The 11 Best Fans to Buy Before It Gets Hot Again (2026) | WIRED

Overview

If you think you don't need a new fan this year, you might want to think again. Even if the dusty old pedestal fan you've been carting around for 25 years is still kicking, fans these days can do a lot more than just blow air. They're smarter, quieter, and far more versatile than they've ever been, with new tech features that would have seemed like science fiction even five years ago.

The Dreo Turbo Poly 707S, for instance, has radar that can track where someone is in the room and redirect airflow as they move about, while the company's 508S model can provide mood lighting in more than 1,000 color shades. There are bladeless fans, fans just for fitness purposes, and ones that can mist or cool your skin with a cryo-inspired metal plate.

Details

I've been covering fans at WIRED for almost two years, and I'm always on the lookout for the latest and most interesting fan technology. If you know of a cool fan you want me to check out, let me know in the comments.

If you're looking to take your fan on the go, be sure to check out our companion guide to the Best Handheld and Wearable Fans. For more ways to keep your indoor air quality cool and under control, check out our guides to the Best Indoor Air Quality Monitors, Best Air Purifiers, Best Humidifiers, Best Dehumidifiers, and Best Window ACs.

Updated April 2026: I've reformatted and rewritten portions of this guide, rearranged the picks, added new fans from Dreo, Dreame, Switch Bot, Antarctic Star, Shark, and Costway, and ensured that links and prices are up to date.

Vornado’s 660 air circulator is the Swiss Army Knife of fans, designed to make full use of Vornado's proprietary Vortex Action. (Which my colleague Matthew Korfhage describes—accurately—as “a fancy name for spinning a fan into a spiral grate oriented opposite to the action of the fan.”) This sends air out in a sort of high-volume corkscrew column, the shape of which allows it to travel longer distances. The front grille unscrews for easy cleaning; the back has a handle for carrying around (which is easy to do, as it weighs only about 7 pounds); the three-speed buttons are simple and easy to press; and it has a generous five-year warranty.

Its portability and compact size mean it can be placed on a table or on the floor. It's great in the living room, tucked out of sight; in an office so it doesn't blow papers around on a desk or bulletin board; or on the floor in the bedroom, because there are no lights and it doesn't blow air directly on your face.

I have used many fans over the years, and if I had to choose just one, this would be it. There's a smart version with Alexa (Vornado 660AE) for around 20 bucks more, and if you want something a little cheaper, the smaller Vornado 630 usually runs about $80 (even less when on sale). WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu has one and confirms that it does a great job of pushing air through his living room.

Dreo’s flagship Poly Fan 704S has been the brand’s most popular pedestal fan for years, but I didn't have the best luck with my test unit (see below). Plus, I found the fan to be heavy, unwieldy, and difficult to move around compared with competing models. Last year saw the release of Dreo's improvement on the Poly Fan—the Turbo Poly. It's not only slightly smaller and lighter than the original Poly Fan, it's also billed as Dreo's quietest fan of all time. The marketing materials said 20 decibels, but I got 29 on my meter. Regardless, this is indeed the quietest fan I've tested. Its highest wind speed is average for a pedestal fan, but perfectly sufficient.

It comes in white, gold, or silver, sports nine speeds, can oscillate vertically or horizontally, and has smart capabilities (Google Assistant and Alexa) and control through the Dreo app, which also includes a 12-hour timer and the ability to set a schedule. It's got a cool RGB ring light on the back, controllable via remote or via a button on the fan itself. If you use the Dreo app, you can choose from up to 1,000 colors (ostensibly) on a color wheel.

If you prefer no-nonsense: Our previous pick for Best Pedestal Fan, the Vornado 683 Whole Room Circulator ($77), has no Wi-Fi or smart capability, no remote, no timer, and no oscillation. It's not as quiet or as strong as the Turbo Poly, but it's lightweight, blessedly easy to move around, and will do whatever basic job you need it to do for years to come.

Though tower fans aren't always easy to clean and are prone to tipping over if you have active children or pets, they are less top-heavy than pedestal fans, and the slim profile and small footprint make them easy to store when you're short on space. I've tested a lot of them, and not many stand out, but if you're just looking for a reliable tower fan that's well-built and powerful, yet also reasonably priced, Dreo's 519 (or 519S, if you want the smart version) is probably your best value.

