We Tested Over 50 Fans and These 10 Are Our Favorites (2024)

Our Top Picks

After six months of testing, the Better Homes & Gardens Tower Fan continually separated itself from the competition to secure its place as our best overall fan pick (Better Homes & Gardensis owned byThe Spruce's parent company, Dotdash Meredith.)Sleek in nature, this fan impressed us by how quiet it was and the numerous features that aren’t standard on other fans, such as a programmable timer, an auto shutoff function, and a magnetic remote holder that helped to keep us from losing our remote control.

This fan has three speed settings and three wind settings, for a total of six different settings for customizable comfort. Additionally, it has an internal oscillation feature that works well to offer a wide flow of air. When using the normal feature, we were impressed by the stronger speed offered by this option while still staying relatively quiet.

Despite being a tower fan, this model's lighter nature, coupled with a handle in the back, makes it easy to carry and move around the home. However, it is certainly not a portable option by any means. Also, keep in mind that the thinner profile does make it harder to clean. After six months of usage, we haven’t experienced a dip in quality with this model, with the fan still working just as effectively to keep us cool.

_{Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 41.50 inches | Noise Level: Not listed | Oscillation: Yes}

Although Hampton Bay's budget-friendly fan is a fraction of the cost of competitors, its different features impressed us. It can be tilted up or down, and its lighter nature (around 3 pounds) makes it a highlyportable option, that's great for personal use or travel. After our initial lab test, we continued testing this fan for two months and found it to be both effective and durable.

This fan has three-speed settings, and we detected a discernible difference in feel between all three. The highest setting is louder than some fans we tested but not too loud to be disturbing (about the sound of normal conversation). Despite its smaller size, it was powerful enough to keep us cool even when we were further away from it, assuming we were in the line of the fan.

It has a wide, stable base with slip-resistant, padded feet, so we didn't knock it over easily. However, we accidentally dropped it a few times, and it has held up well, with no changes in performance, sound, or appearance.

Be aware that there is enough of an opening on the fan’s guard for a smaller child to get their fingers in near the blades. As far as cleaning, we wiped down the fan periodically, but the slots aren't wide enough to clean inside the fan, and the blade cover is not removable. It doesn't oscillate or come with a remote, but at this price, we think it has plenty of other features that make it well worth the cost.

_{Dimensions: 11.43 x 5.83 x 10.75 inches | Noise Level: 57.7 to 70.6 decibels | Oscillation: No}

Even when set to turbo, we found the Dreo Pedestal Fan maintained a lower noise profile, making it suitable for a living room or bedroom. It features eight different speeds and six different wind modes, a wide range of settings that impressed us during testing for customizability.

We also recently tested this for two additional months at home and used it daily in our bedroom, including overnight. It kept our room nice and cool, and the display dimmed automatically, so it was not bright and distracting while we were trying to sleep. It's very light to move, though, and doesn't topple over easily, so we used it in other rooms as needed.

We also loved that we could adjust the height, making it even more versatile. It can be adjusted about 5.5 inches in height, and it tilts up and down while oscillating about 105 degrees vertically and 120 degrees horizontally for a wider dispersion, all of which is controllable through the remote. In our experience, the highest setting was able to make papers move on a desk from 20 feet away, making this one of the more powerful picks on our list.

From a safety perspective, we didn’t like how reachable the blade was through the front of the cage on this fan. We found it a bit hard to reach the blades for cleaning, but it was not impossible. Overall, though, the ability to tilt it higher than other models was great, and for the price, we think it’s a steal. While not a deal breaker, it’s worth addressing that the remote needs to be pointed directly at the fan for it to work.

_{Dimensions: 14.13 x 12.76 x 37.6 inches | Noise Level: 54.6 to 60.19 decibels | Oscillation: Yes}

With exceptional quietness (49 decibels on low, slightly louder than a whisper), GreenTech’s Environmental pureFlow QT7 is suited to people looking for a quiet bedroom fan. Even when set to the highest speed, we found it to be almost shockingly quiet. The timer is good for keeping things cool when you want, and the remote works well from up to 20 feet.

In terms of functionality, it offers 90 degrees of oscillation and a 90-degree tilt option.We felt the airflow from as far as 30 feet away, which is impressive. Its bladeless design makes it a particularly safer model, and as Brian Shaunfield, store manager of Lowe’s in Charlotte, North Carolina, tells us, “Compared to regular fans, bladeless fans are often said to be more energy-efficient due to the absence of rotating blades that typically consume more electricity on a regular fan.”

