At work, we have a number of different fans that we use on a regular basis throughout the year, and this is one that has surprisingly stood the test of time better than others. Part of Tesco's Value range, it cost a little under £10 and has been worth every penny in my view. I often use this even in the colder winter months as I work in a room where there are a large number of computers, and when the room is full of people then even in the winter the temperatures soar, and we have a battle to prevent people from opening windows, which can create a through draft and make other areas that are already cold even colder.




Part of my role means that I am usually the one to fiddle and fix things whenever the occasion arises, and this fan has been taken apart by idiots poking chocolate wrappers and paper through the small gaps in the mesh safety cover around the moving mechanism of the fan. The mesh is held on very securely, which is just as well, but is relatively simple to remove and is actually very sturdy so long as you look after it. We have had two of these in the past, and one got a little bit battered on the floor and the mesh didn't stand up to much to be honest. the other one though has stayed secure indeed.




To operate the fan once plugged in, there is an 'off' setting and then three different speeds. Each one naturally provides a different amount of effectiveness when it comes to cooling the room you're in, and you can also adjust the angle the fan is facing as well as whether it moves from side to side or not. I think this is very good, and while this is pretty much standard on most fans, it works very well on such a cheap model without any hitches at all. The fan itself has a small base and is relatively tall, and so placing it doesn't have that many restrictions. Despite these two elements, it's not top heavy in the slightest and is actually a very sturdy gadget to have and use.




Its effectiveness is slightly questionable at times, and we have had to use more than one fan, especially in the summer. The occasions when we've used more than one in the winter have led us to wonder whether or not we should pay a bit more and try to find a more effective fan, but we have enough functioning fans to do the job so this is unneeded. The majority of times you wouldn't know what brand or type of fan you have to be honest, and this one gets regular use, most days in the winter, and easily all day every day in the summer.




It's easy to clean, you just detach the front mesh and unscrew the circular central elements. Reassembling is pretty easy too, there are plenty of complicated fans out there but this is not one of them, it really is very simple indeed. It does an okay job of what is expected of it, and combines very well with other fans to give a large room a cool feel without the coolness resting solely in one area. It doesn't have the most powerful blast, but is smooth and effective and a good bargain. I've seen better fans, but you have to dip into your pocket a bit more for these, so I'm perfectly happy with this one. It has lasted a number of years, and as long as it doesn't get dropped and battered like the other one, there's no reason why it shouldn't keep on going for a few years more. Recommended.