Do you want to stay comfortable on warm days without having to turn on the air conditioner? Fans are one of the most economical and eco-friendly ways to stay cool, and table fans are compact enough to move from room to room as needed.

You can enjoy a constant breeze when you face a small desk fan in your direction. Alternatively, if you have an oscillating table fan, you can sweep that breeze back and forth across the whole room.

You might also enjoy using your new desk fan in coordination with other styles of fan to move air effectively throughout your home. Consider a window fan if you want to send warm air outside or bring cool air inside. If you want really strong airflow or ventilation between rooms, you’ll find a box fan or floor fan useful. And if you need your fan to follow you wherever you go, choose a personal or wearable fan. You can even take one of these out and about with you.

The best tabletop fan for you may be a simple one with two or three speed options, or the perfect fan could be one with features like adjustable height or a programmable timer. A table fan with a timer can be convenient if you want to go to sleep with the fan on and know it will turn off later. You could also consider an app-compatible fan for options to control your fan remotely.

If you want to step up your home cooling without turning on the AC, you could add an evaporative cooler to the room. Unlike air conditioning, fans and evaporative coolers can also offer relief outdoors, which makes them great for summer afternoons on the patio or the porch.

If you are preparing for a heatwave, look over this list of essential gear for hot weather. Also, in addition to having electric cooling options, prepare for the possibility of a power outage by having a cooler of ice ready, as well as solar panels and a power bank.