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Jun 06, 2025

The 6 Best Fans of 2025, Tested by BHG

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. We tested 58 fans to find the best ones to cool down every space. In This Article

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

We tested 58 fans to find the best ones to cool down every space.

In This Article

Better Homes & Gardens

Shopping for a fan may seem simple, but there are so many types to choose from—tower fans, tabletop fans, pedestal fans, bladeless fans—that it can quickly get confusing. The first thing to consider is size and whether you want an oscillating fan, which will slowly and consistently cool down a space.

Consider a fan even if you own an air conditioner, especially if you live in an apartment. According to Robert Leopoldi, co-owner of Leopoldi Hardware, using both in conjunction helps keep rooms cooler since “[a fan] blows cooler air to the rest of the house” that window units don’t cover.

Whatever your need is, we’ve found a variety of solid options that will keep you from sweating through the summer months.

We tested 58 fans in our homes, covering about 4,300 square feet of space in total, and evaluated the units based on effectiveness, safety, design, and value, and more. For more on how we tested fans, see our testing process below.

For more information on how we tested fans, check out our testing process below.

There are multiple ways to control air flow—five fan speeds, three oscillation modes, and a tilting head.

Although it can go from a pedestal to a tabletop fan, there’s no other way to adjust the height.

The Shark FlexBreeze Pro Mist immediately stood out during testing because it functions as both an indoor and outdoor fan, with a cool misting feature that’s great for hot days in the sun. But it’s not just a novelty option—the fan works exceptionally well in rooms of various sizes.

During testing, the fan cooled small rooms (around 150 square feet) and rooms double that size, equally well. There are five fan speeds—we found the lower modes best for inside as they are relatively quiet, while the higher settings are louder and perhaps more suited for outside use.

The fan has a lot of features that make it more convenient than others we tried. Most notably, there are several ways to control the air flow—three oscillation modes up to 180 degrees and a head that can be titled at wide angles. It also converts from a pedestal to tabletop model.

We found the Shark pretty sturdy, as it doesn’t tip over easily when bumped into, but it’s light enough to carry around to different rooms (especially when the water tank is empty). It’s also difficult for fingers to reach the blades inside—making it a nice choice for families.

The water tank for the mister can be detached and filled separately. Once turned on, there’s an option for both intermittent and constant mist. It’s great for cooling down during activities like outdoor gardening or summer parties. But even without it, the fan is a great option for most households.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: 5 | Modes: 2 | Timer: No | Dimensions: 13.93 x 36.77 x 13.93 in. | Features: Mist mode, oscillation, remote control, tilting head

This small fan is surprisingly powerful for its size, cooling down a 240-square-foot room in about an hour.

We found the high setting much more effective at circulating air.

While this small, two-speed model is an ideal personal fan, it’s surprisingly powerful for its size; during testing, it cooled a 240-square-foot room in about an hour. We appreciate that it has an adjustable tilt, is easy to carry around, and doesn’t vibrate or shake, even on the high setting.

In general, we preferred to use the fan on the high setting—it was much more effective at circulating air than the low mode, and it still wasn’t very loud at all. It’s also got small enough slats that fingers won’t be able to poke through to the blades, which is always a plus.

At less than 6 inches wide and 4 inches tall, the Vornado is best placed on a night stand or a desk. Since you can usually find it for under $20, it’s affordable enough that you could buy a few for various rooms. We also like that it comes in nice colors like blue, plum, and vintage white.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: 2 | Modes: 1 | Timer: No | Dimensions: 5.13 x 3.5 x 5.13 in. | Features: Adjustable tilt

The fan has nine speeds and each one is noticeably different in strength.

Not all users will have use for fancy features like voice activation.

The Dreo Smart Tower fan is a sleek, high-tech fan that doesn’t take up a lot of space thanks to its vertical construction. With a remote control and an app, it’s easily controlled from a distance, and can even be set up for voice activation.

While the app is not necessary for the fan’s functionality, it’s easy to use and convenient when you’re not close to the remote. The brushless motor helps the fan run quietly—we could barely hear it during testing. And if you’re especially sensitive to noise and light, there’s a sleep mode.

The Dreo has nine speeds, and each felt more powerful than the last. This really made it stand out among the fans we tested, as we often found it hard to differentiate between modes on other models. Still, the air flow never felt so powerful that it was overwhelming.

During testing, it cooled down a 144-square-foot bedroom with no trouble. We found the oscillation to be smooth and consistent, with no shaking or squeaking, and appreciated the top handle for carrying. The auto mode adapts the speed to reflect temperature changes.

There’s not much to dislike about the fan, aside from the higher price tag compared to other options. Features like voice activation and an LED screen display are nice to have, but they do make the Dreo more expensive than simpler options.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: 9 | Modes: 4 | Timer: Yes | Dimensions: 13 x 42 x 13 in. | Features: App, remove control, voice activation, oscillation, auto mode, sleep mode, LED display

This powerful option was able to cool down an 800-square-foot open concept kitchen and living room.

It’s very bottom heavy, making it awkward to move around.

This bladeless fan from Shark has two twistable vents that can be adjusted horizontally and vertically—point them both upwards to circulate air throughout the room, create a direct flow of air to cool a specific area, or make it a vertical tower-style fan.

With 10 speeds, adjustable height, and 180-degree oscillation, there are plenty of ways to customize the fan to your exact needs. And it works very well in large rooms—during testing, it cooled down a combined open kitchen and living room space of approximately 800 square feet.

