Forget Dyson, this 5-star fan has saved me during the heatwave

Ah, a good ol' heatwave. We love nothing more than complaining about the weather in the UK. But this one, like other recent rises in temperature, has once again been pretty brutal when trying to sleep. It's 31C as I write this, so another scorching night is incoming!

Fortunately, you needn't spend a giant sum of money on a Dyson to bring some much-needed air circulation and feel cooler as a result. This £99 large table fan – or 'air circulator' as Meaco calls it – is worth every penny of its asking price.

Buy the Meaco Sefte 10 for £99 with free shipping

The hottest of this latest UK heatwave is likely behind us, but even in the high 20s it's easy to overheat. I'd call the Meaco Sefte 10 an absolute life-saver for me, having bought one some weeks ago. Much as Dyson makes fantastic products, sometimes price has a major influence – which is why the Meaco gets my seal of approval.

Is the Sefte 10 worth its price?

I've sometimes been tempted to pick out the cheapest of fans and assume they'll be good enough. But we all know that's not necessarily a great solution for reasons of features, reliability, sound and more. So while £100 might seem like a chunk of cash, honestly the Meaco is well worth it.

I trust the brand's longevity, as I've used its products for years now – including dehumidifiers and pedestal air circulators, too. Having two Meaco 1056P fans in the house, which are still going strong, the 10-inch Meaco purchase was a complementary no-brainer.

Adding that Sefte 10 to my room-cooling arsenal meant bringing more cooling control around the home – I can easily unplug it, pick it up, and reposition in another room as needed.

Sefte is the newest name in the brand's range, too, with some nice new features. The magnetically-attaching controller, for example, now glows in the dark – so you can make adjustments at night easily. As I prefer to switch off the on-product display, I find that really useful.

But that on-product display is great for daytime use. It's got a built-in thermometer, so provides a real-time temperature reading of your surroundings. I'm somewhat fearful of how high the mercury will rise, but the Sefte will let me know.

Is MeacoFan genuinely quiet?

Other controls are a major part of what makes the Sefte 10 worth its asking price. It has speed adjustment, with horizontal and vertical control, so the fan can be set to one of three zones (small, medium, large coverage) on either or both of those axes.

The other major reason to consider the Meaco is that it's quiet. Really quiet. A Quiet Mark certification attests to that. On the minimum setting, the Sefte operates at 25dB, which is like a whisper. I've therefore had no trouble sleeping through with the fan on.

It's this combination of longevity, adjustability, quietness, and discreet controls that make the Meaco Sefte 10 Table Air Circulator a winner. But if you want to look for something else then take a look at T3's guides for best portable air conditioner and best electric fan, both of which will give you a broader overview of options for keeping yourself cool at home in the hot weather.