Never Underestimate the Cooling Power of a Really Good Fan

Is it too much to ask for every day to be 74 degrees and sunny, a pleasing breeze pushing fluffy white clouds across the blue sky, just strong enough to get caught be your open window and dance around your home as you get through another workday? Yes, of course it is. Greedy. In lieu of such an extravagantly perfect set of weather conditions, you'll still need a way to cool down this summer. AC, even if you've got it, isn't always the answer. As in, it's more expensive, and you can't open the windows when it's running, which is a sad way to cut yourself off from the outdoors. Similarly can be said about an AC window unit, which hogs the view. Nor can you count on a lone open window—the sweat will be dripping onto your laptop within minutes once the temperature goes above 90, and we're not sure your warranty extends that kind of coverage.

So now would be a great time to not underestimate the cooling power of a fan. Not just the cheap-o box fan or oscillating fan, but one that looks nice—or at least discreet—while it does its job, and does it well. Here are 10 such cooling fans. A few won't exactly enhance your home decor scheme, but most are made with design in mind. They're all very good at stirring up a breeze.