The Shark is pretty loud on the higher fan speeds, but we found the sound pleasant, similar to a white noise machine. The lower modes are not whisper-quiet, but not overly distracting either. The tradeoff for more sound power—it produces strong, consistent air flow.

We found the design to be a cut above other options, with a telescope handle on the base to adjust the height and a magnetic remote control that you can store on top of the fan. As a bladeless fan, it’s easy to clean, and any errant dust collects in a convenient trap at the base.

There are a couple of cons—the fan is bottom-heavy and awkward to move around, and when the blades are horizontal, it’s pretty wide, which makes it a squeeze for small spaces. But for large rooms, it’s a powerhouse.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: 10 | Modes: 3 | Timer: No | Dimensions: 31.57 x 44.84 x 11.77 in. | Features: Remote control adjustable height, twistable vents, oscillation

This stylish oscillating tower fan has nice touches like modes that turn off the display and mimic a natural breeze

The middle fan speeds don’t feel much different from each other.

Most fans leave something to be desired in the style department, but not this option from our own BHG at Walmart collection. The oscillating tower fan’s black-and-walnut exterior gives it a retro vibe that will work with a variety of decor styles.

The fan is quiet and unobtrusive—the wood trim helped it blend into our room like a piece of furniture. There are a few nice touches, like mute mode, which turns off the display screen, and nature mode, which alternates the speeds to mimic a natural breeze.

Though we appreciate the variety of fan speeds, we didn’t see much of a difference in power between the middle settings. But overall, the slow oscillation does a nice job of gradually cooling a room down, and its small footprint and attractive design makes it easy to fit into your space.

Five settings, a magnetized remote, a sleep mode, and a timer, round out the fan’s features. The base feels stable—it didn’t tip over or shake while we had it on. The fan is only 40 inches tall and the height doesn’t adjust, so it’s a bit limited in how much direct air flow it can provide.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: 5 | Modes: 3 | Timer: Yes | Dimensions: 12.00 x 40.00 x 12.00 | Features: Oscillation, remote control, timer, mute mode, nature mode

This small-but-mighty fan cooled a 300-square-foot space during testing on the high setting.

It’s a little large for a desk fan.

Although it’s sized for personal use, this fan cooled down a 300-square-foot room during testing, impressing us with its power. Because it fits easily on a table, night stand, or desk, it makes a great fan for an office or bedroom.

The fan has a few features that you don’t often see in similar bare-bones models—three speeds, a timer, oscillating ability, and an adjustable tilt head that allows you to set the fan at three different angles. Shifting the fan head upwards circulates the air more quickly and cools the room faster.

On the lowest setting, the fan is almost completely silent. It’s also lightweight (under 4.5 pounds), with a small handle on the back, so you should have no issue transporting it from room to room. The fan’s blades are protected by narrow slats, but we still found it easy to clean.

Keep in mind that it is a little bulkier than most models of its size (8 inches wide and almost a foot tall) so keep note of how big your desk is before you purchase. For all of its other features and its affordable price, it’s a small gripe.

Product Details: Fan Speeds: 3 | Modes: 1 | Timer: Yes | Dimensions: 8.66 x 11.93 x 7.99 in. | Features: Adjustable tilt, oscillation, timer

The Shark FlexBreeze Pro Mist is the best fan for both indoor and outdoor use thanks to powerful speed settings, misting mode, and the ability to convert to a tabletop model.

To find the best fans, we tested models from a variety of well-known brands. We made sure to include a variety of price points (from about $20 to over $200) and types like tower fans, box fans, and tabletop fans. Twenty-three testers used 58 fans for a total of 639 hours.

We set the fans up according to the manufacturer's instructions and tested them on all available settings in at least two different rooms. To make real-world observations about noise level, we kept them running while we slept and watched television. And we cleaned them at least once to assess dust build-up.

Better Homes & Gardens

There are a few main fan types on the market, many of which are discussed in this article. Pedestal fans feature a circular fan head on top of a stand, sometimes with adjustable height. If you don’t have a lot of room for a fan with a wide base, a tower fan might be a better choice.

Box fans tend to be large and bulky, while tabletop fans are good for personal use and small spaces.

One of the most common features you’ll find in a fan is oscillation, which allows air to circulate more evenly. Other features of note include remote control operation, timers, and various fan speeds, modes, and settings. Some fans are adjustable to provide more targeted air flow.

Fan speeds and modes are similar but slightly different things. Both indicate how quickly the fan’s blades are moving, but modes are programmed for ease of use and sometimes have other defining features.

Sleep mode, for example, might mean a lower fan speed for quieter operation and dimmer lights. Nature or breeze mode might alternate between fan speeds to imitate a natural breeze.

Better Homes & Gardens

This retro drum fan gives off a nice breeze, but won’t significantly cool down a whole room. We found the light in the back potentially distracting, and the metal slats are wide enough that fingers could slip through. It’s a nice desk option that adds a design-y touch to a room.

This fan does a nice job of cooling down rooms up to 400 square feet. We liked the app more than we expected, especially the ability to set a timer down to the minute and accurately display a room’s temperature. The LED night light adds a unique touch, but we found it too bright to use.

Alida Nugent is a writer for Better Homes & Gardens with over seven years of experience. For this piece, she analyzed our testing insights and spoke to Robert Leopoldi of Leopoldi Hardware in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed our BHG Recommends seal of approval. Products that earn the seal have been put through rigorous testing to make sure they're worth a spot in your home. We buy most of the products we test ourselves, but occasionally we are provided samples by companies if buying isn't an option. In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products.