The 15 Best Fans to Buy Before It Gets Hot Again (2026)

If you don’t think you need a new fan, you might want to reconsider. Even if the dusty old pedestal fan you’ve been carting around for 25 years is still kicking, modern fans 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 TurboPoly 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 shades of color. There are bladeless fans, fans just for fitness purposes, and ones that can mist or cool your skin with a cryo-inspired metal plate.

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 WIRED’s 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 June 2026: I’ve added new pedestal fans from Dreo and Coway, a new handheld fan from Aecooly, and ensured up-to-date links and prices.

Best Air Circulator

Vornado’s bare-bones 660 air circulator was my top pick in this category for the past two years. It could sit on either a table or on the floor, ensuring bulk air movement through Vornado’s proprietary Vortex Action (which my colleague Matthew Korfhage described—accurately—as “a fancy name for spinning a fan into a spiral grate oriented opposite to the action of the fan”). There was no remote, no oscillation, and its buttons on the top activated its three speeds. It got the job done with a minimum of fuss, but darn if it wouldn’t have been nice to have a remote.

From my mouth to Vornado’s ear, apparently, as earlier this year, the brand released the Vora 8, which is basically an upgraded version of the 660. It’s stronger (1,100 ft/m max wind speed to the 660’s 1,083 ft/m), with 10 speeds, three airflow modes, an aromatherapy pad for the center button, and—blessedly—a remote. It also oscillates vertically as well as horizontally, and it’s got a backlit touch display on the base. Note that there’s no smart option on offer for now. I did find myself missing the simplicity of the 660 a little bit while trying to learn all the fiddly new features and settings of the Vora 8, but otherwise, it’s around the same price and an improvement in every functional capacity.

Best Pedestal Fan

Dreo’s flagship PolyFan 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 to competing models. Thankfully, last year saw the release of Dreo’s improvement on the PolyFan, the TurboPoly. It’s not only slightly smaller and lighter than the original PolyFan, but it’s also billed as Dreo’s quietest fan of all time. The marketing materials specified 20 decibels, but I measured 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 (including compatibility with Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa). It’s controllable through the remote, the button on the fan itself, or via the Dreo app, which also includes a 12-hour timer and the ability to set a schedule. It’s also got a cool RGB ring light on the back, and if you use the Dreo app, you can choose from up to 1,000 colors.

If you prefer no-nonsense: My previous pick for Best Pedestal Fan, the Vornado 683 Whole Room Circulator ($85), has no Wi-Fi or smart capability, no remote, no timer, and no oscillation. It’s not as quiet or as strong as the TurboPoly, but it’s lightweight and easy to move around. It will do whatever basic job you need it to do for years to come.

Best Tower Fan

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. In the tower fan category, Dreo’s 36-inch Nomad One (otherwise known as the 307) is the best bang for your buck, offering superior build quality and performance for this price point. It’s got four speeds and a remote, as well as an easily removable front grille for cleaning.

The Nomad One’s wind speed is slightly stronger than my previous pick in this category, Dreo’s slightly larger but pricier 519, but this new pick is also slightly louder. Not so much, though, that the difference is super noticeable. Like the 519, the Nomad One’s got a handle on the back and a slot for the remote, as well as a digital display, four modes, eight speeds, a timer, and a button that mutes any beeping while selecting menu options.

Best Box Fan

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 longtime utilitarian staple, but in fun colors like red, blue, fuchsia, and purple. These are no different from the old-school white version, but the hue does make the fan look more intentional in your home, rather than a remnant of a 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.

Best Combination Fan–Heater

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 (when I’m not testing another model), 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 effective heating-cooling function with a boosted DC motor and 12 fan speeds, and you’ve got a tower fan that not only rivals but exceeds any cooling-only fan. Other perks include a flame-resistant plastic body, an inset carrying handle (the fan weighs a hefty 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.

Best Air Purifier Fan

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 less than its competitor Dyson; offers 99.97 percent HEPA filtration and an air quality sensor; and is controllable 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.

Best Tabletop Fan

As a gear reviewer, there are some products I struggle to let go of once the testing window ends, and this little 15-inch-tall tower fan with a handle is among them. It may not be the best-performing fan in terms of wind speed, but it is so insanely convenient that it’s been my most-used fan so far this year. It’s also got a remote and a little USB-C–powered dock upon which it sits. When you’re ready to use it, just carry it wherever you need it (it weighs about 3 pounds) and enjoy the breeze. It’s also stylish enough to leave out in plain view, and there’s an amber light around the bottom, I assume for vibes purposes. Note that it also oscillates and has a timer for two, four, eight, and 12 hours, though the latter two settings seem unnecessary given that the charge only lasted a few hours in my testing, especially if the fan was operating on one of its higher speeds (there are five).

