The 8 Best Ceiling Fans of 2023, According to Testing

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The 8 Best Ceiling Fans of 2023, According to Testing

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Better Homes & Gardens / Michael Navarro

Ceiling fans do more than just keep your house cool. They add an extra layer of style to a home’s interior design, they’re eco-friendly, and they can keep the electric bill low in the hot summer or the cold winters.

There are several factors to consider before purchasing a ceiling fan. Stephen Borklund, owner of Magic City Pro Services, says when he looks for a ceiling fan, he pays attention to motor power, degree and angle of the blades, and blade length.

“Motor power is measured in CFM (cubic feet per minute), and anything with 320 CFM or higher is what I aim for,” he says.

“Blade length will depend on the size [of the] room,” Borklund explains. “For a 12 x 12 bedroom, a 42-inch fan will work fine. I’m partial to the 48-inch fans in my own house because I like more airflow while I sleep. If you have a bigger room, I would go with something at a minimum of 50-inches.”

During our testing, we evaluated 13 different ceiling fans based on ease of installation, efficiency, and ease of use. After testing the fans and consulting Borklund, we rounded up the best ceiling fans.

This fan comes with a remote control that can be used throughout the house and controls the fan speed and the lights.

The remote shows no indication if the fan is properly turned off.

The Honeywell Ceiling Fans 50197 Carmel 48-Inch Contemporary Ceiling Fan surpassed all of our expectations during our testing process, so much so that it earned the spot as our best ceiling fan overall. This classic yet chic fan was not only easy to install, it impressed us with how efficiently it cooled the space.

The fan is operated by remote control, a huge perk since we were able to control the fan from other rooms. The remote controlled the lights and the fan speed, and even came with a wall mount, which added to the convenience.

During testing, we found that the fan was silent even when placed on the highest speed, though the best speed setting was the medium speed as it cooled the room the fastest and kept it at the most comfortable temperature.

The airflow is a whopping 5,202 cubic feet per minute (CFM) which allowed it to cool the room with ease. We also appreciated that the fan had an auto shutoff function if it's accidentally left on.

The wood blades were well-balanced and complemented the sleek, bronze nickel finish of the base. During testing, this fan did an excellent job of cooling the room during an intense home workout, and it helped disperse smells from the kitchen while cooking.

While we loved this fan, keep in mind that it’s only intended for indoor use.

The fan remained very quiet even when put to use at home. We used it above the dining room table and felt that it did a nice job of circulating cool, clean air around the apartment—we'd even sit under it after a workout for a refreshing break. The ability to set a timer so the lights turned off on their own was an added bonus.

Our only complaint is that the remote shows no indication when the fan is off; you have to press the button twice and watch to see the fan stop moving to know for sure, and it's easy to accidentally turn it back on this way.

Better Homes & Gardens / Michael Navarro

This is a powerful fan that cools any room considerably even on the lowest setting.

This is a pull chain operated fan so it’s maybe not ideal for someone who is looking for a remote controlled unit.

The Portage Bay 50251 Hugger 52-Inch Matte Black West Hill Ceiling Fan is the best ceiling fan for someone who wants a quality product without hurting the wallet. We were very impressed with how well this fan operated—especially since it’s so affordable.

We found that installing the fan was easy and straightforward. The fan’s five matte black blades were nice and lightweight, which added to the ease of installation. It took a little over an hour to complete the installation, which was a much shorter time period than other fans we tested, and it required no additional tools.

The fan was more than efficient at cooling the room. The three speeds acted quickly to cool the entire 11 x 11-foot office space. While the highest setting was ideal for curing a stuffy room within seconds, we did note it was strong enough to blow papers across the room.

Even on the lowest setting the airflow was prominent and made a noticeable difference in the feel of the room. We were able to easily change the blade’s rotation by moving a slider switch on the fan’s motor housing.

We liked how the fan was almost silent on the lowest and middle speed. When the ceiling fan was at its highest speed, the sound of the fan was barely detectable—the main noise was from the breeze that was created from the fan.

Compared to other ceiling fans we tested that had a similar price point, this one felt sturdier and more durable. While some other models come with a remote, this one operates with a pull chain.

We installed this fan in a bedroom that doubles as a home office and continued to be impressed with the design and functionality. It was quiet enough not to disturb us while working or sleeping. While we liked the light well enough for a bedroom, we did wish it was brighter or perhaps larger when we used it for work.

Though it doesn't have a remote, we liked how the pull chains were designed. We noticed no discernible friction that could easily break the chains when pulling them to turn the fan or light on and off.

Better Homes & Gardens / Michele Hanson

This three-blade ceiling fan is surprisingly powerful given its blade number.

We noticed that there was a significant difference between the middle speed setting and the high setting.