With a round display at the top that lends a somewhat retro speedometer vibe, this is also Dreo's first brushless fan. This means it uses an electronic system instead of physical brushes in its DC motor, extending its life and ostensibly requiring less maintenance. Though the 519's top wind speed is nowhere near as impressive as Dreo's MC706's (below), this fan is no slouch at 1,100 ft/m. It's got nine speed settings, as well as all the goodies you'd expect from a midrange smart fan, including a timer, sleep mode, remote, and operability through the Dreo app, Siri, Alexa, and Google Home.

The only downside I found is that the display lights automatically shut off after a short time, and I wish there were a way to disable this. Paired with the quiet motor, there was more than one occasion during my testing period where I inadvertently left it on overnight, as I didn't realize it was running in another room as I walked by. Regardless, this is about as feature-packed and reliable a tower fan you can buy for around a hundred bucks.

If Looks Matter: The Vornado Ara ($290) tower fan is a little chunkier and quite a bit pricier, but it offers ambient light and a sleek, high-end aesthetic. My teen son has had one in his bedroom for the past year or so, and other than the grille attracting visible dust, it's been extremely reliable. (And comes with a five-year warranty.)

The no-frills Lasko box fan is an enduring classic—it's got plenty of surface area, there's a handle so you can move it around, and the shape makes it easy to stick in a window or sliding glass door. It's also reliable and widely available at most big-box stores. (If you live in a wildfire-prone area, you'll also know it's popular for making a DIY air purifier, also known as a Corsi-Rosenthal box.) It's not the strongest or the quietest fan you'll buy, but for around 20 bucks, you wouldn't expect it to be. It's also less than 5 inches in width, so it's easy to store in a closet.

Lasko added a Cool Colors line last year, offering the same long-time utilitarian staple in fun colors like red, blue, fuchsia, and purple. These are no different from the old-school white versions, but the color does make it look more intentional in your home, instead of a remnant of some water leak emergency or AC malfunction. Some online complaints mentioned wobbling at low speeds, and there was some slight shaking at medium and high speeds in my tests, but not so much that it affected function.

Tower fans have a reputation for being less powerful than pedestal fans and air circulators, but Dreo's MC706, new last year, disproves this theory. The MC706 is not only the fan I keep in my office between tests, but it's also the second-strongest fan I've tested to date, bested only by the utility B-Air, below. This is not typical for a fan-heater combo; the MC706 accomplishes this feat through auto-shift positive temperature coefficient (PTC) technology, which moves the heater's ceramic element aside to allow full fan airflow. (This is also a key component in electric vehicle heating systems.) Pair this with a boosted DC motor and 12 fan speeds, and you've got a tower fan that not only rivals but exceeds any fan-only fan. Other perks include a flame-resistant plastic body, an inset carrying handle (the fan weighs 13 pounds), 120-degree oscillation, and tip-over protection for the five-setting heater. Note, however, that though there is a remote, there are no smart features, and this fan does not work with the Dreo app. I've had zero issues in over a year of near-daily use.

My family loves this combination air purifier and tower fan. Though it is on the larger side and looks almost like a cylindrical patio heater, it costs a hundred less than a similar Dyson; offers 99.97 percent HEPA filtration and an air quality sensor; and can be controlled through a remote, the Dreo app, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa.

I like that the 12-speed fan and purifier can operate independently, and the large, heavy base with its blue or orange motor just looks cool. After a year of nightly use in a bedroom (it's quiet!), the MC710S is still going strong, and filter replacements ($40 for one) are reasonably priced.

Among Dreo's new lineup for 2026, the 12-speed 765S misting tower fan borrows patented technology from Dreo's humidifiers—namely, diffusing ultrafine mist particles as small as 17 microns. This effectively lowers the perceived temperature in front of the fan (significantly—my family all agreed it felt exactly like an air conditioner). The mist particles are so small, they won't wet surfaces like other misting fans do. This means that, unlike my previous category pick, the Shark Flex Breeze, this misting fan is perfectly fine to use indoors. I admit I was dubious of this claim, but I stood in front of the fan on its highest mist setting for several minutes, and my clothes and skin remained perfectly dry. (The tank holds 6 liters, which should last a whole day.)

