Last updated: November 2026
A fan costs under 3c an hour to run in Ireland. A portable air conditioner costs 27-47c an hour. A fan does not cool the room. It moves air over your skin so you feel cooler. An air conditioner takes heat and water out of the room and sends the heat out a window through a hose. For most Irish summer nights, a fan is enough.
⚡ Quick Summary
🌿 Fans use 4-70 W: a neck fan 4 W, the desk, pedestal, wall and bladeless fans checked about 45 W, a tower fan 50 W, an air cooler 70 W.
🌿 Portable air conditioners use 780-1,350 W: from a 7,000 BTU unit to a 12,000 BTU unit.
🌿 An 8-hour night at 35c/kWh: 14c for a 50 W tower fan. €2.74 for a 980 W air conditioner.
🌿 On an 18c NightSaver rate: 7c for the fan, €1.41 for the air conditioner.
🌿 Evaporative "air coolers" add water to the air. Irish summer air is already damp, so they do little more than a fan.
🌿 Prices (November 2026): fans about €12-130. Portable air conditioners €389-1,099.
💶 A Fan Costs Under 3c an Hour, an Air Conditioner 27-47c
At 35c/kWh, a mains fan costs 1.3-2.5c an hour and a portable air conditioner 27-47c an hour. The sum is watts × hours × your unit rate. The watts below are the rated figures on Irish retailer product pages in November 2026.
🔹 Fans: cost per hour at 35c
🌿 Neck fan (HOCO HX23, 4 W): well under 1c an hour. A full charge takes 4.5 hours on a 5 V, 2 A charger. That is 45 Wh at most, so under 2c a charge.
🌿 About 45 W fans: 1.3-1.6c an hour. Jegs 12" desk fan (37-45 W), Prem-i-air 16" pedestal fan (45 W), Draper 70975 16" wall fan (45 W), Princess 68cm bladeless fan (45 W).
🌿 Princess 358275 smart tower fan (50 W): 1.8c an hour.
🌿 Princess Smart Air Cooler (70 W): 2.5c an hour.
🔹 Portable air conditioners: cost per hour at 35c
🌿 Black+Decker 7,000 BTU (780 W): 27c an hour.
🌿 De'Longhi Pinguino EL112, 11,000 BTU (950 W): 33c an hour.
🌿 Dimplex DPAC901, 9,000 BTU (980 W): 34c an hour.
🌿 De'Longhi Pinguino PACEX130, 13,000 BTU (1,300 W): 46c an hour.
🌿 Dimplex DPAC1201, 12,000 BTU (1,350 W): 47c an hour.
Rated watts are the most a unit draws. Once the room reaches the set temperature, the compressor can switch off for spells, so a real night may cost a bit less.
🔹 Cost of an 8-hour summer night
🌿 50 W tower fan: 0.4 kWh = 14c at 35c, 7c at 18c.
🌿 780 W air conditioner: 6.24 kWh = €2.18 at 35c, €1.12 at 18c.
🌿 980 W air conditioner: 7.84 kWh = €2.74 at 35c, €1.41 at 18c.
🌿 1,350 W air conditioner: 10.8 kWh = €3.78 at 35c, €1.94 at 18c.
Over 30 hot nights, the tower fan costs about €4.20 and the 980 W air conditioner about €82 at 35c. A NightSaver night rate roughly halves both. Our night rate guide explains how that plan works.
🔹 Fan vs air conditioner cost calculator
Indicative estimates only. Wattage presets are rated figures for fans and portable air conditioners listed by Irish retailers in November 2026 - check the label on yours. Rated watts are the most a unit draws; an air conditioner can draw less once the room reaches the set temperature. Standing charges are not included.
🌬️ A Fan Cools Your Skin, an Air Conditioner Cools the Room
A fan does not lower the temperature of a room. It moves air across your skin so sweat dries faster, and you feel cooler. A portable air conditioner does lower the room temperature. It pulls heat and water out of the air and sends the heat outside through a hose.
🌿 A fan only helps while you sit in the airflow. In an empty room it does nothing useful.
🌿 A fan does not dry the air. On a sticky night the air feels just as damp, only moving.
🌿 An air conditioner needs a window for its hose. The Dimplex DPAC901 comes with an exhaust pipe, a flat adapter and a PVC window kit. The De'Longhi EL112 also uses a window kit.
🌿 An air conditioner takes water out as it cools. The Dimplex DPAC901 lists 1.1 litres an hour. The Black+Decker 7,000 BTU lists up to 17 litres a day.
To size a unit to a room, see our portable air conditioner guide.
💧 Evaporative Air Coolers Add Water to Air That Is Already Damp
An evaporative "air cooler" blows air over wet pads or a water tank. As the water dries off, the air gets a little cooler, but also wetter. The US Department of Energy says these coolers are only suitable for areas with low humidity, because they add humidity to the home.
🔹 Irish summer air is humid
Met Éireann's 1991-2020 averages for July:
🌿 Dublin Airport: 78.6% humidity at 9am, 69% at 3pm.
🌿 Shannon Airport: 80% at 9am, 69.3% at 3pm.
🌿 Cork Airport: 83.5% at 9am, 73.7% at 3pm.
When the air is already this damp, little more water can dry off into it, so the cooling is small. The extra water can also add to condensation. If damp is already a problem, read our dehumidifier guide first.
The Princess Smart Air Cooler is a typical example: €119, 70 W, a 3.5 litre tank and ice packs. The retailer calls it an air cooler, fan and humidifier. In Irish summer air, treat it as a fan that adds water.