Best Misting Fan

Among Dreo’s new lineup for 2026, this 12-speed 765S misting tower fan borrows patented technology from Dreo’s humidifiers—namely, the ability to diffuse 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 that they won’t wet surfaces, as is the case with other misting fans. This means that, unlike my previous category pick, the Shark FlexBreeze, 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 Dreo-fan high points, including 90-degree oscillation, smart capability (Amazon Alexa and Google Home), and a remote. Dreo specs claim 20 dB on low, and while my decibel meter only went down to 32 dB, I can attest it was barely audible. If air conditioning is not an option for you, this is a viable alternative.

A Fan That Turns Into a Lamp

I unboxed this fan without reading anything about it first, so I admit I was perplexed as to why it looked like a barrel-shaped basket. It wasn’t until I turned it on and started using it that I understood: one click of the side button on the remote and the fan stopped and slowly tilted upright, with a soft white ring glowing on its underside. It was a lamp! An actual, lamp-shaped lamp! I’ve yet to find someone who’s been unimpressed by this party trick when I show it to them. In addition to doubling as a lamp, the EOS also sports an industry first: the ability for a user to pop both magnetic sides of the “basket” apart, sans tools, for cleaning. Once the magnetic bond is broken, the fan blades will automatically stop spinning, making it safe around curious kids or even in case of an accidental fall.

It’s otherwise a lot like the Vora 8 above. Both can oscillate vertically and horizontally, have a center pad for aromatherapy, and feature 10 speeds. The EOS is available in short (tabletop/floor) and pedestal versions; I have the short version. The light has five modes of brightness, but even the brightest is a soft glow—maybe bright enough to read by if you’re right next to it, but otherwise it’s more of a mood light, akin to Vornado’s Ara tower fan, below. It’s even more fiddly than the Vora 8, but I’m willing to forgive it for this, given it’s one of the strongest fans I’ve tested. (Note that the fan and lamp modes cannot run concurrently; if it’s functioning as a lamp, it can’t be a fan, though the light can still glow in fan mode.)

Best 2-in-1 Fan

Like Coway’s Airmega P50, this is a 2-in-1 that can be a tabletop or floor fan, except this one is a cinch to switch over: Just pop it out of its taller stalk onto the separate fold-out stand. The only downside is that you’ll have to find someplace to store the stand so it won’t get lost in the off-season (if you have an off-season). It’s also got a remote with included batteries and a remote holder, plus six modes and 12 speeds. It’s compatible with Dreo’s app, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home ecosystems, and it can oscillate horizontally or vertically.

I’ve had it in the background in my office in its pedestal configuration for the past few weeks, and I have not heard any mechanical noise at all—in fact, the sound has been barely perceptible. My only slight gripe is that it takes a long time to reposition itself when you turn it off, so it’s not clear if it actually received the message or not—more than once, I’ve had to wait, watching it slowly move its head all around, to ensure it really was going to turn off. Otherwise, this is another high-quality entry from Dreo with a useful feature that’s worth the price.

Best Fan for Home Gyms

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 shifted 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 this model as perfect as can be for indoor workouts. It doesn’t oscillate, but it does tilt 180 degrees to whatever angle you need it to hit, and the airflow is meant to simulate air resistance while exercising outdoors. My favorite feature is 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 that 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 and 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). It also 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 do 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, or 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 store in a garage or basement when you don’t need it, 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 that’ll allow you to place it the middle of the room. Be forewarned, though, that this truly is a utilitarian piece of equipment, and it’s loud—don’t expect to be able to carry on a conversation in the same room.

If You Want Less Intensity: The VP-20 is borderline ridiculous on the intensity front. My previous top pick, the Lasko Superfan Max ($90), is slightly smaller and thus easier to store, and it’s more widely available. However, it is less than half as strong, with an output of 1,200 feet per minute. It may be easier to live with, however, if you need to have it on for long periods near your living area.

Best Desk Fan

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 a coworker.

I tested the small but more powerful “Mini” and the larger but slightly quieter “Jr.,” both of which are desk- or table-sized fans. At their lowest speeds, they run 275 and 413 feet per 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.) It also comes in larger “Sr.” and pedestal versions if you like the look but need something bigger.

Best Handheld Fan

There are a lot of interesting new handheld fans out this year in the $100 range, including Shark’s ChillPill and Dyson’s HushJet Mini Cool; see “Others Tested” below), but if you’re serious about cooling down, nothing performed as well as this misting fan from Aecooly that features a digital touchscreen and 100 speeds. In fact, my teen son refused to help me continue testing handheld fans after he tried this one, declaring the competition over. The ultrasonic misting feature is optional, but when it’s on (activated by a button on the side), it is supposed to cool skin by up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit without getting clothes or skin wet.

