Buying guide for best tower fans
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When it’s hot out, a fan is an easy way to stay cool and comfortable — and far cheaper than running an air conditioner. The best tower fans provide powerful cooling winds that can make even large rooms feel chilly. They also typically come with a range of extra features, including timers, air purifiers and even thermostats.
The BestReviews Testing Lab researched dozens of tower fans and tested models from some of the top brands on the market to see how they stacked up. We thoroughly evaluated aspects such as the fan’s cooling efficiency, wind speed and noise generation. We also checked out whether each fan was easy to operate and the effectiveness of any extra features and settings.
Our favorite of them all is the Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan. It quickly and quietly cools down a room and offers the same features found on more expensive fans for less than $100.
Which tower fan is best?
Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan
Best of the Best
Product specifications
Speed settings: 4 | Height: 36.22” | Airflow: 25 ft/s | Weight: 9.9 lb | Oscillation: 90 degrees
Offering efficient cooling, a compact build and convenient features all at a decent price, the Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan is tough to beat. This bestselling model combines four speed settings and four modes with powerful airflow and an easy-to-maintain design. It took about five minutes for our testing room to feel noticeably colder, and even at max speed it only generated 50 decibels (which is about as loud as quiet rainfall), making it ideal for bedrooms.
In addition to an eight-hour timer, its offers a Sleep mode, which dims the display and slowly lowers the fan speed, and an Auto mode, which adjusts the fan speed based on nearby temperature and humidity; both performed perfectly during our tests. However, its Natural mode, which intermittently changes the fan speed to mimic gusts of wind, wasn’t our favorite because of the changes it made in noise generation; still, it’s a fine option if you want to mix things up.
Lastly, we loved the responsiveness and range of its included remote control, making it a cinch to adjust from across the room.
Better Homes & Gardens Tower Fan
Best Bang for the Buck
Product specifications
Speed settings: 3 | Height: 40” | Airflow: NA | Weight: 6.55 lb | Oscillation: 90 degrees
Compared to the other fans we tested, the Better Homes & Gardens fan was the most affordable of the bunch. While it didn’t cool the room down as quickly as other fans we tested, it’s still a solid option. Its steady, strong breezes made the room feel slightly colder after about 30 minutes. It’s reasonably quiet, too, with the noise peaking at 51.6 decibels on the highest of the three speed settings.
However, where this fan truly shines is in its aesthetic design. The black-and-white color scheme looks gorgeous, and it doesn’t hurt that the oscillation part of the fan nests inside the central pillar, meaning it doesn’t wobble while it works and you don’t have to guess where the oscillation begins and ends. We also liked that its timer can go up to 7.5 hours before automatically shutting off, and its Sleep mode, which turns off the beeps and display and uses the timer to switch off the fan at your set time, worked perfectly.
Vornado OSC84 Whole Room Air Circulator Tower Fan
Best for Whole-Room Circulation
Product specifications:
Speed settings: 4 | Height: 41.3” | Airflow: NA | Weight: 9.7 lb | Oscillation: 130 degrees
From a trusted name in fans, the Vornado OSC84 is unique among the tower fans we tested due to its diagonal airflow pattern that efficiently circulates the air to cool a broader area of the room faster than the average fan — even when the oscillation is turned off. During testing, it decreased the temperature of the room a full degree after about 30 minutes on the second highest speeding setting.
However, it was the loudest of all the fans we tested, with a peak of 56.5 decibels. While it does have four speed settings, it lacks additional modes outside of an eight-hour timer feature. But these are minor issues that shouldn’t dissuade you, especially if you have large rooms. Overall, we think it’s a sleek, powerful fan that won’t disappoint.
Dreo Cruiser Pro T1 Tower Fan
More Speeds for Your Needs
Product specifications
Speed settings: 6 | Height: 41.73” | Airflow: 24 ft/s | Weight: 9.8 lb | Oscillation: 90 degrees
Of the fans we tested, this one has the second-highest number of speed settings with six total — each one delivering a good degree of comfort. For instance, we tested its airflow range and speed at speed setting four, and we measured cool 3.8 mile-per-hour winds at 6 feet from the fan and 1.8 miles per hour at 15 feet away. It also offers more extra modes than most other fans (Sleep, Auto, Natural and Normal), and it was easy to switch between them with the responsive remote control.
