A buyer's guide to small fans

The first fans were hand-held and were made of leaves. In ancient Egypt, fans symbolised authority and majesty. Silk and paper fans followed next, originating in the East, and the hand-held fans remained the standard until the 1880s when electric fans were invented. Now, there are more than one kind of small fans from which you can choose for your home.

Hand-held

The first category of small fan is the hand-held fan, and this includes both old and new technology. Hand-held paper, bamboo, bone, and silk fans are available today as both antique and new. You can even make your own. Hand-held fans are made from other materials as well such as raffia. Hand-held fans have had an upgrade in the modern era. The battery fans are small and are meant for personal use. They can be tucked away in a purse or bag, and are discreet enough to be used in church or at work.

Under counter fans and door fans

These small cooling fans are designed to be mounted underneath the counter or in the corner of the door opening. They may not be as powerful as larger fans, but they do help to circulate the air. For those who rely on wood heat in the winter, the door fans help to circulate the heat of the stove throughout the house.

Tabletop fan

The tabletop fan is the next size up in the small fan category. These fans sit on desks or counters and tables. These fans can be oscillating, which means that the head of the fan can rotate from side to side. A new development in the small desk fans or tabletop fans is the bladeless fan which draws in air and then sends it out 18 times faster than it was received. These fans have the advantage of sending the flow of air directly where it's aimed without the "buffeting" caused by conventional, bladed fans.

Stand fan

The stand fan is usually quite a large fan. However, there are smaller versions of this fan available as well. The smaller stand fan has a smaller diameter as the larger versions, while being attached to a stand as well. Like the larger versions, this fan can also oscillate, and it can be adjusted up and down.