Fans and Coolers buying guide

What type of Fan should I buy?

The best fan for your needs will depend on where you need cooling, the size of your room, budget and, of course, personal preference. There are five main types of fan.

Tower Fans

Tower fans are a great option if you don’t have a lot of space as they’re tall and narrow, and only take up a small amount of floor area. Strong and usually quiet, tower fans push air across a wide area and can be purchased with or without blades, to ensure the safety of your family, especially if you have children.

While they’re similar to pedestal fans, tower fans tend to have more features such as an in-built thermostat, which can check the temperature of a room and automatically turn on and off when required.

Best used in: Bedrooms and other small rooms.

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Pedestal Fans

A classic choice, pedestal fans have the ability to affect large rooms, and their height and direction (straight or rotating) can be adjusted to give you more control and flexibility. More powerful than tower fans, pedestal fans are a great option if you need to service a large room or need greater control over air direction. They’re portable, so can be moved from room to room.

Best used in: Living rooms and larger areas.

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Desk Fans

Desk fans are a quick and easy solution to catch the breeze while you’re working at home or in the office. Depending on the power source, desk fans only need to be plugged in and switched on to operate.

Best used in: The office or at home, on your desk.

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Floor Fans

Floor fans are small devices that operate from the floor and can be placed in the corner of a room, out of the way. Look for one with an adjustable height and direction, for greater control and flexibility.

Best used in: Small rooms or smaller living areas.

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Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are a great, more economic alternative to air conditioners as once they’re installed on your ceiling, they can cool the whole room. Ceiling fans are powerful and can also be used in conjunction with an air conditioner to increase their efficiency on those scorching hot days and nights.

Best used in: Bedrooms, kitchen/dining rooms, living rooms and other larger areas.

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What is an air circulator?

The difference between a fan and an air circulator is that air circulators keep the air in a room moving constantly, which creates a cooling effect. While fans blow air on you to provide a nice cooling breeze and are generally only used in summer, air circulators can actually be used year-round. This is because they don’t create a “wind chill” effect, but rather regulate the temperature in a room.

“Air circulators are also very handy to use in conjunction with your air conditioner in summer, as they can help to circulate the cool air around the room quicker, meaning your air conditioner won’t need to work as hard and you might see some benefits on your energy bills,” says Scott Bazley, Heating and Cooling Buyer at The Good Guys.

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Fan Power: How Much Do I Need?

The power a fan can produce depends on three key factors – size, speed settings and motor.

“Before beginning your search for a new fan, you’ll need to keep in mind how big the room is that you’re purchasing it for, as that will ultimately determine the fan size and motor power you’ll need,” says Scott Bazley.

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Before beginning your search for a new fan, you’ll need to keep in mind how big the room is that you’re purchasing it for, as that will ultimately determine the fan size and motor power you’ll need.

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Fan Speed

Fans with high speed settings, such as those with a high number of watts, will generate a lot of air movement and provide you with greater control over the temperature in your room.

Motor

Ceiling fans are powered by an in-built motor, so buying the right size for your room is critical. If you buy one that’s too small, your fan won’t work effectively, while if you buy one with a motor that’s too big, you’ll be wasting a lot of energy when you don’t need to and you’ll feel it when your energy bill arrives. The bigger the motor, the faster the fan will spin.

There are two different types of motor found in ceiling fans – DC motor (direct current) and AC motor (alternating current). AC motors are the most powerful, measuring from 17.3 to 58 watts, while DC motors are more energy efficient by using less power, ranging from 5.2 to 27.5 watts.

“Fans with big motors will spin quickly, while there are also stability and noise benefits as they won’t make as much sound,” says Scott Bazley. “This is particularly handy if you’re looking to install ceiling fans in bedrooms.”

Additional Features

Portable Fans (Tower, Pedestal And Floor Fans)

There are many features to consider when looking for the perfect wireless speaker for you. These include:

• Bladeless: For the ultimate safety, generate cool air without fast spinning blades.

• Protective cage/mesh: Safety feature to keep everyone, including pets, safe.

• Oscillating (rotating) head: This ensures a larger area is cooled.

• Head Tilt: To manoeuvre the fan in different directions.

• Timer: For greater control over operating time. Timers can also include a sleep timer.

• Automatic switch off: Safety feature to the switch fan off if it’s knocked over.

• Remote control: To easily turn your fan on and off.

• LED display: To clearly display selected speed/power settings and timer.

Ceiling Fans

• Built-in light: Combine your fan with a light fitting to save space.

• Remote: To easily turn your fan on and off.

• Reverse speed: To circulate heat or cool air, so your fan can be used in summer or winter.

Energy Consumption

Fans are a great, cheap alternative to air conditioners, but while they are cheap to run per hour, cost can add up quickly as homes will generally feature more than one fan.

As an approximate guide, here’s what different types of fan will cost per hour to run*:

• Ceiling fans (AC motor): 0.4 to 1.5 cents

• Ceiling fans (DC motor): 0.1 to 0.7 cents

• Tower fans: 1.55 to 2.9 cents

• Pedestal fans: 1 to 2 cents

• Floor fans: 2.9 cents

• Desk fans: 0.26 to 0.86 cents

*Based on figures from canstarblue.com.au

Ceiling Fan Installation

All ceiling fans must be installed by a licensed professional, such as an electrician. The Good Guys makes this process easy, with tradies on-hand, ready to come to your home and install your ceiling fans, including those with light fittings, to get your new cooling system up and running as soon as possible.

Ceiling fan installation starts from $129. Our tradies will even show you how to use your new fan and clean up when they finish! For more information on our ceiling fan installation services, click here.

Budget

Portable fans are very affordable and depending on your needs and the features you’re looking for, there’s one to suit every budget.

Shop the biggest range of tower, pedestal, floor, desk and ceiling fans from the best brands, including Mercator, Dyson, Vornado, Omega Altise, Kambrook, Nordic, Sunbeam and DeLonghi, at The Good Guys, in-store and online.

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Best Fans For Bedroom

After a fan for your bedroom? We've got you covered.

If you've got a small space a Tower Fan could be ideal for you. They fit well in corners and tighter spaces and operate quietly, making them a great option for bedrooms. Oscillating tower fans turn from side to side to cool different parts of the room for an even cooling experience throughout the night.

If you're after a fan that won't take away from the stylish looks of your room, consider a ceiling fan.

Best Quiet Fans For Low Noise

If you want your fan to be more on the quiet side, opt for one with a silent mode, or one that specifies it has a quiet operation. With the latest tech now being available in fans, there are some super quiet fans available out there!