Because we know there’s nothing like a genuine recommendation from a real parent, we first headed to the Mumsnet forums to find out which tower fans discerning Mumsnet users had bought. Next, we compiled a list of fans they recommended, noting how effective they found them and whether they were particularly good for specific needs. Oscillation: This describes a tower fan's range of motion. An 85-degree oscillation will blast air into most parts of the room, allowing a person on the sofa to be cooled at the same time as someone sitting at a desk in the corner.

It’s easy to build (though a touch wobbly when done), and it’s nice and tall, so it should deliver air at a height that’s useful. Despite this, it manages to remain reasonably understated as tower fans go: a simple tube of dark grey plastic. Rather than the whole tower rotating, the centre section only turns, this looks very neat but does limit the angle of rotation to around 55 degrees, less than the 70 degrees that most models offer. However, this is offset by the fairly wide 68-degree cone of air it expels even when stationary.The wattage is the primary indicator of how much a tower fan will cost to run. It also depends on how often and how long you will use it. Air speeds: 3 | Night mode: Yes | Dimensions: 81.3 x 31 x 103cm | Weight: 5.86kg | Cord length: Not specified | Wi-Fi connectivity: Yes | Remote control: Yes | Oscillation angle: 80 degrees | Power: 50W What we like Sometimes you want a high-tech gadget with all the bells and whistles, other times you just simply want a basic but hardworking model at a decent price. Enter the Honeywell Comfort Control Tower Fan. It's fairly simple, but if you’re on a budget, it’s worth considering as it is affordable to buy and, at 36 watts, it’s cheap to run. What’s more, at the current energy price cap rate of 34p per kWh, it will cost around 12p for 10 hours of use (depending on the setting and your energy provider). Granted, it's not the most powerful fan out there, but it does offer great value for the initial cost. Dyson is an iconic home appliance brand that many Mumsnet users rate highly. The AM07 Cool Tower has a futuristic yet minimal look and is super quiet, even on higher settings. But it doesn’t just look good, it’s a brilliant fan too, especially for families. It has bladeless technology meaning it’s safe if you have curious toddlers crawling around the house as there are no moving blades for fingers to get caught in.

Weight: If you plan on buying one fan and carrying it from room to room, a lightweight model with a carry handle is a good idea. We have a Dyson tower fan. When we bought it I thought it was a waste of money for just a fan, but my goodness, it is brilliant. So much better at making me feel cooler than any other fan I've had. So quiet on lower settings. They are pricey, but we have two now, they are saving me this week.” (Recommended by TheBitterBoy) Our verdict It’s compact, lightweight, and has a sturdy carry handle, so it's easy to carry from room to room. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a remote control which is a shame, but its ability to effectively cool all corners of a small space is impressive. Honeywell is one of the big players in the world of tower fans, and the HO-5500RE is a good example of why, with a decent design and a powerful blast of air at the top end. If you're looking for a powerful tower fan but don't want to splash out a small fortune, the John Lewis 30-inch Tower Fan is your best bet. Coming in a sleek and unobtrusive design, it'll sit neatly in your living room or bedroom while its 90-degree oscillation angle works a refreshing, cool breeze around the room.As someone interested in creating an efficient and comfortable home with functional appliances for her family, Gemma was determined to provide honest and independent advice on the best tower fans available in the UK. Why you should trust us

Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family. It’s easy to use, has a timer and a great natural breeze setting, and is reasonably powerful by compact tower fan standards; we measured the maximum airflow at 2.2m/sec. It’s also light enough to lug around everywhere, which is handy in a heatwave. Throw in low energy consumption, even at higher speeds, and this is the best of the compact options. Our quietest tower fan is the Dreo Tower Fan; it reaches 34 decibels in sleep mode, just above the noise created by people whispering. Therefore, it is an excellent option for a bedroom or office where you make many calls. With their innovative air multiplier technology, Dyson fans are also very quiet on the lower settings, and the Dyson AM07 Cool Tower Fan has a coveted Quiet Mark award. How to clean a tower fanI bought this fan 2 years ago and it is the best fan I have ever bought. It stays in its box for much of the year and I take it out during July/August and use it whenever we have a heatwave. I think it will last me for years to come and was very good value. Although it is an oscillating fan and just moves the air about I actually find it works for me even better than an AC unit. It doesn't require water to be emptied at regular intervals, doesn't get hot at all (even if it's been on for 11 hours) and it hasn't in the last 2 years lost any quality (as I find in AC units which usually deteriorate over the years). Also it is surprisingly cheap to run - my smart meter telling me that over 11 hours of constant use overnight (over the different power levels) I have only spent 14p! The best news is that the QuietSet name isn’t just marketing hype: the HY245E is noticeably quieter than most conventional tower fans, even at its higher settings, with a night mode you might actually sleep through. Other fans are bigger and put out more air over a wider space, but this one delivers more than enough cooling for the average living room during the day and works better in the bedroom at night. And if the price is a little higher, it’s well worth paying. We're disappointed that there's no remote control; however, it is lightweight, so it’s easy to move close to where you’re sitting. It also has an optional one-hour timer, which will switch off when the room has been cooled, a valuable feature for use at night. Instead, the best reason to get this fan is that it pushes so much air out over such a high and wide area, thanks to the sheer size of the fan, a 2.4m/sec maximum airflow and an 80˚ degree oscillation feature. It’s just a shame that it’s noisy, putting out 46dB at its highest settings and 40dB even in Sleep mode, while the Natural mode is plain distracting, constantly revving up and revving down the fan speed. Still, if you want a fan for a large space and noise doesn’t matter, this one’s a keeper, and one of the few tower fans we’ve tested that can rival a pedestal fan on reach and range. It doesn’t take up as much space, yet it’s a serious tower of power. Desk fans: A desk fan will be small enough to sit on an office desk, bookcase or bedside table. They are usually shaped like a pedestal fan, but some compact tower designs are available. Do tower fans cool better than regular fans?