Ceiling fans can be one of the cheapest ways to beat the summer heat – if they do their job properly.
A fan that doesn't circulate the air enough can be frustrating, but a fan that blows too hard even on its lowest setting can be just as annoying, especially when you're trying to sleep.
"When reviewing fans at CHOICE, we look at a number of key performance factors," says CHOICE fan expert Denis Gallagher.
"A great fan will deliver a wide variety of air movement options to suit your particular requirements.
"This includes a good range of high-speed settings for the living room as well as a couple of good breeze-like settings to help create an ideal sleeping environment.
"We also assess ease of use, which covers things like assembly and installation, as well as controls using the wall switch or remote."
We don't want you to end up with a dud buy, so here are the products that scored lowest in our lab tests. Consider becoming a CHOICE member to see the best performers.
Hunter Pacific Majestic Coolah: A less than majestic performer.
1. Hunter Pacific Majestic Coolah
- CHOICE Expert Rating: 53%
- Price: $219
Sadly, the 'Coolah' failed to live up to its name.
On the highest setting, it didn't deliver enough air movement for living areas, but on its lowest setting in the bedroom, it proved too strong to be comfortable.
Is there anything it does do well? Er, not really.
It does have a distinctive design and its blades are made of wood, and our experts rate it OK for ease of use. But its pull switch isn't as easy to use as a remote or wall switch.
Read the full Hunter Pacific Majestic Coolah review.
Martec Elite: Cheap to run, but disappointing overall.
2. Martec Elite
- CHOICE Expert Rating: 54%
- Price: $299
Like the Coolah, the Martec Elite also disappoints in the bedroom and in living areas, although it did score slightly better than the Coolah for high-speed cooling.
On the upside, it is relatively cheap to run, with our experts estimating it will cost just $20 to run for a year.
Read the full Martec Elite review.
The Carera is relatively expensive to run, compared to other ceiling fans in our test.
3. Hunter Carera
- CHOICE Expert Rating: 64%
- Price: $499
This AC fan has limited speed options for controlling airflow: just three fan speeds. Even then, you need to use the highest setting to get some good air movement going. Otherwise performance is pretty average and inconsistent.
Though air movement is very good on the highest setting for some spaces in your home, the Carera may be a bit too powerful for bedrooms. Even on the lowest speed, our testers found it to be pretty strong in that environment.
Running costs are relatively high compared to other high-performing fans as well.
Read the full Hunter Carera review.
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Instead we're funded by members who value expert reviews and independent product testing.
With no self-interest behind our advice, you don't just buy smarter, you get the answers that you need.
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