In addition to a built-in thermometer and humidistat, the 765S also hits all the regular Dreo high points, including 90-degree oscillation, smart capability (Alexa and Google Home), and a remote. Dreo specs claim 20 d B on low, and while my decibel meter only went down to 32 d B, I can attest it was barely audible. If you're not able to have air conditioning wherever you are, this is a viable alternative.

A fitness fan, you might be asking yourself? Does one really need a special fan just for riding a Peloton or running on the treadmill? I wouldn't have thought so, but that was before I tried the Fly Max. I live in a hilly neighborhood, so I find myself running indoors on a treadmill whenever the thought of scaling a steep hill is just too unappealing. (Which, I'll be honest, is most days.) The Fly Max has turned this activity from a hot, sweaty, unpleasant mess into something I don't mind doing even on a hot day.

I've used other fans next to my treadmill before, but the makers of the Fly Max have thought of everything to make it as perfect as can be for indoor workouts. It doesn't oscillate, but it does tilt 180 degrees to the angle where you need it, and the airflow is meant to simulate air resistance while exercising outdoors. My favorite feature: There's a little round magnetic remote with a cradle on a Velcro strap that you can attach to your machine to turn the fan on and off or up and down—it fits perfectly around the handle of my treadmill. (It looks like a watch, but an icon on the back reiterates that it most certainly is not.) I wish the fan cord were a little longer, and I wish it had a handle for moving around, as it is heavy and bulky. Overall, though, this is an amazing addition to any indoor workout room or machine, and I've been using it without incident for almost a year now.

A Fan For Taking to the Gym: Vornado makes another fitness fan, the Fly Move ($70), which is small, USB-C rechargeable with a 17-hour run time (I can't vouch for this, but I have also used it for a week's worth of hour-long workouts and never had it run out), and has a leather-esque strap for carrying. The output is not super powerful at 750 feet per minute. It's not adjustable and sits right on the floor, propped up by a little bumper, so it's mostly good for floor work, but I have found I love putting it on a weight bench to keep me cool while I do my reps.

Best Fan for Emergencies, Floods, and Heavy-Duty Jobs

Sometimes one simply needs a fan to provide a breeze on hot, lazy days, other times a fan is necessary for less pleasant purposes—flooded basements, dishwasher leaks, clearing out smoke. Or the time a freak storm blew several inches’ worth of snow through my home’s gable vents, which I didn’t realize until it melted and started leaking through several light fixtures.

You could always rent a high-velocity commercial fan, but keeping this commercial-grade, three-speed floor fan on hand could potentially save time and money. It’s small enough to be stored in a garage or basement when it’s not needed, but this is no wimpy box fan—its 1/5-horsepower motor almost blew my anemometer out of my hand during testing.

It’s got a handle for carrying and two 120-volt outlets on the side for auxiliary power or daisy-chaining other fans, plus a 6-foot cord to facilitate placing it in the middle of the room. Be forewarned, though, that this truly is a utilitarian piece of equipment—don't expect to be able to carry on a conversation in the same room.

If You Want Less Intensity: Again, the VP-20 is borderline ridiculous. Our previous top pick, the Lasko Superfan Max ($99), is slightly smaller and thus easier to store, and it's more widely available. However, it is only about half as strong, with an output of 1,200 ft/m. It may be easier to live with, however, if you need to have it on for long periods near your living area.

If you're going to keep a fan on your desk, it may as well look good. The VFan series is an official rerelease of Vornado's original 1945 classic, in authentically retro colors like off-white and green. Just like the first version, it's all-metal with three features: It turns on, it turns off, and it can run at high or low speed. That's it. No apps, remotes, oscillation, lights, or other doodads. It's awesome. Even the box it comes in has a vintage look, which makes it a good potential gift for dads, grads, or even a coworker.

I tested the small but more powerful Mini and the larger but slightly quieter “Jr.”, which are both desk- or table-sized fans. At their lowest speeds, they run 275 and 413 feet/minute, respectively, which is strong enough for a hot day but not so strong as to be distracting or blow too many papers all over the place. (I found the 6-foot cord plenty long enough for most desks.) Note that there are also larger “Sr." and pedestal versions if you like the look but need something bigger.

