The 5 Best Floor Fans
Best Overall Floor Fan
Vornado 660 Large
$90 at Amazon
Degrees of Pivot: 90° | Number of Speeds: 4REASONS TO BUY
Small but effective
Relatively quiet
Big difference between speeds
REASONS TO AVOID
Always turns on in highest setting
Less pivot than some
90° |
Hands down, our favorite floor fan is the Vornado 660 for its strength, setting selections, and small footprint. This compact fan is an "air circulator" designed to move air throughout the whole room rather than blow directly on you. It efficiently mixes the air in the room to give you an equal temperature throughout, and its tunnel-like shape works very well at cooling you down rapidly when needed. It provides plenty of choices with its four varying speeds, which are all quite different. Despite this fan's small size, the top speeds emit powerful breezes, and the lower speeds are impressively quiet.
We had a hard time finding a flaw with the Vornado 660. The fan will pivot vertically 90 degrees, from straight ahead to straight up, which gets the job done but isn't too impressive. And, though each speed is a separate button, you can't just press the one you want to power the fan on. You must first press the power button, which automatically turns it on at the highest setting. Regrettably, this design doesn't allow the fan to be operated from a smart switch or timer. Still, we're very impressed with the performance of this rather compact air circulator fan, and we readily recommend it.
Dimensions (D x W x H): 11" x 13" x 15"Cleaning: Removable grill via screws
11" x 13" x 15"Removable grill via screws
Features: None
We love the simple, easy to use buttons right on top of the Vornado 660.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Best Bang for Your Buck
Lasko 3300 Wind Machine
$49 at Amazon
Degrees of Pivot: 350° | Number of Speeds: 3REASONS TO BUY
Solid airflow and space coverage
Lower-pitched, more consistent hum
Relatively lower price
REASONS TO AVOID
Highest setting is very loud
Control knob is inconveniently located
Base slides easily on floor
350° |
If you're looking for a floor fan that does its job without costing an arm and a leg, the Lasko 3300 Wind Machine is the fan for you. This large plastic unit can be easily felt across a room, even on its lowest setting. Though the protruding handle on top stops it from pivoting a full 360 degrees, it does come very close to achieving that goal. It also has knobs on each side to tighten the unit to that perfect angle once you've found it. Though loud, the more even, lower-pitched hum the Wind Machine emits fades into the background far better than the higher prop-plane-like thrum of many others we tested.
Though we think the quality of sound coming from the Lasko 3300 Wind Machine is more pleasant than many others, in terms of sheer decibels, it's one of the loudest fans we tested. Its control knob is also located directly in the middle of the back. As one of the largest fans, this makes it one of the least convenient controls to use. And despite being a relatively large fan, the plastic base has no added pieces to stop it from easily sliding across the floor with a simple push. However, at the end of the day, the Wind Machine is a solid choice to keep you cool on the couch and on a budget — though you may need to turn up the TV volume.
Dimensions (D x W x H): 7" x 25" x 24"Cleaning: Removable grill via screws
7" x 25" x 24"Removable grill via screws
Features: Side angle-tightening knobs
The Wind Machine can help you find comfort for less. Despite its inconveniently placed control knob, we found a lot to love about this high value fan.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Best for Large Spaces
Lasko 20" High Velocity QuickMount
$88 at Amazon
Degrees of Pivot: 120° | Number of Speeds: 3REASONS TO BUY
Wide angle of air movement
Front control is very convenient
Comes with wall mount
REASONS TO AVOID
Loud
Lower air velocity than some
120° |
Need a suitable fan for a large space like a workshop or garage? Check out the Lasko 20" High Velocity QuickMount. This wire-framed unit does wonders, sending air not just in a tunnel directly in front of the blades but at a wide angle that feels pleasant as you move about your space. It comes with a convenient space-saving wall mount, and on the ground, it's one of the most stable fans we tested. With the control knob conveniently mounted on the front, you'll never again have to find yourself fiddling around blindly on the back of your fan to adjust it.
Our biggest gripe about the Lasko 20" High Velocity QuickMount fan is that it's quite noisy. Its lowest setting is more powerful than many fans' highest setting and has the accompanying noise to back it up. As such, you probably don't want this fan cooling your living room while trying to have a movie night. Also, compared to other high-velocity fans, it isn't quite as high velocity, as the column of air is blown in many directions rather than a wind tunnel straight at your face. Still, if you want to keep air moving across a stuffy garage or home gym, the Lasko High Velocity QuickMount is practical and efficient.
Dimensions (D x W x H): 11" x 25" x 23"Cleaning: Removable grill via quick release tabs
11" x 25" x 23"Removable grill via quick release tabs
Features: Wall mount included
On a hot day, Madeline loves to cool off in front of the sturdy, easy-to-use, and powerful Lasko QuickMount.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Best for Location Convenience
Geek Aire 16" Rechargeable Outdoor
See It
Degrees of Pivot: 120° | Number of Speeds: Variable rangeREASONS TO BUY
Battery-powered for easy portability
Smaller size
Variable speed settings
REASONS TO AVOID
Less powerful
Expensive
120° |Variable range
We weren't totally sure what to expect from a battery-powered floor fan like the Geek Aire 16" Rechargeable Outdoor, but we like it. In a sea of relatively simple fans, the added features the Geek Aire brings to the table take it up a notch. Once charged, this fan is slightly smaller than others, adding to its convenience. It is easy to move around with you wherever you go — even out onto the patio! Prominent indicator lights quickly and easily tell you how much battery life is left, and since the battery is removable, you can get more than one and swap them out for seamless use. Unique among contenders, speed is controlled by a completely variable knob with no marked settings, allowing you to choose exactly the amount of airflow you desire. Not enough? It also has a USB charging port to keep your devices juiced up.
