The need for a Floor Fan is just as old as humanity, in the past we would use bird feathers to make fans and with change in technology, the fan has developed. It is now possible to enjoy a nice cool breeze from a floor fan without the intrusion into your privacy by a slave waving a bird feather fan over your head.
Finding the right floor fan may however seem like searching for a particular drop of water in a bucket, there are just so many brands and models out there. This guide is intended to pick out the most recommended models so you can find it easier to make a choice.
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Here are a few aspects and features to put into consideration when choosing a floor fan.
This is probably the most important feature of a fan. You need to know how much air it is able to move and how far it can move the air. The main reason you buy a fan is for it to move air and create a cooling effect. This may mean that it should have a strong fan or some technology that enables it move air around effectively. A radius of 4 feet and above should prove sufficient.
Sometimes having a strong fan comes with the noise, you should take into consideration how much noise it will make especially when it is on full speed. Not all floor fans however are noisy when they are on the highest speed and at the same time some people actually like that noise to remind them that there is actually a fan around and it is doing its job.
Remember that this is something that is likely to be within sight all the time you are using it. You need to find one that has a design you are comfortable seeing all the time it is working. Think of a fan just like a painting on the wall or a flower vase. It is not just there to blow air, it will also serve an aesthetic purpose so it is best to find one that will look attractive. With design you may also have to consider the different types of fans like the tower fans and the portable ones and the like.
Your budget is best known to you so you may need to do research on what you are able to get at the price you are ready to pay. See if what is on offer actually suits your need in terms of performance. You may end up having to revise your budget.
Everyone would like to be able to enjoy whatever they have spent money on for a reasonable amount of time. The first think you should check is the warranty on a particular fan, this will give you a rough idea of how much the manufacturer trusts their product and in-turn, you can judge to a certain extent how durable the product is. Sometimes reading reviews can also tell you just how durable it may be.
With technology comes new features to look out for. Not every feature is going to be useful, so consider each feature and see if it is useful or just there to create hype. Something like an ionized fan may be useful because the air is going to feel a lot cooler than the one blown by an ordinary fan. You may want one with auto shut off and a remote control. There are many options out there, just take your time and see if they are useful. Here are some we would recommend
For a turbo force fan, this one is remarkably quiet. If you need a fan to use at night and still be able to get some sleep, this is probably what you should consider going for. You can choose from 3 speeds and even on the lowest speed, you are still able to feel the burst of wind coming through.
I usually try to buy appliances that are energy efficient and I was pleased by how efficient this one is. This is important considering that on a hot summer day or night, it is going to be running for hours and after using a lot of energy heating the house in winter, it is a relief that you do not have to spend that much on cooling it down.
This fan should be able to provide cooling for an entire regular sized room as it can blow as far as 32 feet away. I believe that is possible in part, because of the turbo force it boasts of.
Honeywell HT-908 is quite versatile, you can use it on the floor as a floor fan or hang it on the wall, it can also be stationed on a table and the head can be tilted up to 90 degrees. When it comes to cleaning, you can remove the cover of the fan and then dust the blades and wipe the inside so that it does not blow dust into the air.
If price is a major concern for you when buying appliances, you probably will have no problem with this as most people have noted that it is fairly priced and delivers quite well. It comes highly recommended for people who are looking for affordability and for reduced noise.
I do not just think of functionality when I’m buying appliances, the look also plays a big part in my decision making. If you are the same as me, then you should like this Lasko 2554. It comes with a stylish modern touch. It is not just a tower fan, it is also part of your décor with its silver and wooden look, it will go well with a home with wooden floors, or even any other tiled floor.
But it is not just beauty that it brings to your living space. This fan has an in-built ionizer, and if you are wondering what that is, the simple explanation is that it expels ions which are able to give you that fresh air breeze like you are seated in the park with the trees blowing natural air onto you. This comes in handy if the room is crowded or just needs to be freshened up.
The fan oscillated, bouncing air off the walls to improve the circulation and create that cool breeze feeling. While you may be used to putting fans in the corner of the room, I would suggest that when you are using this one, it is best to place it more at the center for better effect.
I also like the fact that it comes with a remote, unlike the Honeywell HT-908. You can simply turn it on and then control its movement and speed using the remote without having to get up off your seat. You can also choose to schedule a shut off so that it doesn’t waste electricity. You can let it run between 0.5 and 7.5 hours which means even if you dose off, you know it will eventually shut its self off until you need it again.
It is also worth noting that tower fans can provide you with cool air both from above and below so you do not have to keep on tilting the head to either blow onto your face or your feet. This fan may come at a slightly higher price than the Honeywell, but it is still affordable and it does its work just fine.
