The Best Box Fan of 2024 for Any Room in Your Home, Tested
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Beat the heat in any room of the house with the simple addition of a box fan, and let a personal box fan keep you cool at work.
During hot and humid months, a good box fan can make a house or garage feel cooler without consuming excessive electricity. However, not all box fans deliver enough airflow to improve a room’s comfort levels. To find the best comfort-inducing options, we recently tested nine box fans over a span of 3 weeks.
Our top pick, the Air King 20″ 3-Speed Commercial-Grade Box Fan, might be a bit noisy, but its power is unmatched. With a wind speed of 12.6 miles per hour (mph) on its highest setting, it kept our stuffy bedroom cool and comfortable all night. We also found other suitable options for those who prefer smaller or quieter fans.
Read on for important considerations, our top picks, advice from experts in the field, and more on the best box fans.
- BEST OVERALL: Air King 20″ 3-Speed Commercial-Grade Box Fan
↓ Jump to Review - RUNNER-UP: Pelonis 20″ 3-Speed Box Fan
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Black+Decker 9″ Frameless Tabletop Box Fan
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR WHITE NOISE: Comfort Zone 20″ 3-Speed Box Fan With Carry Handle
↓ Jump to Review - BEST PERSONAL: Comfort Zone 9″ 3-Speed Portable Box Fan
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR LARGE ROOMS: Genesis G20 20″ High-Velocity Box Fan
↓ Jump to Review - BEST ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Utilitech 20″ 3-Speed Box Fan
↓ Jump to Review - BEST COLOR OPTIONS: Lasko 20″ Cool Colors Box Fan
↓ Jump to Review - BEST PURIFYING:Lasko Air Flex 2-in-1 20″ Box Fan and Air Purifier
↓ Jump to Review
How We Tested the Best Box Fans
All box fans were tested in the same locations during the same period of time. Our main test room was a bedroom without air conditioning. The bedroom temperature remained a steady 74 degrees Fahrenheit, which allowed us to evaluate each fan’s cooling ability.
In addition to assessing each fan’s capacity to keep a room comfortable, we measured wind speed using an anemometer, noise levels with a decibel (dB) monitoring app, and energy use on the fan’s highest and lowest settings with the help of an energy meter.
To evaluate portability, we carried each fan up and down our stairs three times, noting how hard or easy it was to do so. We tracked all of our test results in a rubric, where we awarded each fan a score from 0 to 5 based on its ease of assembly, air circulation, portability, noise, and value. Scores were tallied at the end of testing to determine the best overall box fans.
| Testing Stats | |
| Products tested | 9 |
| Time spent testing | 3 weeks |
| Tests performed | 7 |
| Price range | $15 to $60 |
Our Top Picks
The following top-rated products were selected based on extensive research and testing. To ensure thoroughness, we used each box fan for multiple nights and in different scenarios. After testing, we tallied our results and assigned each model an award to make it easy to find the best fan for your needs.
Best Overall
Air King 20" 3-Speed Commercial-Grade Box Fan
Photo: Amazon
Our Ratings: Assembly 5/5; Air Circulation 5/5; Noise 3/5; Portability 4/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- Speeds: 3
- Carry handle: Yes
- Dimensions: 22.5 inches tall by 21.4 inches wide by 6.4 inches deep
What We Like
- Provides powerful airflow, making stuffy rooms more comfortable
- Quality steel body with impact-resistant plastic grills
- 6-foot power cord
What We Don’t Like
- Noise may drown out nearby conversations
We spent 3 weeks testing box fans, and none compared to the power and air circulation of the Air King. When placed in a stuffy bedroom, it instantly made the space feel more comfortable. According to our tests, this fan delivered an impressive 12.6 mph wind gust on its highest setting. Even on its lowest setting, it provided more circulation than some of the other models’ highest settings.
Unfortunately, with the powerful airspeed came a lot of noise. The Air King was the loudest of all the fans we tested, ranging from 74 to 77 dB when measured from 2 feet away. We had a hard time carrying on conversations or enjoying a TV show when this fan ran in the background. However, it generated a great amount of white noise, making it easy to fall asleep.