However, even on its highest setting, this 21-inch wide fan isn't nearly as powerful as we expected it to be. It is pleasantly quiet, but we're glad it doesn't have a limiting power cord, as you need to be right next to this fan to feel its cooling breeze. It's also the most expensive fan we tested, requiring a serious financial commitment. Yet, for the tech-lover in your life, this feature-filled fan may be a dream come true.
Dimensions (D x W x H): 8" x 21" x 19"Cleaning: Removable grill via screws
8" x 21" x 19"Removable grill via screws
Features: Battery powered, USB charging port, side angle-tightening knobs
Make midday patio BBQs enjoyable again with the battery-powered Geek Aire Rechargeable.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Best for Smaller Spaces
Amazon Basics 3-Speed 11" Air Circulator
$24 at Amazon
Degrees of Pivot: 90° | Number of Speeds: 3REASONS TO BUY
Easy to access control knob
Simple design
Inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Few pivot angle options
Less powerful
Can't take apart to clean
90° |
Are you searching for a floor fan with a tiny footprint that's simple to use, works well, and is affordable? Meet the Amazon Basics 3-Speed Air Circulator. This little 11-inch fan is one of the least expensive models we tested and is small enough to hide in the corner of a bedroom or even on the edge of a table. With marked differences between all three settings, this straightforward model works well in smaller rooms around your home. The control knob is on the top of the unit, so it's easy to adjust and clicks into place to direct air confidently around the room.
However, it only locks into five available angles, each 22.5° apart to cover its 90° arch. Though adequate in smaller spaces, it's also less powerful than most other floor fans we tested. This fan can only be cleaned by vacuuming or wiping the outside with a cloth. Without any visible screws to remove the front grill, there is no reasonable way to get to the blades inside. For what it is, though, this simple unit is a solid value to help keep you comfortable in the bedroom or your home office.
Dimensions (D x W x H): 7" x 14" x 14"Cleaning: Vacuum only
7" x 14" x 14"Vacuum only
Features: None
In a smaller room, this inexpensive Amazon Basics air circulator does a pretty solid job.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Great for In-Your-Face Power
iLIVING ILG8F20 Home 20"
Degrees of Pivot: 135° | Number of Speeds: 3
REASONS TO BUY
One of the highest measured air speeds
Comes with wall mount
Useful features
REASONS TO AVOID
Loud and less pleasant-sounding
Controls less conveniently located
135° |
If you're after a high-powered fan to blow lots of air directly at you, the iLIVING Home 20" is a great choice. This large fan delivers one of the highest air velocities we measured, topping the charts at an impressive 19.2 mph. It also comes with a wall mount to put the tunnel of air at head height, and it's one of the few fans we tested with knobs on the sides to tighten it to the exact angle you prefer. On top of that, it features two wire pieces on the back to wrap the cord around when not in use so you can keep your space tidy.
If you enjoy quiet spaces, you're unlikely to be keen on the loud sound the iLIVING Home 20" fan emits. It's quite high volume and also higher pitch than the similar Lasko 20" High Velocity, with a whirring quality reminiscent of the blades of a small airplane. In a louder environment like a shop or outdoor space, the iLIVING's noise may be less obnoxious, but it's not something you're likely to enjoy if you're trying to stay cool during movie night. This large fan's control knob is located on the back, which often results in blind fumbling while trying to change the speed. But for all-out power, this option is hard to beat.
Dimensions (D x W x H): 11" x 24" x 22"Cleaning: Removable grill via screws
11" x 24" x 22"Removable grill via screws
Features: Cord management on back, side angle-tightening knobs, included wall mount
The iLIVING has some useful features like knobs on the sides to maintain the perfect fan angle and spots to wrap up the cord when not in use.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Solid Value for Large Spaces
B-Air FIRTANA-20X High Velocity 20"
Degrees of Pivot: 360° | Number of Speeds: 3
REASONS TO BUY
Powerful air movement
Pivots a full 360 degrees
Less expensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Loud and choppy-sounding
Inconveniently located control knob
Vibrates more than many others
360° |
The B-Air FIRTANA-20X High Velocity 20" is another high-powered fan designed with larger spaces in mind. We clocked this fan at one of the highest velocities we tested — 17.6 mph — putting it just behind the iLIVING Home 20". While many fans claim to pivot 360 degrees, this is the only one that can completely spin around without being repositioned. It's also less expensive than many similar fans, making it a good deal if you require some powerful air.
Compared to the other loud, choppy fans, the B-Air FIRTANA-20X is exceptionally loud, choppy, and higher pitched than we prefer. The whole unit also vibrates, which isn't ideal. The control knob is located towards the center of the back, making it somewhat difficult to access without positioning yourself behind the fan. Its speeds were labeled in reverse of every other fan we tested. It's unclear if that's a fluke with our specific unit or if the manufacturer labels all their highest speeds as 1 rather than 3. And, though many of the online photos accompanying this fan feature a wall mount, ours didn't include one. This fan has many online user complaints about the unit breaking or not working after a fairly short period; however, we had no issues with ours. So proceed with caution: Though this unit scored decently in our lineup, we read too many reports of other people's issues to not mention it.
Dimensions (D x W x H): 12" x 23" x 23"Cleaning: Removable grill via screws
12" x 23" x 23"Removable grill via screws
Features: Cord management on back
This powerful fan from B-Air helps keep you cool even while you sweat it out.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Simple Indoor Fan
Lasko 3520 20" Cyclone
Degrees of Pivot: 90° | Number of Speeds: 3
REASONS TO BUY
Control conveniently on top
Small feet help hold in place
Less expensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Can't remove grill to clean
Unpleasant noise quality
90° |
Though it isn't topping our charts, there's still a lot we love about the Lasko 3520 20" Cyclone. This big plastic fan is simple to use and is one of the few that has its control knob right on top of the unit. It pushes air out in multiple directions rather than creating a wind tunnel that only works right in front of the blades. Small rubbery feet have been added to the plastic base's underside to help grip the floor slightly better than the 100% plastic base of the Lasko 3300 Wind Machine. And to top it all off, this fan is on the lower end of the range of prices among fans we tested. Not bad.