This seems to be a favorite for many people and that is probably because it gives more options than most of the other floor fans. With this Honeywell HYF290B, you can choose from 8 different speeds so it is a lot easier to find a fan speed that you are comfortable with. The fan can also be adjusted to control the noise and there is a display to show you the noise level and the fan speed.
The controls are on the top of the unit and they are easy touch which makes it easy to control, but if you do not fancy walking towards the fan every time you have to adjust a setting, it comes with a remote so you can comfortably adjust settings while relaxing on your chair. The remote has a storage space just behind the unit that way you can avoid having a congregation of different remotes on the coffee table especially if you are not using them.
I would recommend this for people who want entire room cooling since it is quite effective, it also helps that it oscillates to distribute the cool air evenly around the room. You are also able to time its shut off after 1, 2,4 or 8 hours.
The HYF290B can also double as a night light as it has 4 light settings you can choose from, it can be bright, or deem or even off. The percentage settings are 100%, 75%, 50% and 25%.
When It comes to the look, for some reason I thought of a rocket when I first saw it, may be it is because of its base design. It is slim and tall and can blend into different surroundings and décor. It is also stable and will not be knocked over easily.
One of the reasons this floor fan is on this list is actually not because of its cooling ability but actually the fact that it can also help you sleep soundly. Many people like the white noise setting which can help you sleep soundly. This does not mean that it does not perform well as a fan. Actually one of the people interviewed for this review mentioned that she is a school teacher and during the hot summers, this fan helps to make the room more bearable. This would mean it is able to provide a reasonable cooling effect for a class room.
Like most Honeywell fans, it has more than just one speed setting, so you can choose between 3 settings. The slowest one is the most quiet and appropriate for bedrooms. The tower sits on a single support pole which has a flat base, it is able to oscillate to spread the air evenly around the room.
Floor fans are intended to be portable and this one goes the extra mile to make that possible with a convenient handle at the top which can be folded when not in use. The buttons are easy to access to make using the unit easy without having to bend or kneel to adjust the settings.
It also has LED display so that it is easier to see even for people with bad eyesight. If you are the forgetful type, you will be happy that even if you forget the fan on, if you have preset the off function, it will turn itself off automatically after the set amount of hours. You can choose between 1,2,4 and 8 hours before auto shut off.
You may be wondering why you should go for a floor fan instead of an air conditioner after all an air conditioner will provide better cooling effect. Well here are some of the advantages of fans over air conditioners.
Price: A fan is going to be less expensive than an air conditioner, if you are looking to save money and yet still have a conducive atmosphere within your home or office, a floor fan would be the better choice.
Installation: You usually do not need any special skill to be able to install a floor fan, most of them come ready to be used so you just plug it in and turn it on. An air conditioner on the other hand may need a handyman to come and do a lot of work before you can use it, it will even involve altering a window and yet some landlords may not allow this. The floor fan becomes less complex and a better option.
Energy efficiency: I think it would go without saying that an air conditioner will take up a lot more energy than a floor fan. Actually a fan can be used along with the air conditioner to save the amount of energy the air conditioner uses to cool or heat up an entire room.
Portability: If you are living alone in a home, it may be more convenient to have a floor fan that you can carry around with you to the rooms where you are instead of having air conditioning set up in every room. Floor fans are made to be moved around while the AC is fixed.
Ease of use: A fan is really simple to use, you probably just have to know how to turn it on and then choose between the different speeds. Air conditioners on the other hand can be complicated and sometimes may be too cold or too hot.
Environmentally friendly: Air conditioners use refrigerator gasses which are not friendly to the environment. If you want to be green, a floor fan would be the better option.
There is really not much to do when it comes to maintaining a fan, the main issue you are likely to face is build up of dirt. You can deal with this by regularly cleaning the fan blades and any other areas that may take in air.
It is recommended that you start by prevention of dirt and that can be done by regularly vacuuming the room so that there is no dirt to take in in the first place. Different types of fans may be cleaned differently, for some you can use a vacuum cleaner to suck up the dirt while for others a blower may be a better option. To get to the blades for some, you will need to remove the louvers and then clean with a cloth or dust them. It is best to follow the manufacturer’s advice on how to care for the unit.
You may not have any use for the fan during the winter and you will choose to keep it away. Make sure you do so in a safe place where it will not be broken say by pets or children. It may also be a good idea just to plug it in for a short time and let it run for sometime, there have been cases of pests like ants making a fan their home because it has not been used for a while.
