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Fans can be used as supplemental cooling for your home when it’s hot outside. They can also be portable, providing you with a cooling device away from home. To help you select the fan that’s right for you, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the best fans on Amazon. Here are our top five recommendations.
Top 5 Fans
- Best Mini Fan: snawowo Mini Handheld Personal Portable Fan
- Best Design: Vornado VFAN Vintage Air Circulator Fan
- Best Box Fan: Hurricane Box Fan
- Best Purifying Fan: Blueair Pure Fan
- Best Window Fan: Comfort Zone CZ319WT Nine-Inch Twin Window Fan
Best Mini Fan: snawowo Mini Handheld Personal Portable Fan
This handheld fan has bendable metal tripod legs that are coated in silicone, making for easy attachment to any surface. It also features a one-touch operation with three wind speeds to choose from.
Key Features
- Available in five colors
- Powered by a USB cord or a rechargeable battery
- Has three speed options
- Attaches to surfaces with its flexible legs
What Customers Are Saying
Those who left positive reviews for this fan said that it was durable, worked well on strollers, and had a versatile design. However, those who left negative reviews said that the battery took a long time to recharge and that children could get injured from touching the blades.
Best Design: Vornado VFAN Vintage Air Circulator Fan
This fan has a retro design that will stand out in any room. It comes in multiple colors for look customization and has multidirectional airflow and an adjustable tilted head for air customization.
Key Features
- Available in three colors
- Powered by a cord
- Has three speed options
- Sits on a table or counter
- Protected by a five-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Those who liked this fan said that it had a sleek design, was made from quality material, and was long-lasting. Those who didn’t like this product said that it made a loud rattling noise and offered minimal airflow.
Best Box Fan: Hurricane Box Fan
This box fan keeps your entire room cool with its powerful motor that runs at a maximum speed of 1,100 revolutions per minute. The fan also has two other speeds to choose from and a compact, space-saving design that allows for easy storage when it’s not in use.
Key Features
- Powered by a cord
- Has three speed options
- Sits on the floor
- Protected by a one-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Customers who were satisfied with this fan pointed out that it was easy to assemble, was made from sturdy materials, and consumed less power than other box fans. However, dissatisfied customers said that its motor didn’t blow out air at a high enough speed and that its blades were difficult to clean.
Best Purifying Fan: Blueair Pure Fan
With the ability to remove 99% of airborne particles, this fan serves a dual function of keeping you cool and purifying your air. It also has a minimalist, modern design and a 90-degree airflow reach.
Key Features
- Available in five pre-filter colors
- Powered by a cord
- Sits on the floor
- Has three speed options
What Customers Are Saying
Those who left positive reviews for this fan said that it was energy-efficient, improved their air quality, and was quiet. Those who left negative reviews complained that it sometimes produced an unpleasant smell and that it barely blew out any cool air.
Best Window Fan: Comfort Zone CZ319WT Nine-Inch Twin Window Fan
This fan is a solid choice for those who are looking for a window fan that generates enough airflow to keep an entire room cool. It includes an exhaust function that removes stale air from your home, making it a good addition to a kitchen, where smoke and strong smells are common.
Key Features
- Powered by a cord
- Has two speed options
- Sits on a table, counter, or floor or attaches to a window
- Protected by a one-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Customers who left positive reviews for this fan said that it was easy to install, could cool an entire room, and had an effective exhaust function. Those who disliked this product said that it was noisy. They also didn’t like the reverse function, which required them to manually remove the fan from the window and flip it.
Buyer’s Guide
When deciding on a fan to purchase, here are some of the most important factors to consider.
Airflow
A fan’s airflow determines how powerful it is. Fans with low airflow may be good for small spaces, such as offices, or on-the-go cooling. More powerful fans are best for keeping large rooms, such as kitchens and living rooms, cool.
Portability
The bigger a fan is the more difficult it will be to move around. If you plan on moving your fan from room to room or bringing it with you when you travel, consider a small fan that has a carrying handle. On the other hand, larger fans, such as box or window fans, will remain mostly stationary once they’re set up.
Fan Type
Some of the most common types of fans include:
Table
These fans are compact. While they don’t circulate a lot of air, they’re portable, making them ideal for travel or small spaces, such as desktops or countertops.
Box
Box fans normally sit on the floor. They push a lot of air through your room, but they can be noisy.
Pedestal
These fans stand up. Oftentimes, they have an oscillation feature, giving you the ability to rotate air throughout your whole room.
Window
Window fans are installed into a windowsill. They suck in stale air while blowing out fresh air. These fans are more expensive and more difficult to install than most other types of fans, but they more effectively fight off heat and humidity.
Ceiling
Ceiling fans provide air circulation and decoration. Because they hang from your ceiling, they can be difficult to install.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud are fans?
The amount of noise a fan makes depends on several factors, including its type. Smaller fans, such as table fans, tend to be quieter than larger box or window fans.
How often should fans be cleaned?
Fans need to be cleaned about once a month to ensure dust and dirt don’t build up. Too much dust can affect the blades’ efficiency and cause breathing issues.
Can a fan replace an air conditioner?
Fans won’t typically cool your home as effectively as an air conditioning unit. That’s why they’re typically recommended as a supplemental cooling source alongside an air conditioner for spaces that the air conditioner doesn’t cool well on its own.
Why Trust The This Old House Reviews Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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