--- title: "Fan and portable air conditioner running costs | Home Comfort Lab" description: "What fans, portable air conditioners and evaporative coolers cost per hour and per summer month at the current price cap." url: https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/cool/fan-and-air-conditioner-running-costs/ --- # Fan and portable air conditioner running costs What fans, portable air conditioners and evaporative coolers cost per hour and per summer month at the current price cap. By [Pete Harvey](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/about/), editor. Updated 14 October 2026. This page links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. [More about how this site is paid for](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/affiliate-disclosure/). > **The short answer** > > The fans in our list average 35W, which is about 0.9p an hour. The portable air conditioners average 847W, about 22p an hour, so roughly 24 times as much. Run overnight for eight hours, a fan costs 7.4p and an air conditioner £1.78. Costs use **26.32p per kWh**, the [Ofgem price cap, Direct Debit average for England, Scotland and Wales](https://ofgem.gov.uk/news/changes-energy-price-cap-between-1-october-and-31-december-2026) for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Your own tariff may differ. [How we calculate](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/how-we-calculate/). Fans | Model | Type | Power | Per hour | Per month at 8h a day | Noise | Link | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator | Desk fan | 24W | 0.6p | £1.54 | 29dB | [Amazon](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/go/fan-desk-a/) | | MeacoFan 1056P Pedestal Air Circulator | DC motor pedestal fan | 24W | 0.6p | £1.54 | 29dB | [Amazon](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/go/fan-dc-a/) | | Dreo Tower Fan 518 (Cruiser Pro T1) | Tower fan | 35W | 0.9p | £2.24 | 20dB | [Amazon](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/go/fan-tower-b/) | | Dreo Tower Fan 307 (Nomad One) | Tower fan | 42W | 1.1p | £2.69 | 35dB | [Amazon](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/go/fan-tower-a/) | | Sohler 16-inch Pedestal Fan with Remote | Pedestal fan | 50W | 1.3p | £3.20 | Not stated | [Amazon](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/go/fan-ped-a/) | Portable air conditioners | Model | Type | Cooling power | Room up to | Power | Per hour | Per month at 8h a day | Noise | Link | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Pro Breeze 7000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner | Single-hose | 7,000 BTU | 20 m² | 750W | 20p | £48.01 | 54dB | [Amazon](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/go/ac-port-7k-a/) | | Pro Breeze 12,000 BTU Smart Portable Air Conditioner | Single-hose | 12,000 BTU | 30 m² | 780W | 21p | £49.93 | 58dB | [Amazon](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/go/ac-port-12k-a/) | | BLU 9,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner (BLU-09) | Single-hose | 9,000 BTU | 20 m² | 1.01kW | 27p | £64.65 | Not stated | [Amazon](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/go/ac-port-9k-a/) | Evaporative air coolers | Model | Type | Power | Per hour | Per month at 8h a day | Noise | Link | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Midea Sensicool 7L Air Cooler | Evaporative | 60W | 1.6p | £3.84 | 28dB | [Amazon](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/go/cooler-evap-a/) | ## Reading the tables Power is the manufacturer's rated figure. "Per month" assumes eight hours a day, every day, which is a heatwave pattern rather than a whole summer. Use the [running cost calculator](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/tools/running-cost-calculator/) for your own hours. An air conditioner's compressor switches off once the room reaches the temperature you set, so on a mild evening it draws much less than its rated power. On the hottest days, with the sun on the windows, it may run flat out. ## Why a fan costs so little A fan only moves air. It doesn't lower the temperature of the room; it cools you by moving air over your skin. NHS advice is that electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35°C. An air conditioner pumps heat out of the room through its exhaust hose, which takes far more power. If you only need to be comfortable in one spot, a fan is the cheaper answer. If the room itself is too hot to sleep in, only an air conditioner will bring the temperature down. [Air conditioner or fan](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/cool/portable-air-conditioner-vs-fan/). [Running cost calculator](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/tools/running-cost-calculator/): Find out what any electric appliance costs per hour, day, month and winter at the current UK price cap. ## Sources - [NHS: Heatwave, how to cope in hot weather](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/heatwave-how-to-cope-in-hot-weather/) Checked 15 October 2026. ## Read next - [Portable air conditioner vs fan: which do you need?](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/cool/portable-air-conditioner-vs-fan/) (Buying guide) What fans and portable air conditioners each do, what they cost to run, and which suits a UK home. - [Best fan for a bedroom](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/cool/best-fan-for-bedroom/) (Buying guide) Which fans are quiet enough to sleep with, cheapest to run overnight, and right for the size of your room. - [Appliance running cost calculator](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/tools/running-cost-calculator/) (Calculator) Find out what any electric appliance costs per hour, day, month and winter at the current UK price cap. - [How to keep a bedroom cool in a heatwave](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/cool/how-to-keep-a-bedroom-cool/) (How to) When to open and close windows, how to use a fan properly, and what helps you sleep when the night stays hot. --- As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links to shops are marked, and earning from them never decides what we recommend. [How this site is paid for](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/affiliate-disclosure/). Running costs use 26.32p per kWh for electricity and 7.97p per kWh for gas, the [Ofgem price cap, Direct Debit average for England, Scotland and Wales](https://ofgem.gov.uk/news/changes-energy-price-cap-between-1-october-and-31-december-2026) for 1 October to 31 December 2026.