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If you’re looking for the best way to stay cool this summer, you’re going to want to invest in a quality fan or air conditioner unit. But with so many different options on the market, it can be tough to know which one is right for you and your home.
Can fans actually keep you cool enough on sweltering days? What about the cost of using an air conditioner to chill you out? We’re going to explore the pros and cons of each option.
How to Choose the Best Fan or AC Unit for Your Home
When deciding on what fan or AC unit to purchase for your home, you’ll need to consider a few things.
“While fans and air conditioners help you stay cool in very different ways, they’re both primarily leveraging the cooling power of evaporation,” according to Reviewed. “Fans blow air over your skin, which promotes moisture evaporation. Evaporation is an endothermic process, meaning the moisture absorbs heat from its surroundings as it turns into vapor. Part of what makes fans so efficient is they aren’t cooling down the whole room, just you.”
Air conditioners use the same mechanism but in a much more complex way.
“Inside your air conditioner is a coil of coolant that’s continuously undergoing evaporation and condensation. Air is pulled into the air conditioner and cooled by the evaporation process. The condensation process happens elsewhere in the unit, allowing the heat to be radiated outside your home,” says Reviewed.
You’ll also need to factor in your budget, as AC units use far more energy and will significantly raise your utility bill during the hot summer months. It takes much more energy for an AC unit to move heat around than it takes a fan to blow air onto your skin.
“As a result, parking yourself in front of a fan is significantly more energy efficient. Fans use around 1% of the electricity consumed by air conditioners. You could leave a fan running for a full 24 hours and still use less energy than 15 minutes of air conditioning,” reports Reviewed. “While there are ways to minimize how much energy your home A/C is using, fans should be the go-to cooling option for the environmentally-conscious.”
You should consider the size of your home and what temperature is right for you to be comfortable. Reviewed offers these helpful tips when debating a fan or air conditioner:
Use a fan if:
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It’s less than 95 degrees Fahrenheit
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It’s not very humid
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You can position yourself close to the fan
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You want to use less electricity
Use an air conditioner if:
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It’s over 95 degrees Fahrenheit
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It’s humid
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You’re looking to cool a large area
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You can afford a higher electrical bill
You may want to invest in a smart thermostat to make it easier to use less energy and save money. They have advanced features which enable you to control your home’s temperature from anywhere.
To help you make the best decision, we’ve put together a list of the best cooling fans and air conditioning units that will keep you chill all summer long.
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Best Overall: Dyson Pure Cool™ TP01 Purifying Fan
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Best Budget: Honeywell HYF290B Whole Room Tower Fan
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Best Smart: Google Nest Thermostat E
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Best Portable: Vornado Flippi V6 Personal Air Circulator Fan
Top Picks for Best AC Units
LG LW8016ER 8,000 BTU 115V
Frigidaire FFRA0511R1E 5,000 BTU 115V
Honeywell MN12CESBB 12,000 BTU
Black + Decker 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner
Best Fans For Cooling
Lasko All Season 1500-Watt Electric Oscillating Space Heater and Fan Combo Tower
Dyson Pure Cool™ TP01 Purifying Fan
Honeywell HYF290B Whole Room Tower Fan
Vornado Flippi V6 Personal Air Circulator Fan
Smart Thermostat
Google Nest Thermostat E
How are you keeping cool this summer? Any recommendations for fans and AC units? Tell us in the comments!
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