We Researched 30+ Pedestal Fans, and Our Favorite Circulates Air Like a Ceiling Fan

Air conditioning is great for cooling a space, but a good pedestal fan can be a more cost-effective way to beat the heat. It makes the temperature in a room feel cooler, even if it doesn’t actually reduce the temperature, so the AC doesn’t have to run as much. To find a range of efficient and user-friendly pedestal fans worth recommending, we researched more than 30 best-selling options and tested the twelve models that stood out.

After over a month of testing, we chose the Vornado Energy Smart Medium Pedestal Air Circulator as our top pick due to its powerful airflow, unbeatable number of settings, and incredibly quiet operation. But it was a tight race, and we found quite a few other models we liked as well. 

Ahead, learn more about how each fan that made our list performed in our tests, and see what to look for when choosing one of the best pedestal fans for your space.  

1. BEST OVERALL: Vornado Energy Smart Medium Pedestal Air Circulator
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2. RUNNER-UP: Iris USA Woozoo 360-Degree Pedestal Standing Fan
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3. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Amazon Basics 16-Inch Oscillating Pedestal Floor Fan
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4. BEST FOR LARGE ROOMS: Hurricane Pro High-Velocity Oscillating Stand Fan
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5. BEST QUIET: Rowenta 16-Inch Turbo Silence Extreme Stand Fan
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6. BEST SMART: Dreo PolyFan 704S Air Circulator Fan
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7. BEST STYLE: Vornado VFAN Sr. Pedestal Vintage Air Circulator
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Pedestal Fans Comparison

Our Top Picks

The pedestal fans listed here excelled in our hands-on testing. Their size, airflow, and individual features vary, so one of them is sure to be the right model for your needs. 

Our Ratings: Assembly 5/5; Circulation 4.5/5; Noise 5/5; Design 4.8/5; Value 5/5

The Vornado 6803DC fan is a sleek air circulator that comes with an extendable base that lets users raise or lower it to suit their needs. While it’s not an oscillating pedestal fan, we discovered it can still circulate air throughout an entire room by turning the fan head upward. When we tested the Vornado in this position and cranked up its speed to 99, it created a ceiling bounce—an effect much like that of a ceiling fan—and no matter where we were sitting, we were able to stay cool. The entire room was a comfort zone. 

The fan comes with a remote control, but we wish Vornado had provided an onboard spot to store the remote to prevent it from getting lost. The fan only generates about 30 decibels (dB) on the lowest setting, comparable to a whisper, which makes it a quiet fan for bedroom use. It produces more noise on high—about 59 dB, which is similar in sound to normal conversation.

This pick was easy to assemble, and we liked that its digital readout on the front allowed us to see the power level at a glance. It also features a timer and is lightweight enough (about 9 pounds) to carry from room to room.

What our tester says: “I’ve tested nearly a dozen pedestal fans, and this Vornado’s powerful yet unbelievably quiet airflow creates a more soothing and consistent output than any other. It offers an unbeatable 99 speed settings, and I love that I can feel its breeze all the way across a 15-foot room.”—Glenda Taylor, Product Reviews tester and writer 

Read our full review: Vornado Energy Smart Medium Pedestal Air Circulator

Get the Vornado Energy Smart pedestal fan at Amazon or Walmart. 

Our Ratings: Assembly 5/5; Circulation 5/5; Noise 5/5; Design 4.5/5; Value 4.8/5 

The winner is often clear when we test products head to head, but not this time. This Iris USA Woozoo pedestal fan is just as powerful as it is fun, and it could have easily taken the top spot over the Vornado. Though it only has 12 speeds instead of 99, it makes up for this with oscillation options: 90 degrees side to side or a full 360-degree circle to hit virtually every inch of a room. 

Its DC motor is both energy efficient and quiet, producing about 27 dB of sound on the lowest setting and 55 dB on the highest. At only 5.7 pounds, it’s also super lightweight and can even convert to a desk fan by removing the 15-inch extender pole: Just remember where the pole is stored for later use! The fan has three modes, a timer, and a remote that is easy to store in a caddy on the pole, though the caddy does tend to slide down over time from the remote’s weight. Our only real complaint is that users have to unscrew the front cover to clean the blades. 