It is a little loud on the highest speeds, giving us 52 and 53.1 decibels on the fan’s fifth and sixth speed settings, respectively, which is a few points noisier than most others. However, it was whisper quiet on low speeds, with a reading of 41.1 decibels on the second speed setting. We also thought that its base was a bit unstable. But like the Vornado, its cooling performance is so top-notch that these minor issues shouldn’t stop you from seriously considering it.
Dreo Pilot Max S DR-HTF004S Tower Fan
Best Smart Tower Fan
Product specifications
Speed settings: 12 | Height: 42.52” | Airflow: 26 ft/s | Weight: 10.12 lb | Oscillation: 120 degrees
If you’re searching for a premium fan and don’t mind paying extra for all the bells and whistles that come with it, this one is just plain excellent. The main draw is its broad compatibility with smart-home systems. We tested it using a Google-based system, and it worked flawlessly, though the commands did take a little time to trigger. Its app is also straightforward, making it very easy to use.
In addition to its smart connectivity, there’s even more to love. It comes with an impressive 12 speed settings (the most of any fan we tested), with even setting 9 making our testing room feel instantly cooler while only generating 45.8 decibels — we almost forgot it was there it was so quiet.
Unlike most fans that offer 90 degrees of oscillation, this one can do 120 degrees, allowing you to cool down a wider area faster. And its silver exterior and base make it one of the sleekest-looking fans out there.
How we tested
First impressions
- Ease of setup: We set up the fan and took note of any assembly required and if any tools were needed.
- Appearance: We evaluated the fan based on its looks, noting its dimensions, weight and design.
- Construction: We judged the fan on its product build, its materials, its sturdiness and stability, and on how easy or difficult it was to disassemble for cleaning.
Usage
- Controls: In putting the fan through its paces, we noted what sort of controls it has, how easy they were to use and if it had any displays or other visual indicators.
- Speed settings: We checked the number of speed settings and how high or low they each were.
- Special features: If a fan promised features like air purification, outdoor use, whole room circulation, etc., we noted the feature and evaluated its performance.
Performance
- Cooling: We used the fan in a real-world setting to see how quickly, effectively and thoroughly it cooled our testers in small and large rooms.
- Noise: At each speed setting and with various features activated, we noted how loud or quiet the fan was and whether it disturbed rest or conversation.
- Oscillation: For oscillating tower fans, we tested the oscillation angle, noise and how it affected the fan’s stability.
What to know before you buy a tower fan
Airflow and cooling efficiency
A tower fan’s cooling capabilities come down to two important considerations: speed and angle.
- Speed: The higher you set the speed, the farther the airflow can reach and the more powerful the cooling effect. Most tower fans have at least three speed settings to choose from, while high-end tower fans can have 10 or more. Sometimes you can find a maximum speed listed in either cubic feet of air moved per minute or in feet per second (for instance, the Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan has an airflow rating of 25 ft/s, which is excellent).
- Angle: Most tower fans blow at a vertical angle. This concentrates the cooling effect on one spot, which is best for an individual. A few tower fans blow at a diagonal angle. This spreads the airflow over a wider space, which is best for groups. Oscillating your tower fan, a standard feature, doesn’t change these effects much. Vertical patterns still just target one spot while diagonals reach a broader area; only the center of the airflow changes.
Our top picks: Airflow and cooling efficiency
- Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan: At the highest of four speed settings, the testing room was noticeably cooler after only five minutes.
- Better Homes & Gardens Tower Fan: 6.55 pounds The room felt slightly cooler after 30 minutes during testing; however, the room actually increased in temperature by one degree.
- Vornado OSC84 Whole Room Air Circulator Tower Fan: The only diagonal-angle tower fan we tested, it disturbed more of our test papers than the vertical-angle fans we tried, and it brought the temperature down one degree.
- Dreo Cruiser Pro T1 Tower Fan: At speed four of six, we detected 1.8 mile-per-hour winds at 15 feet from the fan.
- Dreo Pilot Max S DR-HTF004S Tower Fan: We instantly felt a positive difference in the room after turning it on, though the temperature remained constant.