🔇 Every Fan and Air Conditioner Listed Here Is Louder Than the WHO Bedroom Guide
The World Health Organization says bedrooms should be under 30 dB(A) at night for good sleep. No product checked for this guide lists a figure that low. The quietest is a cordless desk fan at 36 dB.
🌿 Dimplex Breezepod cordless desk fan: 36-43 dB.
🌿 Princess 358275 tower fan: 54 dB.
🌿 Black+Decker 7,000 BTU air conditioner: 56 dB(A).
🌿 Princess 68cm bladeless fan: 58.8 dB(A).
🌿 Jegs 12" desk fan: 60, 65 and 70 dB(A) on its three speeds.
🌿 Prem-i-air 16" pedestal fan: 64 dB(A).
🌿 Dimplex DPAC901 air conditioner: 65 dB.
Check which number a shop lists. The De'Longhi EL112 page gives a sound pressure level of 47-50 and a sound power level of 63 dB(A). Only compare like with like. At night, use the lowest speed or sleep mode.
🛏️ A 45-50 W Fan Suits Most Rooms; an Air Conditioner Suits a Room That Stays Hot
For most Irish homes, a 45-50 W fan is the right first buy. Dublin Airport's average July high is 19.5°C (Met Éireann, 1991-2020). Most summer nights need moving air, not a machine that costs €2-4 a night. Buy an air conditioner for a room that stays hot all night.
🔹 Bedroom
🌿 Buy: a tower or pedestal fan with a sleep mode and a timer. The Princess 358275 has an 8-hour timer. The Princess 68cm bladeless fan has a 15-hour timer.
🌿 Cost: 13-14c a night, and the timer switches it off after you fall asleep.
🔹 Home office
🌿 Buy: a 12" desk fan or a cordless desk fan, aimed at you.
🌿 Cost: about 13c for an 8-hour working day.
🔹 Top-floor apartment
🌿 Buy: a portable air conditioner if the flat stays hot after dark and opening windows at night does not help.
🌿 Size: the Black+Decker 7,000 BTU is listed for rooms up to 28 m². The Dimplex DPAC901 is listed for 16-26 m².
🌿 Check first: that a window opens wide enough for the hose and kit.
🌿 Long term: an air-to-air heat pump cools in summer and heats in winter.
🔹 Elderly relative
🌿 Who is at risk: the HPSC says people over 65 and young children are extra-vulnerable in the heat.
🌿 Fans: the HPSC tells older adults to use electric fans if available, used safely. The HSE says fans may not be safe at higher temperatures. If their room gets very hot, a fan alone may not be enough.
🌿 Buy: a pedestal or tower fan with simple buttons. Skip units with a water tank to fill.
🌿 Check in: the HPSC asks people who live alone to have someone check on them regularly in hot weather.
🌡️ Free Steps From the HSE Come Before Any Appliance
The HSE's July 2025 hot-weather advice is to keep heat out during the day and let cooler air in at night. These steps cost nothing.
🌿 Shade windows from 11am to 3pm. Close curtains or blinds on windows in direct sun.
🌿 Keep windows closed during the day. Open them at night if it is cooler outside, keeping security in mind.
🌿 Switch off heating and appliances you are not using.
🌿 Spend time in the coolest room in the home.
🛒 Fans Cost About €12-130 and Portable Air Conditioners €389-1,099
Fans cost about €12-130 and portable air conditioners €389-1,099 at Irish retailers in November 2026. Many were out of stock, as most shops sell cooling in summer.
🌿 Neck and handheld fans: about €12-20 (Status, Groov-e).
🌿 Desk fans: €25-40 (Daewoo 12", Jegs 12", Dimplex Breezepod cordless).
🌿 Pedestal and wall fans: €43-65 (Prem-i-air 16", Jegs 16", Draper 16" wall fan).
🌿 Tower, bladeless and air coolers: €80-130 (Dimplex EasyBreeze, Princess). For Dyson, see our Dyson guide.
🌿 Portable air conditioners: €389 (Black+Decker 7,000 BTU), €500 (Dimplex 9,000 BTU), €700 (Dimplex 12,000 BTU), €999-1,099 (De'Longhi Pinguino).
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
🌿 Leaving a fan on in an empty room: it cools people, not rooms.
🌿 Buying an air cooler as an air conditioner: it has no hose and no compressor. In damp Irish air it is a fan that adds water.
🌿 Leaving the window wide open around the hose: hot air comes back in. Use the window kit.
🌿 Judging a hot-and-cool fan by its watts: the Princess 348700 lists 2,000 W, and that figure includes its ceramic heater.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
🔹 How much more does an air conditioner cost to run than a fan?
About 20 times more per hour for a 980 W unit against a 50 W tower fan. The air conditioner costs 34c an hour at 35c/kWh. The fan costs under 2c.
🔹 Is a tower fan better than a pedestal fan?
They use about the same power (45-50 W). A tower fan takes less floor space. A pedestal fan costs less: €43-47 against €80-130 for the tower fans listed here.
🔹 Can I use a portable air conditioner without a window?
No. The hot air must go outside through the hose. Without a window that opens, the heat stays in the room.
🔹 Do neck fans work?
They cool your face and neck while you move about. The HOCO HX23 runs up to 10 hours on low and 2 hours on top speed.
🔹 Will a fan help with damp?
No. A fan moves air but does not take water out of it. See our dehumidifier guide, or the appliance running costs guide for other running costs.
Climate Jargon Buster is an independent resource. Wattages, noise levels and prices are from Irish retailer product pages and are indicative as of November 2026. Running costs use 35c/kWh (18c night rate) and rated watts. Humidity and temperature figures are Met Éireann 1991-2020 averages. Hot-weather advice is from the HSE and HPSC - check hse.ie for current guidance.