At a glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Near silent in lower modes
- Powerful
- Vertical and horizontal oscillation control
Cons
- Oscillation controls not intuitive
- No smart features
- Not the cheapest option
Our Verdict
This is one of the best cooling fans you can buy at the moment and its oscillation controls allow you to target a small area or a large portion of a room. It has a shutdown timer and a useful night mode but most importantly, it’s powerful, quiet and cheap to run.
Price When Reviewed
Not available in the US
The Sefte fan, whose name derives from the Old English word for gentle or quiet, is as silent as its moniker promises – but it’s far from gentle. It’s a hugely powerful fan.
Bear in mind that an air circulator such as this won’t lower the temperature in a room, but it’ll make it much more comfortable for anyone in the path of its airflow.
The Sefte comes in two forms: a pedestal (£175.99) and a desk model (£119.99). We’re testing the latter and, as it’s portable and has a wide, adjustable oscillation area, it’s useful in just about any spot.
It’s perfect for a bedroom or for use while working or watching TV as it won’t drown out film dialogue or a Zoom call conversation.
Design and Build
- Digital display that shows temperature
- Remote control for timer functionality
- Vertical and horizontal oscillation
The Sefte has a white mount, body and blades, and a contrasting black fan guard. It’s not as handsome as a Dyson but it has a simple design that will complement modern décor.
On the base is an easy-to-read circular display, which also shows the room temperature in °C, and buttons to control fan speed, oscillation and other settings, as well as to choose from the three modes (normal, night and eco). There are no multifunction keys, so you won’t have to remember any button press sequences to access functions.
However, if you want to use the timer, which will switch the fan off automatically after a period of use (in one-hour increments, up to 12 hours), you’ll need to use the supplied remote.
It’s attractively designed and disc-shaped, with glow-in-the-dark keys – handy if you’re scrabbling around in the dark to turn down your fan. It also has a clever storage solution: it’s magnetic and it sticks to the center of the fan, so it should be impossible to lose.
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Should you buy the Meaco Sefte fan?
When I unboxed the Sefte, it wasn’t love at first sight. I found it a bit functional-looking and for the price, I felt that smart features could have been an option. But once I switched it on, its quiet power began to change my mind. As I used it more, I started to appreciate its adjustable oscillation and clever design touches, including its hard-to-lose remote control. Now, I’d wholeheartedly recommend it.
