Air circulator vs fan: Which one should you actually buy?

Although we’re hopefully past the worst of this summer’s record-breaking heatwaves, experts warn that hotter temperatures may become the new normal here in the UK. With that in mind, now’s a great time to make sure your home is prepared for warmer weather. 

That begs the question as to whether the humble fan is enough to see you through more heatwaves? Or is an air circulator a more versatile choice?

To help you decide, we’ve detailed everything from what an air circulator actually is and how it works, to the ways it differs from a fan, so you can determine which appliance you should invest in.

Once you’re finished here, make sure you visit our round-up of the best fans. If you think you might need a bit more oomph, then our air cooler vs portable air conditioner guide has you covered. 

What is an air circulator?

Although an air circulator is a type of fan, it works in a slightly different way. While a traditional fan works by blowing air where it’s pointed, an air circulator moves air around an entire room. 

That means while a fan offers an instant, more direct cooling effect, an air circulator works to cool the temperature of an entire room by redistributing warmer air.

Do air circulators actually cool a room?

Unlike an air conditioning unit which actively removes hot air from a room, cools it down internally and then pushes it back out, an air circulator doesn’t actually cool a room down. Instead, it redistributes hot air with cooler air to create a more even room temperature. In addition, an air circulator helps make rooms feel less stuffy as it breaks up stale air.

So, although they aren’t actually cooling devices, they help a room feel less hot and stuffy than it would otherwise.

Airflow and room coverage

We should disclaim that different fans and air circulators will offer varying levels of airflow and room coverage. In our experience, we’ve found that air circulators generally offer more powerful airflow, with the Switchbot Battery Circular Fan seeing up to 2.5m/s at 1m away while the MeacoFan Sefte saw up to 2.6m/s at the same distance. 

Comparatively, we found that the Dr Prepare 13-inch Tower saw an airflow of 1.7m/s while the (much pricier) Dyson Find+Follow Purifier Cool PC3 resulted in 1.8m/s when positioned 1m away. 

Noise levels

Some fans, especially older models, have a reputation for being pretty noisy appliances. However, newer models do tend to promise a quiet cooling experience. While we’ve tested a handful of fans that are a touch noisier than we’d like, such as the Dreo TurboCool which maxes out at 60.5dB and the portable Shark ChillPill that reaches up to 67.9dB, generally newer fans shouldn’t be loud enough to actively cause a disturbance.

Similarly, modern air circulators shouldn’t be particularly loud either. Take the MeacoFan Sefte 8” air circulator which we concluded was “effortlessly quiet” averaging at around 43.5dB when on level six and never going beyond 54dB – even at its maximum level. 

Plus, and as its name implies, the Duux Whisper 3 is also an impressively quiet device. Even at its maximum speed of 4.3m/s at 15cm and 2.6m/s at 1m, which is pretty powerful, sound never exceeded the 52.1dB mark. 

Generally, while neither a fan nor an air circulator will be completely silent, unless you have an old or broken appliance, they shouldn’t be so loud as to disturb. 

Which is better paired with air conditioning or a heater?

An air circulator is a solid option for year-round use, as it generally works as well with an air conditioner as it does with a heater. In warmer weather, if you pair your air circulator with an air conditioner, it’ll help distribute the AC’s cooler air more efficiently around the room. 

Similarly, pair the circulator with a heater and it’ll help circulate the heat to create a more uniform temperature. That’s especially useful as hot air tends to rise while colder air stays low, meaning heaters typically need to work a bit harder to warm rooms.

In comparison, while you can pair a fan with both an air conditioner or heater, remember fans are typically designed for personal use. However many fans, such as the Dyson Find+Follow Purifier Cool PC3 and Dr. Prepare 13-inch Dual Oscillating Tower, do provide oscillation which can help with air circulation too. It’s just they’re not quite as powerful as a dedicated air circulator.

Which should you buy?

There are a few factors to keep in mind when choosing between an air circulator and a fan. A traditional fan that offers a direct breeze is better for those who want personal cooling and if you don’t have an air conditioning unit that is more powerful.

However, if you want a device that helps keep your room at an even temperature, less stuffy and can work all-year round, as it helps boost both an air conditioner and a heater.