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The topic of smart home is becoming increasingly popular and is used both in existing buildings and in new buildings. In the meantime, there are also special fans that can be integrated into the smart home.
This article shows which smart fans are available, where the advantages and disadvantages lie and what you should look for when buying. First, we will briefly explain what a smart home actually is.
Table of Contents
What is a Smart Home?
A smart home usually consists of many objects, such as a coffee machine, car, garage door, or even lamps and roller shutters. All these objects are connected to each other and can be controlled and managed centrally. Ideally, the smart home is set up in such a way that you as the occupant do not have to intervene at all and the house does everything on its own.
A smart home can be set up with various systems, some of which can also be used in combination. There are very beginner-friendly systems such as Alexa.
What’s the Point of a Fan in a Smart Home?
An essential component of a smart home is the topic of heating and cooling. It is the area in the smart home with the greatest potential for saving energy.
Even though the opportunity to save energy is more in heating than in ventilating or cooling down, the energy for ventilating can be used in a more targeted way.
However, heating costs can also be greatly reduced with a fan, especially in winter. At this time of year, airing should be particularly fast so that as little heat as possible is lost. With a smart fan, ventilation can be made more effective and thus also accelerated.
However, a much greater advantage of a smart fan is the creation of a pleasant indoor climate. Thanks to the smart control, this is achieved extremely well and very reliably. With additional air filters and humidifiers, the air quality can also be significantly improved.
Also very practical, especially in a large smart home, is the point that many fans have some sensors built-in. On the one hand, these can measure the air and adjust the performance accordingly, and on the other hand, they can provide valuable data for other devices. In some systems, for example, values such as room temperature can be read out and embedded in automations.
Why a Smart Fan and Not a “Normal” Fan?
The question is quite justified since smart fans are sometimes more expensive than conventional fans and the normal ones have actually done their job so far.
However, smart fans have some advantages over regular fans, so the slightly higher price is justified.
By integrating them into a smart home system, smart fans can be controlled almost indefinitely and programmed in a very wide variety of ways.
The first big advantage is the possible voice control. Depending on whether you use Alexa, Google Home or Siri, most smart models can be operated by voice. This facilitates the operation and increases the comfort in everyday life.
Alternatively, most smart fans also have a remote control. This can usually be used to adjust the speed of the fan. In special cases, also the orientation of the smart fan.
The next advantage is the possibility to create timers and routines. Most likely you know the problem that you don’t want the fan to run all night. Still, you want to get cool and fresh air when you fall asleep.
This is no problem with a smart fan. Depending on the model, you can set very precisely when and how the fan should run. In some cases, the schedules can also be made dependent on the day or other factors.
The Best Smart Fans
Xiaomi MI Smart Standing Fan
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Xiaomi, a tech company from China, offers many different tech products. The products range from modern cell phones to smart fans.
The Xiaomi MI Smart Standing Fan* is comparatively very cheap and therefore offers a good price-performance ratio. Besides the manual control option, the Xiaomi MI Smart Standing Fan can also be controlled via the app created by Xiaomi called Mi Home App.
Advantages
The fan has a lightweight aluminum housing and can therefore be transported very easily and simply. So you can always place it where you need it.
Thanks to an innovative air circulation system, the Xiaomi MI Smart Standing Fan can produce an extremely natural air breeze, creating a very pleasant indoor climate.
The oscillation angle can also be set via the app. There are four values to choose from here, ranging between 30 and 120 degrees. However, there are even more setting options via the app. The breeze mode and the respective maximum speed of the breezes can also be set very easily and conveniently with the Mi Home app.
According to Xiaomi, it can simulate the feeling of being by the sea or in the mountains. Only with the help of a smart fan!
In addition, the Xiaomi MI Smart Standing Fan has a timer that can be activated before going to sleep, for example, so that the fan does not run all night.
To ensure that the Xiaomi MI Smart Standing Fan can run unsupervised with children, there is a sturdy protective cage that makes it impossible for even small children’s hands to reach into the rotors. Additionally, there is a parental lock that disables the buttons on the device so that it can only be controlled via the app.
Thanks to a power consumption of 45 watts, the Xiaomi MI Smart Standing Fan has enough power to cool the room even in summer. Nevertheless, it is comparatively quiet in operation with a noise level of 29 dB.
Disadvantages
Currently, the Xiaomi MI Smart Standing Fan cannot be controlled with a voice assistant like Alexa or Siri. Control on the go, which has many advantages, is also not possible.
Also, there are no options to use any filters or humidifiers.
So, the Xiaomi MI Smart Standing Fan is a small and mobile smart fan that can convince especially with a chic design and a low price. For those who are looking for such a fan that can also be controlled via an app, the Xiaomi MI Smart Standing Fan is the right choice.
Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link Air Purifier
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Dyson is known for very high-quality and high-priced home appliances. Therefore, it is not surprising that the smart fan from Dyson is also the most expensive. However, it also offers the most features and outclasses its competitors in many areas.
The Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link air purifier* is less of a pure fan and more of a complete all-in-one product that replaces both air conditioning and heating.
Advantages
Because the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link air purifier can both cool and heat, you can use it all year round and enjoy the benefits permanently. Classic fans are only used in high summer and stand around uselessly the rest of the year.
The Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link air purifier has several filters at once, which filter particles, pollutants and gases from the room air. This also includes viruses that are floating around in the air and can lead to disease transmission.
You can’t even see the vast majority of these particles and pollutants in the air. However, the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link air purifier detects them and can react accordingly. Many users report that you only notice the difference in indoor air quality once you have felt it.
Pollutants and particles can enter our bodies through the air and be harmful to our health. Once the pollutants and particles are filtered out, they are trapped so they can no longer escape.
Current information about the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link air purifier is also always displayed directly on the built-in LCD display.
As you would expect from a smart fan, the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link air purifier can be integrated into all smart home systems in an extremely versatile way. For example, the fan can be integrated into HomeKit or operated by voice with Alexa.
However, the app of the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link air purifier is also very extensive and offers many setting options. Besides the control, the condition of the filters can also be monitored or the air quality can be analyzed.
Very advantageous is that the whole app works on the go, so you can always and everywhere air condition and check your home.
Due to the unique architecture, the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link air purifier not only looks timeless and elegant but also can distribute the air very evenly in the room.
Disadvantages
As already mentioned, the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link air purifier is by far the most expensive smart fan. However, the prices can be even higher if the fan is to be even better equipped.
The Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link air purifier is clearly the high-end version of a smart fan. Numerous smart features, health-promoting filters and a clearly designed app make Dyson’s air purifiers unique. People who are willing to pay accordingly will be completely happy with the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link air purifier.
WiFi Smart Oscillating Pedestal Fan
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The WiFi Smart Oscillating Pedestal Fan* costs only a fraction of the Dyson fan and is roughly in the same price range as the smart fan from Xiaomi. The 2-in-1 function makes it universally usable and therefore certainly very interesting for many.
Advantages
The WiFi Smart Oscillating Pedestal Fan can be controlled via an app, an included remote control or via voice assistant. In addition, the smart fan has an integrated LED display that can be used to control the device directly.
With a power of 55 watts and a new Vortex Airflow system, cool air can be ideally distributed in the room. Even in summer, your room can be cooled down perfectly. Nevertheless, the noise level is only 43 dB, so you can run it even while sleeping.
However, the biggest advantage of the WiFi Smart Oscillating Pedestal Fan is the possibility to use it both as a stand fan and as a table fan. It can be converted in just a few simple steps. This allows you to set it up anywhere and enjoy the fresh breeze.
Disadvantages
There is no possibility to install any filters to clean the air. Furthermore, the operating volume of 43 dB is not high, but it is higher than e.g. Xiaomi’s fan.
For a comparatively low price, you get a very universally applicable smart fan that can be controlled in many ways. Such a lot of functions and voice control are not a matter of course in this price range, so the WiFi Smart Oscillating Pedestal Fan is highly recommended.
Related Questions
Are smart fans more difficult to operate than conventional fans?
No, the goal of smart fans is to make using them as easy and convenient as possible. The initial setup can be a bit more laborious in certain cases. However, the increased ease of use afterwards balances this out.
Does a smart fan benefit my smart home even more?
Many smart fans that can be integrated into a smart home system provide the system with many relevant values and data. This makes it possible, for example, to better configure automations and optimize heating control.
Are smart fans always necessarily more expensive?
Basically, there are very many smart fans that are significantly more expensive than the normal fans. However, there are also models among the smart fans that are very cheap or available on sale at a reasonable price. Therefore, it cannot be said across the board that smart fans are more expensive than conventional ones.
Can “non-smart” fans also be integrated into a smart home?
Of course, the integration possibilities of a non-smart fan are very limited. However, it is possible to control the switching on and off of a conventional fan with the help of a smart socket via the smart home.
Conclusion
Smart fans can clearly increase the comfort in everyday life. With so many models now on the market, there’s a fan for everyone!
For those who have a small budget, there are entry-level models that are not more expensive than conventional fans. However, the range of functions in such models is not too different from the conventional fans.
However, models like the Dyson Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link air purifier also provide smart fans with almost unlimited possibilities. A perfectly worked out app, numerous tested filters and a modern design make these models the top class.
The good thing is that this way everyone can choose the model that fits their budget in terms of price and has the features that are desired. An allergy or pollutant filter is very practical, but by no means absolutely necessary if the fan is only to be used for cooling down.
For a smart fan, you should only make sure that if you already have a smart home system, the device is compatible with it. All other factors, such as the number of airspeed levels, are secondary and usually not as important as compatibility.
Attention: When installing electronic equipment, please be sure to observe the manufacturer’s safety instructions. You have to take care of your own safety. The information on this site only helps you to learn.
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