Out of all of the tower fans we tested, our favorite is the Better Homes & Gardens 40” 3-Speed Tower. Our testers found this fan to be powerful, quiet, easy to carry, and budget-friendly. Based on our testing and research, here are the best tower fans to cool your space. To put the fan’s cooling power to the test, we used each of the fan’s three wind modes—natural wind, sleep wind, and regular wind—at the highest of their three speed settings and stood 6 inches, 6 feet, and 20 feet away, in front of the fan and at each side to see if we could feel the airflow directly and indirectly. For this fan, although powerful and cooling (especially in regular mode), we felt the airflow only directly, both in oscillation and stationary modes. However, this fan is very lightweight and easy to move when needed. Using the convenient carry handle, our tester picked it up and moved it around the lab with one hand! We also evaluated the sound of the three wind modes. We were particularly impressed by how quiet the fan was, even at the highest speed on each wind mode. Sleep mode produced a quiet, relaxing sound; wind mode was a little more powerful but still relatively quiet. And after using this fan for a month in her own home, our product tester noted, “It keeps the room super cool and the noise level is just right.” Overall, the wind modes and speed settings provide a great range of choices, so you can find the right combination that works for you, day or night. Price at time of publish: $48 To circulate and cool the air, the fan features 70 percent oscillation in addition to 10 speeds, although during testing we couldn’t really notice it was on until the sixth setting. At the highest setting, the fan was felt as much as 20 feet away and was still relatively quiet—you wouldn’t have to yell over it to have a conversation or turn up the volume of the television. In fact, after using it for one month, our tester noted, " The sound is really only noticeable on the highest settings, but even then it’s nowhere near as loud as my AC unit or a larger box fan." We found it was easy to move this lightweight (8 pounds) fan. A nice touch is if you accidentally tip it over, it automatically turns off. Other handy features include a magnetic remote control, bladeless design, an easy-to-change filter, and a sleep timer. It’s worth noting that this fan was not as powerful as others we tested in the lab, and this was reflected by our tester’s experience at home, “I would say it’s not quite as strong as other tower fans I’ve used in the past (this might be the lack of blades), but it works well for my use.” Price at time of publish: $400 We love that this is a combination fan and heater, so it can make your home feel more comfortable year-round, and you never need to store it. Although tall, its sleek look and compact base blends into your decor better than some other options we tested. Safety features include a blade-less design, and a tip-over automatic shutoff. Although it was a bit wobbly on its base if pushed, this fan doesn’t seem that it would be knocked over easily. The control panel on top of the fan and the remote control have separate settings for the fan and heater, which we found very user-friendly. Also, the digital display lets you know which mode you are using, so you can tell at a glance from across the room (red light for the heater, and blue for the fan). And although the display lacks a dimming feature, as other tower fans, you can set an 8-hour programmable timer to turn the unit off. Price at time of publish: $130 The built-in remote control storage is also a nice space-saving feature. If you need to store or move the fan, it features a built-in carry handle, although it is a bit bulky to be truly portable. As our tester noted, “This is more of a set-it-in-one-spot-and-enjoy kind of fan.” Also, if the wood-paneled look isn’t the right fit for your decor, this fan is also available in silver and grey. Price at time of publish: $81 Other sleep-friendly features include a shutoff timer you can set for 1, 2, 4, or 8 hours, and lights that automatically dim 50 percent after 15 seconds, so they aren’t too bright at night. And since it has a remote, you don’t even have to get out of bed to operate it. When not in use, the remote can be stored inside the back of the fan. After using it for a month in her living room, our tester noted, “It has cooled down my living space without AC exponentially. I have AC in my room, but this does not always travel to our living space. This fan quickly cools down my living room, but it is a relatively small space.” In fact, while testing in our lab, we noted that the airflow was best felt 6 feet or closer at the highest setting. This is also the type of fan you would want to leave in one place, ideally, where it wouldn’t get knocked over by kids or pets—the base feels a bit wobbly and it is heavy to carry around, even with the carry handle. Price at time of publish: $144 The Comfort Zone tower fan also is surprisingly quiet for its budget-friendly price—a great feature for this top budget pick since fans this quiet usually cost much more. Due to its settings, quiet operation, and compact size, it’s ideal for a bedroom, nursery, office, or other small room. It may not be powerful enough to efficiently cool a large living room or family room. If you want to use it in a larger room, consider purchasing two and setting up customized zones. Price at time of publish: $42
Speed Settings
A tower fan’s cooling power doesn’t just rely on its size—its array of speed settings makes a major difference. Most often, a wider range of speeds makes for a more versatile machine. You can use a tower fan simply to create white noise, add a gentle breeze, or noticeably cool an entire room. A fan with fewer speeds might not provide you with the same options but offers simple air circulation.
Oscillation
If you intend for your tower fan to cool down an entire room, make sure to check its range of the back-and-forth motion called oscillation, or whether it oscillates at all. Oscillation is important for complete air circulation. So, this feature should be a priority, unless you plan to use your tower fan on one fixed area.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was researched and written by Katie Begley, a freelance writer specializing in home and family products. Katie has been writing for The Spruce since 2019. Living in Hawaii, Katie became a tower fan enthusiast for keeping her home cool and comfortable while saving on expensive electric bills and has used many of these fans in her own home. Tower Fans can also be a good option in homes with children or pets, as they are bladeless and do not have as many areas for stuck fingers or tails. “Tower fans can often weigh more than other fans, so it’s important to be mindful of where you place it in the house, says George. “Avoid elevated surfaces where they can easily be knocked down by small children and pets, and keep in mind that tower fans don’t have a blade for children to touch, so it might also help minimize the risk of getting hurt.” Your fan model might also include a cleaning brush, which you can use to scrub dust and lint out of intake grills. (A small, clean toothbrush can get the job done in a pinch.) A can of compressed air helps clear out debris from the fan’s blades and the rest of its interior. Additional reporting was added by Jenica Currie, Associate Commerce Editor for outdoor, gardening, and home improvement at The Spruce. Jenica added testing insights from The Lab and from testers evaluating these tower fans in their own homes. Rodney George, a Best Buy home expert, also provided additional insight for this article. George not only offered buying tips but also provided helpful insight on how to clean and maintain tower fans.
What Is Spruce Approved?
Here at The Spruce, we want to ensure we fully stand behind every product we recommend and that when we say something is the best, we mean it. You might have noticed The Spruce Approved badge next to the products on this list. Every product with this badge has been rigorously tested in person and carefully selected by our expert team of lab testers and editors. In most cases, we buy all these products ourselves, though occasionally, we get samples provided to us directly by companies. No matter how we procure products, they all go through the same tests and must meet the same strict criteria to make the best-of cut. We also pride ourselves on transparency and will always let you know if we received a product for free.
