For more information on how we tested fans in our lab, check out our testing process below.
“Different types of fans serve different functions, but they all can help reduce your heating and cooling bills and keep the air in your home feeling fresh and comfortable,” 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.”
Lowe’s store manager Brian Shaunfield says investing in a solid 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. 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 .
Best Overall
Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan
Amazon
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$70
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Our Ratings
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.
The oscillation setting 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.
The only downside we found with this fan was that we could not adjust the height or the tilt, but the fan still effectively cooled down the room without these features.
Product Details: Fan Speeds: Four | Modes: Four | Timer: Eight hour timer | Dimensions: 11.81 x 11.81 x 36.22 inches
Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson
Better Homes & Gardens / Eric Brockob
Better Homes & Gardens / Eric Brockob
Best Budget
Hampton Bay Personal High Velocity Table Fan
Home Depot
View On Home Depot
$17
Our Ratings
Why You Should Get It
This fan is very small and easy to maneuver while also providing a consistently powerful breeze.
Keep in Mind
This fan has no oscillating feature.
The Hampton Bay 9 in 3 Speed Personal High Velocity Table 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.
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 doesn’t come with a remote control or adjustable height, but it is easy to position the fan up and down. While it doesn’t have as many features as some of the other fans we tested, it cooled us down and didn’t break the bank.
Product Details: Fan Speeds: Three | Modes: One | Timer: No timer | Dimensions: 5.83 x 11.43 x 10.75 inches
Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson
Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson
Best Tower
Lasko Wind Curve Oscillating Tower Fan
Amazon
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$80
View On Wayfair
$71
View On Walmart
$80
Our Ratings
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 best fans for cooling an entire room without sacrificing a ton of space or making lots of noise. The Lasko Wind Curve Oscillating 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, our home experts 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.
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 & Gardens / Rachel Marek
The 6 Best Window Air Conditioners of 2024 for Cooling Every Room in Your House
Best Box Fan
Pelonis Box Fan
Amazon
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$45
Our Ratings
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, 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. If you're intending to use this fan while sleeping, plan on placing it on the opposite side of the room so the fan doesn't disturb you.
"I like using this fan when I want to cool down a specific area of my apartment, like my kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, etc. rather than turning on the AC, which makes my entire place cold and is expensive," our long-term tester said.
Product Details: Fan Speeds: Three | Modes: None | Timer: None | Dimensions: 20 x 6 x 21 inches
Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek
Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek
Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek
Best Quiet
Dyson Purifying Fan
Amazon
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$560
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$420
View On Dyson.com
$430
Our Ratings
Why You Should Get It
This fan has a built-in HEPA filter, allowing it to filter and circulate cool, clean air throughout the room.
Keep in Mind
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 & 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 & Gardens / Rachel Marek
The 9 Best Fans for Bedrooms of 2024 for a Cool and Comfortable Sleep
Best Table
SNOOZ Breez 2-in-1 Smart Bedroom Table Fan
Amazon
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$200
Our Ratings
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 2-in-1 Smart Bedroom 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.
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.
We should note there is an optional app you can download to set a schedule, use a remote, and more, but we did not download it to test it.
Product Details: Fan Speeds: 10 | Modes: Four | Timer: No timer | Dimensions: 7 x 11.25 x 11.75 inches
Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson
Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson
Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson
Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson
Best Industrial
XPOWER FC-200 Industrial High Velocity Whole Room Air Mover
Amazon
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$145
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$144
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Our Ratings
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 Heavy Duty Industrial High Velocity Whole Room Air Mover 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.
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 & Gardens / Eric Brockob
Better Homes & Gardens / Eric Brockob
Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson
Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson
Best Desk Fan
Vornado Large Air Circulator
Amazon
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$90
View On Target
$100
View On Wayfair
$100
Our Ratings
Why You Should Get It
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.
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.
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.
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.
"This fan is small but mighty, and the design is minimal enough to not feel like it's changing the style of your room or creating an eyesore," one tester said after using it on her desk for a month. "It circulates air around the room, which is fairly large and lofty, making the room seem cooler."
