Beat the heat with an indoor or outdoor ceiling fan
Olivia is a writer and content creator that has written about a wide range of subjects, including health, beauty, relationships, culture, and music. When she's not working, you can find her perusing coffee shops, reading, or catching up on reality TV. Silent Ceiling Fan
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Summer is in full swing, and you might be looking for new ways to stay cool. Running your air conditioning at all times is costly, so investing in a ceiling fan is a great way to get some extra airflow and cool off in a way that’s both space- and cost-efficient, especially if you install a ceiling fan in your outdoor space. From remote-operated, 3-blade to 5-blade, wooden to metal, the type of ceiling fan you choose largely depends on your preferences, and there are many options on the market. Installing a ceiling fan is a long-term investment in your home, so picking one that gets you the best bang for your buck is important.
A ceiling fan can add a level of craftsmanship to your space, so choose one that performs well and fits your space visually. “I like compact ceiling fans with a discrete design; those are typically a good choice for smaller spaces,” says Emily Mackie, founder of Inspired Interiors, “These fans are designed to provide efficient air circulation while minimizing the visual impact and space requirements.”
As we said, when shopping for ceiling fans, you truly are spoiled with choice. Helping you make smart and empowered choices is our priority at PEOPLE Tested, so we’ve spent over 1,200 hours testing different ceiling fans on the market to give you a comprehensive roundup to choose from. Whether you want to keep your bedroom cool or add a ceiling fan to your outdoor space to make these record-breaking hot summer days more enjoyable, we found a ceiling fan for you.
These are the best ceiling fans PEOPLE Tested.
Very powerful and excellent for pushing air through large spaces, especially when it comes to filtering out smells when you’re cooking in the kitchen.
Quiet at all three speeds, so you don’t have to deal with intrusive noise while it’s in use
Has lots of luxury features, including a portable remote switch and adjustable settings depending on the season.
Fairly heavy, so you’ll have to double check that your ceiling can hold the weight.
Do you need a ceiling fan for your living room or kitchen? We love this one by Honeywell, mostly because of its power. We installed it in a condo and found that it managed to keep the entire dining and living space cool. Additionally, we found that it came in handy for filtering air while cooking in the kitchen, so you won’t have to deal with lingering food smells. It’s powerful and very quiet on all three speeds, so you don’t have to worry about the obnoxious whirring sound of a fan interrupting phone calls or overpowering your TV, either. These two characteristics make it a winner for any room inside your home.
Coming in at $159 at the time of writing this article, we find the price well worth it, especially considering all the bonus features it includes. It comes with a remote, so you can also control it from any part of your home. Another nice thing about this fan is that you can adjust it to use year-round — while it’s designed to increase cool airflow in the summer, you can change the blade direction and intensity to improve the dispersion of warm air in the winter. This will definitely help keep utility costs down, which is always a plus.
Upon taking it out of the packaging, we noticed how heavy it was and had to double-check to ensure the ceiling could hold the weight. This is the main con we encountered during testing, and we highly recommend checking with a handyman (or your property manager if you’re in a rental) to confirm that it’s safe to install.
Material: Glass | Colors: 2 | Width: 48 inches | Number of Speeds: 3 | Light Included: Yes | Number of Blades: 5
Excellent airflow in rooms of any size
Even at the highest speed, it’s quiet and free of any vibrations
Reversible blades mean you’ll get use out of it all year round
Pull cord operated, so you’ll have to go to the fan itself to turn it on and off
If you’re looking for a new ceiling fan for your home but working on a tight budget, we love this one from Portage Bay. At just under $80, it packs quite the punch. We installed this fan in a home office for the testing period and found that it kept the space remarkably cool for the entire workday. The highest speed is great for cooling a room off quickly, but if you’re worried about the strong airflow knocking things over or disturbing you, the low setting works just fine for keeping air flowing, though it won’t do as much to cool down the temperature. Another thing we really liked about this fan is the reversible blades; they’ll keep you warm in the summer or help distribute heat in your house (and keep utility costs down!) in the winter.