During our two additional months of testing, the bladeless design also made it easier to clean compared to fans with blades, which tend to be dust collectors—we just had to dust the outside of the fan. We also liked the unique globe shape and light weight. We never knocked it over and found it easy to carry (although the shape does make it a little awkward to carry, and it doesn't have a handle).

_{Dimensions: 10.63 x 10.5 x 12.75 inches | Noise Level: 49.6 to 62.2 decibels | Oscillation: Yes}

If you prefer a tower fan's slimmer profile and range of airflow, our pick is the Dreo Tower Fan. This is the smallest tower fan on our list (a few inches shorter than our best overall), so it's a good choice if you don't need the extra height. While it has a mild white noise element, we found that we could easily sustain a conversation, and we also liked the look of it in our space.

We used it daily during two months of testing at home and loved all of the features, including four-speed levels, an eco mode, night mode, and auto mode, all of which are highly user-friendly to navigate. The eco mode will alternate between high and low settings depending on the temperature, and in night mode, the lights turn off, which is great when sleeping.You can also activate a no-sound option to turn the beeping off when pressing the buttons.

This fan can oscillate and comes with a remote that works well, responding from upwards of 20 feet away.We found there was a noticeable difference between the four settings with this model and liked the eight-hour timer.

However, we do wish there was height or tilt adjustability, and from a safety perspective, we didn’t like that a finger may be able to fit through the cage. But we did find it easy to clean, and it even has a removable grill (which we haven't needed to clean yet).

_{Dimensions: 11.81 x 11.81 x 36.22 inches | Noise Level: 50.1 to 76.1 decibels | Oscillation: Yes}

While testing, we found that the Snooz Breez 2-in-1 Smart Bedroom Table Fan combines the features of a white noise machine with those of a powerful fan, all in one stylish unit. After impressing us in the lab, we used this unit almost constantly for two months and counting—the noise machine and fan were great for sleeping, while we kept the fan on during the day for air circulation.

We love that it tilts almost 360 degrees so it can reach you wherever you are in the room. It’s also impressively customizable, with 10 speed settings and 10 white noise settings. We found the different speeds offered a wide range of airflow, with the lowest setting feeling very faint and the highest reminding us of a windstorm, which we could feel from 20 feet away. One drawback is that there are no markers for these different speeds, so you simply have to adjust by feel.

We found the white noise machine very soothing. While the fan can be quite loud at the highest setting, the white noise helps dampen the sound. We don’t mind the noise, though, since it provides such nice airflow, and we typically turn it down when it’s not as cold.

This tabletop fan is very stable, doesn’t topple over easily, and is easy to carry around where needed. This model also has other features that we like, such as a timer. With a remote control through a compatible app, we could set a timer for the fan to turn on whenever we wanted. We also liked that this fan didn’t feature enough space for our fingers to go in near the blades, ensuring a safer option for people with children.

_{Dimensions: 11.25 x 7 x 11.75 inches | Noise Level: 65.8 to 74.7 decibels | Oscillation: No}

When you want to entertain outdoors on hot or muggy days, a misting fan can make everyone feel more comfortable. The Shark FlexBreeze Fan With InstaCool Mist Attachment is our favorite misting fan we tested because it comes with a super-easy-to-attach misting attachment. It also works as a standing (pedestal) or desktop fan, so you can use it indoors wherever needed.

While testing this fan, we were impressed with its stylish look, which looks great both inside and outdoors. We've used it in our basem*nt or living room daily, and when we wanted to lounge outdoors, we easily removed it from the pedestal (just the push of a button) and carried it out to our patio. It's lightweight enough to carry, but it's heavier than a typical desk fan. We found that the fan is very stable once you open up the legs at the base of the fan, and it's easy to close them again when it's time to recharge it in the pedestal.

Once we popped on the misting attachment to the front of the fan, it was easy to attach our hose. We've used this fan outdoors with and without the mist being on because it's so easy to carry and small enough for compact spaces like our porch. It provides a gentle to more powerful mist depending on your water pressure and whether you have the power on (if the hose is on, it mists even with the fan's power off).

We found this fan to be quiet and powerful, and we love that it tilts up and down as well as oscillates. The remote control is easy to use and provides even more features than you can control on the fan. For instance, the remote offers a boost mode that's more powerful than the highest setting on the fan. This does tend to drain the battery faster, though, if you are using it outside.

