The 12 Best Fans, According to Our Tests

When shopping for the best fans, finding the most effective one can be difficult. We tested 31 of the best tower fans, desk fans, standing fans, and more in our lab to determine their cooling power, noise level, and whether or not they're worth buying.

Best Overall

Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan

  • Design4.5/5
  • Effectiveness4.8/5
  • Value4.5/5
  • This oscillating fan provides a powerful breeze that fits four versatile modes and speeds.

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

  • The height and tilt cannot be adjusted.

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.

This fan has a timer setting for up to eight hours which we found convenient for nighttime use. It also has a remote control that was easy to use and worked 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.

When using the fan at home, we found it easy to clean by wiping down between the vent with a rag. The vent is completely removable for cleaning, too, but it wasn't necessary for everyday cleaning.

The only downside we found with this fan was that we could not adjust the height or the tilt, which, while testing at home, 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: 11.81 x 11.81 x 36.22 inches

  • BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

Best Budget

Hampton Bay Personal High Velocity Table Fan

  • Design4/5
  • Effectiveness4.5/5
  • Value4.5/5
  • This fan is very small and easy to maneuver while also providing a consistently powerful breeze.

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

  • This fan has no oscillating feature.

This fan has no oscillating feature.

The Hampton Bay tabletop fan is our pick for those looking for an affordable fan. We loved how portable this fan was—it was easy to move around 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 could have conversations and watch television near it without any issues.

When the fan was directly on us, the breeze was powerful but comfortable, even at varying distances. This fan does not come with an oscillation option, so in order to effectively direct the breeze we had to position the fan directly toward where we wanted the breeze to go. It's also durable—while testing the fan at home, we accidentally dropped it twice and there was no damage to be found.

It doesn’t come with a remote control or adjustable height, but it is easy to position the fan up and down. Plus, cleaning isn't as easy as 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: 5.83 x 11.43 x 10.75 inches

  • BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

Best Tower

Lasko Wind Curve Oscillating Tower Fan

  • Design5/5
  • Effectiveness4/5
  • Value4/5
  • Air Speed5/5
  • Portability3/5
  • The sleek design and powerful fan speeds make this tower fan great for cooling small rooms.

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

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

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 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 and 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. Our long-term tester also noted that the fan's base was very bulky, making it difficult to move from room to room.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Three | Modes: Default and Sleep | Timer: Up to 7.5 hours | Dimensions: 13 x 13 x 42.5 inches

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

Best Box Fan

Pelonis Box Fan

  • Design3/5
  • Effectiveness5/5
  • Value3.5/5
  • Air Speed3/5
  • Portability5/5
  • This fan works to cool the entire room, not just the space directly in front of it.

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

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

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, we found the Pelonis box fan to be one of the most powerful models in terms of airflow. The fan itself is nothing fancy; there's no LED display, special settings to try, or auto-shutoff features—you simply change fan 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 this 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, this fan does make a bit of noise, which could be bothersome to light sleepers who want to run the fan overnight. Our long-term tester used the fan as white noise machine to drown out their neighbors. 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: 20 x 6 x 21 inches

  • BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

Best Quiet

Dyson Purifying Fan

  • Design5/5
  • Effectiveness5/5
  • Value4/5
  • Air Speed4/5
  • Portability4/5
  • This fan has a built-in HEPA filter, allowing it to filter and circulate cool, clean air throughout the room.

This fan has a built-in HEPA filter, allowing it to filter and circulate cool, clean air throughout the room.

  • The lowest air flow settings on this fan didn't seem very noticeable or useful to us.

The lowest air flow settings on this fan didn't seem very noticeable or useful to us.

Finding the best fan that effectively cools you down without making a racket can be a difficult task, but the Dyson Purifying Fan manages both effortlessly. While it's the most expensive fan we tested, our home experts found it to be well-worth the money, given its wide range of settings, quiet operation, and air purification capabilities.

When testing the Dyson Pure Cool, we were particularly impressed with how quiet it was compared to other models. Even on the highest setting, we noted that its gentle whirring wouldn't be a disturbance as they were sleeping.

It also has 10 different fan speeds, allowing you to adjust the breeze based on how close to it you'll be (testers reported that they could feel the breeze as far as 20 feet away). We found that the lowest two fan settings were too slow to actually be useful, but they appreciated the wide range of speeds that the higher settings offered.

"If you're in a small space, this is a fantastic option, not only because it blends in easily but also because it also works as an air purifier, so you get two products in one. The sound is really only noticeable on the highest settings, but even then, it's nowhere near as loud as my AC unit or a larger box fan. It provides good white noise while I sleep." -Better Homes and Gardens Tester

Unlike other fans we tested, this quiet fan features a bladeless design, meaning you don't have to worry about someone getting injured by the fast-spinning blades. This also means the fan is super easy to wipe down, as there's no grille or hard-to-access blades collecting dust.

To top it all off, the Dyson Pure Cool fan has a built-in HEPA filter, which allows it to draw in and capture pollutants in the air, then re-circulate fresh, clean air back into your room. This cooling fan has been certified asthma and allergy friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: 10 | Modes: None | Timer: Up to nine hours | Dimensions: 4.3 x 7.7 x 40 inches

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

Best Table

SNOOZ Breez 2-in-1 Smart Bedroom Table Fan

  • Design4.3/5
  • Effectiveness4.5/5
  • Value4/5
  • This smart fan has 10 different fan settings and doubles as a white noise machine.

