MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator review: Shoot the breeze with Meaco’s winning gale creator

This MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator review also takes in the MeacoFan 1056P Pedestal Air Circulator. They're a pair of near-identical cooling fans – base and size aside – that have taken indoor breeze production to a new stratosphere.

The MeacoFan 1056 blew me away (almost literally) when I reviewed it for T3’s best fan guide a couple of years ago, and so did its tall-standing stablemate 18 months or so later. It’s about time, then, that I delved a little deeper into these two cheap but remarkable indoor coolers from the UK house of Meaco and gave them a proper composite review. So here it is – you will see that I am a big fan of these compact fans.

MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator review: Design

As alluded to above, I should start by telling you that the MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator is actually available in two different styles: the original stumpy version which is great for both floor mounting and large tables; and the newer tall-standing Pedestal version. They both have the same size fuselage and they both produce identical air flow results. However, the Pedestal version has a few extra modes which I’ll get to below.

Now, it must be said that from an aesthetic point of view, Meaco’s fans simply cannot hold a candle to any of the Dysons which look much more elegant and far less noticeable in a home environment. The 1056 Air Circulator isn’t the ugliest fan we’ve ever seen but it does look overly large and its casing is a bit plasticy. Perhaps a few extra colours – and possibly even a high end chromium version – would win over some sceptical dyed-in-the-wool Dyson fans. Or perhaps not. Their loss!

MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator review: Features

Both units have oscillating functions that can be set to vertical, horizontal, or both. I would suggest opting for full surround oscillation unless it’s so damn hot you need to feel the blast on your face all the time. In full oscillation mode, the entire unit moves in a circular motion, bouncing the air off the walls for a wider cooling effect (hence the name Air Circulator). 

It’s actually quite mesmerising to watch – a bit like a giant satellite dish scanning the skies or ET looking for his rescue craft. To use the oscillation function you can either crouch down and set it on the control panel or use the remote control which is stored on the front of the fan using a clever invention called magnetism.

Both models come with 12 fan speeds – from an ultra gentle breeze to a full-blown gale – and both feature a room thermometer, a timer, a night light and a mode called Eco that automatically adjusts the speed of the fan according to the room’s temperature. 

However, if you want even more options and need a fan for bedside use, then go for the tall Pedestal model which comes with two extra user modes: Natural and Sleep. In Natural mode, the fan will emulate a natural breeze and strengthen and weaken the air flow randomly. This works well in a living room situation but it’s not so great at bedtime, mostly because both the strength of the breeze and the sound of the fan blade increasing and decreasing in speed tends to keep you awake. 

The Pedestal version’s Sleep mode is definitely the best option for bedside use. In this mode you set your preferred fan speed and, as the night wears on, the air speed decreases by one level every 30 minutes until the whole thing switches off completely.

One of the biggest foibles with fans, especially if used in a dusty or smoky environment, is that the blades get really filthy. Thankfully both of these fans can be taken apart to clean the blades. Yes, it’s a bit of a faff that involves a screwdriver, but at least it’s doable.

MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator review: Performance

Meaco utilises a jet aircraft-type funnelling system for its fans which focuses the air blast forward instead of it dissipating in a wider arc like most standard fans. This means you can really feel the air on your face from a good distance away, especially when at full bore. It certainly feels more powerful than any Dyson model when used from a similar distance and this is an important factor to consider, especially when your skin is slowly dissolving in a heatwave.

Meaco fans use DC technology which is said to be more reliable and economical, and a lot quieter. Aside from its general efficiency and effectiveness, one of the key selling points of this fan is that it hardly makes a sound, especially at half speed or lower. Yes, at full pelt you can hear it perfectly clearly but because its sound frequency is in such a low register, you generally don’t notice it.

MeacoFan 1056 Air Circulator review: Verdict

If you’re looking for a fan that whips up an indoor gale then this is the product to choose. The all-round oscillation feature is brilliant and it’s one of the quietest fans on the market. Granted, it’s not the prettiest thing in the living room but we’ll forgive its looks because it performs so damn well.