We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping Home Products Heating & Cooling Products The Best Tower Fans We’ve Ever Tested We tested dozens of tower fans from popular brands to find the best options to help you stay cool. By Kaylyn McKenna Kaylyn McKenna Kaylyn is a home and beauty enthusiast who has been writing about and reviewing products for five years. She has contributed to major publications including Forbes, CNET, CBS News, Lifewire and Shape. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 19, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews Final Verdict Our Testing Process How to Shop More to Consider FAQs Take Our Word for It What Is Real Simple Selects? Photo: Real Simple / Rachel Marek Tower fans are a great way to improve airflow and cool down a room without AC, especially during the warmer months. These devices use less energy than traditional air conditioning, so they’re a great way to get the air flowing while giving your HVAC system a break. Moreover, they’re tall and slim, allowing them to fit into smaller apartments or tight spaces. They also tend to be quieter than other fans, making them an excellent choice for people that like to run a fan while they sleep. We tested several tower fans from top brands, and evaluated them based on factors like airspeed, design, portability, effectiveness, and overall value. We also brought the top performers home for long-term testing to see how they perform on an ongoing basis in a normal home environment. To learn more about how to pick the best tower fan, we also spoke with Carl Prouty, a technologist at Abt, a national ecommerce retailer of electronics and appliances. Our Top Picks Best Overall : Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan at Amazon $70 Jump to Review Best Smart: SALE HOLMES SmartConnect WI-FI Digital Tower Fan at Amazon $90 $71 Jump to Review Best for Bedrooms: Honeywell Tower Fan at Amazon $65 Jump to Review Best For Large Rooms: DREO The Cruiser Pro T2 Fan at Amazon $90 Jump to Review Best Overall Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan PHOTO: Amazon $70 at Amazon View on Dreo.com What Stands Out It delivers a strong breeze while remaining relatively quiet. What Could Be Improved On the lower settings, it can only be felt from short distances. This tower fan earned great scores across the board. We appreciated its sleek design and outstanding array of features, including four speed settings and four different modes—standard, natural, sleep and automatic—that affect airflow and noise level. No matter the setting though, we found that it was easy to hold a conversation or hear the TV over the sound of the fan. For an even quieter experience, the fan also has a “no sound” option, which mutes the noise made when you press buttons. The fan provided a powerful breeze that could be felt up to six feet away on the high settings. On the lower settings, the fan provided a nice breeze at a distance of two feet, but could not be felt from a larger distance. However, we did appreciate the 90-degree oscillation that covers a wide area, and the remote control worked from 20 feet away. During our safety testing, our pencil did fit through the vent slits—though it required some effort and did not seem like you’d be able to get your fingers in very far. If you have children at home, you’ll still want to keep an eye out to avoid any potential accidents. However, the fan is bladeless and does feature built-in circuit protection, so it still scored relatively high for safety overall. Size: 11.81 x 11.81 x 36.22 inches | Weight: 9.9 pounds | CFM: 1408 | Number of Speeds: 4 Oscillation: Yes Real Simple / Eric Brockob Real Simple / Eric Brockob Real Simple / Eric Brockob Real Simple / Dera Burreson Real Simple / Eric Brockob Best Smart HOLMES SmartConnect WI-FI Digital Tower Fan PHOTO: Amazon $71 at Amazon $72 at Target $76 at Home Depot What Stands Out The fan’s Bluetooth capabilities make it easy to control hands-free. What Could Be Improved Adding a handle would improve the portability of this larger tower fan. Smart home enthusiasts will enjoy this Wi-Fi connected digital tower fan from Holmes. The fan can be controlled with the compatible smartphone app, the included remote control, or Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice assistants. Due to these convenient features, we appreciated the ability to adjust the settings from bed without getting up. We also liked that the LCD screen shuts off after a few minutes, so the light isn’t bothersome at night. During testing, we found that the Holmes SmartConnect provided a strong, cool breeze even at mid-level settings. In our opinion, it’s a great choice for those looking for more of an air-conditioning effect from a fan. The fan was also relatively quiet, as even at the highest setting (five), the noise was not bothersome. This fan is on the larger side for a tower fan, which may not make it the right choice for those who prefer a sleeker design or have limited space. It also lacks a handle, which can make it a bit less convenient to carry, though we did find that it was still lightweight enough to carry around. Size: 10.23 x 10.23 x 41.54 inches | Weight: 8.8 lbs | CFM: 250 | Number of Speeds: 5 Oscillation: Yes Real Simple / Kacey Davis Real Simple / Kacey Davis Real Simple / Kacey Davis Real Simple / Kacey Davis Real Simple / Kacey Davis Best for Bedrooms Honeywell Tower Fan PHOTO: Amazon $57 at Amazon $57 at Target $63 at Walmart What Stands Out This fan is almost silent