8 powerful fans that will keep you cool all summer long
When the temperature heats up outside, you can keep things cool and comfortable inside with a good fan. The best fans for summer are powerful enough to quickly cool down the room but quiet enough to use while you’re sleeping — and some of them will even give your home a decor upgrade, too.
There are a few sizes and styles to consider when shopping for the best fans for summer heat. A compact fan that sits on your desk or bedside table is affordable and efficient enough to cool down your immediate area, but to cover larger rooms, you’ll want to invest in something more powerful, like a tower or pedestal fan. Tower fans are sleek and have a slim profile that fits easily into narrow spaces, so they’re a good choice for smaller rooms, and since they’re usually bladeless, they're safe to have around kids and pets. Pedestal fans take up more space, but they offer more powerful airflow to keep you comfortable.
You’ll also want to consider features like speed and airflow settings, oscillation, timers, remote or voice control, and Wi-Fi connectivity. To make the most of your buy, you may even want to opt for a multi-functional fan that also operates as an air purifier or cool mist humidifier.
No matter which fan works best for you, using one during the summer (either alone or with an air conditioner) can help you save money and stay cool — and these are the best fans for summer that’ll have you feeling easy-breezy in no time.
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01The reviewer favorite
With consistently impressive ratings, this fan favorite (pun intended) boasts customizable features and is sleek enough to use in any room without taking up too much space. With 65-degree oscillation, the highly rated tower fan operates on three speeds and three settings: normal, natural, and sleep. There’s even an auto mode that automatically turns the fan on if the room temperature reaches 78.8 degrees, and it will automatically turn off when the temperature dips below 75.2. Other helpful features include a timer and a convenient carry handle for if you want to move the fan from room to room.
Plus, it's simple to operate: There’s a large LED screen that displays the room temperature and fan settings, and you can control everything using the included remote.
One reviewer says: “It's been brutal in my NYC apartment lately so I started looking around for reasonably-priced fans to help cool me down. Long story short, I purchased this fan and it's been a lifesaver. It does a great job of keeping me cool in my bedroom, has a small variety of different settings, and is silent enough to the point that I forget it's next to me - all for a very reasonable price."
02The classic one
For powerful, reliable cooling, you can’t go wrong with this Honeywell pedestal fan. The oscillating, double-blade fan features three speeds and three airflow settings: normal, natural, and quiet. Thanks to the remote control, you don't have to get up off the couch if you want switch modes or speeds, and you can also set the fan on a timer for one to eight hours. The fan's height is adjustable from 40 to 48 inches, and you can tilt the head to your desired angle. Choose from two colors: black and white.
One reviewer says: “Quiet, reliable and well-built. The base is surprisingly heavy, which is a nice touch (no chance of tipping over).”
03The compact one for desks & nightstands
One of the best fans for bedrooms, this Honeywell is small enough to fit on your nightstand, where it'll keep you cool all night long. The fan offers three speeds, and while it doesn't oscillate, the head tilts 90 degrees so you can direct the air where it’s needed most. Ideal for desks as well as bedside tables, it boasts quiet operation, and even though the fan is small, Amazon reviewers reported surprisingly powerful airflow. There’s no remote, so you’ll have to control the fan using a knob on the back.
One reviewer says: “Let's be realistic: when you buy a fan, you want it to move the air. This beauty does it IN SPADES! Even on low, it is still pushing quite a bit of air and does so relatively quietly.”
04The high-velocity one
If you want something that'll cool down a large room fast, this high-velocity fan by Lasko offers super powerful airflow. The three-speed fan has a pivoting head, so you can direct airflow, but it doesn't oscillate and there's no remote control. However, the front-facing manual control knob makes it a cinch to operate. The fan can be set on the floor, but if you want to save space, you can mount it to the wall with the included bracket. Since it’s high velocity, this is probably one of the louder options on the list (one Amazon reviewer compared it to white noise), but it's guaranteed to cool you down. Choose from black, silver, and gray color options.
One reviewer says: “Fan is a beast! Moves air like a whirlwind on hot days or when I need to simply cool/dry off from a work out rather quickly.”
05The one with voice control
This smart pedestal fan is Wi-Fi-enabled, so you can sync it to Alexa or Google Home and use voice commands — or a smartphone app — to control it. The oscillating fan has three speeds, three modes, and timer functions. The height is adjustable from 3.6 feet to 4.4 feet and the fan head tilts so you can move it to the perfect angle. Another cool feature? You can set the fan to automatically adjust speeds and modes according to the weather outside.
One reviewer says: “Powerful and cools my whole living room. I love the sleep setting because it moves plenty of air but is virtually silent. I plan on buying a second for my bedroom. The smart features are great too! The Nash app is pretty good but the key is that it integrates great with Alexa.”
06The vintage-inspired one
Go ahead and make your fan a design piece with this vintage-style fan that comes in shades of pale green, chrome, and creamy white. Based on a design from 1945, the sturdy fan features two speed settings and, while there's no oscillation, you can tilt the head to your desired angle. The fan is also available in other styles, like this small fan for desks and nightstands.
One reviewer says: “You cannot buy a better made electric fan than this. It does not exist. The quality is at least as good, if not better and certainly safer than the original Vornado, introduced in 1945. Noise is almost non-existent on the low speed and completely tolerable on the high speed."
07The one with an extra-slim profile
Tall and slim, this bladeless fan is a space-saving option that looks like a Star Trek set piece. The oscillating, three-speed fan features three modes — normal, natural, sleep — and a timer you can set for up to 15 hours. The remote control lets you operate from across the room, and the built-in handle makes it easy to move the fan around. And Amazon reviewers say it's quiet at all three speeds.
One reviewer says: “The tower is a great idea for saving space. It puts out a lot of cool air. Even on low. It does vibrate a little when I have it oscillating.”
08The one with a built-in air purifier
Stay cool and breathe easy with this Dyson fan and air purifier combo. Besides creating a nice breeze, it features a HEPA filter that removes 99.97% of dust, pollen, pet dander, bacteria, and volatile organic compounds, for fresher, cleaner air. This multitasking option connects to the Dyson link app, giving you real-time air quality reports and the ability to control both the fan and air purifier from your smartphone. You can also operate one feature at a time — use only the purifier when the weather turns cold, or use only the fan when you're looking to save energy.
The oscillating tower fan has 10 speed settings, nighttime mode, a sleep timer, and an auto-shutoff feature in case it gets tipped over. Plus, it comes with a magnetic remote that attaches directly to the fan, so you'll never lose it. The filter will need to be replaced once a year, assuming you use it for 12 hours every day.
One reviewer says: “It’s a great filter and fan all in one. Perfect for a stuffy apartment.”
