The 14 Best Fans, According to Our Tests

07 Oct.,2024

 

The 14 Best Fans, According to Our Tests

For more information on how we tested fans, check out our testing process below.

For more information, please visit HAIYANG.

To find the best fans, we put popular models to the test, evaluating each product's cooling power , design , noise levels , and features like remotes, timers, and oscillation.

&#;Different types of fans serve different functions, but they all can help reduce your heating and cooling bills ,&#; he says. &#;Where it&#;s not possible or practical to put fans in windows, portable fans can be placed on the floor near windows or doorways and can help circulate air within a room or between rooms.&#;

Instead of tossing and turning at night or spending your day sweaty and miserable, consider buying a high-powered fan to improve airflow and keep you cool . Lowe&#;s store manager Brian Shaunfield says investing in a portable fan can save money on energy bills and make a huge difference in the comfort of your home.

There are few things more uncomfortable than living in a home that's stuffy, hot, and lacking airflow. Even if you have an air conditioner unit installed, it may not be powerful enough to contend with summer's stickiest weather.

Best Overall

Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan

PHOTO: Amazon

$70

$60 at Amazon

$70 at Target

$65 at Walmart

Our Ratings

  • Design

    4.5

    /5

  • Effectiveness

    4.8

    /5

  • Value

    4.5

    /5

Why You Should Get It

  • This oscillating fan provides a powerful breeze that fits four versatile modes and speeds.

Keep in Mind

  • The height and tilt cannot be adjusted.

The Dreo Tower Fan impressed us the most out of all the fans we tested. With four different speeds and modes, this fan is able to cool an entire room efficiently while being quiet enough to not interrupt television or conversation. During testing, we found that there was a significant difference in the four speeds.

The lowest setting still had significant power to cause a decent breeze, and the highest setting was able to fully cool the room and the breeze was felt from 6 feet away. If you're looking for an oscillating fan, this one has a wide oscillating setting.

We found it had an excellent range of motion and cooled the room down equally and thoroughly with its 90-degree turn. The eco mode, which is designed to save energy, fluctuated between the low and high setting, and the night mode turned the screen lights off so it doesn&#;t interfere with sleep. 

The fan has a timer setting for up to eight hours, which we found convenient for nighttime use, and a remote control that is easy to use and works up to 20 feet away. The design is sleek and modern enough it would fit into any room without standing out. It&#;s bladeless, but that doesn&#;t interfere with its execution.

It was easy to clean by wiping down between the vent with a rag; though the vent is completely removable for cleaning, we didn't think it was necessary all the time. The only downside was that we could not adjust the height or the tilt of the fan, which we noted may be an issue if your bed is on the taller side.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Four | Modes: Four | Timer: Eight hour timer | Dimensions: 11.81x11.81x36.22 inches

Key Terms

  • Pedestal vs. Tower: Both are standing fans, but pedestal fans are typically topped with a mounted head that rotates (some even offer adjustable heights), whereas tower fans feature a single moving base. 
  • Air circulators vs. oscillating: Two types of fan that support multidirectional airflow, albeit in different ways. A circulator keeps a room cool by sucking in air and projecting it in a steady, spiral stream. Oscillating fans, however, rotate up and down to distribute air.

Best Budget

Hampton Bay Personal High Velocity Table Fan

PHOTO: Home Depot

$17 at Home Depot

Our Ratings

  • Design

    4

    /5

  • Effectiveness

    4.5

    /5

  • Value

    4.5

    /5

Why You Should Get It

  • This fan is very small and easy to maneuver while also providing a consistently powerful breeze.

Keep in Mind

  • Cleaning the fan can be challenging as the cover is not removable.

The Hampton Bay tabletop fan is our pick for a budget option. We love how portable it is&#;it was easy to move around during testing and wasn&#;t heavy or cumbersome. The fan has three speed settings with one mode. During testing, it was relatively quiet on the first two settings; however, the highest setting does have a slight whirring noise.

While testing the fan at home, we found we could have conversations and watch television without any issues. When the fan was directly on us, the breeze was powerful but comfortable, even at varying distances. It's also durable&#;while testing the fan at home, we accidentally dropped it twice and there was no damage to be found.

The fan does not come with an oscillation option, so in order to effectively direct the breeze we had to position the fan exactly where we wanted the breeze to go. It doesn&#;t come with a remote control or adjustable height, but it is easy to position the fan up and down.