Unfortunately, this fully plastic fan has no visible way to remove the front grill to clean the blades inside. It's also on the louder end of the spectrum in this review. The sound isn't quite as high-pitched and choppy-sounding as some we tested, but it was still louder than we preferred while watching a movie. It's a totally adequate fan that costs less than most of the competition; it just doesn't wow us with its loud, relatively lackluster performance.
Dimensions (D x W x H): 8" x 22" 24"Cleaning: Vacuum only
8" x 22" 24"Vacuum only
Features: None
The Cyclone offers a simple solution to your floor fan needs.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Discreet But Underwhelming
Vie Air VA-12 12" High Velocity
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Top 6 Factors to Look At While Choosing LED LightsDegrees of Pivot: 120° | Number of Speeds: 3
REASONS TO BUY
Small enough for a tabletop
Cord management on back
REASONS TO AVOID
Surprisingly loud on all settings
Easier to tip over
Not particularly effective
120° |
The Vie Air 12" High Velocity is a compact fan that skirts the line between being large enough to live on the floor of your home office and small enough to sit on your dresser pointed at your bed. If a small size is a key factor, this is the shining glory of this 12-inch fan. It also features a spot to wrap the cord on the back, making transportation and storage much simpler.
We're underwhelmed by this fan, though. We discerned very little difference in power between the three settings, and it's much louder than we'd expect for a fan of this size. It's not particularly powerful, relying on proximity rather than power to push air across your skin. Relatively top-heavy and with a small front-to-back measurement, this mini model is one of the easiest to tip over. It's also somewhat expensive for its performance, and we're just not convinced the small size and uninspiring performance are worth the price.
Dimensions (D x W x H): 5" x 15" x 14"Cleaning: Removable grill via quick release tabs
5" x 15" x 14"Removable grill via quick release tabs
Features: Cord management on back
Small enough for a table top, its compact size is our favorite feature of this otherwise underperforming floor fan.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Why You Should Trust Us
We spent hours scouring the internet for the best-rated floor fans available before choosing this selection of the nine most promising candidates to purchase and test side by side. Through the blazing hot desert days in the height of summer, we tested the fans' ability to keep us comfortably cool while exercising, watching movies, reading books, and working from home. We measured their air speeds on all settings, took decibel readings of their loudness, and checked how far away — and off to the sides — we could feel each. We noted each fan's pitch and whir and how well it faded into the background or stuck out like a sore thumb. From gauging wobbliness to checking how far they pivot, we had our hands all over these fans to help you find the best option for your space.
This review is led by Senior Review Editor, Maggie Nichols. Growing up in the stifling summers of the upper Midwest, Maggie spent hours cooling off in front of fans through 99% humidity days and relied on them to be able to sleep through the equally muggy nights. She's spent summers teaching and researching in jungles across South America and Africa, fully appreciating the power of a fan when air conditioning is just a distant dream. Currently residing in the high desert of Nevada, fans are a necessary part of everyday life for both her and her easily overheated senior dog, Madeline. From her home office to her garage fitness center, Maggie knows how to find the right fan for the space. She also tests pedestal and tower fans and has been testing a wide array of products for GearLab since 2017.
Analysis and Test Results
To get a complete picture of each floor fan's performance, we tested every model across four metrics that include laboratory tests, precise measurements, real-world usage, and qualitative evaluations. We carefully tested and considered each contender's performance regarding power, perceived noise, size value, and stability. Here we break down each metric to highlight which fans perform the best in each.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Power
To test the power of each fan, we combined multiple measures of airspeed as well as qualified how well that translates to what we could feel at a distance. We measured the airflow of every setting for each floor fan. Then we placed fans across the room and stood on the other side to see if we were able to feel the high and low settings, both directly in front of the fan and off to the sides. We considered how many settings each model has and how useful they are for people's wide-ranging activities around their homes.
What is CFM?CFM, or cubic feet per minute, is a measure of airflow used by manufacturers to describe a product's ability to move air around a space. Generally, the larger the CFM rating, the larger the space that unit (in this case, the floor fan) should be able to circulate air through adequately. This measurement is calculated using the airspeed generated by the blades and the size of the blades themselves. However, this number only measures how much air is moved in the column of air created by the fan blades and says nothing about the directionality or spreading of air around the room. So, while you'll likely get ample air circulation standing directly in front of a fan, that doesn't tell you how the air circulates off to the sides of the air stream or in the corners of a room.
In short, CFM is just one measure of air circulation provided by a fan. Many other factors are at play, from your room's specific dimensions to the exact placement of the fan. Don't rely solely on CFM as the single factor to guide your fan purchasing decision.In short,. Many other factors are at play, from your room's specific dimensions to the exact placement of the fan. Don't rely solely on CFM as the single factor to guide your fan purchasing decision.
In terms of sheer airspeed, the iLIVING Home 20" stands out from the crowd by clocking a whopping 19.2 mph at top speed. Not far behind is the B-Air FIRTANA-20X High Velocity 20", which we recorded reaching 17.6 mph. The next two most notable fans are the Vornado 660 Large and Lasko 20" High Velocity QuickMount, which hit 15.9 mph and 15.6 mph, respectively. The Vornado 660 exhibited the most extensive range in speeds, with its lowest setting scooting at a leisurely 6.2 mph. It also is the only model we tested to have four speed settings, though the Geek Aire 16" Rechargeable Outdoor takes the cake with its entirely variable speed controlled by a free-moving knob.