What our tester says: “My husband loves a fan next to his side of the bed as much as I hate feeling the air from it. If that sounds familiar, this fan is the solution. Its compact head makes it easy to direct airflow at him without it hitting me, and it’s also the quietest fan I’ve ever used (I’m a weirdo who hates too much white noise). If that’s not enough, it’s also so powerful on high that it’s even too much for him at night.”—Michelle Larson, Product Reviews tester and writer 

Get the Iris USA pedestal fan at Amazon or Costco. 

Our Ratings: Assembly 4.5/5; Circulation 4.5/5; Noise 4.8/5; Design 4.8/5; Value 5/5 

With a dual-tier 10-blade design, 12 speed settings, adjustable height stand, and 16-inch tilting face, this Amazon Basics oscillating fan delivers quite a few features for a relatively low price. Its quiet and energy-efficient DC motor adds to its value, as does the fact that it’s so easy to assemble. On low, the fan is whisper quiet at about 25 dB. Even on high, its sound is still quite reasonable at just 53 dB. 

We assembled this Amazon Basics fan in around 10 minutes, including the time it took to run downstairs to fish out two AA batteries for the remote. Since it’s in one of our tester’s home office (who uses a walking pad while she works), we’ve put it to the test almost daily for over a month. Aside from the fact that the remote requires a direct line of sight to the fan’s control panel to work, we like everything about this pick, including the price. Its metal blade guard and DC motor are built to last, and its three modes (normal, nature, and sleep) and oscillating design allow for customizable comfort whether users are sitting or walking.

What our tester says: “I’ve probably used this fan more than any other fan I’ve ever owned. Almost every day, I change the height, tilt the face, switch the oscillation off and on, and crank it up to 12 and back down to one. I’m fine with spending more to get a quality product, but in this case, this budget-friendly pick has everything I need.”—Michelle Larson, Product Reviews tester and writer 

Get the Amazon Basics pedestal fan at Amazon. 

Our Ratings: Assembly 5/5; Circulation 5/5; Noise 4.5/5; Design 5/5; Value 4/5

This fan lives up to the Hurricane name, generating powerful air currents with the help of its 20-inch head, which pushes an impressive 4,500 cubic feet of air (CFM) per minute. This makes it ideal for circulating air in large living spaces without air conditioning. 

The Hurricane was one of the most powerful indoor pedestal fans we tested, but it wasn’t one of the quietest. At high speed, it registered 68 dB on our tester, comparable to the sound of a vacuum cleaner in an adjacent room. What’s more, the sound isn’t soothing like white noise; it’s a bit tinny-sounding. Still, the Hurricane won’t disappoint those looking for strong air circulation in a large space. During testing, we felt its strong breezes from almost 20 feet away. Plus, the fan has an oscillating function and three speed settings. Even on its lowest setting, we felt a noticeable draft. 

This unit features an all-metal construction with aluminum blades and a powder-coated finish on the fan pedestal. It weighs 24.1 pounds and has a sizable weighted base, so it’s not as portable as some models. It also doesn’t come with a remote control; instead, the fan speed and oscillation are both manually controlled via knobs on the back of the fan head. A replaceable fuse in the power cord protects the fan from overload. The Hurricane may not be the best option to use for sleeping, but it’s among the most powerful fans for home comfort. 

Get the Hurricane pedestal fan at Amazon, The Home Depot (2-pack), Walmart, Northern Tool + Equipment, Target, or Hurricane. 

Our Ratings: Assembly 5/5; Circulation 5/5; Noise 5/5; Design 4.3/5; Value 4.3/5

A fan isn’t useful in a living area if its noise drowns out conversation or interrupts restful sleep. This model from Rowenta operates at just 35 dB on the lowest speed setting, roughly equivalent to rustling leaves, making it ideal for the bedroom. It features five fan speeds, including a silent mode that creates just enough white noise for sleeping, as well as a Turbo Boost setting for extra cooling power.

We found the Rowenta to be a good mix of comfort and quality. Assembly was quick and easy, and the fan has a sturdy base that keeps it from tipping over if bumped. It weighs just under 20 pounds—heavy enough to offer stability, but still light enough to carry if needed. The 16-inch head pushes up to 2,436 CFM, which is nothing to sneeze at. While it was running, we felt a strong draft while sitting on the other side of the room.

