Who needs A/C anyway? 7 heatwave essentials I'm relying on right now

Let's start with the obvious: a fan! I bought this handheld Warmco fan a few weeks back to keep me cool during a humid press trip to Vienna. And it hasn't left my bag since. It's powerful, and on the lower settings (which still give plenty of cooling), it lasts for hours. It's now seeing me through a second heatwave, in addition to the Austria trip and a late May camping trip in mid-20s heat. It's a cheap alternative to the Shark ChillPill 3-in-1, although lacks the Shark's misting function.

Yep... another fan. But a much bigger one this time. I've been testing two Dyson Purifier Cool PC3 fans since our last heatwave a few weeks back, and these things are life-savers. The PC2 is essentially the same as the newer PC3, but cheaper, as it lacks the PC3's automatic human detection / tracking mode (which isn't that good anyway). What I love about the Dyson PC range is that they're fans and purifiers. That means if you have your windows open to let a breeze in, it'll also clean the air of pollen, dust and nasty road emissions.

Another personal cooling device, the Sony REON goes about things a little differently. Instead of blowing air at you, it sits on the back of your neck (or wherever you want to place it) and cools down your whole body. We recently tested the Sony REON Pocket Pro Plus and awarded our Editor's Choice badge — these things are seriously good.

If you aren't doing this hack already, you need to be. I may have access to loads of high-end gadgets, but sometimes the low-tech solutions are the best. Putting ice in front of a fan cools down the air it pushes through, creating a jerry-rigged AC system. It doesn't have to be complicated: you can simply use a bowl of ice if you like, but I prefer to use large, re-freezable ice packs like these. For under £6, this is a cheap, simple and reusable way to increase your fan's performance.

"How is a pizza oven going to help me beat the heat?" Just... hear me out. I've been rinsing the pizzas for the last few weeks, in large part because cooking in my kitchen is absolutely dire in this heat. The Ooni needs to be run outside, and cooking outside stops your kitchen and house being heated up by the oven, hob or air fryer. Oh, and the Karu 2 is an awesome, affordable little oven which heats up quickly, can use various fuels, and cooks pro-quality pizzas in as little as 90 seconds. Dine al fresco.

No parasol? No problem. A camping tarp is a great budget alternative. I bought one like this Wadeo heavy duty tarpaulin, initially for camping, but I've put it up in my garden for the coming week to provide some more shade for my family and dogs.

If, like me, you've got pets, you'll know that the severe heat brings an extra stressor: keeping your animals comfortable and safe from the heat. I have two large ex-racing greyhounds, who really struggle in the heat (especially at night). We use two large cooling pads, which are very effective. You can put them underneath a thin blanket if your pet isn't liking the look of the mat, and they'll still benefit from the cooling effect. Our dogs actually get a little chilly on these during the night, and go back to their fluffy warm beds in the early hours!