The Lasko QuickMount is one of our favorite fans for bringing powerful air movement to larger spaces.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
When it comes to more qualitative measures of power, the Vornado 660 Large and Lasko 20" High Velocity QuickMount are our favorites for circulating air around the room. These fans excel at regularly keeping air moving and refreshing. Despite not clocking the most impressive air speeds, the Lasko 3300 Wind Machine is also worth mentioning. This machine produced reasonable ventilation no matter the space we put it into, even in large open rooms with the fan on the opposite end of the space.
Don't let its small size deter you - the Vornado 660 powerfully circulates air throughout even large rooms.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Perceived Noise
To analyze each fan's noise, we took decibel readings of every model on all available speed settings. However, sheer volume doesn't necessarily give a complete picture of a fan's sound — pitch and steadiness are also important contributing factors. We noted if each fan clicked, whirred, vibrated, or made any other describable sound that might be annoying or problematic. And since a fan's sound often changes when battling dust or pet hair, we also noted how easy the blades and grill were to clean.
Can you clean it?
Just like anything else in your home, your fan needs regular cleaning. Not only to keep it (relatively) dirt, dust, and pet fur-free but also to make sure it lasts longer and is quieter. Most fans have a way to remove the front grill, allowing you to clean both it and the blades with water or a damp cloth. However, a few don't come apart at all, making them far more likely to accumulate grime that can only be vacuumed from a distance.
When comparing decibel readings on the highest settings, several fans stand out for their volume. The Vornado 660 Large registered as the loudest fan, hitting 35 dB on its highest setting. However, it also proved to have the widest range of possible volumes, as its lowest setting barely even registered on our instruments. The Lasko 3300 Wind Machine was recorded as the second loudest, hitting 30 dB on High, closely followed by the 29 dB Lasko 20" High Velocity QuickMount. Several others weren't far behind, including the iLIVING Home 20", the B-Air FIRTANA-20X High Velocity 20", and the Lasko 3520 20" Cyclone, which tied at 26 dB. The quietest fan proved to be the battery-powered Geek Aire 16" Rechargeable Outdoor, ranging from nearly inaudible to just 18 dB.
Both quantitatively and qualitatively, the Geek Aire Rechargeable is one of the quietest floor fans we tested.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
A similar but slightly different picture emerges in our more qualitative comparison. The Vornado 660, though one of the loudest, is also one of the smoothest sounding and has a fairly low pitch, creating a low hum that we find far more pleasant than most others. The Lasko 3300 Wind Machine also makes a smoother hum, with a less distinct whirring of the blades. All three high-velocity fans, the Lasko 20" High Velocity QuickMount, iLIVING Home 20", and B-Air FIRTANA-20X High Velocity 20", create some of the most disruptive noises, with distinctive whirring that is very reminiscent of standing next to a small airplane. All things considered, the Vornado and Geek Aire are our favorite fans in terms of noise.
The Vornado 660 emits a more constant hum, instead of the pulsing, whirring noise of so many other fans.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
As fans tend to become noisier as they get dirtier, we also considered how easy it is to clean each model as a small portion of their noisiness score. Only two fans don't seem to have removable grills that allow you inside to clean the blades: the Amazon Basics 3-Speed Air Circulator and the Lasko 3520 20" Cyclone. The Lasko 3300 Wind Machine, the Geek Aire 10" Rechargeable Outdoor, and the Vie Air 12" High Velocity all have included instructions telling you not to take them apart and only to vacuum them from the outside, but they all have removable grills. While most can be taken apart with a simple screwdriver, the Vie Air 12" High Velocity and Lasko 20" High Velocity QuickMount both feature clasps around the grill that can be easily twisted open with your thumbs for easy access to the blades.
Small hand-release clasps on the side of the grill allow easy access to keep the blades of the Vie Air VA-12 clean.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Size Value
Size matters when it comes to a floor fan since it is essentially a piece of stand-alone furniture. If it's too large, you may end up tripping over it. If it has an exceptionally short cord, you may have difficulty placing it where you need it most (and may end up using an extension cord). However, larger fans also tend to be more powerful, so we considered other values of each model's size in this metric. We compared a fan's size to its footprint, which takes up valuable floor space. And because the placement of a fan also relies on the ability to tilt it where you want, we evaluated how far each can pivot. Unlike many other types of fans, none of the floor fans we tested oscillate.
The Vornado 660 is small but mighty -- a great combination.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Three fans we tested are noticeably smaller than the rest: the Vie Air 12" High Velocity, Amazon Basics 3-Speed Air Circulator, and Vornado 660. The Vie Air model is the smallest fan overall and also performed at the bottom of the pack. On the other hand, the Vornado 660 proved to be a powerful competitor even against the larger competition, making its smaller size another asset for an already impressive fan. The Geek Aire Rechargeable is a bit smaller than a "traditional" floor fan, adding to its portability as a battery-powered fan you don't have to worry about keeping near an outlet.
Though designed much like its larger brethren, the Geek Aire Rechargeable is more compact, adding to the portability of this battery-powered fan.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
The three high-powered, high-velocity fans we tested — the Lasko 20" QuickMount, iLIVING Home 20", and B-Air FIRTANA-20X High Velocity 20" — all have deeper bases that add to their stability, but this means they are larger from front to back than all the other fans. Both large plastic floor fans, the Lasko Cyclone and Lasko Wind Machine, are the opposite, with smaller depth stands — though they're still plenty wide and tall. We also considered how far each fan pivots as a part of its size value. The B-Air FIRTANA is the only model in our lineup that pivots a full 360 degrees. The Wind Machine comes close, but its top handle stops it at about 350 degrees of rotation. The next closest fan is the iLIVING, which we measured around 135 degrees of rotation.
