Tower fans are a great way to keep your space cool when you don’t want to crank the AC up even more, or for a light breeze to keep the air rotating in a small room.

With a taller and leaner design than a typical box fan or disc fan, tower fans also take up less space, as you can place it in a corner of a room and it still oscillates, whereas a disc fan takes up more room while oscillating, and a box fan doesn’t oscillate at all. 

Tower fans are also usually pretty lightweight and portable, making it easy to move them from room to room. Their design is often bladeless, or with blades housed inside the fan’s body, making them safer for children, too, as they can’t hurt their fingers on a fast-moving blade.

We tested over 30 tower fans for speed, output, oscillation, remote features, portability, design, and effectiveness, bringing you the best tower fans of the year. To get an expert’s input and tips on tower fans, we spoke to Jessica Petrino, educator and appliance expert at AJ Madison, a family-owned business and the number-one online kitchen appliance retailer in the country for over 23 years. Below, you’ll find our five favorite ones to fit your space best.

Jessica Petrino is an educator and appliance expert at AJ Madison.

Our Top Picks Best Overall: Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan at Amazon $70 Jump to Review Best Value: Better Homes & Gardens Tower Fan at Walmart $56 Jump to Review Best With Air Purifier: SALE Dyson Purifier Cool Gen1 TP10 at Walmart $430 $330 Jump to Review Best With Heat: Lasko FH500 Fan & Space Heater Combo Tower at Amazon $139 Jump to Review Best Quiet: Lasko Wind Curve Oscillating Tower Fan at Amazon $80 Jump to Review

　　 Best Overall

Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan

$70 at Amazon $65 at Walmart $70 at Target What’s Great About It Four speeds

Four modes, including night mode

Easy to move

Produces subtle white noise

What Could Be Better Only 3 feet tall

Covering up to 25 feet per second, the Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan is a powerful fan with a compact design. We used this product every night while sleeping, and found the noise output was just right for a white noise effect, plus we liked the night mode, as it shuts off the beeping noises and cuts the fan’s lights off for a dark room. 

We also liked that from a decorating standpoint, it blended into our space as opposed to the white, big oscillating fans that come a dime a dozen. During testing, the breeze could be felt 6 feet away when the fan was on a high setting, and paper strips blew away at this distance as well.

It rotates up to 90 degrees and works well in a bedroom, living room, or office, and it has a hidden handle, making it easy to transport. The remote stores in the built-in compartment as well.

Four modes (normal, natural, sleep, and auto), and four speeds from soothing-soft to storm-strong make it easy for you to keep your space as cool as you’d like, all while controlling the noise output as well for those who like (or don’t like) the sound of a fan while sleeping.

Auto mute is great for sleeping, and an eight-hour timer works well for sleeping, or an office day as well. Cleaning is a breeze, as there’s a removable rear grill and impeller wheel, and built-in circuit protection ensures safety. 

Dimensions: 11.8 x 36.2 x 11.8 inches | Settings: 4 | Oscillation: 90 degrees | CFM: 908.6 | Remote: Yes

The fan's settings can be changed by pressing buttons on its interface or by using the remote without ever getting out of bed.

We found the Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan to have a quiet motor and strong airflow, making it an excellent pick for the bedroom.

The built-in compartment helped us keep track of the remote control.

　　 Best Value

Better Homes & Gardens Tower Fan

$56 at Walmart What’s Great About It Lights turn off for sleep

Can be programmed to shut off when you wish

Multiple speeds

What Could Be Better Difficult to clean

Plastic build makes it somewhat wobbly

With three speed settings and two wind modes (natural wind or sleep wind), the Speed Tower Fan from Better Homes & Gardens is an affordable choice that’s both powerful for hot rooms and quiet for when you’re sleeping. 

We enjoyed using it when cooking, sleeping, and working out at home. It was super quiet, and the remote control was very handy when on the couch or in bed. There was some dust buildup over time, and the vertical vents were a bit difficult to reach inside and clean. The fan was somewhat wobbly, which could have been the way it was put together, or a design flaw. However, the airflow was direct. 

Rather than the entire unit oscillating, the unit oscillates internally instead, and you can control the settings by pressing the electronic panel or by using the remote. LED lights show the settings, but turn off after one minute so as to not disturb sleep. You can also set a timer in one-hour increments (from one to eight hours), and the fan shuts off per your timer. Better Homes & Gardens is owned by Southern Living's parent company, Dotdash Meredith.