Our favorite feature was the easy-access control panel that includes an 8-hour timer and an energy-saving mode. All of these settings are also controllable via the fan’s convenient remote control, but we had to buy a CR2032 (disc-type) battery, as one is not included. 

Get the Rowenta pedestal fan at Amazon, Wayfair, Walmart, or Rowenta.

Our Ratings: Assembly 5/5; Circulation 5/5; Noise 5/5; Design 4.5/5; Value 4.8/5

For those into smart-home technology and want an oscillating fan that connects to Wi-Fi, this might be the right pick. We had never tested a smart fan before, so this was an exciting test. After a quick assembly process, we scanned the included QR code, set up an account with Dreo, and synced the fan to the app. It was simple and fast. After that, we were able to start, stop, and adjust airflow speed and direction from our smartphone.

In addition to being a sleek and very tech-forward fan, the PolyFan 704S is also a good air circulator. It produces a brisk, focused airflow, and the noise it generates is quiet and soothing, almost like rainfall on a roof. We liked the touch controls and the lighted display as well as the ability to adjust the fan’s height for personalized comfort. This is also a remote-control pedestal fan, and the fan head oscillates 150 degrees horizontally and 120 degrees vertically for even more versatility. While it may not be powerful enough for massive rooms, it’s a good pedestal fan for cooling a bedroom, study, or home office. 

Get the Dreo pedestal fan at Amazon or Dreo. 

Our Ratings: Assembly 4.4/5; Circulation 4.5/5; Noise 5/5; Design 5/5; Value 4.5/5

Everything old is new again. The Vornado Vintage fan is like something straight out of the 1940s, and we were totally impressed with both its look and performance. The first thing we noticed was the high quality of the materials—no plastic on this one. The Vornado is made from enameled steel and chrome and has real brass accents. 

Like the vintage fans it emulates, the Vornado doesn’t come with a remote control; rather, it has a single knob on the back of the fan head to turn the fan on and off and adjust the airflow speed. We wouldn’t say it’s fully in the category of quiet fans, but Vornado nailed the nostalgic hum of vintage-era fans. It’s not exactly white noise, but it’s still calming, and it evokes the ambience of old-time barbershops and the crackling tones of a Victrola. 

The fan doesn’t oscillate, but it features a tilt head, and we were able to adjust the height from 42 to 55 inches. It creates a direct and focused breeze, making it best suited for placement in the corner of a sitting space or bedroom. This pick is a great retro focal point that pulls double duty to keep the user comfortable.

Get the Vornado VFAN Sr. pedestal fan at Amazon, The Home Depot, Target, or Vornado. 

How We Tested the Best Pedestal Fans

We were surprised by the sheer variety of pedestal fans on the market, each promising to keep users cool while saving on utility costs. We couldn’t test them all, though, so we narrowed our list down to the top performers in various categories. In selecting the models for testing, we considered brand name to an extent—after all, Vornado and Dreo have strong reputations for making quality fans. Still, we didn’t eliminate lesser-known manufacturers, as long as their fans were high quality and enthusiastically endorsed by real users. 

After carefully selecting what we felt were the best pedestal fans in several categories, we got down to testing. Our tests were straightforward. We noted material quality, ease of assembly, portability, and design. Then, we tested each fan’s airflow capacity and noted whether it would be considered a loud or quiet fan. 

During the inspection, assembly, and hands-on testing process, we awarded points to each fan based on a rubric. After testing, we averaged their scores to determine the top performers and to categorize each fan according to its best use.

What to Consider When Choosing a Pedestal Fan

Airflow is the most important element to consider when shopping for a pedestal fan, as it determines how effectively the fan can circulate cool air in a room. But size, material, features, and noise level are also important factors. 

Size

Pedestal fans are a type of tall, slender floor fan designed to circulate air through a room without taking up much space. Most models are about 50 inches tall, with the fan head measuring anywhere from 12 to 24 inches in diameter. 

Users should select a pedestal fan that’s well suited to the dimensions of the space they’ll be cooling. A 16-inch fan should function well for the average bedroom or small living area, while a larger 24-inch fan is suitable for ventilating a garage or large living room. 