The Lasko Wind Machine has a fairly narrow base -- both in width and depth -- compared to its overall size.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Stability
A stable fan that won't fall over if you bump into it is an important feature, especially if your household includes children, pets, or particularly clumsy adults. We evaluated each fan's center of balance, overall sturdiness, and any features, like rubber feet, that help keep it from sliding around. A few even come with a wall mount for extra options, which we noted.
The Lasko QuickMount is one of the sturdiest, most stable floor fans we tested.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
All four wire-framed fans tested have thick rubber feet on similar bases to help stop them from sliding. The Geek Aire Rechargeable and the Lasko QuickMount proved to be the sturdiest. The B-Air FIRTANA-20X and the iLIVING Home 20" are fairly close behind, but the bases of both fans are constructed of several pieces that produce too much wobble when fit together. The Lasko Wind Machine is lightweight with a relatively low center of gravity, making it harder to tip over. As a bonus, the Lasko QuickMount and the iLIVING come with wall mounts for more options.
Relax and enjoy the dog days of summer with a comfortable floor fan that fits your home and life style.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Conclusion
There is no singular fan that is perfect for every space. We carefully tested each floor fan in this review to see where they thrive and where they fall short. We hope our sweat (sometimes literally) and hard work help you figure out which fan will fit perfectly in your space.
There is no singular fan that is perfect for every space. We carefully tested each floor fan in this review to see where they thrive and where they fall short. We hope our sweat (sometimes literally) and hard work help you figure out which fan will fit perfectly in your space.
If you’re looking to keep cool during the hottest months without running up your energy bill, a great cooling fan is your best bet. Used alone or along with your AC, a good fan can help you stay cool and alert during long Zoom calls in your home office or study sessions in your dorm room, and keep your house or apartment a whole lot more comfortable.
We researched hundreds of models and brought 15 highly rated options for testing. Over the course of several weeks, we found that all of the fans did a similarly good job of keeping our test space cool, but varied widely in features, build quality and usability. So while you’ll likely be happy with whichever fan you choose, we’ve picked out the best tower, pedestal and floor fans to suit your space.
Here, our lab testing assistant Gizmo chills out in front of our winning fans.
Suzanne Kattau/CNN UnderscoredEditor’s Note: Here, our lab testing assistant Gizmo chills out in front of our winning fans.
Our winning picks
Best cooling fan overall: Honeywell QuietSet Whole Room Tower Fan HYF290B
$74 $54 at Amazon; $54 at Target; $68 at Walmart
Suzanne Kattau/CNN Underscored
A tower fan gives you great cooling performance with a small footprint, so it’s easy to place in a living room, bedroom or anywhere you’d prefer to tuck an appliance out of the way. Our pick for best tower fan, the Honeywell QuietSet Whole Room tower fan, is well-built, quiet and affordable. It has a solid, stable build and a beautiful, colorfully laid-out control panel that was simpler to figure out and use than the competition, which is why it’s earned the spot as our top pick.
The Honeywell QuietSet was easier to assemble than the other tower fans we tested, with tool-free construction and a simple connection to the base that was a lot easier to deal with than the other tower models. Once we put it together, despite the Honeywell’s light weight, it was more stable than its competitors — some other lightweight towers, like the Lasko, wobbled with a push.
Eight speed settings — more than the other tower fans we tested — give you the ability to fine-tune, though the three lower speeds were very similar in our testing. The clearly labeled controls and comfortable remote made it easy to click through the settings; other models were more finicky and difficult to adjust.
Since it’s likely to be placed in a bedroom, we especially appreciate that the Honeywell let us not just dim its control panel lights but turn them off entirely. None of the other fans we tested offered this kind of control, which let us choose whether we wanted to sleep in total darkness or to just dim the controls so they weren’t distracting.
Best splurge fan: Dyson Purifier Humidity+Cool Formaldehyde PH04 Fan
Suzanne Kattau/CNN Underscored
Our pick for best splurge fan, the Dyson Purifier Humidity+Cool Formaldehyde PH04 floor fan is a great fan, air purifier and humidifier all in one unit. It impressed us with its ease of use, sturdy build, fast cooling and quieter performance than the other fans — plus, it doubles as an air purifier and humidifier (we didn’t compare its humidifying function to other fans in this review primarily because none of the other fans offer such a feature).
Like the Dyson Hot+Cool HP04 fan before it, this new model fan can monitor levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde (thus the name). And like the HP04, the PH04 fan offers fine-grained control over its various settings, easy tool-free assembly and well-thought-out front panel controls, including an LCD screen and a handy remote that attaches magnetically on top of the unit for storage.
This Dyson fan also offers an app that lets you control the unit and monitor pollutant levels in your room. If you’re not intimidated by its indulgent price, then it may be well worth the splurge if you’re interested in potentially replacing three separate appliances — fan, air purifier and humidifier — with this one appliance.
Best pedestal fan: Rowenta Turbo Silence Extreme VU5670 Standing Fan
$160 $142 at Amazon; $142 at Target and Walmart
Suzanne Kattau/CNN Underscored
While a pedestal fan isn’t as easy to slip into your decor as a tower, it gives you better coverage in larger rooms, since the blades clear your furniture. Our pick for best pedestal fan, the Rowenta Turbo Silence Extreme VU5670, was the sturdiest, best-built and easiest to adjust of the pedestal fans we tested. And with the tallest extension, it should be more usable in larger spaces than the other towers we tested.
The Rowenta was easier to put together than the other pedestal fans, taking us less than 15 minutes to assemble, and it came more securely packed than any other fan we looked at — there was so much cardboard packaging that it gave us pause, even if it is sourced from recycled materials.
Once put together, the heavy base, secure connections and solidly built extension rod made it the most stable of the towers we checked out, even though it adjusted to a taller height than the Black+Decker, Lasko and Honeywell models. The head unit was easy to adjust, with soft clicks indicating the four available angles. The other towers were all stiffer-feeling and more difficult to tweak to a desired position.
