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I measured power consumption at a maximum of 1983kW on Heat mode (in fan-only mode, power consumption topped out at just 28.8W). Given the average cost of electricity in the UK (18.9p per kWh), this means that the Princess Smart Heating and Cooling Tower will cost a maximum of 37.48p per hour to run. Note that next to central heating, all electric heaters are comparatively expensive to run. In terms of size, weight and cooling ability (they rate it at 12,000 BTU) electriQ’s 40-litre unit begins to approach portable air conditioners. It’s the one you’d want in a workshop or office at the height of the summer.
In this test, I haven’t given any 10 out of 10 scores because I don’t want to give the impression that air coolers are perfect. In a heatwave, an air cooler will be just enough to make the difference between sleeping and not. On the lowest speed setting, I measured the fan at 1.31m/s at 15cm, dropping to 0.4m/s at 1m. That’s quite a high low fan speed; a little more variation between minimum and maximum would have been welcome.Surprisingly, its lowest setting wasn’t that energy efficient, but its night mode will come in handy if you’re after versatility. Ion technology also sets it apart – by generating ions, it also freshens the air in your room.
I put the Princess Smart Heating and Cooling Tower through my standard tests. Starting with the regular fan, I measured air speed at 3.08m/s on maximum setting from 15cm away, falling to 1.31m/s at 1m. That’s not bad, although I have tested more powerful fans. The buttons on the fan could be more responsive, but we were impressed with the noticeable differences between the three air flow settings. Of the models we tested, this was also the quietest on high.There’s some confusion, understandably. The popular Dyson cooler, for example, is not actually an air cooler, nor an air conditioner, but a fan. Big names like Mylek and ProBreeze all make air cons, fans and air coolers. So it’s important to know what you’re getting - and why. AirConDirect’s Victor Stoica, another longstanding aircon expert, adds that they’re more environmentally friendly than refrigerant units, since they don’t use harmful chemicals. “Also, unlike air conditioners, they’re suitable for outdoor spaces like garages, workshops and patios,” he says. “They create spot cooling, dropping the air temperature by a few degrees.” Once connected, the app covers all of the basics. In Fan mode, you can adjust the speed, in increments from one to 10. Switch to Heat mode and you get four options, plus you can set a target temperature, too. Both heating and cooling modes support oscillation – and the sleep timer, which you can set in one-hour increments up to 24 hours. Note that fans don’t generate cool air (apart from this Princess model, which houses a water tank), so limit their usage to when you’re in the room and can feel the benefits. To get the most comfort from your fan, these GHI-approved tips will help boost its ability to circulate cooler air. How we test fans
Princess provides a remote control in the box, which enables you to adjust every feature. There are no controls on the unit itself, bar a power button – so don’t lose this remote. It’s only a shame then that there’s nowhere to store the remote on the fan’s body when it isn’t in use. Features Tower fans work by blowing air over your skin, making living, working and sleeping more comfortable when the thermometer rises. It was really a toss-up between this and the Tristar (see above) for the title of Best Value. They’re almost identical in terms of power and airflow and both have a two-year warranty. In the end, despite being a few pounds more expensive, I thought the Tristar just about edged it for being lighter and easier to move around. The other benefit of tower fans is that they don’t have any moving parts on display. Here, both hot and cold air (depending on the mode you set) comes out of the narrow slit in the main column.
The clear instructions, complete with text and images, make this fan a breeze to set up and use. It’s well made with thoughtful design details, including the option to tilt the body of the fan, offering extra control over the direction of air. Its highest setting was notably strong and quiet too. The Symphony has the largest water tank we tested, which doesn’t translate into more power – it just means it lasts longer (two days and nights, in this case). But as it happens, the Symphony is powerful, too, with an airflow of 840 cubic metres per hour that allows it to cool rooms up to 12m 2. That’s a bigger space than many air coolers – although still not huge. No air cooler can chill a big living room. For that you will need a proper air conditioner. The associated HomeWizard app (for iOS or Android) allows you to give it voice commands using Siri or Google Assistant. I will never use those. Some will, but I can’t help feeling it would be cheaper without them. The higher power does mean the Symphony costs more to run and it is noticeably noisier than other air coolers, especially at top speed. But there are a few other things in its favour, including a mosquito net to trap inquisitive bugs (remember to clean it) and an alarm to tell you when the tank is empty.
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