This standard pedestal fan looks nearly identical to Dreo's Poly Fan 704S from 2024, except for one difference, and it's a major one: A light-up strip at the top of the stand uses a millimeter-wave sensor to track movement with high-frequency radio waves. You move to the right, the pedestal head turns over to where you are. Move to the left … here comes the fan. It will also adjust its strength based on your distance. It's interesting, strange, and not un-creepy, but I can see it being super useful for someone in a hot environment who's moving around a lot, like a chef in a kitchen.

Otherwise, like all Dreo fans with S in the model number, it's compatible with Alexa and Google Home, and works with the Dreo app, where you can “identify” yourself to the fan by waving, so it only tracks you and not anyone else walking into or around the room. I'm usually not moving around much when it's hot enough to use a fan, so I didn't find too much practical use for these features in my own life, but I'm still impressed by the fan's tech and overall reliability in the year I've had it.

Shark Chill Pill 3-in-1 Personal Cooling System for

Shark Chill Pill 3-in-1 Personal Cooling System for $150

Switch Bot Standing Circulator Fan for

Dreame MF10 (Bladeless) for $300: When I tested the T-shaped Shark Turbo Blade fan last year, I thought it was weird. ("Are we sure this is a fan? Is it not a windmill? A speaker? Some kind of high-tech ionizer device?" I wrote at the time.) The Dreame MF10 is a similar out-there blade-less design, but with curved blades that move independently or together up and down and side to side like a gyroscope. It even has the same sturdy, tip-proof base as the Shark, which locks into place but for some reason will never unlock again, despite the presence of lock and unlock icons. The MF10 is not a very strong fan, but if you're looking specifically for a blade-less model, this is a reasonably priced option that's quiet and offers plenty of features, including a cool curved remote that magnetically sticks to the top.

Antarctic Star T36 Tower Fan for

Vornado Box Fan Model 80X for $100: While most people who need a box fan are, frankly, going to run out to Walmart or Home Depot and grab one for 20 bucks, you should be aware that there exists a Rolls-Royce of box fans. “It has 99 speeds,” the brand's rep told me when it came out. “Yeah, right,” I thought. But, sure enough, this thing actually has 99 speeds, accessible via up and down buttons. I have no idea under what circumstances one might need this many speeds, but there they are. It's also got a kickstand to reduce wobbling, a digital display, and a 1-to-12-hour timer. Plus, the silver-and-black casing looks good—like you meant to have it in your house, not a remnant from that one summer your AC broke during a heat wave.

Shark Turbo Blade (Bladeless) for

Shark Flex Breeze for $200: This was my favorite misting fan of last year. I love that it's rechargeable, so it can be used without an electrical outlet nearby, and I love that the head detaches from the pedestal with legs that fold out, allowing it to double as an easy-to-transport floor fan. Shark claims the Flex Breeze can reduce nearby ambient temperature by 10 degrees with the misting attachment. Though I was never able to measure a reduction of more than 6 degrees using multiple thermometers, the difference in air temperature using the Flex Breeze versus without is dramatic enough to make the difference between an unbearable summer dinner outside and a pleasant one. However, the mist deployed by the detachable misting attachment (Shark now makes a version with a tank, but I haven't tried it) is a bit on the heavy side—it made most of my deck quite wet and dampened the clothes of anyone sitting within 5 or so feet. On the plus side, this meant the mist didn't immediately blow away, as was the case with the Flex Breeze's portable sibling, the Hydro Go (below).

Shark Flex Breeze Hydro Go for $150: I loved the original Shark Flex Breeze (above), but not the fact that it had to be connected to a hose, so I was very excited to see a rechargeable, portable version in fun colors. Shark says it can run for 30 minutes with the mister consistently on, or 60 minutes in "interval mode," and after testing it at my son’s soccer practices, I found these estimates to be more or less accurate. However, the mist that comes out of the middle is so fine and in such a small stream that it blew away quickly before it had a chance to cool anyone, unless they were sitting just inches from it.

Lasko Whirlwind Orbital Pedestal Fan for $85: This fan looks a lot like Dreo's Turbo Poly 508S, and indeed sports some of the same features—it oscillates vertically 105 degrees or horizontally 150 degrees, it's quiet (I clocked 27 d B on low), and it's got a remote. It's not smart, it doesn't have RBG lights, and there are some occasional noises from the oscillation, but if you're looking for a more affordable pedestal fan that offers 3D oscillation, this honestly isn't a bad option.