I wasn’t able to verify this exact temperature change, but the difference in cooling between this fan and a regular handheld fan is inarguably noticeable, even without the misting function. The 7,000-mAh battery provides 10 hours of run time, and the fan comes with a set of magnetic accessories, including a brush to turn it into a dust remover and a nozzle for inflating mattresses or pool toys. I can also attest that it works well as a phone charger. The only downside is a high-pitched, jet-engine–like whine at higher speeds. My ears were ringing after using it for about 20 minutes. I’d recommend sticking with a lower speed plus misting. For less powerful but still effective and quieter options, check out our separate guide to the Best Handheld and Portable Fans.

A Fan That Follows You

This standard pedestal fan looks nearly identical to Dreo’s PolyFan 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, and the pedestal head turns to follow you. 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.

Others Tested

Coway Airmega Pedestal Fan P50 for $130: This is the first standalone fan from air purifier giant Coway, and it doesn’t require an app or Wi-Fi—a rarity in the category with on-board voice control. It’s a well-engineered device with a quiet operation on par with higher-end fans, but as I point out in my full review, the voice control feature isn’t really worth the premium price it carries. Dreo’s 512 model is just as quiet, but less expensive.

Dyson HushJet Mini Cool Fan for $100: This is Dyson’s first portable cooling fan, and, as expected, it was far stronger than I expected it to be, covering 1,043 feet per minute. It comes with a charging stand, a USB-C cable, and a matching adjustable neck lanyard. (The fan comes in pink, blue, and red.) However, I did find it quite loud at 70 decibels—loud enough to impede my ability to participate in a conversation with people several feet away. There is also, as is the case with many Dyson products, the issue of the price. If you like this style of fan, know that Aecooly makes something similar and reliable for just $20.

Shark ChillPill 3-in-1 Personal Cooling System for $150: New for 2026, this handheld fan from the brand known for always doing the most comes in seven colors and sports three attachments: a 740-feet-per-minute fan that can be propped up, a mister, and—my favorite of them all—a cryo-inspired cold plate you can press to your skin. It comes with a little bag for the attachments, all of which must be used separately. Because of this, I found myself struggling with how to carry it all when out and about. The ChillPill itself doesn’t come with a lanyard, clip, or strap (though most marketing images show such accessories, they cost extra), and it’s too bulky to fit in a pocket, especially with the accessory bag. I also am not sold on the value. The most ridiculous handheld fan I’ve ever tried, the 1,614-feet-per-minute–wind-speed Jisulife Ultra 2 ($90) (“this fan is so strong, it’s almost comical,” I wrote last year) costs half as much on sale and has 40 hours of battery life compared to the ChillPill’s 11. For more personal fans, check out our guide to the Best Handheld and Wearable Fans.

Zafro Coozi Tower Fan for $110: This is an interesting tower fan with a hidden digital display and a cheery little electronic tune when you turn it on and off, reminiscent of a Samsung washing machine. It’s a little bit quieter than the top pick in this category, Dreo’s Nomad One, but it is taller and therefore easier to knock over, despite the airflow grate dimensions being roughly the same. Still, if it ever goes on sale for less than the Nomad, it would be worth a grab.

SwitchBot Standing Circulator Fan for $130: This is the first fan from a company known primarily for robot vacuums, with a brushless motor, adjustable height, and USB-C rechargeable battery. It’s lightweight and quiet, registering around 30 dB on my decibel meter, and has rare Matter compatibility with the optional SwitchBot Hub 3 bridge ($120). The Dreo TurboPoly 508S is priced the same and offers better build quality, but if Matter compatibility is important to you, the SwitchBot is a great pick.

Dreame MF10 (Blade-less) for $300: When I tested the T-shaped Shark TurboBlade 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 bladeless 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, doesn’t unlock, despite the presence of “lock” and “unlock” icons. The MF10 is not a very strong fan, and it’s overly loud for its conservative wind output. But if you’re specifically looking for a bladeless model, consider this 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 $70: This 36-inch-tall (it also comes in a 42-inch model) tower fan’s claim to fame is a temperature sensor that automatically adjusts wind speed and volume, which is an unusual feature at this price point. It’s also got six speeds and a remote. The automatic adjustments reminded me of the slightly distracting “Nature” setting some fans have (this one has it as well), which will randomly raise and lower wind speed to mimic a breeze. If I need an increase in wind speed, I’d rather just use the remote to turn it up. The fan itself looks a lot like a Minion with its black “cap” and goggle-like circular screen, but it does come in white, gray, black, or pink, if that’s your thing. If I were in the market for a sub-$100 tower fan, however, I’d stick with Dreo’s Nomad One, which runs around the same price and has a noticeably better build quality.

