The Pelonis tower fan is my summer sleep savior

I don't have the luxury of air conditioning, but this fan has been my summertime saving grace

Gray Pelonis Tower fan centre of image which shows my bedroom with white vanity table gold ornate mirror pink chair on left and floor to ceiling matte navy blue wardrobes
(Image credit: Punteha van Terheyden)

Summer heat makes me feel deathly ill, and were it not for my Pelonis tower fan, I'd get very sick and would never sleep. I have chronic health conditions and my body is unable to cool down or heat up properly and without AC at home, it's hard to cope.

But that's where my Pelonis Tower Fan from Amazon has rolled in like a knight in matte gray armor. Hurrah for this budget-friendly oscillating fan as it is the only thing that helps me stay cool and sleep at night during blazing summer heat.

I personally reckon it's one of the best fans out there, with so many amazing features that have changed my summer sleep habits forever.

Why I needed a good tower fan

Gray Pelonis tower fan on gray low pile carpet against matte blue wardrobes

(Image credit: Punteha van Terheyden)

Learning how to cool down a room without AC has become my life mission. The UK, where I live, might be known for its generally terrible weather, but when heatwaves hit, the high humidity and lack of AC in homes makes it unbearable.

Heatwaves, like the recent one that sent UK thermometers soaring to 89° Fahrenheit, had social media users commenting the heat here was worse than Louisiana or Italy in the height of summer.

My home is also a typical newly-built UK one, packed with features to keep the heat inside because most of the time, that's what we need on this little gray, cold island. In the summer or during heatwaves, it's just awful.

Out of desperation two hot summers ago, I impulse-bought this three-speed remote-controlled Pelonis Tower fan in the middle of a heatwave that was stealing my energy, sleep, and sanity because the reviews were great (averaging 4.6/5 stars) and the price was even better. 

I hoped it would turn out to be one of the best fans and it has not disappointed, getting a 4.5 rating from me.

Pelonis Tower Fan oscillating 40 inch with remote | $69.99 at Amazon

Pelonis Tower Fan oscillating 40 inch with remote | $69.99 at Amazon

This beauty of a tower fan has three fan speeds, eco and quiet modes, a long cord and great reviews from more than 24,000 shoppers, who have given it an average 4.6/5 star rating. Over 10,000 shoppers have bought it in the last month alone. I love the remote control and effective cooling. It spins 90 degrees silently so no creaky fans here. It has a 15-hour programmable timer, plus LED lights at top for easy operation at night, and its 50 watt energy use makes it average consumption for a fan in the USA so it won't break the bank to run. I give it a 4.5/5 because the quiet mode could be quieter, but more on my decibel testing and solution later.

Why I love the Pelonis tower fan

Close up of black LED control panel on this Gray Pelonis tower fan on gray low pile carpet against matte blue wardrobes

(Image credit: Punteha van Terheyden)

What a fabulous purchase the budget-friendly this tower fan has turned out to be. First and foremost, it's cheap! Even without Amazon's current near 20% discount, the 40-inch oscillating Pelonis tower fan usually retails in the US at $69.99, and in the UK for £75.99.

It's quiet too, unless it's on fan speed 3 (the highest) but I sleep with earplugs anyway. But if you don't have earplugs, no bother — it has a quiet mode and, overnight, fan speed 2 gives enough blast, no matter the heat.

I love the remote control, which means the chronic pain I endure as a result of connective tissue disorder Ehlers-Danlos syndrome doesn't get twinged by me having to get up to tweak the settings overnight. It's also lightweight enough for me to move around despite my manual grip issues and pain.

The timer option is super too, as my nervous system issue often sees me grow uncontrollably cold or hot without warning. Using my Pelonis tower fan's programmable timer is also a great way to protect the environment by reducing energy consumption when I am fast asleep, and reduces the overall cost of running a fan, too.

The one thing I don't like about the Pelonis tower fan

The only thing I don't rate about the fan is the varying sound levels when it's on eco mode. It intermittently blows loudly, then quieter, then louder and back around in an endless intrusive circuit. The variation in decibels makes it harder to ignore or tune out.

I tested my fan's sound levels on the Decibel X app for iPhone, by placing my phone on my pillow, and placing the fan three feet from the foot of my bed, on oscillation mode, exactly as I would at night, and the results were:

I tested the decibels

  • Fan speed 1: 35.7 dB (rustling leaves)
  • Fan speed 2: 40.8 dB (quiet whisper)
  • Fan speed 3: 43.2 dB (quiet whisper)
  • Fan speed 3 + quiet mode: either 43.8 db (rustling leaves) or 35 db. (quiet whisper)

So you see, it's not much noise either way and if you don't like the varying noise on quiet mode like me, there there is an easy solution: just don't use that mode! I never do and I do not miss it in the slightest, usually running it on fan speed 2 overnight.

It's wonderfully cooling, and though it doesn't have air cooling technology, when you put your hand in front of it, the blast of air genuinely feels cool enough for relief from heat.

It also has a 15-hour programmable timer, 90 degree silent oscillation, and LED light on top to help you see its functions at night.

If the Pelonis tower fan aren't for you, don't worry. Here are some alternative tower fans I have handpicked instead. I have not had an opportunity to review the units myself, but I have used my consumer and product knowledge as editor of Real Homes, and read hundreds of reviews to bring you three great alternatives.

Editor's pick: alternative tower fans


The biggest endorsement I have for this fan is I love it so much, I have since bought two more. I keep one rotating between my daughter's bedroom and my home office, and the other in my bedroom. When I am downstairs, one of them comes with me for chilling in the living room in the evenings, or in the kitchen when I'm cooking because the heat of that makes me feel ill too.

Our tried and tested best portable fans also has great options to consider if you're on the move a lot or short on space.

Punteha van Terheyden
Editor

Hi! I'm editor of Real Homes. I've been a senior journalist and editor for national magazines and newspapers for 16 years, specializing in consumer, real-life, and lifestyle articles. I have a BA in English Language and Communication, mentor journalists, and I’m also founding editor of Lacuna Voices, an independent digital platform. I love to cook, add character to my newly-built home, try my hand at DIY projects, keep my collection of plants alive, and make memories with my little family of three. For Real Homes, I specialize in articles on pest control, DIY, declutterring and cleaning, interviewing experts daily for their top tips and product recommendations.