Regardless of your reason for wanting one -- whether you want more air circulation or need a fan to cool down -- a tower fan can get the job done with multiple speeds to suit your needs, a wide oscillation feature for bigger rooms and minimal noise. What's more, their compact design means that you can use them well even if you're in a small room. Don't hold off until summer to grab a tower fan; check out these CNET-tested models and treat yourself to one now.
Why do we like tower fans so much? For one thing, a tower fan's capacity to create strong airflow through cross-ventilation, effectively lowering indoor temperatures at night and keeping your space cooler for much longer, is so helpful. Tower fans take up less space than box fans or AC units, which means less chance of you or your pets tripping over them. Tower fans are also pretty light, so you can easily move them from room to room. Plus, their slim design makes it easy to tuck them away without blocking walkways or ruining any views.
The shape of a tower fan isn't just for looks. It ensures that a well-positioned one can quickly create a comfy temperature across an entire room. The best tower fans typically oscillate from side to side, effectively cooling most of a room. This makes them ideal for living areas, allowing the whole family to benefit from the cooling effect. Additionally, tower fans come in various designs and often include features such as an eight-hour timer and safety enhancements to improve their performance. Some even have built-in air purifiers. Alongside these nifty features, brands like Lasko's Smart Oscillating Tower Fan are incorporating phone controls and voice activation via Alexa or Google Assistant.
After testing multiple models, our team of CNET experts selected several top tower fans that are the best option for hot, humid days.
Lasko Wind Curve T42905 Oscillating Tower Fan
I loved the sleek silhouette and wood grain accents of this Lasko tower fan. It was also the third-quietest fan that I tested, measuring just a few decibels noisier than the Honeywell. On top of that, it features Bluetooth, which lets you control the oscillating fan via an app on your phone.
The problem is that the app is all you get as far as remote controls are concerned. That isn't ideal for a shared space, as the fan can only connect with one device at a time. In other words, if someone else pairs with the fan, your connection gets cut.
That might be forgivable if the app offered advanced features like voice controls or the ability to set a custom schedule, but it doesn't. You can turn it on and off, turn the oscillation feature on and off, adjust among three speed settings or start the sleep timer; the same controls as you'll find on the fan itself. It doesn't ask for any permissions aside from Bluetooth access, the app doesn't seem to offer a privacy policy at all. All of that makes this Lasko fan easy to skip at $80.
Vornado V-Flow Air Circulator Tower Fan
The Vornado V-Flow tower fan features a neat-looking build that twists the fan's grille around the cylindrical base. It's one of the best-looking tower fans I tested, but it doesn't oscillate like a traditional tower fan. Instead, it relies on that twisty design to move a wider field of air throughout the room.
It worked well enough in my tests when I had it aimed at me, but coverage varied at those side angles, where the airstream is positioned lower or higher due to that diagonal grille. The bigger issue was that the Vornado V-Flow was the noisiest fan I tested, ringing in at 50 decibels at the highest of its three speeds from a distance of 30 inches. On top of that, my remote wouldn't work, which echoes frustrations I've seen from user reviews at retailers where the V-Flow is sold. That, plus a lack of features beyond the usual sleep timer, has me saying no thanks to Vornado's $70 price tag here (and I'd probably skip it during a sale too). That's a shame, as Vornado's five-year warranty was the best among all of the fans I looked at for this roundup, and more than twice as long as you get with the $550 Dyson TP04.
AmazonBasics Oscillating 3-Speed Tower Fan
Amazon continues to sell a growing variety of products under its AmazonBasics brand and these days that includes a tower fan. As the name suggests, it isn't anything too fancy. The remote batteries don't come included, but you at least get a couple of natural wind settings on top of the typical low, medium and high speed settings.
Unfortunately, I had a disappointing experience with this fan. The remote stopped working shortly after I started testing, and the fan detached from its flimsy base after a few moves between rooms. Despite its 35-watt power draw being the lowest of all the fans I tested, the airflow was weak, even at the highest setting. At $60, this tower fan isn’t worth the price.
Unfortunately, most tower fans won't work very well with smart plugs.
Chris Monroe/CNET
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