Although it performs really well considering the price, the pull cord power source isn’t ideal, especially if you’ve been spoiled by remote-controlled fans in the past. However, we found its performance comparable to the Honeywell fan at a lower price. Because it has wider blades, it’s also a great choice for larger spaces, as this will increase the power and concentration of airflow.
Material: Engineered wood, glass, metal | Colors: 3 | Width: 52 inches | Light Included: Yes | Number of Speeds: 3 | Number of Blades: 5
It doesn’t hang too low, so taller folks don’t have to worry about knocking their heads against it when walking by
Sleek black design makes it easy to blend in with lots of design styles
Silent and free of any vibrations even on the highest setting so you don’t have to deal with whirring or screeching noises
Pull chain operated, so you’ll have to get up to turn it on and off
No light kit so you’ll have to have a separate light source if you need one in your outdoor space
This Hunter Casiuss ceiling fan won our vote for outdoor spaces because of how sleek and powerful it is. The simple, three-blade design comes in four neutral colors that will seamlessly blend in with the décor in your space. We also really appreciate that it doesn’t hang too low, so you don’t have to worry about ducking when you walk past it if you’re hanging out with friends and family or shuffling back and forth between the kitchen and the grill. The setup was just as breezy; all the parts were clearly labeled, the wires were color-coded, and the instructions were easy to follow. If you’re trying to DIY a celeb-worthy outdoor space, you’ll appreciate the ease of installation.
We do want to note that for the sake of the test, we installed it indoors, but we were impressed by how efficiently it moved air through the space, which is why we found that it would be a great fan for an outdoor setup where you might need a little extra power, especially on hot summer days. The three settings are all very powerful, and the fan successfully kept the space cool, even overnight. While we did keep it on at the highest setting for long stretches of time, we could barely hear it. There was no whirring, screeching, or vibrating, which we loved. There also isn’t a light kit included, which could be a con depending on what you’re looking for, but we thought this made it an optimal choice for an outdoor space or porch because you’ll likely have a light source coming from somewhere else. The only other con we saw with this fan is that it’s pull-chain operated, so you’ll have to get up to turn it on or off. But all in all, from the sleek design to the strong but soft airflow power, we found this fan to be well worth the $140 price point.
Material: Plywood | Colors: 4 | Width: 44 to 52 inches | Number of Speeds: 3 | Light Included: No | Number of Blades: 3
Assembly and installation instructions are very easy to follow
Includes reversible blades so you can choose either a “wood” or “nickel” look depending on the mood and décor of your space
Features an integrated LED light source so it’s low maintenance and energy efficient
It doesn’t come with a wall mount for the controller, so if you're prone to losing the remote, this could be a con
Lighting and voltage aren’t customizable, so there is one brightness setting
If you’re looking for a fan to add to your bedroom, you’ll love this one from Harbor Breeze. We knew this ceiling fan would make our list from the jump, specifically because of how easy it was to assemble. The instruction manual was easy to follow, even for someone who doesn’t have an electrical background. (With all this being said, we highly recommend having a drill on hand.) Also, the fan itself is on the heavier side, so be prepared to do some heavy lifting throughout this process.
This fan won our vote as "best for the bedroom" for a few reasons. First of all, we love the reversible blades. You can choose between a wood or nickel look depending on your décor so that the fan can evolve with you and the ever-changing style of your space. It was also a winner in terms of circulation; even with the windows open, we found that traditional air conditioning wasn’t needed as long as the fan was on. All three oscillating speeds are fairly powerful, but we stayed at levels two and three for the most part. Even at the highest speed, this fan is impressively quiet, besides a gentle hum that you have to really be focusing on to hear. This makes it perfect for a bedroom, as you don’t have to worry about it waking you up in the middle of the night.
All in all, we found the $124 price point to be more than fair, considering the high-quality materials, easy assembly, and nearly silent three speeds. Honestly, we would have willingly paid more for this product. The main drawbacks were that the remote control doesn’t include a wall mount, and the lightbulbs, although LED, don’t have an adjustable dimness. However, with all this being said, this is a great fan at a reasonable price, perfect for keeping your bedroom nice and cool.