Keep in mind that cleaning the fan wasn't as easy as with other options we tested. The cover can't be removed to access the blades, so we weren't able to wipe them down when dust began to accumulate during our long-term testing.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Three | Modes: One | Timer: No timer | Dimensions: 5.83x11.43x10.75 inches

Best Tower

Lasko Wind Curve Oscillating Tower Fan

PHOTO: Amazon

$80 at Amazon

$69 at Wayfair

$80 at Walmart

Our Ratings

  • Design

    5

    /5

  • Effectiveness

    4

    /5

  • Value

    4

    /5

  • Air Speed

    5

    /5

  • Portability

    3

    /5

Why You Should Get It

  • The sleek design and powerful fan speeds make this tower fan great for cooling small rooms.

Keep in Mind

  • We weren't able to feel a breeze when standing further than 10 feet from the fan.

Tower fans are the ideal fans for cooling an entire room without sacrificing a ton of space or making lots of noise. The Lasko Wind Curve Tower Fan is a great example&#;it offers three fan speeds, quiet operation, and a space-saving design that makes it easy to tuck into a corner.

During testing, we were shocked by how easily the different fan speeds circulated cool air throughout the room, giving the fan a perfect score in this category. We liked the variance between each fan speed, allowing you to choose between a soft breeze and a powerful, cooling blast, depending on how warm the room is.

When in nighttime mode, the Lasko portable fan slowly decreases the fan speed over time, allowing you to drift off comfortably without racking up your energy bill all night long. There's also a timer setting, which allows you to designate how long you'd like it to run before shutting off.

"This fan is honestly saving my life right now in the New York City heat. I use it on the highest setting every single day while I work...It is a really powerful fan, easy to switch between modes, and it's very quiet. In fact, sometimes I forget to turn it off because it's not loud at all." -Better Homes & Gardens Tester

Each mode provides a comfortable breeze with minimal noise, and the fan has an oscillating setting to help circulate the cool air. We also loved the modern yet unobtrusive design of the Lasko portable fan, which has a matte gray finish, a user-friendly control panel, and a slim frame that won't take up too much space.

When it comes to cleaning, the front panel is removable for easier access to the blades. However, the clips that secure the panel were difficult to open and close. We recommend using this fan in small-to medium-size rooms, as we couldn't feel the breeze when standing more than 10 feet away from the fan.

After testing the fan long-term at home, we also noted that the base was very bulky, making it difficult to move from room to room. That won't be a problem if you're planning to keep it in one place, but does make it less portable.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Three | Modes: Default and Sleep | Timer: Up to 7.5 hours | Dimensions: 13x13x42.5 inches

Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek

Best Box Fan

Pelonis Box Fan

PHOTO: Amazon

$43 at Amazon

$45 at Walmart

Our Ratings

  • Design

    3

    /5

  • Effectiveness

    5

    /5

  • Value

    3.5

    /5

  • Air Speed

    3

    /5

  • Portability

    5

    /5

Why You Should Get It

  • This fan works to cool the entire room, not just the space directly in front of it.

Keep in Mind

  • It's a bit louder than other fans on this list.

If you're trying to circulate cool air in a large or particularly stuffy room, the gentle breeze from even the best portable fan isn't going to be enough. Instead, you'll need a high-powered box fan&#;like the Pelonis Three-Speed Box Fan&#;to move stagnant air out of the room and keep the space cool.

During testing, the Pelonis box fan was one of the most powerful in terms of airflow. The fan is nothing fancy; there's no LED display, special settings, or auto-shutoff features&#;you simply change speeds by turning a knob. But it's incredibly effective at circulating air throughout the entire room, and you'll be able to feel a cool breeze from even 20 feet away.

We also found the fan to be surprisingly portable and lightweight, making it super easy to move from room to room as needed. There are convenient carrying handles in two corners of the fan, and we were able to transport it one-handed without issue.

Because of its powerful airflow, it does make a bit of noise, which could be bothersome to light sleepers who want to run the fan overnight. If you're intending to use this fan while sleeping, you may want to place it on the opposite side of the room so the fan doesn't disturb you.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Three | Modes: None | Timer: None | Dimensions: 20x6x21 inches

Best Table

SNOOZ Breez 2-in-1 Smart Table Fan

PHOTO: Amazon

$200 at Amazon

View on Getsnooz.com

Our Ratings

  • Design

    4.3

    /5

  • Effectiveness

    4.5

    /5

  • Value

    4

    /5

Why You Should Get It

  • This smart fan has 10 different fan settings and doubles as a white noise machine.

Keep in Mind

  • It doesn&#;t have a timer.