We liked that we could toggle between three speeds, and the carry handle made it easy to transport up and down the stairs. When tested with an energy meter, the Air King consumed between 56 and 80 watts (W) of power. This is one of our favorite fans for the summer. We’d recommend it to those looking for a bedroom fan, but it would also work well in a home gym, garage, shop, or commercial space.
Get the Air King box fan at Amazon or Walmart.
Runner-up
Pelonis 20" 3-Speed Box Fan
Photo: Amazon
Our Ratings: Assembly 5/5; Air Circulation 3.8/5; Noise 3.5/5; Portability 4/5; Value 3.5/5
Product Specs
- Speeds: 3
- Carry handle: Yes
- Dimensions: 21.3 inches tall by 20.6 inches wide by 5.6 inches deep
What We Like
- Lightweight design and carry handle for easy portability
- High-power fan provides ample air circulation
- Aesthetically pleasing with its sleek black design
What We Don’t Like
- Noisy at its highest speed
The Pelonis box fan is a modestly priced option with three speeds, a sleek black design, and a front-facing dial. It is lightweight and has carry handles built into the top corner. We carried this fan back and forth from our home to our shop with little effort.
At its highest setting, the Pelonis delivers powerful airflow that effectively cools down a stuffy room and can help keep you cool without air conditioning. The most noticeable con was the noise level. The Pelonis was loud on its highest setting—we had to lower it to have conversations without shouting.
A standout feature was the recessed cord storage. Most box fan cords look messy when not in use, so we appreciated the ability to keep the power cord tidy and hidden. The fan came with stabilizing feet, a feature often found in higher-end models. We could turn in the feet to use this as a window box fan and turn them back out to put it on the floor.
Get the Pelonis box fan at Amazon.
Best Bang for the Buck
Black+Decker 9" Frameless Tabletop Box Fan
Photo: Amazon
Our Ratings: Assembly 5/5; Air Circulation 3.5/5; Noise 5/5; Portability 5/5; Value 4.5/5
Product Specs
- Speeds: 3
- Carry handle: No
- Dimensions: 11 inches tall by 11 inches wide by 4 inches deep
What We Like
- Produces significant air gusts for its size
- Quiet even on its highest setting
- Unique frameless design
What We Don’t Like
- Not suited for cooling large spaces, like bedrooms
Don’t let this fan’s small stature fool you: Standing 11 inches tall, this box fan from Black+Decker delivers impressive airflow. It features a unique frameless design with a front-facing dial and a compact size that’s well suited for use as a desk fan. On its highest setting, it generates wind speeds up to 11.6 mph, which can make you feel more comfortable as you work or sleep.
This cooling fan is also pretty quiet, with a decibel range of 45 to 50. Even at its highest setting, carrying on conversations and watching TV was easy. According to our energy usage tests, the Black+Decker is an energy efficient choice, consuming about 29 to 41W of power.
Since this model is small, it won’t work in every situation. Though it delivers impressive wind gusts for its size, its 9-inch fan blades limit the amount of air it can circulate. We also couldn’t find any way to remove the casing to clean the blades. Overall, the modern design, portability, and power make this one of the best fans for the office or a bedside table, but its smaller size and shorter cord limit its versatility.
Get the Black+Decker box fan at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Wayfair.
Best For White Noise
Comfort Zone 20" 3-Speed Box Fan With Carry Handle
Photo: Amazon
Our Ratings: Assembly 5/5; Air Circulation 3.5/5; Noise 3.5/5; Portability 5/5; Value 3/5
Product Specs
- Speeds: 3
- Carry handle: Yes
- Dimensions: 22.1 inches tall by 20.9 inches wide by 5.1 inches deep
What We Like
- 3 speeds allow user to adapt to environment
- Lightweight design for portability
- Front grill is removable to clean fan blades
What We Don’t Like
- One of the stabilizing legs broke during assembly
- Short power cord
The Comfort Zone 20-inch fan wasn’t the loudest model we tested, but it came close. When measured from 2 feet away, it produced sound levels ranging from 64 to 68 dB, providing white background noise. We found the fan’s moderately high noise levels to be one of the easiest to fall asleep to. It also produced adequate airflow that made our bedroom feel more comfortable.