The Minka-Aire F844-DK Light Wave 52 Inch Ceiling Fan is a three-blade ceiling fan that blew us away with its power. Although it has three blades instead of five, we found that this had no effect on its functioning. The fan was powerful enough that it easily cooled the room it was in and surrounding rooms.

The aesthetic is sleek and sophisticated with a black matte finish that adds an elevated look to a modern space. We noticed during testing that the blades were much lighter than other fans we tested, which made them easy to maneuver when installing.

It started working within seconds of being turned on, and we loved how the blades were well-balanced so there were no noticeable vibrations. Along with its stylish three-blade system, the fan comes in multiple colors which allows it to complement various interior design styles.

There are no pull cords since the fan is run by a remote control that controls lighting and fan speed. To change the direction of the blades, however, we had to locate the reverse switch on the fan’s coupling, which required us to use a step stool to reach it.

The biggest complaint we had was even though the remote offers a dimmer setting, the lights were still very bright. But overall, the fan’s design and quality are well worth the splurge, and it can easily cool a large room quickly and thoroughly.

This is a beautifully designed fan that looked beautiful at home—we think it would suit any house with a modern or contemporary decor style. Though we did hear a soft "whirring" sound on the highest speed, the fan was otherwise quiet enough to use in a bedroom (in fact, the minor white noise effect was a plus for us).

We loved being able to operate the fan from bed via remote—this came in handy when one of our testers was sick with the flu. The one thing we'd change would be to add a fourth fan speed, as there's a big jump between medium and high.

Better Homes & Gardens / Laura Miller

When testing this fan on a hot day, we found that it helped dissipate humidity.

During the installation process, we noticed this fan was heavier than other fans we tested.

For those looking to add a breeze to their outdoor area, the Hunter Fan Key Biscayne Indoor/Outdoor Ceiling Fan is the best ceiling fan for porches, patios, and balconies.

It took us approximately 47 minutes to install the fan from opening the package to complete installation, which was one of the fastest installation times of all the fans we tested. However, we did notice it was quite a bit heavier than other ceiling fans we tested.

Its five reversible blades cooled the space quickly and completely. We also found that this fan was particularly efficient at dissipating any smells or humidity.

This fan is pull chain controlled only, though it can be wired to a wall switch if desired. There is a toggle switch that changes blade direction, and the three speed settings are perfectly set to create an ideal airflow for the outdoors.

The lower setting provided a pleasant but noticeable breeze that felt like light wind blowing across the porch. There was a slight whirring noise at the higher speeds but overall the fan was fairly quiet.

The aesthetic is ideal for someone who enjoys a more rustic or farmhouse look, and the lights were bright enough to fill the room but weren’t overbearing or garish. Because of its ease of installation and efficiency at cooling spaces, this is the best ceiling fan for an outdoor space.

We used the fan almost every night since installing it in our home. The design is gorgeous and high-quality, and it works well to circulate the air. While we did think it would be nice for it to include a remote, we didn't miss it all that much.

Better Homes & Gardens / Mary Honeyman-Speichinger

The fan’s three blades are angled for optimum air flow.

There is no lighting aspect to this fan so the room would have to be lit with other light fixtures.

Sleek and sophisticated with a contemporary black finish, the Hunter Cassius Indoor/Outdoor Ceiling Fan is the best ceiling fan for any modern home.

With three blades angled to ensure 3,821 CFM air flow, this fan blew us away with its ability to match its level of sophistication with its level of performance. The fan was easy to install, and we found it was the ideal size for either a living room or master bedroom.

Despite being a downrod mount, the fan didn’t hang too low with its provided 5 and 3-inch downrods. The fan is pull chain operated, so there is no remote control, but the fan made no noise and there were no vibrations at all.

The fan was simple but effective, and it worked efficiently and comfortably with all speed settings. Our only complaint was there was no light kit so rooms had to be lit with other light fixtures, such as floor lamps.

This fan is so silent that we would sometimes forget that it was even on. While our hold fan would make irritating noises that were distracting when we tried to sleep, the Hunter Cassius is quiet enough that we don't have to think about it. We also appreciated the sleek, modern design that goes with a variety of decor styles.

Better Homes & Gardens / Ashleigh Morley

This ceiling fan quickly and efficiently ended a smoky cooking incident during testing.

Even with the dimmable option and several warmth settings, and the lights are almost too bright.

When you’re using a stove and an oven in the kitchen, it can quickly make the room much warmer. In those instances, it’s nice to have a ceiling fan that can quickly diffuse the heat and make cooking comfortable again.

We chose the Hampton Bay Mena 54-inch Ceiling Fan as the best ceiling fan for the kitchen because it worked quickly and efficiently during our testing.

The ceiling fan is operated by a remote control that is convenient and easy to use. We noticed that the fan’s blades were very lightweight and installed easily. The fan has three speeds and were balanced at each speed level, and it was quiet throughout its use, even at the highest speed setting.