Controls were straightforward and easy to use, and the Rowenta’s remote control (which replicates all of the front panel controls) fit nicely in our grip; the remote stores in a slot on the back of the head unit when not in use. Some of the others lacked anywhere to stow the remote, meaning it’s likely to be lost.
Best floor fan: Vornado 660AE Large Air Circulator Fan
$100 at Walmart; $117 at Amazon; $130 at Vornado
Suzanne Kattau/CNN Underscored
A floor fan (which can be placed on a desk or table as well) is easy to place almost anywhere, making it great to have on hand to cool a space like a kitchen, office or bath when needed. Our pick for best floor fan, the Vornado 660AE circulator fan is compact, sturdy and powerful, with an adjustable swivel head and the ability to work with Alexa.
Much like our former pick for best floor fan (the Vornado Energy Smart 533DC), the Vornado 660AE was lighter than the other floor fans we tested and easier to carry around our testing space. Still, it was sturdily built and stayed in place solidly wherever we placed it. Its pivoting head was easier to adjust than the other brands and slid back and forth in one smooth, continuous motion. Five silver push-buttons on top of the unit were easily located and let us easily select our desired air flow speed (with four different speeds available).
Left to right: Our top picks for best cooling fans are models from Honeywell, Vornado, Dyson and Rowenta.
Suzanne Kattau/CNN UnderscoredHow to select the best cooling fan for your home
While all of the fans we tested performed well at their fundamental job — moving air around efficiently and saving you from having to crank up your window air conditioner — the type of cooling fan you’ll want to purchase depends on the size and type of space you want to use it in, the size of the fan and your budget. Whatever you select, a fan is a cost-effective way to cool your home, but we have some tips.
A floor fan is great if you need something that’s compact enough to fit on a table or desk, and it’s something you can move around to use as needed. Circulator fans — the design made familiar by Vornado and also found in units like the Black+Decker and Honeywell models we tested — are great examples of personal fans that don’t take up a lot of space.
If you want something more powerful and plan to use it all the time, but also need something space-saving (or you don’t want to make your fan a visual centerpiece in your room), a tower fan is a great choice. With a small footprint and plenty of cooling power, a tower fan is great for a living room or bedroom, where you want to keep the cool air moving without a lot of visual distraction.
A pedestal fan, which places a traditional fan-blade head on top of a long extension pole, is a more in-your-face design choice. But because the blade unit is placed high enough to clear your furniture, it can circulate air through a larger space — it’s great for everything from patios to basements to rec rooms.
Since most fans within a given category work pretty well, budgeting more gives you more features and better aesthetics. You can find super-affordable basic units like the $18 Black+Decker circulator, or scale up to the striking, feature-laden, multipurpose $1,000 Dyson fan.
Whichever you choose, you’ll benefit from better air circulation and should find yourself depending less on your air conditioning.
Some of the cooling fans we tested from Black+Decker, Dyson, Holmes, Honeywell, Lasko, Rowenta and Vornado.
Suzanne Kattau/CNN UnderscoredHow we tested
In our initial round of testing, we first tested 13 fans over four summer weeks to find the most effective and efficient indoor fans available. Then, in our latest round of testing, we tested two additional fans over four spring weeks to see if our former picks stood the test of time or if any our new models proved pick-worthy instead. In both of our testing pools, we included oscillator/oscillating fans, bladeless fans and other electric fans that were adept at circulating the air in our basement. Some fans had a battery-powered remote control and some did not.
To test the fans, we unboxed, assembled and ran the fans for hours while we were sleeping, reading and writing in the room. We took notes on ease of setup, design and features, customization, performance, energy efficiency, noise level, battery, warranty, user manual, ease of cleaning, price and more.
We set up all the fans, one at a time, in the same spot and plugged into the same outlet in our approximately 1,250-square-foot finished basement. We tracked the falling temperature of the room during our tests using the SensorPush HTP.xw Wireless Thermometer/Hygrometer with its iOS app on an iPhone 11; the SensorPush device was calibrated using a Boveda One-Step Calibration Kit. This was the same SensorPush we used when we tested the best dehumidifiers. This time, we noted the temperature of the basement before and after our two-hour tests by examining reports sent from the SensorPush.
To track energy consumption, we plugged each fan into a P3 International Kill A Watt EZ electricity usage monitor while running them for two hours at their highest speed, without oscillation. We noted the amps and watts used during those two hours.
We also recorded the fans’ noise levels by using the Sound Level Meter (SLM) app from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) on our iPhone 11, which was set upon a table 36 inches away from the fan. We measured the noise levels produced by each fan over a one-hour period while running at its highest speed without oscillation (if the fan was capable of oscillating) in our quiet basement using the NIOSH app.
While all the models we tested made an audible hum in operation, in the end, each unit measured at an average level of around 52.6 decibels (dB) — no louder than the hum of a running refrigerator and not loud enough to interfere with conversation or sleep. Therefore, any of the fans we tested would be suitable for most spaces around your house, home office or dorm room.
Setup
Plug and play: Can we unbox an assembled fan and immediately plug it in?
Ease of assembly: Is the fan easy to assemble?
Tools required: Can you assemble the fan by hand, or do you need tools of any kind? Are those tools included?
Downloadable app: Is there an iOS and Android app available?
Smart plug: Can the fan work with a smart plug?
Design and features
Footprint: Does the fan have an upright, vertical build?
Materials: Are the fan parts made of plastic or metal?
Buttons: Are the fan’s buttons easy to reach and intuitive to learn?
Cord: How long is the fan’s power cord?
Extension cord: Does the manufacturer recommend using the fan with an extension cord?
Oscillation: Does the fan move from side to side, or does it oscillate within a fixed base?
Fixed or oscillating: Does the fan give you the choice between oscillating or stationary?
