Aircon saved my summer, but this fan played its part – it's a worthy substitute
Dreo's fan is a bit of a wonder to me
by Max Freeman-Mills · T3
Share this article
0
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter
I wrote a couple of weeks ago about how, right at the height of the worst heatwave I can remember, my life had basically been saved by the arrival of a portable air conditioner from Dreo. That little (okay, quite big) unit has been a game-changer, completely saving my sleep and sanity, and the connected app tells me it's already run for over 300 hours since I got it.
Those are scary numbers for my electricity bill, though, and while it's still really quite toasty and hot this week in south London, the difference between 34 degrees and 28 degrees is striking. For one thing, it means aircon is no longer a total necessity, and it's seen me expand my approach to include a more relaxed (and affordable) cooling solution.
A good fan is never going to match the sheer cooling power of aircon, but it can get you way closer than you might think. I can now attest to that after a couple of weeks with the Dreo TurboPoly Fan 508S, my first pedestal fan in about a decade.
Latest Videos From
Watch full video here:
That length of time has seen fans jump forward into the future, with the 508S boasting Wi-Fi connectivity and smart lighting options to make it more than just a simple air-blower. It's also got a really quite nice modern design that makes it far less of an eye-sore in your room.
Dreo TurboPoly Fan 508S: £129.99 at Amazon
I won't dress it up for you – you're not getting hold of a 508S in the next few days, after a run on stock prompted by the heatwave. It's on back order by about three weeks, but I'd still say that's a smart buy given it's likely to also be scorching hot this August.
For the most part, I've used the 508S as a traditional fan, albeit one with 120 degrees of swivel in both horizontal and vertical directions. That means it's great at moving the air around a room, and it's telling that I've overwhelmingly used the lowest two of its settings (out of 10). The higher-end is quite amazing in its power, and great for creating through-breezes.
The most impressive part is how quiet those low-end settings are. I'm a stickler for background noise during movies, for instance, and have been able to watch even quiet and dramatic films without being disturbed by the noise of the fan. That's also made it perfect for sleeping, especially compared to the aircon.
It's when I paired the fan with that air conditioner, though, that I really got impressed. It might seem superfluous, but the air circulation offered by the 508S really did make a difference to how quickly a room would cool using the air conditioner, and also how it would stay cool. It barely adds to the noise, too, so it's an easy win if you want a quicker impact.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
Even if I didn't have the aircon to pair it with, though, I'd be hugely pleased with the 508S. It's a pedestal fan to bring the whole format into the 21st century, and the convenience of controlling it from my phone is worth the price of entry alone. You might want to get yours ordered in preparation for the next few years of heatwaves.