The Snooz Breez two-in-one table fan showed impressive range in power settings and versatility during our testing. Not only is this a tabletop fan, but it&#;s also a white noise machine, making it a perfect addition to your bedroom. With 10 adjustable airflow settings, it offers several breeze options so you can pick the perfect level of comfort for your needs.

When testing, we found the lowest setting gave off a very soft breeze&#;so soft it didn&#;t blow any papers and could not be felt from far away. The highest setting, however, was very powerful and blew away all the papers on the table. The noise levels for both the fan and white noise machine are loud, though the noise is soothing, not disruptive.

The fan would work great for someone who tends to get hot at night or needs a relaxing noise to fall asleep. During our long-term testing, we slept with the fan on almost every night for two months, and we didn't notice any change in quality or performance with consistent use.

We loved the chic and contemporary design of this fan, and it was easy to tilt, revolving almost 360 degrees around. However, it doesn&#;t have a timer like other fans on our list have, like the Dreo Tower Fan. There is an optional app you can download to set a schedule, use a remote, and more.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: 10 | Modes: Four | Timer: No timer | Dimensions: 7x11.25x11.75 inches

Best Industrial

XPOWER Industrial High Velocity Air Mover

PHOTO: Amazon

$143 at Walmart

$142 at Home Depot

$160 at Tractor Supply Co.

Our Ratings

  • Design

    4.5

    /5

  • Effectiveness

    5

    /5

  • Value

    4.5

    /5

Why You Should Get It

  • We appreciated the wide range of breezes this fan produced, and it was easy to move around.

Keep in Mind

  • It&#;s one of the loudest fans we tested.

For those looking for an industrial fan, the Xpower FC-200 impressed us during our testing. There are four separate settings offered on the fan, and it also has a timer that goes up to three hours. We noted the lowest setting provided a powerful yet soothing breeze without being too loud.

The highest setting, however, was very loud, and the papers used during testing blew away immediately on the highest setting, making it all the way to the 20-foot marker. The wide range of power was definitely a plus for us. While the fan does not have an oscillating option or the ability to alter its height, it's lightweight and easy to move.

When it comes to cleaning, we had a hard time reaching the blades. However, even after regular use for two months, there wasn't any dust that accumulated on the blades, likely because of the high power. While it was one of the loudest fans we tested, we liked how powerful it was, making it perfect for industrial settings. 

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Four | Modes: One | Timer: Three hour timer | Dimensions: 15.4x17.3x8.9 inches

Best Desk Fan

Vornado 660 Large Air Circulator

PHOTO: Amazon

Contact us to discuss your requirements of 24 Inch Electric Fan. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

$100

$93 at Amazon

$100 at Target

$100

$97 at Walmart

Our Ratings

  • Design

    4

    /5

  • Effectiveness

    5

    /5

  • Value

    5

    /5

  • Air Speed

    5

    /5

  • Portability

    3

    /5

Why You Should Get It

  • The fan circulates air in several directions at once for better air flow and cooling power.

Keep in Mind

  • It's quite large for a desk fan, so it may take up too much space on small desks.

Productive work days don't have to be ruined by hot weather. If your home office tends to get stuffy and warm during the summertime, we recommend the Vornado 660 Whole Room Air Circulator, which sits conveniently on your desk but can keep the whole room cool.

It offers four different speeds to choose from, so you can keep the breeze low if you have a lot of papers on your desk or blast the cold air when you're moving around the room. It doesn't oscillate, but you can tilt the fan up and down to control where the breeze is concentrated.

According to the manufacturer, the fan circulates air throughout the entire room by creating airflow in multiple directions at once&#;and we certainly found in our tests that it's extremely powerful. We were still able to feel a light breeze from 20 feet away on the highest setting, so you'll stay cool no matter where you are in the room.

While testing the fan at home, all areas of our large room felt cooler when the fan was running. Keep in mind that this fan is a little bulky, measuring 13 inches wide by 15 inches tall. If you have a small desk or limited space, it may take up too much room.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Four | Modes: None | Timer: None | Dimensions: 11.8x13.5x15 inches

Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek

Best Standing

Pelonis Pedestal Fan

PHOTO: Amazon

$80 at Amazon

$118 at Walmart

Our Ratings

  • Design

    5

    /5

  • Effectiveness

    4

    /5

  • Value

    5

    /5

  • Air Speed

    5

    /5

  • Portability

    4

    /5

Why You Should Get It

  • The sturdy, high-quality design and digital features made this standing fan worth the money.