on the sleep setting, What Could Be Improved The fan has some stability issues as the stand can be a bit wobbly. The Honeywell Quiet Set Tower Fan offers five different speed settings, including quiet operation settings suitable for sleeping, and more powerful cooling options for use on hot days. This fan did live up to its name, as we were impressed with how quiet the fan ran on the sleep setting. We also liked that it had “calm” and “white noise” settings for those that do like a bit of calming noise while falling asleep. It also has an auto-dimming feature that reduces all lights on the fan after 15 seconds, which is helpful for nighttime use in bedrooms. We had somewhat mixed opinions on the design of this fan. On one hand, it is very lightweight and comes with a handle, so it’s nice and easy to move around. However, the assembly was challenging, and the base isn’t quite as sturdy as we’d like. The fan has a wobbly stand that doesn't securely connect to the base, so it could be a bit unstable or fall over if bumped. A minor drawback we noticed was the fan’s remote, which felt a bit small and cheaply made. Despite these quirks, this is a relatively budget-friendly pick that really stands out for its low noise level. But for its price, we would have liked it to be a bit sturdier and come with a better remote. Size: 9.75 x 10.5 x 40 inches | Weight: 8 lbs | CFM: Not listed | Number of Speeds: 5 | Oscillation: Yes Real Simple / Courtney Thompson Real Simple / Courtney Thompson Real Simple / Courtney Thompson Real Simple / Courtney Thompson Real Simple / Courtney Thompson Real Simple / Courtney Thompson Best For Large Rooms DREO The Cruiser Pro T2 Fan PHOTO: Amazon $90 at Amazon View on Dreo.com What Stands Out This fan operates exceptionally quietly even on higher settings. What Could Be Improved It’s on the heavier side, and has a wide base which limits portability. The Dreo Cruiser Pro T2 comes with nine speed settings, which is on the higher side for a tower fan, but we were able to notice differences between each setting. One of the biggest standouts, however, was its 90-degree oscillation option that was effective at reaching a larger portion of the room. Moreover, at higher settings this fan is powerful enough to help cool down larger rooms. This fan does have a wider base, which is not ideal for portability but does help with stability. If you’re looking for a tower fan that can easily be transported to different rooms, this might not be the best choice due to its bulk. However, if you’re worried about kids or dogs bumping into and knocking over your tower fan, you’ll likely appreciate how sturdy it is with a wider base. It’s also bladeless and has caging to keep little fingers out, so it got high marks for safety in our testing. Overall this fan is a bit pricey, but it offers a lot for the price. It came with a remote that we enjoyed, an above average number of speed settings, and operated very quietly. Even at the highest setting, it wasn’t too loud, and the sound was similar to a white noise machine. Size: 13 x 13 x 42 inches | Weight: 9.66 lbs | CFM: 1076 | Number of Speeds: 9 | Oscillation: Yes Real Simple / Nicole Lund Real Simple / Nicole Lund Real Simple / Nicole Lund Real Simple / Nicole Lund Final Verdict Our top pick overall is the Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan, as it performed well across the board, especially when it came to effective airflow and low noise levels. Moreover, it comes with four noticeably different fan settings and can provide quite a strong breeze on higher settings. Though if you’re shopping for a larger room, we’d recommend the Dreo Cruiser Pro T2 Tower Fan, as this device’s higher speed settings were quite powerful and effective at cooling down a large space. Our Testing Process We conducted two rounds of testing in our Lab, and evaluated models on design, effectiveness, safety and value. We used a decibel reader to take measure the noise levels of each fan at both the highest and lowest speed setting. We measured the fans’ effectiveness by testing their output at distances of two and six feet on both high and low settings, evaluating whether we could feel a noticeable breeze or whether the airflow could disrupt papers at each interval. To test safety, we unplugged each fan and used a pencil to check how wide the gaps were in the fan’s cage, taking note of whether or not the pencil was able to make contact with the fans’ blades. For fans with remote controls, we used the remote to turn on the fan from 10 feet away and then at 20 feet away to gauge how well the fan responded to the remote’s commands. Lastly, we gave each fan a rating on its overall value based on the features, airflow effectiveness, and design quality in relation to each fan’s price. After lab testing, we brought the top-performing tower fans home to evaluate how well they performed with ongoing use in a normal home environment. Our testers checked in at regular intervals to let us know how the fans were holding up, taking note of any issues that may have cropped up over time. Real Simple / Eric Brockob How to Shop for Tower Fans Like a Pro Airflow (CFM) Cubic feet per minute, or CFM, is the most common way to measure the airflow produced by a fan. CFM calculates and measures how many cubic feet of air passes by a stationary point in one minute. Fans with higher CFM rating can produce a stronger breeze and a stronger cooling effect. Those looking for more powerful cooling fans will also want to pay attention to the