Material: Brushed nickel and glass | Colors: 4 | Width: 44 inches | Number of Speeds: 3 | Light Included: Yes | Width: 44 inches
Highly intuitive features, like a fan setting that mimics a natural breeze and a light setting that will automatically turn the light on and off while you aren’t home to deter intruders
Runs quietly on all settings, free of any vibration
Comes in a variety of styles and has a thoughtful design that will add an element of luxury to your décor
While the instructions are straightforward, expect assembly to take at least 3 hours, especially if you’ve never set up a ceiling fan before
If you’re looking for a ceiling fan with many luxury bells and whistles, we highly recommend this one from Honeywell. It won our vote for "best with remote" because of its many settings and how customizable each one is. You can control the light independently from the fan, and each setting has some pretty impressive features. Two that came in handy are the Variable Breeze Button, which is meant to stimulate a natural breeze, and the Home Shield Button, which randomly turns the lights on and off throughout the day, so it will appear that someone is home at all times and deter potential burglars. And no matter what features you use the most, whenever you turn it off, the remote automatically saves your previous setting. Whether you had the fan on and lights off, or vice versa, you don’t have to deal with the headache of all the settings reverting to off, which is a luxury we didn’t know we needed!
We were also impressed by the power of the fan itself and the airflow it provided. It gets up to the desired speed quickly, and you feel its cooling effects immediately. We found that the 52-inch blade span keeps a space cool on every setting, but if you really want to feel the breeze, the highest setting is perfect. Even though it’s strong, it stays quiet at all speeds. While you might be worried about how balanced it will be because of its hefty size and design, we didn’t notice any noise or vibrations, even on the highest setting. However, you should keep in mind that because it is a little more intricately designed, the assembly process may be more complicated and take a while. If you’ve never installed a ceiling fan, definitely take special care with this one, and prepare to spend an afternoon on it.
There are so many details in this fan’s design that make a huge difference; they’re things you may not have thought about before, but once you know what it’s like to live with them, you won’t be able to go back. We highly recommend this Honeywell ceiling fan if you want to splurge and upgrade your space.
Material: Alloy steel | Colors: 1 | Width: 52 inches | Number of Speeds: 3 | Light Included: Yes | Number of Blades: 5
Strong airflow means that your space will cool down immediately, even in large rooms
Light blades allow for most of the weight to be focused in the main unit, which keeps the fan nice and balanced and prevents any vibration or wobbling
Three different warmth settings on the light kit allow you to adjust the mood as needed
No dimming on the light kit means its brightness isn't customizable
This Hampton Bay ceiling fan is perfect if you have a large living area, kitchen, or outdoor space that you want to keep cool. We were impressed by this fan from the start; the assembly was simple, largely because the blades snapped right into the main console, which was a massive time saver. But it truly got our vote for large spaces because it was efficient at maintaining airflow, which even spread into other rooms in our home. For the sake of this test, we installed it in a living room, and when the kitchen got a bit smokey, the fan managed to disperse the smoke all the way from the next room. And while it packs quite the punch, it’s still very lightweight and doesn’t wobble or vibrate at all. This is thanks to how light the blades are, which keeps all the tension on the main power unit. Nobody wants to stare up at their wobbly ceiling fan and worry that it will fall out of the ceiling, so you’ll definitely appreciate how sturdy this fan looks and feels in your space. The fan is also remote operated, which is a major plus, and the light kit has three preset warmth settings so you can adjust the mood of the room.
We did appreciate the warmth settings, but a potential con with them is that they aren’t very intuitive. There isn’t a dimming feature, and we found that lack of customization frustrating. On a similar note, the lights are angled straight down and can’t be altered at all, which also felt a bit awkward. With all this being said, we found the power of the fan and the ease of assembly alone to make it worth the price. If you need a fan for a bigger space or want something that will cool down a room quickly and efficiently, this is certainly worth the price.