At each speed, air was evenly circulated throughout the entire room, and it was able to cool the room completely in a matter of seconds. The fan proved to be reliable in the instance of a smokey dinner situation—even when it wasn’t installed in a kitchen.

The only downside we noticed is even though the remote comes with a light dimmer, the lights still seemed very bright.

We absolutely loved using this fan at home. It was super simple to set up and did a great job keeping the air cool in the living room. The three settings, especially medium, were a vast improvement over the old, slow fan we were previously using.

If we had one complaint it's that the lights often seemed too bright, despite the fact that you can adjust the warmth settings.

Better Homes & Gardens / Art Silverio

The 44-inch blades still cooled down the room effectively, despite their smaller size.

The installation was a little confusing—particularly when trying to sync the remote.

We deemed the Harbor Breeze Mazon 44-inch Brushed Nickel Flush Mount Indoor Ceiling Fan as the best ceiling fan for small rooms. This fan was recommended for rooms up to 100 square feet, and we installed it in a 10 x 10-foot room.

The assembly wasn’t as smooth as it was with other fans mainly due to the remote control. The remote required syncing with the fan before it would work properly. Before the power goes back on in the room, we had to hold the zero button down to sync it with the fan within 30 seconds of the power coming back on.

After that initial confusion, however, the fan worked perfectly. Much like the Minka-Aire F844-DK Light Wave 52 Inch Ceiling Fan, we found having three blades instead of the traditional five had no impact on how powerful the fan was.

Unlike the Minka, the fan was a lot heavier than we originally anticipated. We found speed levels medium and high to be most effective of the three levels provided, and each speed was impressively quiet with no loud vibrations.

The brushed nickel added a polished look to the room that elevated the aesthetic. Our main complaint was we wish there was a mount for the remote, but overall this was a great fan for the price point and it operated well.

We found that this fan exceeded our expectations. It was quiet and did a solid job of circulating air and keeping us cool in a room that has both our home office set up and a treadmill for home workouts. We did find ourselves wishing it came with a holder for the remote.

Better Homes & Gardens / Kimberly Souza

The ceiling fan comes with a wall dock for storing the remote control.

The fan has a mesh drum, which won't diffuse light. You'll want to stick with Edison or low-wattage bulbs to avoid a blinding glare.

Honeywell's Carnegie Industrial Ceiling Fan features chestnut wood blades and bronze hardware, a stylish look that'll pair well with rustic, industrial, and farmhouse-style bedrooms. The dual-finish reversible blades let you personalize the fan to your style since there is a different finish on each side of the blades.

The ceiling fan is equipped with three dimmable LED Edison bulbs that last up to 25,000 hours, meaning you won't have to worry about changing them often. Just keep in mind that the fan has a mesh drum, so the bulbs will be exposed.

Because of this, you'll want to stick with Edison or low-wattage bulbs to keep the light from feeling overly bright.

This ceiling fan has three speeds and a dimmable light, all of which can be adjusted using the included remote control. Though it's certainly handy to keep the remote on your nightstand (no need to get out of bed to adjust the fan speed), the ceiling fan also includes a wall dock for the remote so you'll always know just where it is.

This is a powerful, high quality fan that performed exactly as it should. We truly had no complaints! We installed it in a bedroom that doubles as a guest nursery for a 5-month-old grandchild and found that it cooled the room off quickly and made it easier to fall asleep.

Better Homes & Gardens / Pat McGowan

We chose the Honeywell Ceiling Fans 50197 Carmel 48’’ Contemporary Ceiling Fan as the best ceiling fan overall. It was quiet while it was running, even when it was operating on the highest setting.

Each speed cooled the room easily and thoroughly, and we loved there was no pull chain to operate it. The remote control was easy to use, and it gave us complete control at every step, even when in another room.

To test the best ceiling fans, we took them to our personal homes to see how each ceiling fan acted in a real world setting.

We installed each ceiling fan in the recommended room size according to the included instructions. We recorded the total amount of time it took to install each ceiling fan, noting any specific obstacles that were met or how easy the installations were compared to each other.

Throughout the testing period we recorded our thoughts on the fans’ individual speed settings, lights, remote control features, how easy it was to change the blade direction, and how easily the fan connected to smart home or app features (if applicable).

We also noticed how easy the fan was to operate with a remote control or pull chain, how effectively the fan circulated air, and also whether the fan’s speed settings caused any noises or vibrations.

Better Homes & Gardens / Pat McGowan

Ceiling fans come in a variety of different styles, colors, and aesthetics.

"My biggest piece of advice for choosing a ceiling fan that is going to blend in seamlessly with your decor is to try to match the color of the fan to the color of any wood, metal, or stone you have in the rest of the space,” says Kathy Kuo, founder and CEO of Kathy Kuo Home.