Noise level
Tower fans generate some noise, measured in decibels, with the best fans generating the least. There are some reasons why you may want more noise at the lowest speeds. For example, you could want to hear the whirring of the blades as a sleep aid without cooling your room as much.
All of the fans we tested had rough decibel ranges of 40 to 55, which is about as loud as a light rain. For more perspective, a whisper is around 30 decibels while a loud restaurant is around 80.
Our top picks: Noise level
- Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan: A fairly quiet fan overall, its range was 39.8 to 50 decibels between four speed settings.
- Better Homes & Gardens Tower Fan: This fan’s noise level was pretty consistent no matter the speed, with a range of 49.3 to 51.6 decibels between three speed settings.
- Vornado OSC84 Whole Room Air Circulator Tower Fan: On the noisier side at high speed, this fan ranged from 44.2 to 56.5 decibels between four speed settings.
- Dreo Cruiser Pro T1 Tower Fan: This fan’s range was 39.8 to 53.1 decibels between six speed settings.
- Dreo Pilot Max S DR-HTF004S Tower Fan: Offering the quietest operation on its lowest setting compared to other fans we tested, this fan ranged from 38.2 to 52.8 decibels between 12 speed settings.
Size and portability
For size, most tower fans share a similar enough width (somewhere between 11 and 13 inches) that height becomes the defining dimension. If you plan on keeping it in one spot, consider the size of the room it will be in. Try to get shorter fans for smaller rooms. Tall fans in small rooms can create an illusion of less space or make the fan seem imposing.
If you plan on moving a tower fan around as needed, check a tower fan’s listed weight and whether it has a carrying handle or not. Often, the handle on a tower fan is a cutout at the top of the fan in back that you can hook your hand on, so you don’t need to worry about a handle sticking out awkwardly.
Our top picks: Size and portability
- Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan: This fan measures 11.81 inches in diameter and 36.22 inches high and weighs 9.9 pounds. Its height of 36 inches was the best fit for our 11-by-12-foot testing area. Like all of the picks on this list, it has a notch in the back to make it easy to carry.
- Better Homes & Gardens Tower Fan: This model measures 12 inches in diameter and 40 inches high and weighs 6.5 pounds, making it the lightest model we tested by about 3 pounds.
- Vornado OSC84 Whole Room Air Circulator Tower Fan: This one measures 12 inches in diameter and 41 inches high and weighs 9.7 pounds.
- Dreo Cruiser Pro T1 Tower Fan: This fan measures 13 inches in diameter and 42 inches high and weighs 9.8 pounds.
- Dreo Pilot Max S DR-HTF004S Tower Fan: The biggest and heaviest of them all, this one measures about 13 inches in diameter and 42.5 inches high and weighs 10.12 pounds.
Durability and maintenance
The exterior of most tower fans is made mainly of plastic — and usually, the more you pay, the more sturdy the plastic is. For durability, this means the exterior of any given tower fan is almost guaranteed to outlast the interior components, minus taking the occasional scratch or two. In a nice symmetry though, maintaining the exterior and keeping it free from dust also lengthens the lifespan of the interior parts.
Maintenance on a tower fan typically means dusting it about once a week. Then, every one to three months, you need to dust the interior. Some tower fans make this easy by using detachable grates, but others may not. For these fans, take them outside and use compressed air to blow the interior dust out. This helps the key components of your tower fan last longer. Even then, most fans’ important components only last three to five years with regular use.
Our top picks: Durability and maintenance
- The Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan, Vornado OSC84 Whole Room Air Circulator Tower Fan, Dreo Cruiser Pro T1 Tower Fan and Dreo Pilot Max S DR-HTF004S Tower Fan are all made of quality plastic and feature exterior grates that are either designed to pop on and off or are held in place by easily accessible screws, so they’re easy to clean.
- The Better Homes & Gardens Tower Fan, which is also made of quality plastic, does not have a removable grate; it needs to be cleaned out with compressed air.
Additional functionalities and features
Some tower fans up the game and the price by including useful extra features. Many have timers so you can have the fan shut off after a certain time (all of our top picks include this). You can also find tower fans that have humidifiers or air purifiers that do more to your air than move it around, while others have thermostats and temperature displays so you can have tighter control on their effects. The most advanced tower fans can connect to your Wi-Fi to be part of your smart-home setup.