The only other downside, though, is that the fan only charges on the pedestal, so it's not ideal for camping or taking on road trips (unless you don't mind transporting a somewhat bulky pedestal).

_{Dimensions: 13.77 x 13.77 x 37 inches on pedestal | Noise Level: Not listed | Oscillation: Yes}

If you are looking for a powerful shop fan, we love this bright, versatile fan from XPower. Perfect for a garage, it provides an impressive amount of airflow at its highest settings (three and four) and is quite loud—it's hard to carry a conversation over it. However, we found it to be useful in the lower settings (and much quieter), and we used it in our home daily during two months of testing.

This model does not have oscillation or height adjustments, though the tilt can be adjusted. It has four settings and a timer that can be set for up to three hours. In our experience, the lowest setting provided ample power without overdoing it, while the highest setting was particularly loud and powerful, offering some of the most strength that we saw in testing from 20 feet away.

While this is a powerful fan, we found it lightweight and easy to carry from room to room. We do think it's particularly suited for the garage because it should be kept away from kids, considering how easy it would be to put their fingers in. While the bright green color does help it stand out in a garage or shop setting, it might not blend in easily in other rooms in your home. That style preference aside, we think this is a mighty, compact fan.

_{Dimensions: 17.3 x 15.4 x 8.9 inches | Noise Level: 51.3 to 72.3 decibels | Oscillation: No}

The Genesis Window Fan is a unique entry on our list, featuring two fans that can each be directed in or outward, and it offers three speeds and five temperature settings. In our experience, it wasn’t as powerful as other models, but we liked that it had feet that could be attached, making it usable as more than just a window unit. As far as window units go, we liked that this fan was lightweight, and we were able to carry it with just one hand.

Unlike other models, when we put this on its highest setting, this fan worked well for dispersing the cold air, not shooting it just straight out, making it a good option for people looking to cool an entire room. A strong pick, it impressed us with its simplicity, price, and functionality. When not in use, it can be tucked away with ease due to its smaller size.

We should note that we don’t think we could sleep with this model on, as it is a bit noisier than other fans. Additionally, putting the feet on it to use as a standing fan was not easy to set up in our experience. Overall, be aware that this model is more suited to promoting airflow than it is for cooling, so we think that it’s best for use in an already temperate climate to let in outside air.

_{Dimensions: 24 x 4 x 12 inches | Noise Level: Not listed | Oscillation: No}

This combination fan and heater from Lasko is a great option for someone looking for a fan that can almost do it all. Taller in design, it has a sleek look that we liked, and it’s bladeless, which Shaunfield notes makes it easier to maintain and clean than traditional fans.

For cooling, this fan has four-speed options and a bladeless design that promotes safety (you don’t have to worry about pinched fingers). It oscillates approximately six inches in either direction and we found the remote to be convenient and easy to use. It worked well for circulating air, and it certainly helped to limit our demands on the air conditioning in our home.

When used as a space heater, we found it was very effective, and liked the three different heat settings and the option to use the heat and the fan at the same time to help circulate the warmer air. However, the heat itself only comes out of the bottom of the heater, and not the entire unit. We still like that we don't have to buy and store a separate fan and a heater.

This model was not completely quiet, but it does add a pleasant element of white noise to a space that doesn’t distract from the TV or anything else in the room. We found it substantially quieter than air conditioning. And, despite the taller look, it doesn’t struggle to stay upright even in high-contact areas. Even our canine friends bumping into it constantly never knocked it over.

After testing for over six months, this fan has held up well. The best part is that the dual cooling and heating feature means it doesn’t need to be stored during the winter, which is helpful since this is a heavier unit that is somewhat hard to move.

_{Dimensions: 12.5 x 12.5 x 41.9 inches | Noise Level: Not listed | Oscillation: Yes}

Final Verdict

After using it for over six months, the best fan we tested, overall is theBetter Homes & Gardens 40-inch 3-Speed Tower, an affordable, sleek option that we found to be quiet yet powerful at its highest setting. We also loved all of its unique features and internal oscillation. If you are looking for a budget-friendly desktop fan, we love the Hampton Bay Personal High Velocity Table Fan. This compact fan is effective and portable, and although it doesn't oscillate, we love that you can tilt it up and down to control the airflow.

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