All in all you should not have to do too much to maintain the floor fan and if it gets spoilt you can always have a technician work on it unless you do have experience fixing fans.
If you are searching for a bigger option that moves a lot more air in the room and it has the sound to go with it, then this Lasko 1827 would fit that description. It is also one of the most sturdy fans on this list thanks to its large base.
This san can be adjusted to different heights so if you are seated, standing, lying down, there is a height or position you can set it at and get the best breeze. The head can be tilted to either face up, down or center and the pedestal can also be adjusted to the height you choose.
You can choose between 3 different speeds, with the first one being a bit slower and producing less noise while the 3 speed gives you an obvious presence. There is nothing really fancy about this floor fan, it gets the job done with the least bit of fuss. It is also amazingly light considering its size and full height, so moving it from one room to another is not a hassle.
If durability and value for money are major issues when making a choice, here is one of the more durable choices. It is well designed in America and intended to last long. If you are one of those people who do not appreciate having to dust your fan very often, then this is one you may like, since it is black, dirt will not show easily and as it blows, it gets rid of some of the dust as well.
There is an alternative to having the fan blow air where you are not. The Staley 655704 provides that alternative, it gives you the ability to concentrate huge amounts of air in a particular area that you are or that needs the air. I can think of a number of ways to use such a fan, for example when cleaning the floor, it can be used to dry it, if you are really hot and need to cool down fast, you can just let it blow in your face, in a workshop on a hot summer afternoon, you can use it to cool you down. This is a really great option.
It offers you 3 speeds to choose from and the third one is really strong and you can hear the air blowing out intensely. You can also adjust the head to blow anywhere between the floor and the ceiling. This pivotal flexibility is really impressive.
This fan is really compact so it is the kind of fan you can easily carry around with you or even use it on a boat or camping. It helps that it is yellow so it can be easily spotted even in the dark. There are a lot of praises sang about this fan by people who have it and many of them think they should have more than one- luckily it is not too expensive.
For safety, it has a circuit breaker and a reset button, like a mentioned, it can be used as you clean the floor and in such instances there is always the risk of water causing a short circuit but the breaker will do its job and keep you safe and prevent the fan from further damage.
Now here is a fan with unique design and impressive performance. This fan is easy to carry around since it is small and light. It also have a carry handle that is comfortable, the only thing that perplexes me is why it was made so portable yet it does not run on batteries. You will need 120 volts of AC power to get this working.
Once you have plugged it in and turned it on, you are bound to notice just how much air it is able to provide despite its small stature. It has an oscillating grill which helps to disperse the air and according to a number of people this feature may actually be more effective for dispersing air in comparison to the units that have the entire unit oscillating.
You can choose from 3 different speeds and amazingly even at top speed it is still not very loud. It is smooth and yet powerful to ensure an entire room is cool.
When you are carrying it around, you do not need to worry about a wire hanging out, since it comes with code storage at the back. You also do not need to walk up to it to make any adjustments since it comes with a remote that can control just about all its functions.
Speaking of functions, it is also able to automatically turn off after the scheduled hours have elapsed it also has sleep mode just like a computer.
If there is one great thing that sets this Holmes HT38R-U apart from the rest, it would be its power consumption. This unit impressively uses 60% less energy to run which makes it really energy efficient like no other. If you are struggling with high energy bills, then this is an option you should consider to limit further expenditure.
So you may be thinking that because it is energy efficient it probably compromises on performance, but that is not the case. With its automatic oscillation, it is able to evenly spread the air around and effectively cool the room. You would still have some control over the direction in which it turns so that you do not have to wait for it to complete a full oscillation before it blows air in your direction again.
You can choose from 3 different speeds and even at high speed it is not too loud so you can sleep with it on and you can schedule it to run for up to 8 hours before it turns off. Operation of the fan is simple and straight forward. There are controls on the top and if you would rather control it remotely, there is a remote control and the remote can be stored on the unit.
You will obviously have to take in a lot of things to consider before you make a choice, hopefully though with this guide the choice is a lot easier to make.
Our ultimate choice is on Lasko 1827 which is best rated floor fan.Its simplicity and no- assembly features drew our attention.
If you are looking for a more versatile floor fan, then the Honeywell HT-908 Turbo Force Room Air Circulator Fan would be ideal since it is not just a floor fan, you can also use it on a table or even hang it on the wall. It is also light weight and easy to operate and comes at a reasonable price. Or you may want the tower design, in which case there are a number of options on this list or one that has the option of height adjustment. In the end the final decision is yours and this just serves as a guide to what is out there and comes highly recommended.