Material: Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene | Colors: 6 | Width: 54 inches | Number of Speeds: 3 | Light Included: Yes | Number of Blades: 5
Strong airflow will cool your space off quickly and efficiently
Feels sturdy upon installation so you don’t have to worry about any vibration or wobbling
You can easily change the motor to reverse blade direction, which makes this perfect for seasonal versatility
Not remote operated, so you’ll have to get up and pull the cord switch to turn it on and off
The highest setting does get pretty loud, so keeping it at lower or medium settings is recommended if you don’t like the noise
If you’re looking to maximize your investment, you’ll appreciate how easy it is to put this Honeywell ceiling fan in winter mode, so you can enjoy it year-round. This was one of our favorite features; while most fans have a complicated and frustrating blade reversal process, or are devoid of it altogether, this one allows you to knock it into winter or summer mode with ease, so you can get lots of use out of it, no matter the season. We, of course, tested it primarily in summer mode, though, and were highly impressed by the strength of its airflow. We did test it in a smaller room but found that it kept air circulating and cooled the space off quickly. It also feels very sturdy, and we didn’t notice any wobbling during use. We found that the low setting wasn’t quite strong enough, and the highest setting was too strong, so we mainly kept it at the middle one, and we recommend this for regular, day-to-day use.
If you struggle with regulating your temperature, you may be bothered by the fact that this fan isn’t remote-operated and that you’ll have to get up and down to adjust it. And besides being intense airflow-wise, the highest setting does get a bit loud, so if you appreciate a quiet space, this is something to keep in mind. But in terms of the $127 price point, none of these cons are necessarily a deal breaker: If you’re looking for a reliable and well-made fan that you can use year-round, you can’t go wrong here.
Material: Plastic, metal | Colors: 1 | Width: 52 inches | Number of Speeds: 3 | Light Included: Yes | Number of Blades: 5
The blades and fan are remarkably light, which made assembly easier than others on the list
Remote-operated and customizable, so you can control the fan speed and light levels
Expertly designed blades make this ceiling fan stand out as a statement piece that will add a bit of luxury to your space
Direction switch function isn’t controlled by the remote, so you’ll have to use a ladder and climb up every time you want to change directions
Although it has a dimming feature, all settings are very bright
Don’t let the fact that this fan is made of plastic fool you — we were very impressed by how well-made and luxurious it looked and felt, which is why it won our vote for "best investment." While most ceiling fans tend to have a traditional look, this one certainly stands out with a modern, sleek style. The curved blades make a statement and do a great job of providing strong airflow. For this test, we installed the fan in a large bedroom, and it kept the room nice and cool throughout the day and night. As far as assembly, although it looks like it would be heavy, the light plastic material of the blades made assembly simple, which we appreciated. One of the biggest reasons we ranked this one as "best investment," though, is because of all the customizable features. Not only does it have three speeds, but it also has a dimming feature, so you can set the brightness based on your mood. All of these are controlled by a remote, so you can change any of them from any part of your home without standing up!
With this being said, we loved the dimming feature but found the light kit to be very bright. If you don’t like super bright overhead lights in your space, this may not be the best option for you. Also, while most functions are remote-controlled, the switch that allows you to switch the fan’s directions is on the fan itself, so you’ll have to use a ladder whenever you want to do that. However, at just under $360 at the time of writing this article, we found this fan to be worth the price for its unique and stylish design, strong airflow, and customizable features.
Material: Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene | Colors: 5 | Width: 52 inches | Number of Speeds: 3 | Light Included: Yes | Number of Blades: 3
Installing a ceiling fan isn’t the same as assembling a piece of furniture or regular standing fan. You have to mount it to your ceiling and account for things like electrical connection and wiring — not a concern with other household fans — which can get very treacherous if you aren’t experienced. Looking at a fan’s product page for things like how many parts the fan comes with and what tools you’ll need will give you an adequate picture of what to expect when assembling (and if you’ll have the resources to do so. The Hampton Bay Mena 54 is a great option if you’re looking for a fan that has easy setup; the blades snap right into the center console, which will save you loads of time you would have otherwise spent screwing each blade into place.