Vornado Transom Window Fan for $130: I was impressed with the features of this fan—it's got a remote control (there's also a version with Alexa compatibility), air can be sucked either inside the room or out, and it's relatively quiet. It's definitely a step up from less expensive versions. However, the foam blocks for fitting in the window didn’t provide as tight a fit as I'd prefer, the fan can only be installed horizontally, and the thermostat is located on the inside of the fan—a problem that plagues space heaters as well—so it struggled to cool a south-facing bedroom during my testing.

Vornado Strata for $150: Though most Vornado fans are roundly—and justifiably—beloved, the Strata seems to have engendered mixed feelings among online commenters. After using it in my husband's office for an entire summer, I have to agree it's a puzzling design. Shaped like a boxy, high-tech hair dryer, the 18-inch-tall Strata pulls air and pushes it upward through an approximately 1-by-14-inch slot in the front, a maneuver that’s designed to mimic a taller tower fan. This rather narrow and very direct stream of air feels somewhat jarring when you're in its path, but the Strata is still an air circulator, meant to sit on the floor and not necessarily blow air directly onto a user. If you want to feel the breeze, you’d be better off with a tower fan.

Windmill Smart Air Circulator for $79: At a solid 2.5 pounds, this desk-sized fan punches above its weight when it comes to airflow. Add the Windmill app that you can use to automate and schedule the fan, an easy-to-use remote, and Google Home and Amazon Alexa compatibility, and it becomes more than just a little fan. The smart fan has a minimalist modern silhouette that stands less than a foot tall and comes in colors like pink, white, yellow, and black. While it hums along at the barely audible Whisper setting, it gets louder with each fan speed, coming in at a noisy 54 decibels on its highest Boost setting, somewhere around the sound of a conversation. It can be adjusted vertically, but it does not oscillate. While the Windmill had excellent airflow, higher settings come with higher noise volume—at its highest, the fan is touted as being an “air circulator." I would have loved to run the fan at an oscillating Whisper setting. Still, the Windmill Fan, along with its price tag and five-year warranty, is a welcome addition to my home. —Lisa Wood Shapiro

Dreo CF312 Desk Fan for $45: Dreo's been after Vornado's crown for years now, and this little model is a direct competitor to classic Vornado circulators like the 630. In fact, it's extremely similar, except that the Dreo comes with a wall-mounting option, and the screen pops off to access the internal parts for cleaning. You'd be fine with either the Dreo or Vornado versions, but the Vornado wins out on its longer warranty—five years to Dreo's one.

Rowenta Fresh 180 Tower Fan for $120: The Fresh 180 is a pretty basic tower fan with three speeds, timer options, and a remote. It's noisy at high speed and has a pretty flimsy build quality, with nowhere near as many options as you'd find in other brands at this price point. That said, there actually aren't many tower fans that oscillate a full 180 degrees, if that's a feature you're looking for.

Honeywell Quiet Set Whole Room Oscillating Tower Fan for $64: This eight-speed fan is very solid for the price—it's got a remote control that neatly slots into the back of the unit, and the base is very sturdy even on carpet. It wasn't much quieter than some of the other fans on low, though, which is its selling point, and the lightweight body feels cheaper than similar fans. For the price, these may not be deal-breakers.

Honeywell Quiet Set Whole Room Oscillating Tower Fan for $64

Aecooly Chic 01 Lite Desk Fan for $35: I declared this periscope-shaped fan a must-have dorm accessory in our guide to the Best College Essentials and Dorm Gear, given that it's cheap, USB-C rechargeable, and quiet enough (36 decibels on low) that it isn't a disturbance, while its 8-inch-tall body is small enough to be packed in a suitcase for your grad who's headed out of state. In fact, the only things that kept it from earning top billing for Best Desk Fan are that the shape and smooth sides make it annoying to get a grip on or carry around, and that the charge doesn't last a full day.

Pelonis 40-Inch Oscillating Tower Fan for $70: This fan is quite wobbly on carpet and has a cheap-feeling remote control that must be pointed exactly at the fan’s sensor to operate. However, it put out one of the strongest breezes among the tower fans I've tested, and it operated quietly and reliably in the background of my home office for months. The remote also comes loaded with batteries, unlike other fans in this price range.