Oscillation angle: Can the fan’s oscillation angle be customized between 45, 90, 180 and 350 degrees?
Control panel: Does the fan have one and does it show ambient temperature readings?
Autopilot mode: Does the fan have this mode, and does it work when the room temperature hits a certain threshold?
Voice controls: Does the fan support Alexa or Siri and the like?
Customization
Control via an app: Can you control the fan using a mobile app?
Scheduling: Does the fan offer you the ability to set a custom schedule?
Adjustable height: Can you adjust the height of the fan’s stand?
Pivot or tilt: Does the fan’s head pivot or tilt?
Airflow: Can you adjust the direction and angle of the airflow?
Settings: Is it easy to adjust the fan’s settings?
Mobility: Can the fan be moved from room to room with a built-in carrying handle?
Performance
Reliability: Does the fan work as intended?
Room size: Can the fan cool off a medium to large room on a hot day?
Programmable timer: Does the fan come with a sleep timer? How many hours can you preprogram it to run before turning off?
Settings: Does the fan have a mode that simulates a natural breeze?
Remote control: Does the fan come with a remote control and are batteries included?
Docking: Does the fan provide a docking option to keep the remote control stored when not is use?
Speed settings: How many speeds does the fan operate in?
Noise level: Do the settings range from a near-silent, 26 dB Sleep setting and a comfortably quiet, 28 dB White Noise setting up to more powerful settings?
Range: How many feet does the fan’s airflow reach?
Night mode: Does the fan’s control panel have a night mode so you can turn off the screen or buttons when napping or sleeping?
Energy efficiency
Watts used: Is the fan energy efficient? Does it draw 36 watts or fewer at full blast?
Battery
Requirement: Does the fan require batteries?
Type: What kind of battery does the fan or fan’s remote control use?
Warranty
Length: How many years is the included warranty good for?
Type: What does the warranty cover?
User manual
Languages: How many languages is the user manual available in?
Usefulness: Does the user manual help you with setup and use?
Type: Is a printed user manual included out of the box and can it also be found online?
Ease of cleaning
Removable grille: Does the fan have grilles, and are they removable to clean?
Blades: Does the fan have blades, and are they accessible to clean?
Filter: Does the fan require a filter, and does it come with one filter replacement out of the box?
Filter replacement: How easy is it to order another filter?
Other cooling fans we tested
Left to right: A few of the tower fans we tested from Vornado, Dyson and Lasko.
Suzanne Kattau/CNN UnderscoredTower fans
$850 at Dyson and Best Buy
Our former pick for best splurge fan, the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 also impressed us with its effective cooling, quiet performance, solid build and ease of use. It can also be used as a space heater and air purifier. Like our winning pick (the Humidity+Cool PH04), this fan can even monitor levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde (thus the name). As you’d expect (and likely demand given the price), this Dyson fan was solidly built and stable in construction. The HP09 also offered fine-grained control over its various settings and a tool-free, simple assembly. Its front panel controls are well-designed, including a LCD screen that is easy to scroll through. Its remote also attaches magnetically to the unit for storage. Its accompanying app that not only lets you control the unit but also monitor pollutant levels. Pick it up if you’re interested in streamlining your space and tossing your separate space heater, air purifier and fan appliances.
From $63 at Amazon; $70 at Walmart
This Lasko fan was easy for us to set up, but once set up, we found the unit to be a bit wobbly in its base, unlike the sturdy bases of the Honeywell QuietSet Whole Room HYF290B tower fan and the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 tower fan. The wobbling action of the Lasko did not happen on its own during testing, but rather, after we gently pushed the tower from side to side; it rocked from side to side as a result. It was not sturdy and rigid like the other towers we tested, which gave us pause in recommending it to anyone with pets or small children, for example. We did like the remote control of this fan, which let us turn it on and off, select its three speed settings, set it to oscillate and set the timer for one, two and four hours. This timer button was surprisingly missing from the remote control of the Honeywell QuietSet Whole Room HYF290B tower fan, even though the Honeywell includes a timer on its control panel on top of the unit.
$110 $92 at Amazon
We found this Vornado fan simple to set up, as it slid in almost one solid piece out of the box, but we needed to assemble its two base halves together and then screw them tighter together using a screwdriver. A screwdriver was not needed to assemble the Honeywell QuietSet Whole Room HYF290B tower fan, which was the easiest tower fan for us to set up. The Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 tower fan did not require us to find a screwdriver either. We thought the Vornado Whole Room was quite sturdy and powerful, as it cooled off our basement testing area, but we quickly realized that it does not oscillate from side to side; rather, it circulates the room’s air from within the unit. This is unlike the Honeywell QuietSet Whole Room HYF290B tower fan, which we set to oscillate on eight different speed settings. The Vornado Whole Room 184 is also taller than the Lasko 36-Inch 2511 tower fan and is much taller than the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 tower fan. The Vornado Whole Room 184 is also just slightly taller than the Honeywell QuietSet Whole Room HYF290B tower fan. This makes the Vornado a fan that’s a bit more difficult to include in your room without it being in the way.
One of the standing fans we tested.
Suzanne Kattau/CNN UnderscoredStanding or pedestal fans
$66 $61 at Amazon; $70 $61 at Walmart
This Black+Decker fan was easy to assemble — that is, until we tried to attach its rear and front grilles together. There is a plastic ring that secures the two grilles together, but we found the fan’s one flimsy clasp on the front grille was not enough to firmly secure the two grilles together. We kept wrestling with the three parts of the fan to make them work; it took us about 20 minutes longer to assemble this fan than it did all the others in our testing. Once assembled, though, we were able to set the fan to oscillate and found it cooled off our testing room nicely. However, we cannot recommend this fan due to its unnecessary difficulty in assembling what should be a simple grille attachment.
