As Britain teeters on the cusp of another sweltering heatwave, households are bracing themselves for the battle against soaring temperatures – and the familiar pattern of fan frenzy is well underway. Amidst the online scramble for affordable cooling solutions, one product has consistently emerged as a top contender: Dyson's premium Cool AM07 Tower Fan.
At £250, its price point is nothing short of eyebrow-raising. So, do the claims stack up? UKPulse Media put the Dyson through its paces during last summer's heatwave, comparing it to more affordable models from Levoit, Meaco, Dreo, and Honeywell.
The test coincided with a period where homes became uncomfortably hot, making traditional cooling methods – like open windows – insufficient. Initially, a trusted Levoit tower fan was the go-to option. But by the second day of testing, testers had switched to the Dyson fan as their preferred choice. Its significantly smoother and broader airflow seemed to circulate air more effectively across the entire room.
When it came to cooling efficacy, the Dyson Cool AM07 outperformed its rivals, offering a more comfortable experience in hot environments with air movement described as less harsh or choppy. For those prioritising cost, models like Honeywell's QuietSet and Levoit remain sensible choices – particularly for infrequent use.
But it was the Dyson's impressively quiet operation that truly made its case. Even with powerful airflow, it proved invaluable for sleep during hot nights – an area where even highly-rated quiet alternatives, like MeacoFan 1056P, fell short.
Of course, it's essential to remember that fans – including the Dyson – are not designed to chill a room in the same way as air conditioning units. Instead, they aim to make hot days and sticky nights more bearable by circulating air. Crucially, fans are generally far more energy-efficient than portable air conditioners, which often require bulky hoses and consume considerably more power.