Dyson Cool AM07 Tower Fan for $400: Our previous pick for Best Tower Fan before being bested by Dreo's MC706, Dyson’s iconic ellipse is still worth a look. It's a beautiful, high-tech-looking statement piece that fits into any decor, with a small footprint of about 8 inches. Its lack of blades makes it easy to keep spotlessly clean and is safe for kids and pets, and the assembly instructions are refreshingly intuitive. That said, it is one of the loudest fans I tested when set to high, and I don't like that it can only be controlled by a small remote that's easy to lose. It's a solid bladeless tower fan, but there are higher-performing options for less, like the Dreame MF10 and Shark Turbo Blade fans above.

Vornado Refresh 8 Table Fan for $70: This aromatherapy fan is roughly the size of our top-pick, the 660, but with a taller pedestal and no carrying handle. It comes in a sort of clinical-looking off-white, and at 40 decibels on low, it’s louder than I would have expected. The aromatherapy designation comes from the fact that you can apply essential oils to included pads that slip under the front cap of the fan. This worked for a little while as long as I completely saturated the pad, not just added a few drops per the instructions. However, there was a slight rattling in my test unit—just noticeable enough to be irritating—and removing the front grill required a screwdriver longer than a standard size, which I did not have.

Costway Box Fan: The life of a fan is one that will assuredly involve a few tumbles. I've owned several for a decade or more, and they have, despite my best efforts, fallen a few feet every few years, usually surviving with a few scratches. I only owned this Costway 20-inch box fan for a few weeks before it fell about a foot off a window in my kitchen while blowing out smoke from an improperly seasoned cast-iron pan. One fall killed it, with one of the plastic blades shattering and causing it to become so unbalanced that it sounds like a jet engine and tap-dances around like Shirley Temple at even the lowest setting. Get the recommended Lasko instead, which costs half as much. —Martin Cizmar

Dreo Smart Air Circulator Poly Fan 704S: I love nearly all of Dreo's fans, so I was surprised when the first 704S I bought, from Amazon, died while I was updating the firmware to connect it to the Dreo app. To obtain the replacement, I had to take a video of myself attempting to operate the fan, then pack and send the broken fan back to Dreo via Fed Ex. In the process, I also received multiple incorrect tracking numbers for the new unit and was implored to leave an Amazon review containing specific keywords. This fan has fantastic features for the money, but with its short one-year warranty and less-than-helpful customer service, it's just not worth the risk. The replacement unit has proven reliable (I'm not bothering with the app), but unwieldy.

O2 Cool Neck Fan: I liked that this fan could be either freestanding with a little kickstand at the back or worn around the neck with a lanyard, but it was too weak to deliver any noticeable cool air. If you want a neck fan, Aecooly makes one for just $6 more that's both rechargeable and twice as strong.

Allen + Roth Valdosta Outdoor Ceiling Fan: Purchased in hopes of cooling the air inside my backyard's metal-roofed gazebo, this 20-inch fan hangs from a hook and has a stylish, retro vibe that perfectly matches my gazebo's oil-rubbed bronze frame. I had hoped the fan would make it more pleasant to eat outside on hot days, but it does not noticeably increase airflow—especially in comparison to the Shark Flex Breeze—and the cord is so short that it requires using a permanent extension cord, which detracts from the overall look.

Lasko Duo Comfort High-Velocity Fan and Ceramic Space Heater: This sleek double tower has a heater on the left side and a fan with four speed settings and its own control buttons on the right side. Unfortunately, the fan performance was abysmal, with wind speed struggling to top 450 feet per minute. It’s also louder than many tower fans at around 70 d B on high. Upon opening the box, it had some rather extreme off-gassing—our test unit gave off a terrible plastic smell for about a month, even during the times it was turned off. Worse yet, though, is the fact that there is no tip-over protection for the heater—I knocked it over to test, and it ran face-down into the carpet for a full 30 seconds before I finally picked it up.

Lasko Duo Comfort High-Velocity Fan and Ceramic Space Heater

So, you're in the market for a fan. But what kind? Does it need to blend in with the existing furniture and decor, or can it be on the floor, hidden behind something so that looks don't matter? Is a direct stream of air required in a specific location, like for someone sitting at a desk, or is general air circulation the goal? Are there kids and pets in the house who could knock it over or whose fingers or tails could be injured by spinning blades?