We liked the fan’s modern black look and lightweight design. It also came with stabilizing feet to help prevent the fan from moving around while powered on. However, one of them broke during installation. Fortunately, even without the stabilizing feet, we didn’t notice much movement when the fan was powered on high.
Our energy meter tests show that the Comfort Zone used between 68.1 and 83.6W of power. Its top-mounted dial with three speeds was easy to adjust, and the grill is removable via screws for access and cleaning of the fan blades. The power cord was a little short for our liking, and in some setups, an extension cord may be necessary to situate the floor fan where needed.
Get the Comfort Zone 20″ box fan at Amazon or Walmart.
Best Personal
Comfort Zone 9" 3-Speed Portable Box Fan
Photo: Amazon
Our Ratings: Assembly 5/5; Air Circulation 3/5; Noise 5/5; Portability 5/5; Value 4/5
Product Specs
- Speeds: 3
- Carry handle: No
- Dimensions: 11.3 inches tall by 10.7 inches wide by 5.1 inches deep
What We Like
- Ideal size for use as a personal fan
- Quiet box fan on its low and medium settings
- Compact size for desks, nightstands, and small tables
What We Don’t Like
- Not powerful enough to cool down large spaces
Small box fans are ideal for placing on a desk or bedside table, and the Comfort Zone 9-inch fan is one of the best options in this size range. It’s quiet and delivers just the right amount of airflow to cool you off without blowing important papers off your table or desk. According to our energy meter tests, it’s also energy efficient, consuming 16.5 to 26.9W of power.
The Comfort Zone is a quiet fan with three speeds: low, medium, and high. On high, it registered 49 dB of sound, which provided some white noise but was quiet enough to talk over. On medium and low, it was nearly silent. Despite its lack of a carry handle, the Comfort Zone’s compact design makes it easy to pick up and transport without issue.
At its top speed, the Comfort Zone produced wind gusts of up to 5.8 mph, which was much lower than the 20-inch box fans we tested. The airflow was powerful enough to keep one person comfortable. However, the 9-inch blade size means this fan isn’t equipped for whole-room cooling. Even though it’s stationary, this fan can keep you as cool as comparable small oscillating fan models. The Comfort Zone is available in white and black and at a budget-friendly price point.
Get the Comfort Zone 9″ box fan at Amazon.
Best For Large Rooms
Genesis G20 20" High-Velocity Box Fan
Photo: Amazon
Our Ratings: Assembly 5/5; Air Circulation 3/5; Noise 3/5; Portability 4/5; Value 4.5/5
Product Specs
- Speeds: 3
- Carry handle: Yes
- Dimensions: 20 inches tall by 20 inches wide by 4.5 inches deep
What We Like
- 3 fan speeds suit a wide range of needs
- Modern design with a front-facing dial
- Lightweight and portable
What We Don’t Like
- Loud on highest setting
- Shows dust easily; grill isn’t removable for cleaning
The Genesis G20 offers a sleek design with two carrying handles nestled in its top corner. It features a copper motor to promote longevity and high velocity. The fan felt lightweight and was easy to carry around the house, and the stabilizing feet enabled it to rest on any flat surface without wobbling. The front-facing dial also made it easy to adjust when propped in the window.
The Genesis’s three speeds met varying needs, and on its highest setting, this box fan produced enough airflow to help keep a single room comfortable. It also worked well as an air cooler electric fan to circulate the air from AC units. Unfortunately, it didn’t have a removable grill. The black design showed more dust than light colors, but without being able to access the blades, all we could do was clean the outside.
The Genesis produced moderate noise on the low and medium settings. However, it was pretty loud on its highest setting. While this might be helpful for some to fall asleep to, the sound level wasn’t conducive to holding conversations or watching TV. While the noise level will be a deterrent for some, it’s a solid option for large rooms.