Imagine coming inside after a hot, sticky summer day and plopping yourself in front of a cool air conditioner or tower fan. Refreshing, right? But, unlike air conditioners, tower fans are more affordable and don’t require the hassle of installation, according to experts. They’re surprisingly compact too, thanks to their narrow shape which means you can set them up in even the smallest spaces.
Below we rounded up staff favorites and highly rated picks based on expert guidance, to help cool down your home this summer.
SKIP AHEAD The best tower fans to buy in 2023 | How to shop for tower fans
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Our top picks
- Best overall/editor’s pick: Dreo Tower Fan
- Best budget pick: Honeywell Quiet Set 8-Speed Oscillating Tower Fan
- Best splurge: Dyson Pure Cool TP01 Purifying Fan
How we picked the best tower fans
We spoke to tech experts and product designers to determine what to look for in a tower fan. They guided us on key elements to consider, including:
- Oscillation: Almost every tower fan we chose features oscillation, which means it can better guide the air around your room, according to our experts.
- Speed settings: Each tower fan has at least three-speed settings, including one low setting and one high setting.
- Remote control: Every fan we recommend can be controlled via an included remote, saving you from having to leave your couch or bed to operate your new fan.
- Ratings: Every tower fan below not recommended by a Select staffer comes highly rated, with at least a 4-star average from more than 1,000 reviewers.
The best tower fans to buy in 2023
Below, we’ve rounded up top-rated tower fans in line with expert guidance, as well as Select staffer favorites.
Lasko Tower Fan
This fan has three-speed settings, an oscillation feature and a carrying handle so you can transport this fan or store it with ease. Select associate updates editor Zoe Malin says Lakso fans cool up a room fairly quickly and that the added remote control can help you operate the fan straight from your couch. There’s a built-in ionizer that can help reduce the dust and dirt in your room, according to the brand. The fan earned an average 4.6-star rating from more than 15,000 Amazon reviews.
Fan speeds: 3 | Oscillation: Yes | Remote control: Yes | Auto-shut off timer: 7.5 hours
Honeywell Quiet Set 8-Speed Oscillating Tower Fan
This oscillating fan from Honeywell has eight-speed settings, which range from Sleep (the lowest) to Power Cool (the highest, which can be controlled either through the dimmable front display or remote control It has an average rating of 4.5 stars from more than 29,000 reviews on Amazon.
Fan speeds: 8 | Oscillation: Yes | Remote control: Yes | Auto-shut off timer: 12 hours
Dyson Pure Cool TP01 Purifying Fan
“As someone who didn't have air conditioning in my New York apartment, I wanted to find a fan that was able to cool the space quickly and the Dyson TO01 was the winner,” says Select associate reporter Bianca Alvarez. She says that it cools her space almost immediately and that the oscillation helps move the air around the room.
Dyson’s remote-controlled Pure Cool Purifying Fan also removes allergens from the air using a HEPA filter — which can clear 99.97% of particles at 0.3 microns in diameter.
Fan speeds: 10 | Oscillation: Yes | Remote control: Yes | Auto-shut off timer: NA
Ozeri 44-inch 3-Speed Oscillating 3X Tower Fan
The Ozeri 44-inch Fan combines three fans in one: You can control each fan independently and there are three speeds to choose from for each. It also has quiet oscillation according to the brand, and several airflow pattern options, including one designed for sleeping. It earned an average 4.1-star rating from over 2,000 reviews on Amazon.
Fan speeds: 3 | Oscillation: Yes | Remote control: Yes | Auto-shut off timer: 7.5 hours
Vornado 41-Inch 184 Whole Room Air Circulator Tower Fan
While Vornado’s tower fan is not oscillating, the brand says that its V-Flow technology can continuously circulate air throughout the whole room. You can control how long this four-speed fan functions for, with options for one, two, four and eight-hour timers. It has an average rating of 4.3 stars from nearly 5,000 reviews on Amazon.
Fan speeds: 4 | Oscillation: No | Remote control: Yes | Auto-shut off timer: up to 8 hours
Lasko Oscillating High-Velocity Tower Fan
This oscillating fan from Lasko has three-speed settings and is only 35 inches tall, making this one of the most compact options on our list. You can use the remote control to adjust the speed and oscillation or set a timer. It has an average rating of 4.7 stars from over 2,500 shoppers on Amazon.
Fan speeds: 3 | Oscillation: Yes | Remote control: Yes | Auto-shut off timer: up to 7 hours
Dreo Tower Fan
I own this Dreo fan and like its quiet speed setting that is barely audible when I use it through the night. It’s excellent at circulating air too: I place mine about eight feet away from my bed and don’t break a sweat through the night, in fact sometimes I’m a little cold. No assembly is required, and you can use this fan straight out of the box.
The fan is also compatible with the Dreo Home app and can be operated via voice assistant, including both Alexa and Google for hands-free control.
Fan speeds: 12 | Oscillation: Yes | Remote control: Yes | Auto-shut off timer: 12 hours
How to shop for tower fans
When shopping for the best tower fans, our experts suggest we keep the following in mind:
Noise levels: Both our experts agree that you should consider noise while making your purchase. Some fans on our list, like the Dyson Pilox Max can operate at 25dB, which is akin to the sound of a normal conversation. “But because everyone's tolerance can be different it's a good idea to listen to each fan in person,” says Carl Prouty, a tech expert at ABT.
Air purification: Some tower fans come with air purification built in, like the TP01 which has a HEPA air filter — useful when the air quality is low, according to our experts. “[Tower fans] can provide clean air in the room where they're located, and are less expensive than adding a purifier to your HVAC system,” says Prouty. There are other precautions you can take as well to improve the air quality: “To ensure a healthy indoor environment, it is important to open the windows regularly when using either an AC with internal circulation or a tower fan, in case of oxygen deficiency,” says Herman He, Vice President of Research and Development at Dreo.
Smart features: “Smart devices make life easier, freeing people from the physical distance of controlling appliances,” says He. “For instance, you can turn on a tower fan for your furkids with your cell phone to create a pleasant breeze in your house, avoiding the risk of them getting too hot.” Many tower fans now function with compatible apps to make this possible, and you can even turn your fan on before you get home to cool down your space.
Cleaning: “After summer, the fan usually accumulates a lot of dust and hair around its air outlets,” says He. “Therefore, the ability to easily take apart and wash the fan is an important factor to consider.”
Meet our experts
At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Carl Prouty is a product specialist at Abt Electronics, a US electronics, appliance and furniture retailer.
- Herman Hee is the Vice President of Dreo in charge of research and development.
Why trust Select?
Nishka Dhawan is the associate commerce editor at NBC Select who’s previously covered tech and, appliances for over three years.
Justin Redman was formerly a reporter for Select on NBC News.
Ambar Pardilla was formerly a reporter for Select on NBC News.
For this article, Justin, Ambar and Nishka recommended top-rated tower fans and also considered Seelct staff favorites. They also interviewed product experts and tech experts on how to shop for tower fans.
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