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

  • It doesn’t have a timer.

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 nightstand. With 10 adjustable airflow settings, it offers several different breeze options so you can pick the perfect level of comfort for your needs.

When testing the different settings, 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.

We found the noise levels for both the fan and white noise machine to be loud, though the noise is soothing, not disruptive. This table 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: 7 x 11.25 x 11.75 inches

  • BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

Best Industrial

XPOWER Industrial High Velocity Air Mover

  • Design4.5/5
  • Effectiveness5/5
  • Value4.5/5
  • We appreciated the wide range of breezes this fan produced, and it was easy to move around.

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

  • It’s one of the loudest fans we tested.

It’s one of the loudest fans we tested.

For those looking for an industrial fan, this option from Xpower 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, this fan offered a lot of power. It was also lightweight, which made moving it around easy.

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: 15.4 x 17.3 x 8.9 inches

  • BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / ERIC BROCKOB

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / ERIC BROCKOB

Best Desk Fan

Vornado Large Air Circulator

  • Design4/5
  • Effectiveness5/5
  • Value5/5
  • Air Speed5/5
  • Portability3/5
  • We could feel the breeze from this fan as far as 20 feet away, making it great for keeping you cool at your desk and throughout the room.

We could feel the breeze from this fan as far as 20 feet away, making it great for keeping you cool at your desk and throughout the room.

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

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.

This portable fan 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, this fan circulates air throughout the entire room by creating airflow in multiple directions at once—and we certainly found in our tests that this fan is extremely powerful. We were still able to feel a light breeze from this fan at 20 feet away on its highest setting, so you'll be able to stay cool at your office desk and as you move about 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, this fan may take up too much room.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Four | Modes: None | Timer: None | Dimensions: 11.8 x 13.5 x 15 inches

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

Best Standing

Pelonis Pedestal Fan

  • Design5/5
  • Effectiveness4/5
  • Value5/5
  • Air Speed5/5
  • Portability4/5
  • The sturdy, high-quality design and digital features made this standing fan worth the money.

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

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

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 testing 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 be able to adjust the airflow and tilt the fan head up and down to provide the perfect amount of cooling to a room.

"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 and Gardens Tester

It's super easy to change settings on this standing fan right from the LED display, including changing the fan speed, setting a timer, and turning on the oscillation feature. You can also adjust the height of this fan 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 this 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: 15.75 x 15.75 x 51.18 inches

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

Best for Sleeping

Rowenta Turbo Silence Extreme+ Stand Fan

  • Design4/5
  • Effectiveness5/5
  • Value4/5
  • Air Speed4.8/5
  • Portability3/5
  • This fan has an adjustable stand, so you can raise and lower its height to match the height of your bed.

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

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

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 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, this standing 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 Turbo Silence 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.

"This fan has "Silence Extreme" in its title, and it definitely lives up to that name," our long-term tester said. "You really cannot hear it when it's on. I put this fan in the living room of my apartment where I don't have an air conditioner, and it cools it down enough to actually be in there during the day, even when it's hot out."

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Five | Modes: Three | Timer: Up to eight hours | Dimensions: 18 x 17 x 53 inches

  • BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

Best Portable

Crane Circulating Desk Fan

  • Design4/5
  • Effectiveness5/5
  • Value5/5
  • Air Speed4/5
  • Portability5/5
  • The head of this fan folds back for easy storage.

The head of this fan folds back for easy storage.

  • While it's great for direct cooling, it isn't as effective as other models at improving airflow throughout the whole room.

While it's great for direct cooling, it isn't as effective as other models at improving airflow throughout the whole room.

Having a lightweight and portable fan allows you to keep cool anywhere that has a power source without lugging a large, heavy device with you along the way. Whether you're working in an office, packing for an RV trip, or simply adding a portable fan to your nightstand, the Crane Circulating Desk Fan is a simple solution to keep you cool.

With low, medium, and high fan speed settings to choose from and the ability to tilt the fan up to 90 degrees, the fan is adaptable enough to get the right amount of air circulation pointed in the direction you want. It also has an oscillating feature to help circulate cool air throughout the room.

When not in use, you can fold the head of this fan completely flat against the base, creating a more compact cylinder shape that's easy to store in a desk drawer. We found the fan to be powerful enough to faintly feel a breeze as far as 20 feet away, but it works best at close range, around 6 to 10 feet away.

If you're in a tight space, such as a camper or an office cubicle, this fan will be powerful enough to provide airflow across the room, but we found it to be less effective than others at circulating air in an entire room.

We used this fan next to our bed for an entire month, and while it was a little too large to be used on our desk, it was very effective and easy to control.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: Three | Modes: None | Timer: Up to seven hours | Dimensions: 9.75 x 7.75 x 14 inches

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK

Best Window

Genesis A1 Window Fan

  • Design4/5
  • Effectiveness4/5
  • Value5/5
  • Air Speed4/5
  • Portability5/5
  • The dual-fan design draws in fresh air from outdoors while simultaneously pushing stale air out.

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

  • Our long-term tester found that 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.

Our long-term tester found that 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 allows the machine to draw 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 more flexibility with how much air you want to draw in from outside. Our tester appreciated that she could adjust the direction of each fan, and she felt like it helped increase airflow.

We liked that this window fan 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 Genesis Twin window 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 our testing, we found that the removable 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.

While long-term testing the fan, we placed it in a room 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 and GARDENS / RACHEL MAREK