Second, it's important to know that fans can't actually cool a room, but they can circulate hot air away from people, which can create the feeling that the room is cooler. (The World Health Organization notes that when the temperature is 104 degrees Fahrenheit or above, using a fan can actually increase your body temperature. One way to mitigate this is by using a misting fan like our Dreo pick.) How hot and/or humid the room gets might determine whether you prefer air moving gently around you, as with an air circulator fan or oscillating tower fan, or directly at you, as with a pedestal or box fan. For a roundup of the main categories of fans, see “What Kind of Fan Do I Need?” below.

When I was growing up in the 1980s and ’90s, there were maybe three types of fans available to the average household consumer, which one had to buy in person at, say, Sears or Kmart: a metal table fan, a wobbly pedestal fan, or a box fan. If it was an especially new or fancy model, there were buttons for different speeds, perhaps encircled by a snazzy faux-wood veneer. Nowadays, there are thousands of fan types from hundreds of brands across multiple categories, sizes, and shapes. How do you know which fan is right for your particular situation? Thankfully, most fans fall into one of six general categories:

Pedestal fans offer adjustable height, oscillation (though many tower fans have this also), and larger blades for more power, and they are easier to clean because the blades are usually visible. They’re the best option for large spaces or even outdoors on a deck or patio. One drawback is that they can be top-heavy and easily knocked over, and since the blades are visible, they can be dangerous to small fingers that may find their way inside the cage.

A table or desk fan is perfect for small rooms with limited floor space. They provide direct airflow and often come in vintage designs or fun colors. They’re also portable, so they are easy to travel with or move from room to room. Many are chargeable for cordless operation or, in the case of our favorite travel fan, can even function as chargers themselves.

A tower fan is basically a streamlined alternative to a pedestal fan, offering a slimmer profile and less top-heavy structure, which can be useful in households with children or large dogs lumbering about. The blades are also enclosed, making them a great choice for a child’s room. One drawback is that this also makes them difficult to clean, unless you go with a bladeless model like the ones above from Dyson or Shark.

Air circulators are designed to move air around the whole room rather than straight at a person or object, which makes them usable for all seasons—in winter, they can move hot air down to the floor from where it has risen. They can also do this from behind furniture, so looks aren’t as important.

Box fans and window fans are more utilitarian options that can be used in windows to either bring in colder air or exhaust hotter air, but many are not particularly stylish or something you’d want in your home year-round.

Misting fans are usually air circulators or pedestal fans that come with an attachment for misted water to be expelled with the air. Some allow you to connect a hose, while others come with a reservoir that allows them to be used away from a water source.

When looking for fans, I seek out popular models available at Amazon and other well-known retailers such as Home Depot and Target, as well as fans reviewed favorably elsewhere and from brands I've come to know and trust through my own fan-buying experiences. I consider available features, value, and ease of use, and I test each fan in both an office during the day and a bedroom at night, noting any annoyances or features I especially liked or disliked. I also measure wind speed in feet per minute (ft/m) with an anemometer and noise level with a decibel meter. Warranty length, oscillation, and bonus accessories, like a remote control, are also taken into consideration.

How I Obtain the Fans, and What Happens to Them Afterward

Some fans I purchase and expense, but most are media samples from the companies themselves. If a fan is a pick, I store it in my office to keep in my home rotation throughout “fan season” (typically, April through October), noting any new observations in updates to this guide. If a fan is not a pick, it is donated locally to either a nearby school district (the Lasko Whirlwind, for instance, is currently cooling elementary-school cafeteria workers) or the Buy Nothing Project.

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Key Takeaways

• If you think you don't need a new fan this year, you might want to think again
• The Dreo Turbo Poly 707S, for instance, has radar that can track where someone is in the room and redirect airflow as they move about, while the company's 508S model can provide mood lighting in more than 1,000 color shades
• I've been covering fans at WIRED for almost two years, and I'm always on the lookout for the latest and most interesting fan technology
• If you're looking to take your fan on the go, be sure to check out our companion guide to the Best Handheld and Wearable Fans
• Updated April 2026: I've reformatted and rewritten portions of this guide, rearranged the picks, added new fans from Dreo, Dreame, Switch Bot, Antarctic Star, Shark, and Costway, and ensured that links and prices are up to date