The No. 1 criteria I have with any fan is does it keep me cool? I typically need my fan at night while I’m sleeping and while sitting at my desk during the day. Own an Ace Store Your ultimate power tool for business success.
It chirps loudly and obnoxiously with every setting change, and though the lights dim, they never turn off. Switching between speeds, the unit we tested also had considerable difficulty finding the right rotation rate, shifting awkwardly between several speeds before settling at a constant pace. At the end of the day, though we find much to like about this quiet, effective fan, we’re not quite sure its shortcomings make it worth the hefty price tag. Of course, this level of simplicity may be too simple for some. Offering just three speeds and no remote or other frills, this fan is in no way fancy or modern.
Although it costs a bit more, this fan uses a DC motor instead of a typical AC one, which helps save up to 80 percent more energy than a standard AC fan. But despite using less energy, this model is powerful, with the ability to propel air up to 80 feet. It also has a sleek, modern look, which is rare for pedestal fans, and it weighs in at only 10 pounds. However, the lightweight plastic disc base lacks any feet to hold it in place on a hard floor. While we don’t think this is a huge problem, if your furniture gets frequently bumped into by children or pets (or adults!), the Lasko S16612 will slide. And, if you have a giant living space and are hoping to place a fan across the room that can still reach you with a powerful breeze on the couch, this one may disappoint you with its below-average wind speeds.
It has no remote, no extra modes, no timer, and doesn’t even oscillate. Additionally, this fan may not quite reach the top of your bed — at its tallest, it stands just 38 inches high. It’s also quite loud on higher settings, though the lowest speed is reasonably quiet.
If you plan to carry it around your home, we also found that it sometimes comes apart mid-transit — though it simply slides back together again easily. At the end of the day, if you want a fan to help keep your area at a more consistent temperature, the functionality and simplicity of this fan are here to help. Despite being the smallest of our tested fans, the Vornado 683 Medium is alen breathesmart also among the most powerful. Packing a big punch, we measured this little fan hitting 13.4 mph. While this will certainly help cool you off when pointed directly at your face, it’s also fairly effective as an air circulator when positioned just right in larger spaces. Instead of a solid base, this lightweight model has five sturdy legs that give it a small but stable footprint.
Turbo Boost acts and sounds exactly like what you’d expect from the name, and the Normal settings are the three middle speeds. This fan exhibits one of the larger and taller height ranges while its heavy base securely anchors it to the floor. It includes a timer and a remote — though no CR2032 battery comes with it — and features a remote caddy on top of the motor. We also love that it’s one of the few we tested that remembers your last settings when you turn it back on and is surprisingly quiet and pleasant at every speed. Being one of the tallest in its class, this Space-Saving Oscillating Pedestal Fan will put you above the rest.