The 8 Best Tower Fans To Keep You Cool, Based On Long-Term Testing
Thanks to their tall, slim design, the best tower fans can bring a powerful breeze into any room, all while taking up minimal floor space. After challenging 10 top-rated fans to keep my humid Florida home cool over the course of six months, I believe the Dreo Cruiser Pro T1 Tower Fan is the best option for most people. Featuring a modern design with an LED screen and remote control, this sleek six-speed fan efficiently cooled my living space without being too loud or distracting.
The best tower fans can help keep you cool while taking up little floor space.
Here are all the winners from my testing process:
While all types of fans have their own strengths—window fans yield the freshest breeze, while box fans are prized for their power and energy efficiency—tower models might just be the coolest. Design ecologist Lindsay Tan compares tower fans to sports cars: They’re fun to use and show off. “A tower fan is generally going to be smaller, quieter and sexier than any of its cousins,” says Tan. And while these slender devices are especially great for cooling spaces when you don’t want to run your window air conditioner, they can also work alongside any AC system in rooms that could use a little extra help. When shopping, look for multispeed models that are oscillating, unobtrusive (design-wise and noise-wise) and come with actually useful features like timers and accessories like remote controls. Beyond that, the right model for your space depends on your home layout, cooling needs, personal preferences and budget. If you’re ready to start shopping, start by considering these eight winning models.
For its excellent airflow, actually useful features and quiet operation, the Dreo Cruiser Pro T1 Tower Fan is the model I’d recommend first to people in want of one of these sleek devices. Housed in a slender black form with an LED display screen, this six-speed fan blew me away during testing, producing a powerful breeze that reached at least 15 feet away. When using the fan in everyday scenarios around my living room and home office, it delivered quiet, steady airflow, which I credit to its bladeless design. (Read my full review of this model here.)
While tower fans aren’t known to be overly complicated, I found the Dreo Cruiser Pro T1 especially easy to use. To adjust the fan’s speed, mode and timer, simply press one of the five clearly marked buttons on the device’s body or use the included remote control. I also appreciated the features on this tower fan. The natural setting, for example, alternates the device’s speed to imitate a breeze you’d feel outside. Another attractive feature is the sleep mode, which dims the display after 15 seconds and mutes the beeping associated with making changes to the fan’s operation, making this a great option for use in the bedroom.
What really makes this fan exceptional, though, is that it goes above and beyond the basic tower fan—but it doesn’t come with a steep price tag. It’s worth noting that the fan is available in a smart version with Wi-Fi connectivity (which I tested), though I believe the less expensive standard model to be the best option for most people. And if your model falters or proves defective, all Dreo fans are backed by a one-year warranty.
Long-Term Testing Notes
Six months into using the Dreo Cruiser Pro T1 Tower Fan, its operation is just as smooth and quiet as when I first set it up. It hasn’t started to wheeze or rattle (a common issue with tower fans), which speaks to the quality and mechanics of its bladeless design. The only thing I’ve noticed over time is the black base of the fan shows dust very easily, as do the grilles in the housing. Fortunately, the majority of the fan is easy to wipe off with a duster; the only tricky parts to clean are the horizontal louvers on three sides of the fan.
One more thing worth reporting: I’m pleased to say that I haven’t lost the remote over the last six months, as the body of the tower fan has a slot to hold it. (I can’t say the same for another tower fan that was separated from its remote for weeks before I found it at the bottom of a closet).
The LG PuriCare AeroTower Air Purifying Fan is one mighty device. Similar to the Dreo Cruiser Pro T1, this sophisticated fan created a strong breeze during testing, so much so that I could easily feel it 15 feet away. And whereas the average tower fan offers three or four speeds, the AeroTower has 10, plus three different airflow settings: direct, diffusion and wide. What really sets it apart, though, is its air-purifying capabilities. Equipped with a HEPA-grade filter, this smart device cleans the air that it circulates around the room.