“For example, if you have arm chairs with a dark brown wood, a dark brown ceiling fan is going to work well, and likewise if you have a fireplace crafted from gray stone, a gray fan is a nice visual complement."

"Really, the key is to make the fan a continuation of existing visual themes rather than an element that actively draws the eye."

The style of the fan also depends on the control options. While most people are used to the traditional style ceiling fan that operates via wall switch or pull chain, there are several top-quality ceiling fans that now operate with remote controls.

The remote controls not only make fan operation easier, they also allow fans to have a sleeker look that keeps them out of people’s way and prevents any accidents trying to change the fan’s speed or reverse blade direction.

The blades of a ceiling fan also play a huge role in making a purchasing decision. Electrician Keith Pinkerton says fan blades come in a variety of different options for homeowners to choose from.

“The most common fans have five 52-inch blades, but you can find all sizes, shapes, lengths, and number of blades depending on the style of your space,” Pinkerton says. Several of the best ceiling fans we tested have three blades.

Pinkerton added that a blade’s “pitch” is also an important factor to consider. A blade’s pitch is the angle of the ceiling fan that impacts how much air is circulated while the fan is running.

“One tip: if you choose a fan with less [than five] blades, look for a higher blade pitch to increase air flow,” he says.

Borklund says more blades means more air circulation. “In a smaller room you don’t need as many blades, but if you have a higher ceiling or a bigger room then more blades could be more beneficial,” Borklund says.

When it comes to mounting a ceiling fan, there are two choices: flush or downrod mounting. Flush mounting is when a ceiling fan attaches directly to the ceiling and there’s very little separation between the blades and the ceiling surface.

A downrod mount is when the fan hangs lower than the ceiling. “Downrod mounts are for your high vaulted ceilings or larger rooms where people don’t have to worry about accidentally hitting the fan with their head,” Borklund says.

Most ceiling fan manufacturers include the airflow CFM, or cubic feet per minute, of the individual fans. This number lets the buyer know how much air is being circulated by the fan. Typically, a higher number means a higher airflow so the buyer can expect a more powerful fan.

Hunter Fan Company 53090 Builder Deluxe Indoor Ceiling Fan with LED Light and Pull Chain Control

During installation for the Hunter Fan Company 53090 Builder Deluxe Indoor Ceiling Fan, we found the instructions to be a bit confusing as they relied heavily on illustrations as opposed to written instructions, but once it was completely installed it operated well.

The blades were balanced resulting in no shaking or vibrating, and it ran silently at each of its three speeds (though there was a slight whirring noise at the highest speed).

While we were overall impressed with its performance, we found there were others that performed at a slightly higher level of excellence so it was left off our list.

Honeywell Ceiling Fans 50609-01 Xerxes Ceiling Fan with Remote Control

The Honeywell Ceiling Fans 50609-01 Xerxes Ceiling Fan was another fan that we felt performed well overall, though it had small quirks that eliminated it from our final list. When the fan turned on or off, it made a clicking sound as it started working.

There was a whirring sound on the highest speed setting that was comparable to a humidifier machine, but it wasn’t loud enough or obnoxious enough to be a real concern.

When it came to cooling the surrounding area, the fan really only cooled the isolated space immediately surrounding it and failed to spread the cool air throughout any other areas.

Better Homes & Gardens / Art Silverio

Ceiling fans should last a long time, roughly around 10 years or so. Of course, the longevity of a ceiling fan also depends on the quality. “Quality ceiling fans typically last a really long time,” Borklund says.

Pinkerton says there are quality ceiling fans at almost any price point.

“The elements that impact price are design and features,” Pinkerton said. “When you add features like remote controls, dimmers or additional speeds; or you have specific style criteria or want custom elements—that’s where price starts to increase.”

On our list, the most affordable ceiling fan is the Portage Bay 50251 Hugger 52-Inch Matte Black West Hill Ceiling Fan at less than $100. However, our most expensive ceiling fan is the Minka-Aire F844-DK Light Wave 52-Inch Ceiling Fan, which costs almost $400.

Michelle Love is a freelance commerce writer for Better Homes & Gardens. She has worked closely with interior designers over the years on various projects related to home organization and design with her extensive background in freelance writing.

For this piece she spoke with Keith Pinkerton, master electrician and franchise owner for six Mr. Electric businesses across Alabama and Tennessee, and Stephen Borklund, owner of Magic City Pro Services about what to keep in mind when purchasing a ceiling fan. She also spoke with Kathy Kuo, owner and founder of Kathy Kuo Home, about how personal style can play into purchasing a ceiling fan.

Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed our BHG Recommends seal of approval. Products that earn the seal have been put through rigorous testing to make sure they're worth a spot in your home. We buy most of the products we test ourselves, but occasionally we are provided samples by companies if buying isn't an option. In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products.

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