With summer on its way and stuffy indoor temperatures imminent, everyone that doesn’t already have one should be looking for the comfort of a home ceiling fan. Simple, charming and practical, their airflow will keep you cool, lower your energy bills and even be a surprising ally in the winter months, too.
Whether you’d like better air circulation in the bedroom, living room, or larger room, and a fan with or without lights or a remote, it can be tricky discerning which fits your needs, and your house, flawlessly. Our guide is here to help! Plus, our top 8 buys from Amazon feature trusted brands from low to luxury prices, so we’re sure to cater to everyone’s budget. Moreover, we have partnered with interior designer Belen Dakak for reviewing and fact-checking the article to deliver you the best information.
Belen is an interior designer (residential and retail design), having worked for top retail brands including Estee Lauder, Seasalt and John Lewis, as well as working with private clients on residential projects and RoomLab, an online interior design platform.
Belen is also a landscape garden designer with an RHS Level 2 in Principles and Practical Horticulture.
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 4:
This article's chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Image | 1 ![]() Westinghouse | 2 ![]() AireRyder | 3 ![]() Fantasia | 4 ![]() Westinghouse | 5 ![]() Westinghouse | 6 ![]() QAZQA | 7 ![]() Westinghouse | 8 ![]() CasaFan |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Jet II Ceiling Fan | Cyrus | Capri | Industrial Ceiling Fan | Colosseum | Ceiling Fan With Light | Bendan One | Low Ceiling Fan Eco Flat II |
Features | Quiet Yet Powerful Ceiling Fan With Lighting | Reversible Fan With 3 Speed Settings and Optional Lighting | Practically Silent Fan for Small Rooms | Built With Large Living Spaces or Commercial Properties in Mind | Remote Control Fan for Home Offices or Guest Bedrooms | Pull Chain Ceiling Fan With Double-Sided Blades | 5 Blade Fan for Rooms With High Ceilings | Energy Saving Fan Suitable for Low Ceilings |
Price | £136.84 | £154.01 | £163.20 | £144.80 | £236.83 | £83.95 | £180.00 | £345.84 |
Mount Downrod | 29 cm | 38 cm | 23 cm | 39 cm | 30 cm | 30 cm | 36 cm | 24 cm |
Recommended Ceiling Height | 8 - 10 ft | 11 ft + | 8 ft or less | 10 ft + | 8 - 10 ft | 8 - 10 ft | 10 ft + | 8 - 10 ft |
Diameter | 105 cm | 107 cm | 91 cm | 142 cm | 90 cm | 106 cm | 132 cm | 112 cm |
Recommended Room Size | 76 - 144 sq ft | 144 - 225 sq ft | 75 sq ft or less | 225 - 400 sq ft | 75 sq ft or less | 76 - 144 sq ft | 225 - 400 sq ft | 144 - 225 sq ft |
Lighting | LED | LED | No | - | LED | Halogen or LED | Halogen | No |
Reverse Switch | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Control | Remote control | Remote control, wall mount or pull chain | Pull chain | Wall mount | Remote control | Pull chain | Remote control | Remote control |
Link |
First off, let's take a look at the height of your room, as this will determine how long you need – or don’t need – the mount downrod of your fan to be. A downrod is the metal rod that extends from the ceiling bracket to the top of the fan. For rooms with lower ceiling heights, say, 8 ft or less, you’ll require a flush mount that sits approximately 20-25 cm from the ceiling, otherwise, it'll hang too low and pose a safety risk.
If the room height is 8-10 ft, most standard downrods of 21-35 cm will be fine, and if you have a very spacious room with even higher ceilings, you’ll need an extended downrod, which refers to any over 36 cm. It is possible and relatively easy to change the downrod size of your fan by buying another rod and combining it with your fan of choice to get what you need.
Make sure you pick the right ceiling fan for your ceiling type, for example, a fan that can be mounted on a sloping ceiling. Note that typically ceiling fan mounting systems will permit an angle of up to 20 degrees. Any steeper, and you will require a wooden block or cross member to accommodate.
Next, you'll need to know the square foot (sq ft) of the room to find the correct fan size, which is measured by diameter. These recommendations are from Energy Star, a US company that provides information on ensuring the most efficient energy consumption for your home. Therefore, following these measurements will make sure you obtain the most efficient production of airflow.
Whether you want additional lighting or not primarily comes down to preference, and whether you already have ample natural lighting or satisfactory light fixtures in place within the room.