This multifunctionality is not for nothing. When fans of all kinds circulate air, they can also stir up irritants like dust, dander and mold, which aggravates allergies. The AeroTower, however, captures those irritants, rather than blowing them around the room. Along with a HEPA-grade filter, the device has an internal UV light that kills bacteria on the blades at the base of the fans. And if you want to keep tabs on your air quality, you can check the integrated LCD display at the bottom of the fan (just make sure the fan is connected to Wi-Fi) or check the LG ThinQ app. You can also control the fan through that same app or with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
You can also control the LG PuriCare AeroTower Air Purifying Fan using the included remote, which … [+]
Now, this tower fan won’t make sense for everyone. If you have a dedicated air purifier you run in your home, you can probably get away with a less expensive, standard fan. It’s also not ideal for small living spaces: Weighing 28 pounds and standing 44 inches tall, it’s both the heaviest and tallest model I tested. But if you want a do-it-all device that can trap allergens while keeping you cool, you’ll find none better than this stylish, versatile tower fan. Just keep in mind that you need to buy replacement HEPA filters every 12 months or so, depending on use. (For more details, here’s my full review of the fan.)
Long-Term Testing Notes
Over the last six months of cooler weather, I’ve mainly used this fan’s diffusion and wide settings, which have been great for air circulation. I’ve also really come to appreciate that this model monitors your air quality: I like looking back on the average temperature, humidity and PM levels in my home for the last day, week and month. When I see periods of low humidity, I then understand why my houseplants have been looking less than perky.
Another thing that’s impressed me is the fan’s filter life, which was a big concern for me during testing. After six months, the apps shows a remaining filter life of 89 percent. According to brand, the filter should be replaced every 12 months—so I’m thrilled with my filter’s status. (I should note, however, that I’ve been running the fan less frequently during the winter.)
If you want a tower fan that’s frills-free, look no further than the Lasko Wind Curve Oscillating Tower Fan. Featuring an LED display screen and three fan speeds, this oscillating model provided cooling up to 15 feet away during testing, though its wind speed was on the lower side (at a distance of 3 feet away, the wind registered at 4.9 mph on high). While this device’s design and power aren’t especially noteworthy, it’s nonetheless a sturdy, reliable model that covers the basics.
Thanks to its intuitive, streamlined design, the Lasko is a breeze to operate. To adjust the fan’s speed or set a timer (up to 7.5 hours), you can either press the buttons located at the top of the device or use the included remote if you’re across the room. Using the buttons or the remote, you can also activate the fan’s night setting, which dims the LED controls and decreases the speed to be less noticeable. (During normal operation, I found the fan to be slightly whiny.) And when the cooler months roll around, this model is a cinch to pick up and move into a storage closet, thanks to its lightweight build, under 16 pounds.
True to its name, the Honeywell QuietSet 5 Whole Room Tower Fan is an unobtrusive device that makes very little noise during operation. During testing, the fan produced 44 decibels of noise on its high setting and just 33 decibels on low—that’s about as loud as a faraway birdcall and a person whispering, respectively. But what makes this low sound output so impressive is that the machine remains whisper-quiet while whooshing out air at 4.5 mph and causing a breeze that reaches at least 15 feet away.
The Honeywell QuietSet 5 Whole Room Tower Fan’s control panel.
The Honeywell QuietSet’s only real downside is that its white plastic housing looks and feels budget. Because of this, you might not want to run the fan in a living space where you entertain. Instead, this tower fan belongs in the bedroom. Along with its quiet operation, the fan’s modes (which are distinct from its five speed settings) are geared toward improving your sleep environment; they have names like sleep, calm, white noise and refresh, which translate into progressively louder levels of fan operation. The white noise setting, for example, can help drown out low-level ambient noise from another room. Another thoughtful touch: The included remote control fits flush in the back of the tower fan so it’s easier to keep track of.