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 TurboBlade (Bladeless) for $250: Though this 2025 bladeless model is billed as a tower fan, it doesn’t look or act like any tower fan I’ve ever seen. It evokes a windmill more than it does a fan, with a horizontal bar that sits on a telescoping base, like a big “T.” The ends of the bar, which are articulated, feature the vents, and each end can be bent straight up, straight down, or at any point in between for fully customizable air direction. The whole bar can also be turned vertically to look more like an “I,” if you’d rather have a tall, thin breeze as opposed to a long, thin breeze. It has all the usual features you’d expect of a fan at this price point, including 10 speeds, oscillation, a magnetic remote, and three settings, including “Sleep,” which makes sense as the TurboBlade, in its “T” configuration, is about the right height for a bed. It’s a great choice if you need airflow in different directions at once, but be forewarned that it makes a fairly loud, jet engine–like whine, which is noticeable even on lower settings. There’s also now a TurboBlade Heat + Cool ($400), which adds a 1,400-watt heater to the middle, but WIRED reviewer Matthew Korfhage tested it and didn’t find the heat feature to be worth the extra $150.

Dreo Tower Fan 519 for $110: Dreo’s first brushless fan, this tower has a round display at the top that lends it a somewhat retro speedometer vibe. This means it uses an electronic system instead of physical brushes in its DC motor, extending its life and ostensibly requiring less maintenance. It’s no slouch at 1,100 feet per minute and features 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. It’s still a solid fan, but it’s slightly less powerful and more expensive than Dreo’s Nomad One.

Vornado Ara for $209: This tower fan is a little chunkier and a lot pricier than nearly every other tower fan I tested. However, it does offer ambient light and a sleek, high-end aesthetic, with an amber strip light that runs down the back and around the base. My teen son had one in his bedroom for about a year, and other than the grille attracting visible dust, it’s been extremely reliable and comes with a five-year warranty. It just doesn’t have enough features to justify the price.

Shark FlexBreeze for $200: This was my favorite misting fan of last year. I love that it’s rechargeable, so it’s possible to use without an electrical outlet nearby. I also enjoy 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 FlexBreeze can reduce nearby ambient temperature by 10 degrees Fahrenheit when using the misting attachment. Though I was never able to measure a reduction of more than 6 degrees Fahrenheit using multiple thermometers, the difference in air temperature using the FlexBreeze 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 FlexBreeze’s portable sibling, the HydroGo (below).

Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo for $140: I loved the bigger Shark FlexBreeze, 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 farther than a few inches away.

Lasko Whirlwind Orbital Pedestal Fan for $90: This fan looks a lot like Dreo’s TurboPoly 508S, and indeed sports some of the same features—it oscillates vertically 105 degrees or horizontally 150 degrees, it’s quiet (I clocked 27 dB on low), and it’s got a remote. It’s not smart, it doesn’t have RBG lights, and you’ll hear some occasional noises from the oscillation, but if you’re looking for a more affordable pedestal fan that offers 3D oscillation, this 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 $133: After using it in my husband’s office for much of the summer of 2024, I determined the Strata to be a puzzlingly designed fan. Shaped like a boxy, high-tech hair dryer, the 18-inch-tall Strata pulls air in 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 $69: 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, which is about as loud as a general 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, 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: This little model is a direct competitor to classic Vornado circulators like the 630. In fact, having tried both, I can confirm 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 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 QuietSet 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 sturdy, even on carpet. It wasn’t much quieter than some of the other fans on low, though, which is its claimed selling point, and the lightweight body feels cheaper than similar fans. For the price, though, these may not be deal-breakers, especially since the lightweight body makes it easy to move around.

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. 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 grip on or carry around, and that the charge doesn’t last a full day.

Pelonis 40-Inch Oscillating Tower Fan for $63: 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: My previous pick for Best Tower Fan, Dyson wasn’t able to match current pick Dreo in terms of value, but its 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 it’s safe for kids and pets. Its assembly instructions are also 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 TurboBlade fans above.

Vornado Refresh 8 Table Fan for $74: This fan is roughly the size of the company’s popular 660 air circulator, but with a taller pedestal, no carrying handle, and a slightly flimsier build. 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 refers to the ability to apply essential oils to included pads that slip under the fan’s front cap. 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 grille required a screwdriver longer than a standard size, which I did not have.

Not Recommended

Costway Box Fan: The life of a fan 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 now sounds like a jet engine and—even at the lowest setting—tap-dances around like Shirley Temple. Get the recommended Lasko instead, which costs half as much. —Martin Cizmar (Note: this product is out of stock online.)

Dreo Smart Air Circulator PolyFan 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 FedEx. 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.

O2Cool 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 FlexBreeze. 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 dB 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.

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