Product Details: Fan Speeds: Four | Modes: None | Timer: None | Dimensions: 11.8 x 13.5 x 15 inches
Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek
The 13 Best Office Chairs of 2024, According to Lab Testing
Best Standing
Pelonis Pedestal Fan
Amazon
View On Amazon
$80
Our Ratings
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 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 & 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 & Gardens / Rachel Marek
Best for Sleeping
Rowenta Turbo Silence Extreme+ Stand Fan
Amazon
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$173
View On Wayfair
$180
View On Walmart
$127
Our Ratings
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 Extreme+ Stand 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 Turbo Silence fan is also the best fan for sleeping 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 & Gardens / Rachel Marek
Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek
Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek
Best Portable
Crane Circulating Desk Fan
Amazon
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$50
View On Wayfair
$72
View On Walmart
$50
Our Ratings
Why You Should Get It
The head of this fan folds back for easy storage.
Keep in Mind
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.
Our tester used this fan next to her bed for an entire month, and she reported that, while it was a little too bulky to be used on her desk, it was very effective and easy to control. "This fan performs well and has a unique design that's sleek yet functional," our tester said. "Plus, the top part of the fan folds down when not in use, so it'd be easy to stack in storage."
Product Details: Fan Speeds: Three | Modes: None | Timer: Up to seven hours | Dimensions: 9.75 x 7.75 x 14 inches
Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek
Best Window
Genesis A1 Window Fan
Amazon
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$49
View On Walmart
$63
View On Home Depot
$49
Our Ratings
Why You Should Get It
The dual-fan design draws in fresh air from outdoors while simultaneously pushing stale air out.
Keep in Mind
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.
"I placed this fan on the window beside where I work out in the mornings, and it's strong enough to keep the entire room from feeling stuffy, even on hot days," our tester said. "Even the lowest setting is still really powerful, especially given the size of the fan, and it's small enough to tuck away when I'm not using it."
Product Details: Fan Speeds: Three | Modes: None | Timer: None | Dimensions: 24 to 37 x 4 x 12 inches
Better Homes & Gardens / Rachel Marek
A centrifugal fan is among the most energy-efficient fans available today. Most people consider a centrifugal fan to be nothing more than a fan; its complexities are not widely known. These fans push air outward through ducts or tubes, providing a stronger and more consistent airflow than axial fans. A centrifugal fan is commonly used in domestic applications to move air through a duct. For example, consider your air conditioner, furnace, or stove hood duct. Centrifugal fans are into four categories, each with a distinct purpose.
These are medium-flowing high-pressure fans. Radial-bladed fans are ideal for dusty industrial applications or settings with gas or moisture in the air. The blower fan can transport both granular and stringy materials. These fans are normally composed of the heavy-gauge plate and have six or eight blades. They generate pressure at high tip speeds and can sustain more vibration, unbalanced forces, and impact than conventional fans.
These are fans with high pressure, high flow, and great efficiency. Power decreases as flow increases over the most efficient section of the system. Although the BC wheel is for clean air applications, it frequently meets light dust in the airstream. It has curved intake cones and side rims on the wheel to control airflow through the wheel more precisely. These characteristics also lead to extremely efficient air movement. The BC is the most susceptible to installation conditions of the three types.
These are medium-pressure, high-flow fans that you can utilize for clean air, ventilation, and exhaust. These blower fans have a lot of blades with a lot of curvatures and a short chord length. As a result, the air coming off the blades has a relatively high forward velocity vector. As a result, the fan speed is low.
These are the most efficient fans and work best in pure air situations. The efficiency of a centrifugal fan can depend on the type of fan blade it has. In this case, the airfoil is the best and most efficient.
Aerofoil designs give maximum efficiency (up to 10% greater than rearward curved blades) among centrifugal fan designs. However, its use only goes up to clean, dust-free air. In addition, axial-flow fans produce less pressure than centrifugal fans. They also demonstrate a pressure drop before reaching peak pressure.
Centrifugal fans are among the most efficient and adaptable types of air-moving equipment. Therefore, you need to be careful when choosing one. To select the proper fan, you must first determine how much pressure you need to achieve the specified airflow through the ducting and any filters, dampers, or other obstructions in your ventilation system. For example, you’ll require much more power if you have a long, intricate duct system.