Dimensions: 12 x 41.5 x 12 inches | Settings: 3 | Oscillation: Internal | CFM: 565 | Remote: Yes

　　 Best With Air Purifier

Dyson Purifier Cool Gen1 TP10

$430 $330 at Walmart $430 at Dyson.com $430 $330 at Best Buy What’s Great About It Minimal noise

Can oscillate almost all the way around

Numerous settings

What Could Be Better Must replace filters

Lower settings barely produce a breeze

With 10 different speeds and the ability to oscillate anywhere from 45 to 350 degrees, the Dyson Purifier Cool Gen1 is a powerful unit that works to cool the entire room, and also purify the air around you.

When we used the fan on the lower settings, it was hard to even tell that the fan was on, as there’s very little air output. However, this did prove beneficial in the winter for white noise while sleeping and to keep airflow in the room going.

We liked the bladeless design, noting it would be great for families with small kids around. It’s also lightweight, and easy to move from room to room. 

It comes with a HEPA H13 filter, which removes 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns in the air, and a layer of activated carbon removes odors and gasses. It also has night mode, which runs even quieter to help you sleep, and the magnetized remote sticks to the fan so you don’t have to worry about losing it.

Dimensions: 8.7 x 41.3 x 4.7 inches | Settings: 10 | Oscillation: Up to 350 degrees | CFM: Not listed | Remote: Yes

　　 Best With Heat

Lasko FH500 Fan & Space Heater Combo Tower

$139 at Amazon $131 at Wayfair $120 at Walmart What’s Great About It Safety features shut unit off if tipped over or overheated

Both fan and heater can oscillate

Taller unit good for taller beds

What Could Be Better Cord is a bit short

The base is wide

With a combined fan and heater in one unit, the Lasko All-Season Tower Fan & Heater can be used all year long. Use the fan during warmer months, and crank on the heater when it starts to cool down again. 

When using it as a heater, it heated our living room nicely, but the heat only came from the bottom portion of the fan, so it seems bulky to use it just as a heater. We also found the unit a bit tall for smaller rooms, however the bladeless design is kid-safe. The breeze from the fan was felt at 6 inches, 6 feet, and 20 feet away, but at 20 feet, the breeze was barely noticeable. 

The ceramic, 1,500-watt heater has three-speed settings, and the fan has four fan speeds. The oscillation feature allows you to oscillate both the fan and heater and a timer can be used for up to eight hours, with the unit shutting off afterward. 

A remote control is included that operates both the fan and the heater, and there’s a handle for easy carrying. Tip-over safety and overheat protection keep you from worrying, and the filter is easy to clean. 

Dimensions: 12.5 x 42 x 12.5inches | Settings: 4 fan, 3 heat | Oscillation: Wide oscillation, not specified | CFM: 350 | Remote: Yes

　　 Best Quiet

Lasko Wind Curve Oscillating Tower Fan

$80 at Amazon $69 at Wayfair $80 at Walmart What’s Great About It Nighttime function

Taller design

Timer cools room all day

What Could Be Better Lacks portability

For a fan that runs quiet and won’t keep you up at night, this one from Lasko is a solid choice. It comes with three different speeds, plus a nighttime setting that automatically dims the LED control panel and decreases speed so you can sleep without as much noise or light. 

It also has a 7.5-hour timer so you can set it for all-day cooling in a room, and 60 degrees of oscillation to keep the fan coming back to you quicker. The fan is 42 inches tall, meaning it’s great for beds sitting taller off the floor. We did find that this hindered portability a bit, but the handle makes it easier to carry.

The remote control has five buttons on it to control power, the timer, speed, oscillation, and the nighttime setting. The airflow could be felt from about 10 feet away, but at 20 feet, it wasn’t felt. However, all the speeds were effective for a fan that only comes with three speeds. 

Dimensions: 13 x 42.5 x 13 inches | Settings: 3 | Oscillation: 60 degrees | CFM: 634 | Remote: Yes

　　 The Bottom Line

Our top pick is the Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan because of its powerful output, ability to rotate, and compact design, which makes it ideal for any room. This fan can cover 25 feet per second with a cooling breeze and little noise output depending on the setting you choose.