If this isn’t the case and the room could use a little boost, then you'll be pleased to hear there are plenty of fans on the UK market with an added light. Usually LED, halogen or fluorescent, you'll simply need to pick whichever you prefer, or which matches the rest of your home.
Another good feature to look out for, particularly in the UK, is the option to reverse the fan's direction. During the summer months, it's preferable to have the blade moving in a counterclockwise direction, as this creates a 'down and out' movement which will push the hot air away and keep you cool.
When the cooler months arrive, the ability to switch to a clockwise direction will allow the fan to redistribute the hot air that has gathered near the ceiling, helping to eliminate cold spots and drafts.
When you run the fan while you're in the room, you will feel warmer for longer. As such, you can lower your thermostat (or it just won't kick on as often) and save some cash on heating. Many ceiling fan models have a button or switch that reverses the blades' spinning direction with just a
press.
Remote controls offer the most convenience of all the control options, tending to operate within 30-50 ft of the unit. They're spot-on for fans positioned in hard-to-reach reach places, such as high ceilings, and will save you having to get out of bed to turn it off if you’re cold in the night.
Wall controls are good for living, dining or kitchen areas, as well as for families that have small children who could easily make the control disappear for weeks in a crayon box.
Finally, pull chains. These are the most basic, and require operation by hand, but are no less ideal for spaces that aren’t frequented as often or for those who are content with a lower-profile fan.
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
7826140
£136.84
Mount Downrod | 29 cm |
---|---|
Recommended Ceiling Height | 8 - 10 ft |
Diameter | 105 cm |
Recommended Room Size | 76 - 144 sq ft |
Lighting | LED |
Reverse Switch | Yes |
Control | Remote control |
£154.01
Mount Downrod | 38 cm |
---|---|
Recommended Ceiling Height | 11 ft + |
Diameter | 107 cm |
Recommended Room Size | 144 - 225 sq ft |
Lighting | LED |
Reverse Switch | Yes |
Control | Remote control, wall mount or pull chain |
110200
£163.20
Mount Downrod | 23 cm |
---|---|
Recommended Ceiling Height | 8 ft or less |
Diameter | 91 cm |
Recommended Room Size | 75 sq ft or less |
Lighting | No |
Reverse Switch | Yes |
Control | Pull chain |
7250140 72501
£144.80
Mount Downrod | 39 cm |
---|---|
Recommended Ceiling Height | 10 ft + |
Diameter | 142 cm |
Recommended Room Size | 225 - 400 sq ft |
Lighting | - |
Reverse Switch | Yes |
Control | Wall mount |
72417
£236.83
Mount Downrod | 30 cm |
---|---|
Recommended Ceiling Height | 8 - 10 ft |
Diameter | 90 cm |
Recommended Room Size | 75 sq ft or less |
Lighting | LED |
Reverse Switch | Yes |
Control | Remote control |
£83.95
Mount Downrod | 30 cm |
---|---|
Recommended Ceiling Height | 8 - 10 ft |
Diameter | 106 cm |
Recommended Room Size | 76 - 144 sq ft |
Lighting | Halogen or LED |
Reverse Switch | Yes |
Control | Pull chain |
7255740 72557
£180.00
Mount Downrod | 36 cm |
---|---|
Recommended Ceiling Height | 10 ft + |
Diameter | 132 cm |
Recommended Room Size | 225 - 400 sq ft |
Lighting | Halogen |
Reverse Switch | Yes |
Control | Remote control |
£345.84
Mount Downrod | 24 cm |
---|---|
Recommended Ceiling Height | 8 - 10 ft |
Diameter | 112 cm |
Recommended Room Size | 144 - 225 sq ft |
Lighting | No |
Reverse Switch | Yes |
Control | Remote control |
When it comes to installing your new ceiling fan, you have a couple of options. Instructions will be included with your purchase (which will, of course, vary between models), so if you are skilled at DIY, you may wish to have a go yourself.
However, if you are in any doubt whatsoever it's best to call an electrician, as we all know messing around with electrics can be very dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. This rings particularly true if you've chosen a fan with a light fixture.
For an indication of what you'll be dealing with during a typical DIY fan installation process, have a read of this article by the ever-popular 'Dummies' guides.
Written and researched by Lewis Clark
Our ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
We partner with specialists across various fields to proof-read our buying guides to deliver accurate and reliable information. Our specialists do not endorse any products that we recommend.
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