Keep in Mind

  • The carrying handle is quite close to the fan blades, so it's difficult to move from room to room.

The Pelonis Pedestal Fan is a quiet yet powerful fan is a versatile and modern option to help you cool even large rooms in your home. We were quite impressed by its sleek design, which includes a metal build and thoughtful features like its LED display, adjustable height, and wide range of airspeed settings.

In the lab, we found that the Pelonis standing fan created breezes strong enough to be felt from distances up to 20 feet on its highest setting (though it was most effective between 6 and 15 feet). With 12 speeds to choose from, you'll can adjust the airflow and tilt the fan head up and down to provide the perfect amount of cooling.

"This is a heavy fan that feels very sturdy and high-end. The fan also comes with a remote control. Since I use it while I sleep, I love that I can control the speed, timer, side-to-side movement, and on/off buttons, without getting out of bed. Even on its higher speed settings the fan is very quiet, which I love." -Better Homes & Gardens Tester

It's easy to change settings from the LED display, including the fan speed, timer settings, and oscillation feature. You can also adjust the height so the airflow doesn't get blocked by furniture or other large obstructions. There's even a remote control that allows you to change settings from across the room.

We recommend using the fan in a room where you won't have to move it around often, as it's quite bulky and difficult to carry. While it does have a carrying handle, it's right next to the fan blades, making it awkward to lift and move from one place to another.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: 12 | Modes: None | Timer: Up to 12 hours | Dimensions: 15.75x15.75x51.18 inches

Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek

Best for Sleeping

Rowenta Turbo Silence Extreme+ Stand Fan

PHOTO: Amazon

$180

$144 at Amazon

$180 at Wayfair

$144 at Walmart

Our Ratings

  • Design

    4

    /5

  • Effectiveness

    5

    /5

  • Value

    4

    /5

  • Air Speed

    4.8

    /5

  • Portability

    3

    /5

Why You Should Get It

  • This fan has an adjustable stand, so you can raise and lower its height to match the height of your bed.

Keep in Mind

  • It's quite heavy, making it less portable than other options on this list.

If your typical sleep routine involves tossing and turning at night in a room that's too warm, the Rowenta Turbo Silence Fan could be just the solution you need. At just 35 decibels (barely louder than a whisper) on its lowest setting and 60 decibels at its highest, even light sleepers should have no trouble dozing off when it's running.

During testing, the fan received perfect scores for effectiveness at circulating air. We were still able to feel a faint breeze while standing 20 feet away from it, meaning it's powerful enough to provide cool air to all corners of the room. The Rowenta fan also oscillates 120 degrees, helping to cool the entire room as you sleep.

We liked the easy-to-use LED display and the detachable remote, which allows you to change fan settings without having to crawl out of bed. You can choose between five different fan speeds and set it to natural mode or decrescendo mode, which is an energy-saving setting that rotates between high and low fan speeds.

The Rowenta fan also scored highly in testing because of its adjustable stand, which allows you to change its height to match the height of your bed. This lets you get the perfect amount of airflow as you snooze without having to prop your fan up on something to make it taller.

Our only complaint with the Rowenta fan is its weight distribution&#;even though it's only 10.18 pounds, we found it to be rather cumbersome to move around, and its large base makes it difficult to store when not in use.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Five | Modes: Three | Timer: Up to eight hours | Dimensions: 18x17x53 inches

Best Window

Genesis A1 Window Fan

PHOTO: Amazon

$50

$47 at Amazon

$60

$47 at Walmart

$47 at Home Depot

Our Ratings

  • Design

    4

    /5

  • Effectiveness

    4

    /5

  • Value

    5

    /5

  • Air Speed

    4

    /5

  • Portability

    5

    /5

Why You Should Get It

  • The dual-fan design draws in fresh air from outdoors while simultaneously pushing stale air out.

Keep in Mind

  • The feet on this device aren't the easiest to put on or take off, making it tricky to switch it from a window fan to a standalone fan.

One of the most effective and cost-effective ways to cool your home without an air conditioner is to install a window fan. The Genesis Window Fan performed exceptionally well in our tests, receiving near-perfect scores for its air speed, design, and effectiveness.

The dual-fan design draws fresh air from outside into your home while venting stuffy, warm air back out. You can change the speed and direction of each fan individually, giving you flexibility with how much air you want to draw in. We appreciated that we could adjust the direction of each fan and felt like it helped increase airflow.

We liked that it has three fan speeds and a built-in thermostat to help you more accurately decide what fan speed you'll need for a comfortable room. We found that its airflow isn't particularly strong compared to the portable fans we tested, but it was still effective at removing stale air and keeping the overall room cool.