speed settings while shopping. “A variety of speed settings is important so you can control how much air is moving,” says Prouty. Many tower fans offer varying settings like a cool, quiet breeze for nightime, or more forceful outputs for better cooling. Prouty noted that specific CFM recommendations will vary based on the size of the room that you are using the fan in. Larger rooms will benefit from fans with a higher CFM and a wider range of speed settings such as the Dreo Cruiser Pro T2 Tower Fan. Size One of the biggest benefits of tower fans is their compact size. If you want a tower fan that you can easily move between rooms, you may want to consider thin and lightweight options, or even a fan that includes a handle for convenient carrying. The size of the base is also important, as a larger base will give the tower fan a wider footprint but better stability. If you have a particular space in mind for the fan, it can be helpful to take measurements to help you choose a tower fan that will fit well. Features Tower fans tend to offer a wider range of features compared to other fans, including smart features with Wi-Fi compatibility or Bluetooth connectivity. Those concerned about safety, such as parents of young children, should look for tower fans with enhanced safety features like a bladeless design, fingertip protection, or circuit protection. “If you're trying to cool a larger area be sure the fan oscillates,” Prouty recommends. Many tower fans can oscillate up to 90-degrees to distribute airflow to a wider area, allowing your space to cool down more effectively. Additionally, Prouty suggests opting for tower fans that come with a remote control for extra convenience. More Tower Fans to Consider Rowenta Urban Cool Silent Tower Fan: This fan offers three fan settings and we noticed pretty significant differences between each setting. We were also pleasantly surprised by how lightweight and portable the fan was despite its larger size. However, this fan isn’t height adjustable and wasn’t as powerful as the other models that we tested. Lasko Aria Smart Tower Fan: While we were impressed with the compact design, oscillation, and breeze output of this smart fan, it was noisier than many of the other fans we tested. It offers five fan settings and we found it to be a bit loud at the top two levels. Real Simple / Dera Burreson Questions You Might Ask What are the pros and cons of a tower fan? Tower fans offer several benefits, but the biggest one is how quietly they operate. You can find some very quiet tower fans, like the Dreo Cruiser Pro T2 that will make minimal background noise while you sleep or have conversations. The second biggest benefit is that tower fans take up minimal space thanks to their slim design, making them a great option for smaller spaces. The main con of tower fans is simply that their cooling power is limited. Fans increase airflow and air circulation to produce a cooling breeze indoors, but they don’t actively cool down air in the way that an air conditioner would. Are tower fans more cooling than other fans? The cooling power of tower fans and other fans can vary pretty widely based on the CFM and fan settings. Tower fans are generally taller than other fans and often oscillate, so they can often reach a wide area, but they're often not the most powerful as you do sacrifice some cooling power for the benefit of a quieter fan. “Other designs, like box fans, are able to move more air and can be more efficient cooling larger areas,” Prouty notes. Are more expensive tower fans worth it? If you’re on the fence about splurging on a tower fan, consider whether there is a particular feature that will really benefit you. Smart home enthusiasts, for example, may want to invest in a smart tower fan that has a ton of convenient features that can be controlled from an app. Alternatively, parents with young kids will also want to spring for fans with better stability and safety features, as the added cost is worth it for better peace of mind when it comes to keeping little ones safe. “If you like the idea of having a remote control or you have bad allergies that could benefit from air purification then yes, it's definitely worth spending extra. If all you need is something basic to cool you down, then you can save some money by going with something simple,” Prouty advises. Take Our Word for It This article was written by Kaylyn McKenna, a freelance appliance commerce writer for Real Simple with four years of experience writing product reviews and roundups. To find the best tower fans, we tested numerous fans in our testing lab, then took the top selections home for a two-month trial period to gain further insights on how they held up over time in a real-life environment. For expert tips on buying tower fans, Kaylyn spoke to Carl Prouty, a Technologist at Abt with expert knowledge on home cooling products. What Is Real Simple Selects? Next to each product on this list, you may have noticed a Real Simple Selects seal of approval. Any product appearing alongside that seal has been vetted by our team—put through tests and graded on its performance to earn a spot on our list. Although we buy most of the products we test, sometimes we do get samples from companies if purchasing a product ourselves isn’t an option. All products go through the same rigorous process, whether they are purchased or sent by the company. Love our recommendations? Check out more products that have earned the Real Simple Selects, from humidifiers to cordless vacuums.