Desk Fans

A desk fan is the ultimate office companion. Offices are usually filled with computers and busy people, both of which emit a lot of heat if they’re working all day. In summer, this can create an unbearably hot workplace! If your office doesn’t have aircon – or if it does, but it’s not up to the job – a portable desk fan could be just what you’re looking for!

Why Do Offices Get So Hot?

The main culprits are people and PCs. PCs, in particular, kick out a surprising amount of heat if they’re used all day, but most electrical appliances will emit a small amount of heat. Over the course of a day, this all adds up! This is especially uncomfortable in offices with large, south-facing windows which will make those rays of sunshine feel unbearable.

Benefits of a Desk Fan

Desk fans are the perfect complement for an existing air conditioning system. They provide an instantly refreshing blast of cool air which will help keep the heat off you in the office. Here are a few key benefits of desktop fans.

Economical

If you only need to keep your workstation cool, a tabletop fan is all you need! They’re much more affordable than any other air cooling solution and, as they’re so small, only need to use a tiny amount of electricity. They don’t have the power to cool down a whole room, but this is actually a good thing! A larger, high-powered fan placed on your desk takes up too much space and won’t do anything but blast your papers across the room! A good desk fan is exactly as powerful as it needs to be – nothing more, nothing less.

Improves Productivity

Did you know that 80% of office workers complain about the temperature at work? Men waste an average of 6.4 minutes a day adjusting their office thermostat, while for women the number is 8.5 minutes. Over a year, this adds up to nearly 28 hours for men and almost 37 hours for women! A desk fan gives you a quick and easy way to cool down in summer – just plug it in, turn it on, and keep yourself chilled on the hottest summer days.

Lightweight and Portable

Desk fans are usually small enough to be able to pick up and move about with ease. This means you can easily position your fan so it’s just right. It also allows you to take your fan home with you or store it away in a drawer if need be.

Desk Fan Features

Like any kind of fan, desk fans come in all shapes and sizes and some have different features. Here are a few to look out for while you’re browsing.

USB Power

An increasingly popular feature, USB-powered fans can be plugged into a USB port. This means you can power them from your work PC or your laptop if you’re on the move. If you aren’t sitting at your desk, you can simply plug it into a phone charger adapter and use it as a regular mains-powered model. If your life sees you constantly on the move, this is definitely something to look out for!

Mounting Clip

Most tabletop fans are basically miniature versions of traditional pedestal or tower models, but some come with a mounting clip that you can use to attach the fan to the edge of your desk. These models are great if you’re really short on space – clip them to the edge of a table, your monitor or monitor stand, in-tray, or just about anything else you can think of.

Speed Settings

While these small units usually have fewer speed settings than larger models, some tabletop fans still give you the option of multiple settings. If you’re particular about your temperature, this is something you should look out for.

Oscillation

A standard feature that most fans will have, an oscillation mode makes the fan swing from left to right. This will circulate cool, fresh air around a wider area. If it’s really hot and you just want to blast yourself with a constant stream of cold air, just turn the oscillation setting off!

When to Buy a Bigger Fan

If you want to keep a room of two to three desks cool, you probably need something bigger than a desk fan. They’re amazing when you only want to keep your own workstation cool, and at a push they can be used to circulate air around a small boardroom table. If you need to chill a larger area, a full-size tower fan or a pedestal fan is your best bet.