at making the perfect cooling fan | Meaco This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Meaco's Sefte 8in cordless fan builds on its award-winning predecessors to deliver quiet, energy-efficient cooling with standout portability and smart design — a real five-star performer. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Let's not beat about the bush, this is probably the best fan you can buy. Meaco's new Sefte 8in Portable Table Air Circulator follows in the footsteps of previous models including the superb 1085 air circulator, and it's really just a next step in the development. To create the newly-launched portable Sefte, Meaco pored over customer feedback and ironed out any small niggles to create what they hoped would be the perfect cooling fan. And it's not far off perfect, it has to be said. Firstly, it's called "Sefte", because that literally means quiet, gentle, and undisturbed. And that sums up the output of the Sefte range. Don't expect a powerful blast of air from this, but it does a staggeringly job of cooling you down. The Sefte is very lightweight, and easily to place in any room | Meaco And that's partly because it's not actually a fan, per se. It's an air circulator. Not wishing to blind you with science, but air circulators move air around a room rather than blast it forwards. It's the reason they have large chambers around the blades, and it creates a more balanced and effective airflow. It also doesn't blow the papers around on your desk, and it's much nicer to sleep with, because it's just a calmer, quieter experience. Meaco's new Sefte has a party piece over its predecessors - it's cordless. It has a removable, rechargeable, and replaceable battery built into its base, and that can be charged up and run for up to 17 hours, thanks to a super-efficient and completely silent brushless motor. There are corded versions, and there are pedestal versions, but none are as efficient and versatile as this 8" portable version. The battery is designed to be easy to replace, and it sits neatly in the top, which is ideal for access | Meaco In use, it's wonderfully quiet, and in the low modes you barely notice it, but it does do a superb job of wafting a gentle breeze around the room. Its digital display is bright and offers all the information you need, and the buttons alongside it are nicely thought out and intuitive. They could be a tad more sensitive, but I'm nit-picking now. While I'm nit-picking, I actually wish it came with a USB-C socket rather than a proprietary charger - it's one more thing to lose, but Meaco is leaning heavily on the sustainability credentials of its new hero product, so getting replacement parts won't be an issue. There are other portable air circulators on the market, and I've tested a few, but this honestly is the best option out there in terms of its simplicity, functionality, and sheer innovation.