$60 at Walmart
This Honeywell fan was simple for us to assemble, and we found it sturdy as well. We could easily make it oscillate from side to side, and we thought it provided good airflow during testing. Its construction and materials are markedly similar (almost identical) to that of the Black+Decker BFSD116B standing fan. The only differences we found during testing was that the Honeywell Double-Blade standing fan has a shorter rod/extension rod, but its front and rear plastic grilles are much simpler to assemble than those of the Black+Decker, thanks to the Honeywell’s five well-placed and well-designed clips on its rear grille.
$30 at The Home Depot
This Lasko fan was easy for us to assemble, too. It also operated quietly enough in the room that we didn’t notice it made much noise while we tested it. But we noticed it was shorter and weighed less than the other pedestal fans we tested, making it less durable and sturdy. We also noticed that it was quite easy for us to pull up on the fan’s rod (to lift the fan up to carry it across the room) but have the entire rod lift out from its base when we did so. Luckily, we only tried moving it when it was turned off, but we could see how this could be a potentially dangerous action should anyone try to move it even a foot away while it’s turned on.
$150 $143 at Amazon; $170 at Walmart
This Vornado fan did not require us to do much assembling other than putting its head onto its rod and curved U-shaped base. It doesn’t come with a remote control, and it doesn’t feature a control panel. It simply has a three-speed dial on the back of the unit’s circular head, much like the Lasko 2521 standing fan. The whole look of this Vornado Whole Room 783 reminded us of the Vornado Energy Smart 533DC circulator fan, as its head is basically the same, just larger, and it sits on a long metal pole and base. Though it’s powerful and well-made, we think the other fans we tested would look better in a home or dorm environment, as the Vornado is kind of bulky and hard to miss visually.
Left to right: Some of the floor fans we tested from Honeywell, Vornado, Black+Decker and Lasko.
Suzanne Kattau/CNN UnderscoredCirculator or floor fans
$20 $18 at Amazon; $25 at Walmart
This Black+Decker fan was able to fit onto our testing desk with ease, its footprint taking up less space than the other circulator fans we tested. Its three speed settings were easy for us to adjust during testing; all we had to do was simply turn the small manual dial on the lower right-hand side of the fan in a clockwise direction. Its dial was easier for us to reach than the blue dial on the back of the Lasko Wind Machine 3300 circulator fan, but we found the clicking sounds the Black+Decker 9-Inch BFB09W circulator fan’s dial made as we turned it through its three speed settings to be loud — as loud as the three-speed dial on the back of the Honeywell Turbo Force HT-900 circulator fan. In contrast, we were able to adjust the Vornado Energy Smart 533DC circulator fan’s speed dial with one continuous, smooth motion, with just a barely audible click when the fan is turned from the “off” position.
$30 at Staples; $37 at Walmart
This Honeywell fan is powerful for its size and provides a good, cooling airflow. We tilted its head to see how many angles we could direct its airflow in but found the circular motion of the tilt to be choppy and loud, unlike the smooth, silent tilting action of the previous winner, the Vornado Energy Smart 533DC circulator fan. The Honeywell also has a small speed dial on the back of its head that only fits the tips of our index finger and thumb comfortably. The dial let us turn it to set three different speeds, and with each turn, we heard a loud clicking sound. This was unlike the dial on the Vornado, which lets you grip it comfortably as you smoothly and quietly rotate it around clockwise and back.
$50 $40 at Amazon
This Lasko fan was easy for us to set up since, like the other circulator fans we tested, it requires no assembly; we just lifted it out of its box and plugged it in. We liked its fully tiltable head, which we were able to push all the way around (almost 360 degrees) to cool off either side of our testing area. But we found its blue control knob on the back of the fan to be a bit cumbersome to reach, as we had to tilt the fan down to access it, and even then, the knob felt a bit wobbly in our grip. This was unlike the firm, smooth motion we enjoyed while turning the knob on the Vornado Energy Smart 533DC circulator fan. The Lasko Wind Machine 3300 circulator fan is also much bigger than the other floor fans we tested, so we had trouble sitting it atop our desk, which quite frankly, it isn’t designed to do. This is unlike the Honeywell Turbo Force HT-900 and the Black+Decker 9-Inch BFB09W circulator fans we tested since they’re compact enough to fit atop a desk or table as well as the floor. Even though we appreciated Lasko’s built-in carrying handle on top of the fan, its 9.25-pound weight made it more difficult for us to carry from one part of our testing area than the 3.44-pound Vornado Energy Smart 533DC circulator fan.
$80 $70 at Amazon; $90 at JCPenney
Our former pick for best floor fan, the Vornado Energy Smart 533DC was lighter than the others we tested and easier to carry around our testing space, even though it was more sturdily built and easier to adjust than its competitors. At 3.44 pounds, the Vornado was significantly lighter than some of the other fans, like the 9.25-pound Lasko Wind Machine 3300. Rubber grips on its underside kept it stable on any setting, and it resisted toppling when we tried to jostle it, unlike some of the other lightweight models like the Black+Decker BFB09W. The Vornado’s directional settings were easy to select and secure in operation, and while it wasn’t quite as adjustable as the Lasko Wind Machine 3300, it gave us a good range of usable settings. We also preferred the Vornado’s silver speed dial, which let us adjust settings with one continuous, smooth, quiet motion, over the controls on the other circulators.
The one downside we found was that, technically, the Vornado Energy Smart 533DC was the loudest of the bunch, though all of the fans we tested were quieter than our reference Conair 1875 hair dryer set on low. We didn’t find even the Vornado’s noise distracting enough while we worked, read or slept nearby in the same room. Lastly, the Vornado Energy Smart 533DC circulator fan is covered by a 10-year limited warranty, which is much longer than the one-year warranties of the Black+Decker BFB09W, the Honeywell HT-900 and the Lasko 3300 circulator fans we tested.