The fan comes with expandable side panels and removable legs so you can fit it snugly into your window without leaving large gaps open for bugs to get through. During testing, we found that the legs were a bit tricky to take off or put on, making it an ordeal to switch this fan from a window model to a stand-alone fan.

However, aside from this drawback, we found it to be just as effective at home as it was in the lab. We placed it where we work out in the morning, and it was strong enough to keep the room from feeling stuffy on hot days. And when the fan wasn't in use, the slim design made it easy to tuck away.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Three | Modes: None | Timer: None | Dimensions: 24 to 37 x 4 x 12 inches

Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek

Best Oscillating

Dreo Pedestal Fan

PHOTO: Amazon

$140

$119 at Amazon

View on Dreo.com

View on Bed Bath & Beyond

Our Ratings

  • Design

    5

    /5

  • Effectiveness

    5

    /5

  • Value

    4.5

    /5

Why You Should Get it

  • If you need a powerful fan, this nine-blade unit pumps out air up to 100 feet and turns nearly a full 360 degrees.

Keep in Mind

  • It may not be the best solution for households with young kids, as we found the cage design potentially wide enough for little fingers to poke through.

For all the fancy features, the Dreo Polyfan 513S Pedestal Fan offers, we expected a higher price tag; calling it a good value would be an understatement. Aside from its smart controls, all of which can be precisely customized through a WiFi-enabled app on your , we were taken with its impressive oscillating abilities. 

The unit is capable of distributing air 120 degrees horizontally and up to 105 degrees vertically. With that kind of range, it&#;d be impossible for a room to feel stuffy, especially since the stream can reach 100 feet, all while never exceeding an incredibly quiet 28 decibels (that&#;s about the same noise level as a whisper).  

We didn&#;t love that the remote had to be directed precisely at the sensor in the fan to register, though it could be adjusted from a 20-foot distance. For those who&#;d prefer to adjust settings within the app, this isn&#;t a major drawback. 

Plus, you can also connect it to Amazon Alexa or Google Home to flip between its six modes (Auto, Turbo, Natural, Sleep, Custom), 8 built-in speeds, or a 12-hour timer via a simple voice command. It combines nine blades. 

Another aspect worth noting is the adjustable height, which can be raised up to 5.5 inches. Taking this wide range of options into consideration, we consider it the most versatile fan we&#;ve ever used. Perhaps the only downside is the fact that it comes in just one, dark gray finish.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Eight | Modes: Six | Timer: 12 hour timer | Dimensions: 12.76x14.13x37.6 inches

Best Portable

Printworks Fantastic Portable Fan

PHOTO: Print Works

View on Printworksmarket.us

$3,909

$69 at Revolve

Our Ratings

  • Design

    5

    /5

  • Effectiveness

    4.5

    /5

  • Value

    3.5

    /5

Why You Should Get it

  • Small but mighty, this desk fan weighs less than a pound, making it a breeze to tout from room to room or bring on the go.

Keep in Mind

  • For the size and lack of smart features, its price tag may be too steep.

While a number of fans on this list are lightweight enough to move from room to room&#;some even offer the benefit of a built-in handle for easy transportation&#;none of the others are small enough to carry in a tote bag like the Printworks Fantastic Portable Fan. 

This miniature desk fan&#;s dimensions are a demure 7.8x7.8 inches and it weighs less than a pound, so you don&#;t have to worry about it weighing you down. Aside from the petite, square frame, that&#;s likely because it&#;s made with lightweight ABS and PP plastic. 

Better yet, it&#;s cordless, so you don&#;t have to worry about setting up near an outlet. It comes instead with a rechargeable micro USB cable that can run nonstop for an hour on full blast (or 3.5 hours on a low setting) without needing to be plugged back in. 

For such a petite vessel, we were impressed by its 360-degree rotation and nearly silent operation. The decibels were so low that we couldn&#;t get a proper reading. It offers three fan speeds, and at the highest, it blew a stack of papers two feet away. Even when standing six feet away, we could still feel a gentle breeze. 

It&#;s available in three fun hues (cerise red, green/pink combo, and cool blue) to add a pleasant pop of color to your shelf or desk. There&#;s not a single thing we would change about this cutesy cooler, other than perhaps the addition of a few fancier features&#;like a charging port for other devices&#;to make it a more worthy splurge.  

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Three | Modes: None | Timer: None | Dimensions: 7.8x7.8x2.6 inches

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Ceiling Fan.