10 Best Cooling Fans for Campervans & Motorhomes

If you’re looking for a way to cool down your motorhome or campervan in hot weather, you’re in the right place. After living in my motorhome for four years and spending a LOT of time in warm countries, I’m sharing the best cooling fans and tips to help you stay sane and sleep in your van when the heat rises.

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Why do you need a cooling fan in your motorhome?

Let’s be honest: I live in the UK. It rains a lot. And we’re not known for our long hot summers.

However, we DO get warm, sunny weather a lot more frequently than people believe, and it can make spending time in your motorhome, camper or caravan uncomfortable or just downright unpleasant.

And that’s before you’ve even made it to the south of Europe.

So, if you’re spending time in your leisure vehicle between June-September, I highly recommend getting some sort of cooling system, whether that is a 12v fan or a motorhome air conditioning unit.

How to choose a 12v fan or aircon for your motorhome or camper.

When you’re looking for a device to cool down your motorhome interior, there are several broad categories:

• 12v Portable/ hand-held fans – battery / USB chargeable
• Mains power fans – 230v
• Roof Fans – Integrated into existing power system
• Air conditioning unit or swap coolers (these are the only ones which work to cool the air, rather than just move it around.

There are pro and cons for all fan types above, BUT it’s going to depend on what you want from the fan; a USB “desktop” fan is not going to give you the power a mains “domestic” fan will give.

So, when looking for the best fan for your camper, you need to consider how you want it to perform:

• Do you want it to last continuously (or at least through the night?)
• Do you want to be able to take it outside with you?
• Do you want to use it when not plugged in to mains power at a campsite?
• Do you want more than one? (Perhaps living/ bedroom areas, or a second one for your dog to enjoy?)

You also need to consider your cost and payload.

What’s the best fan for motorhomes?

As with most gadgets which use power, there are pros and cons to all types, and in this post I’ll share them with you so you can make the best decision for you.

Portable Handheld Fans – the “desktop” fan

There are countless options for this type of fan- I’ve tried and tested many myself, as have my friends.

Some are absolutely rubbish, BUT some are amazing.

This fan, used by one of my friends who needed a fan to hang over her while in bed. Not only that, she uses it to cool down the bedroom area for her dog George 🙂 – It’s definitely highly recommended!!

• Rechargeable with a 10000mAh battery that can last up to 24 hours when fully charged.
• The fan is equipped with three 8 inch blades, which can swirl faster.
• Supports 5V-2A fast charging, which can be fully charged within 6 hours. Coming with type-c charging port.
• The head that can rotate 360 degrees vertically and horizontally. The portable rechargeable fan has 3 speed settings and 1 energy saving setting.

Prior to my friend upgrading to the above fan, she used one like these. She had two of them, they are definitely not as strong as this one but they are still worth a mention.

• 5000mAh battery, 6-40 hours working time depend on different speed; 12V USB Fan charging.
• Rotates 90° from left to right and manually rotates 360° horizontally and manually rotates 360° vertically to ensure different wind angles.
• The maximum wind speed can reach 3800 rpm.
• Stand & Clip 2-in-1 design, light weight and portable size (9.64 x 6.7 x 3.74 inches)

230v/240v Mains-Powered Fan

If you want more power, getting a fan which plugs into your mains power will be better how you.

However, please remember that these will only work when you’re either plugged into mains on a campsite OR if you have a decent portable power station, like an Ecoflow, which can cope with the demands of your fan.

Another thing to consider is space and storage.

My friend uses a mains fan (her photos above) and she puts it either in the cab (with extended pole) or on her lounge table (without extended pole). When not in use, she separates the base and head and puts it in the cupboard or in the storage under the bed.

• Equipped with 35W improved DC motor, consume only 0.035KW/H.
• Offers superpower, huge air supply and great air circulation. The maximum wind speed can reach 7.1m/s. 3D oscillation function extends angle from 30° to 90°.
• Electronic touch control panel.
• 13 wind speed (normal 1-12 level, plus one ‘BF’ level), 5 modes (Normal, Sleep, Nature, BF, Baby)
• Height can be adjustable, you can use it as free floor fan or desk fan without the extend pole.
• Voltage: 240 Volts
• Wattage: 35 watts
• Weight: 5.96 Kilograms

This fan is an amazing option for off-grid! At 35w and using 0.035KW/H, it’s a great way to keep cool whilst not draining your battery. You could run it off this EcoFlow quite easily.

Here are some other similar options:

Rooftop Fans for Motorhomes – Integrated into existing power system

An even more powerful option is to get a rooftop fan or air conditioning system professionally fitted on your motorhome or campervan, usually on the roof.

There are a few things to consider when looking at these”

• payload
• cost
• height increase (which can make a difference to your toll costs across Europe if you go over 3.05m)

Please remember, any modifications to your motorhome, camper or caravan could void the warranty if they’re not done by a professional.

One of the most popular roof fan units for motorhomes is MaxxFan. Although I am not affiliated with MaxxFan nor do I have one in my motorhome, I know that the brand, quality and performance are good. Let’s face it, if you’re cutting a massive hole in your roof, you want something which isn’t going to fail!

• Thermostat feature with Auto mode (set the temperature and the fan will automatically lift the lid and start at that temperature).
• Remote control with back up controls at the ceiling
• Ceiling Fan Mode – The fan runs with lid closed to circulate air
• Different lid colour available.
• 10 speed fan motor.
• Wattage: 161 watts

If you’re considering investing in a roof fan (and have sufficient payload!), installing two at either end of your van is a great way to create a breeze to cool your motorhome interior on hot days. One fan can be set to suck air in and the other set to push air out, which creates a good air flow.

Motorhome Air Conditioning Units

If you want something to actually cool the air down, you have a couple of options:

• A swamp cooler (this blows air over something cool like ice or cold water to make it come out colder
• A portable motorhome air conditioning unit.
• A permanently installed motorhome air conditioning unit.

Transcool/ Swamp Coolers

I’ve used a Transcool in my motorhome for years and it definitely helps on really hot days. It does take a little time to get it cooling the air down, and you need to help it as much as possible (parking in the shade, keeping blinds closed etc), but it’s been a good investment.

• Powerful, yet compact and lightweight Cooling Unit
• Four directional air vents for increased air coverage
• Internal 1.8L water tank will provide over 8 hours of cooling on low fan speed
• Low battery cut out feature ensuring the battery on your vehicle does not completely drain
• Energy efficient and environment friendly, can be used with water, or water mixed with ice
• Wattage: 312 watts (8w/hr on low speed)
• Weight: 31.kgs

Portable Motorhome Air Conditioning Unit

An option that doesn’t require any amendments to your motorhome electrical system is a portable air conditioning unit.

I know some people use domestic air conditioners in their caravan or awning, but this will depend on the space and power usage of the unit; remember, low wattage is best.

In my opinion, the best portable air conditioning unit for motorhomes or campervans on the market is the Ecoflow Wave 3.

Ecoflow Wave 3 – Portable Air Conditioner

The Ecoflow Wave 3 iss a portable aircon unit powered by mains or their portable power stations like this.

You can buy the unit with no battery (if you plan to use it only when hooked up to mains) or with the battery (if you plan to use it off-grid). See the options below:

Motorhome Air Conditioning Units

If you are thinking of an aircon type cooling system, these are far more technical, costly and will eat into your payload more that a “standard fan” system does but for your interests, here are a few of the roof aircon systems on the market.

Again, I highly recommend getting these installed professionally!

Last update on 2025-06-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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