If you’re looking for one that’s budget-friendly, consider Better Homes & Gardens Tower Fan which is 40 inches tall and has three speed levels to keep your space cool and comfortable.

　　 Our Testing Process

We tested 33 fans both in the lab at home for noise level, breeze output, oscillation, and remote control effectiveness. For noise level, we placed the fans on designated markers on the ground, then used a decibel reader to take decibel readings of the fans from 2 feet away at hip height. We recorded decibel levels for the highest and lowest settings for each fan. 

To test the breeze output, we placed five strips of computer paper and three strips of construction paper 10 feet in front of the fans. We repeated this at 20 feet as well, then turned each fan on and noted how the papers reacted to the fans being turned on at both distances. We walked in front of the fans at 10 feet and 20 feet, noting how much breeze we felt (if any). 

For oscillation, we turned this feature on during the low setting portion of testing, and considered how wide of an angle the fan oscillates and how quickly it moves back and forth. 

And for fans with remotes, we used the remotes to turn the fan on from 10 and 20 feet away, seeing how well the fans responded to the remote’s commands at various distances. The top performing fans were brought home and tested for up to six months to see how well they held up to regular use. 

　　 Tips for Choosing the Right Tower Fan

CFM CFM stands for cubic feet per minute and is a measurement of the amount of air that moves through a space within a minute. It shows how much air a fan can put out during that given timeframe. The higher the number, the more air the fan can put out, meaning the fan is more powerful with stronger breezes. Our Best Overall pick, the Dreo Nomad One Tower Fan, has the highest CFM of all those on our list at 908.

Noise Consider noise when purchasing a fan. Some people love fans to have some white noise, as it helps them sleep, while others want a fan that’s as quiet as possible, so their sleep isn’t disturbed. 

Oscillation Consider where your fan will be and how big of a space you have. If you want the fan to cool a larger room, you might want a fan with a wider oscillation, like Dyson’s Purifier Cool Gen1 TP10 Tower Fan which can oscillate up to 350 degrees, so it cools a wider area of space. For smaller rooms, you might want a fan with less oscillation so that the breeze comes back to you quicker and cools the space faster.

Fan Speed and Settings Think about how you might use your fan and how many fan speeds and settings you might need. For cooler months, you might want a fan with lower speeds, and for warmer months, you’ll need a fan with higher speeds that can crank out more air. Lots of fans also have nighttime settings, timer settings, noise settings, and more that help control lights and sounds. 

　　 More Tower Fans to Consider

Honeywell HYF260 Quiet Set Whole Room Tower Fan: This fan has a sleek look and is super quiet, we just wished the power cord was much longer, and didn’t come loose from the base as easily. It does have a carrying handle, but it feels heavy, and moving it around dislodges the power cord from its slot in the base, so you have to realign it every time.

Rowenta Urban Cool Silent Tower Fan: The Rowenta is lightweight and portable despite its larger size, making it easy to reposition in a room. However, the airflow was limited, even on its highest setting.

　　 Questions and Answers

Are tower fans as powerful as pedestal fans? “Tower fans and pedestal fans serve similar purposes but have different strengths. Tower fans are great for small spaces and are generally more compact and designed to move air over a larger vertical area,” says Petrino. 

“They may not always match the raw power of a pedestal fan, which typically has a larger, more powerful blade system and can move air more forcefully. While pedestal fans may produce more power in a concentrated area, tower fans often compensate with better distribution and airflow design, making them effective in smaller spaces or where even cooling is desired.”

Where is the best place to put a tower fan in a room? “The best place to position a tower fan is in a spot where it can circulate air effectively throughout the room,” says Petrino. “Placing it near an entry point, such as a doorway or window, can help draw in fresh air and distribute it evenly. It’s also effective to place the fan in a corner where it can oscillate and cover a wider area. For optimal cooling, make sure the fan is not obstructed by furniture or walls.”

　　 Why Trust Southern Living? 

Amanda Ogle is a freelance writer and editor with seven years of experience covering food and drink, travel, and general lifestyle topics. For this article, we tested 33 tower fans, considering factors such as airflow, portability, oscillation, noise, and settings. For expert insight, Amanda consulted Jessica Petrino, an educator and appliance expert at AJ Madison, the number-one online kitchen appliance retailer in the country with luxury showrooms in Washington, D.C., Miami, Florida, and Brooklyn, New York.