Looking at a fan’s hardware and how it’s made and assembled will tell you how well it works. For example, if the blades are made of a bulky material, they’re more likely to wobble and feel unstable when powered up. Another thing to consider is the ceiling fan's potential location. If you’re going to install it in a small room, picking a fan with fewer blades and a smaller blade span (like the Harber Breeze 44-inch Ceiling Fan) might make more sense visually. If you place it in a larger room, a fan with more blades hanging lower from the ceiling would adequately fill the space. If it will be exposed to the elements like outdoor furniture, you should opt for an outdoor ceiling fan that is treated to be weather- and moisture-resistant or clearly says on the product page that it is built for outdoor use.
Your budget will obviously be the determining factor in what ceiling fan you choose, but it isn’t necessarily true that you have to break the bank for a good quality product. You can find good deals by monitoring a ceiling fan you like to see when it goes on sale, and combing through product reviews on “budget” ceiling fans to find the hidden gems. A ceiling fan’s value doesn’t all come down to the amount you pay upfront though: Another good rule of thumb is checking whether or not a fan has a warranty, and how long it lasts. This will also help you leverage how much use you will get from it and how far your money will go.
Our PEOPLE Tested team researched the most popular indoor and outdoor ceiling fans on the market and tested 11 different options made of different materials at varying price points to provide options for every type of shopper. We spent over 1,200 accumulated hours testing these fans and evaluating their performance in real-life scenarios, from diffusing smoke in kitchens to keeping a bedroom cool overnight to regulating temperature in a home office during long work days. Every fan was evaluated through the lens of its setup, design, effectiveness, quality, and value. We then rated each ceiling fan on a scale of one to five, with five being the best and one being the poorest performer, and the top-rated ceiling fans made this list.
You may assume that the more blades a fan comes with, the more power it will have. But this is not true! On the contrary, the amount of blades makes little to no difference in a ceiling fan's airflow strength. Three-blade fans oftentimes actually perform better than five-blade fans, because the lighter load on the motor allows it to work more efficiently. The amount of blades on a fan really only makes a difference aesthetically. As we said earlier, if you’re working with a bigger room, more blades might aesthetically make more sense, while three blades may keep a smaller room from looking too cluttered and busy. In that sense, the number of blades just comes down to visual preference.
If you want to get into the mathematics of it, a fan’s efficiency is measured by its CFM, which stands for Cubic Feet per Minute. You may see this on the product pages of the ceiling fans you’re perusing. iI’s ultimately meant to quantify how much air is being pushed throughout a space by that fan in one minute. For scale, an “average” fan has a CFM of about 4,000-5,000, while the highest performing fans will have a CFM of 6,000+. A good fan will do a good job of toggling between staying lightweight enough that it will prevent the motor from lagging but also being sturdy enough to churn out lots of air that will keep that CFM high. With this in mind, thin but wide paddle-shaped fan blades do the best job of keeping pressure off the motor and putting out enough air that it manages a room’s temperature consistently in a way you can feel.
You may have found an “indoor ceiling fan” that would fit perfectly on your patio, or you already have one lying around that you need to use. But according to Mackie, it’s probably best to avoid any mixing and matching. “For longevity in outdoor settings, it's important to choose a material that is rust-resistant and capable of withstanding alternative climates,” she says, “I was recently in the Virgin Islands for a project, and there was a lot of talk of marine-grade material. So marine-grade material would be heavy plastics or any anti-rust metal. These are often recommended for outdoor environments, especially in coastal areas. These materials are designed to withstand exposure to moisture, salt, and other outdoor elements.” In short, you should keep indoor fans inside to get the most use out of your ceiling fan.
Olivia Avitt has written about a wide range of subjects, from the best home products to wellness to art. For this piece, she thoroughly researched and reviewed each outdoor furniture product and the insights provided by the PEOPLE Tested team. She also consulted Emily Mackie, founder of Inspired Interiors, for advice on picking the right ceiling fan for your space so that you can maximize your benefit and accentuate your space best. We know making a big purchase, especially one for your home, can feel overwhelming when you get into the nitty gritty of the research. Olivia provides an unbiased editorial view with only the facts so that you can make an informed and empowered purchase.
We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.
But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.
In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.
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