Material and Style

Most fans are made from either steel or high-grade plastic. Steel pedestal fans are heavier, making them more stable and less likely to be knocked over, as well as more difficult to move around. The steel construction also means they are prone to rust, which makes them poorly suited for humid regions. 

Fan blades are typically made of either metal or plastic, although designer fans may feature blades made of wood or bamboo. Plastic is lightweight and easy for the fan’s motor to turn, whereas metal is more durable but requires more power. This makes fans with plastic fan blades slightly more energy efficient than those with heavier metal blades. 

The aesthetic qualities of a pedestal fan can help it complement a room’s decor. Some feature sleek designs with cylindrical heads that mesh well with modern or transitional styles. Other designs have rounded housings and classic colors for a vintage look that complements country, eclectic, and casual decor. 

Air Delivery and Speed

Pedestal fans push air in one direction or they oscillate, which occurs when the head pans side to side. Multiple spinning blades do the work, with some fans utilizing three broad blades and others using four or five narrow ones. 

A fan’s cubic feet per minute (CFM) rating describes how much air it can move at its highest speed. Many pedestal fans have a 2,500 CFM rating, which is enough to circulate air in an average-size bedroom or living area. Some large pedestal fans have a 9,000 CFM, making them well suited for industrial use. Powerful models can serve as useful fans for the summer.

Adjustability

Most pedestal fans have at least three speed settings: low, medium, and high. Some models feature additional speeds and perks, such as ultra-quiet operation. Users can adjust the speed with controls located on the fan’s head or via a remote control if one is included.

Pedestal fans often have telescopic poles that allow the user to adjust the head to different heights to target a specific area in a room. Adjustability typically ranges from 40 to 55 inches tall. Some models also feature tiltable heads that let users aim the fan upward or downward.

Fan Modes

Pedestal fans may come equipped with special modes for easy operation. For example, some feature a thermostat that automatically turns the unit on and off based on room temperature. Some pedestal fans also have timers that turn them off after a preset number of hours, preventing the fan from accidentally being left on in an unoccupied room. 

Some fans feature a night mode, which allows the fan to quietly operate for a predetermined number of hours before shutting off. Turbo mode, another feature sometimes offered, allows the fan to run at high speed for maximum airflow and cooling power. Users can set these modes on a control console on the fan or, if included, via a remote or app from across the room. 

Noise Level

Pedestal fans are often used in living spaces, so they should be quiet enough to avoid disrupting sleep or other activities like socializing, watching TV, or reading. With a noise level of around 45 to 55 decibels (dB), most pedestal fans are quieter than their window fan counterparts. However, they can still be loud—especially on their highest speed setting—while whirring over a conversation between house members or overpowering the audio coming from a TV. 

Fans with quiet technology operate at about 35 dB, which is as loud as the sound of a whisper; these fans are typically more expensive than standard units.

Portability and Storage

Pedestal fans tend to have a tall build, which makes them somewhat awkward to transport from room to room. Even though many pedestal fans can stand as tall as 50 inches, they typically weigh under 15 pounds, which is light enough to be lifted and moved fairly easily. 

Most pedestal fans have adjustable heights. This allows users to lower them to the shortest height, usually 40 inches, for easier storage. They tend to have bulky bases, though, which are necessary for keeping the top-heavy fans from tipping over when bumped. Fans with bases larger than 2 feet in diameter can pose a storage challenge if the home doesn’t have an excess of storage space. 

FAQs 

Shoppers looking to buy a new pedestal fan to beat the heat often have several questions while shopping, including how much energy these fans consume and how long they can safely run. Here are answers to some of the most common questions asked about these appliances. 

Meet the Testers

Michelle Larson is a writer and editor with expertise in home, health, and technology products. Her straightforward and detail-driven approach comes from her general curiosity about all things self- and home-improvement. Whether she’s testing pedestal fans, pizza ovens, or portable power stations, she focuses on durability and usability to help readers make confident, informed decisions.

Glenda Taylor is a product tester and writer specializing in the construction, remodeling, and real estate industries. She and her husband own a general contracting company, and Taylor is experienced in both residential and commercial building applications. She tests a wide range of power tools as well as other home improvement, household, and lawn-and-garden products.

Additional research provided by Tony Carrick.

 

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