Fight Those Humid Summer Days With These Sweat-Preventing Oscillating Fans

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A cool breeze feels heavenly blowing across your face on a hot summer day. If Mother Nature isn’t delivering (and you don't want to jack up your energy bill by blasting the AC), you can enjoy this little luxury with the help of an oscillating fan. Oscillation simply refers to a fan’s ability to rotate horizontally, pushing air in more than one direction across the room. The feature is especially helpful in large spaces, but really, you can upgrade to an oscillating fan in any room that tends to get stuffy, including basements and windowless bathrooms.

Oscillating fans come in a variety of sizes and styles, ranging from small clip-on models that you can put in your car to large, wall-mounted units that create powerful airflow. No matter which style you choose, though, you’ll be grateful for your purchase when the dog days of summer roll around.

Best Oscillating Fans

• Best Overall: Amazon Basics Oscillating Dual-Blade Pedestal Fan

• Best Value: Black+Decker Oscillating Stand Fan

• Best Tower Fan: Vornado Whole Room Air Circulator Tower Fan

• Best Table Fan: Honeywell Turbo Force Oscillating Table Fan

• Best Wall-Mounted: Tornado High-Velocity Wall-Mount Oscillating Fan

What to Consider

Types of Fans

Pedestal fans provide adjustable cooling, usually with a centralized blade fan. This offers focused and oftentimes, more impactful breeze than other options at the cost of less of a vertical range.

On the other end, tower fans are typically large enough to cool a small room, and have a taller, thinner air vent for more coverage and a less space-intensive design. This may provide a better blanket of circulating air in the room, especially in tandem with oscillation, though perhaps with less overall power and force compared to a pedestal fan.

Table fans provide a breeze in a smaller radius and with, typically, less overall power, but in a more compact design. Table fans, as expected, fit comfortably on a table or desk for direct cooling to you and your immediate surroundings. There are also small, battery-operated fans that can be used on the go, whether in your car or attached to a stroller on a hot day.

Speed Settings and Airflow

In evaluating an oscillating fan, one of the key features to know is how much air it moves. This is typically measured in cubic feet per minute. The higher the overall CFM, the more powerful the fan is and the stronger airflow you can expect. Oscillating fans range anywhere from about 200 to 500 all the way up to 7,000 to 9,000 or more. This stat is more important when you’re buying an air conditioner or range hood, but make sure to pay attention to the advertised room size to ensure you don’t end up with a fan that’s too small.

Another key factor to keep in mind is the number of speed settings. While the number of speed settings don’t directly correlate to the power of the airflow, it does give you greater precision for your personal needs. More speed settings mean less of a difference between each one, so you can create marginal airflow changes as opposed to drastic ones.

Additional Features

Many fans come with a remote control for convenience, and some can even be connected to your Wi-Fi, allowing you to adjust the settings from your smartphone. In addition to remote access, many fans come with built-in timers with automatic shut-offs while others have sleep or eco modes that reduce power and speed for quieter, more energy efficient operation while you sleep.

How We Selected

To create this list of the best oscillating fans, we tested out multiple options in person and researched a wide range of fan styles at different price points. During our research and testing, we evaluated each model for its size, speed settings, extras features, and value for the price. We also took into account brand reputation—options from Vornado, Honeywell, and Dyson made the cut—plus warranty period and our own personal experiences with select products.

Oscillating Dual-Blade Pedestal Fan

This pedestal-style fan is an ideal option for cooling down a medium or large room. It features a 16-inch head with dual blades, and its height-adjustable base can be extended to up to 53 inches.

The fan has three speeds, as well as three breeze modes—nature, sleep, and normal—and it moves air well thanks to its wide oscillation.

This pedestal fan is controlled via an LED display screen, and it also comes with a remote control. Its automatic shut-off function can be programmed in 30-minute increments, and the head can also be tilted up or down. The main drawback of this budget-friendly option is the limited remote range.

Oscillating Stand Fan with Remote

With a remote control, quiet operating motor, and affordable price tag, the Black + Decker oscillating stand fan provides significant value and cooling power in one machine.

In my own home, the oscillating fan has proven to give enough cooling power to keep my room temperate even as the summer months have begun creeping up the heat outside.

The adjustable height allows me to bring the head of the fan precisely at bed level for optimal sleep while bringing it higher for oscillation and general cooling.

While the fan is great for smaller rooms, it lacks to power to reliably cool down larger spaces.

Whole Room Air Circulator Tower Fan

Tower fans are popular because of their small footprint, plus they're relatively inconspicuous in the corner of a room.

This Vornado Tower Fan is 41 inches tall and equipped with a powerful, efficient motor that can push air up to 100 feet, making it useful for large spaces. It has four speed settings (some customers say it's loud on the highest), which you can adjust on the fan's top panel or via remote.

Other highlights include a sturdy base to help prevent it from tipping. a timer that can be set in increments one- to eight-hour increments, and a magnetic cradle to store the remote.

Turbo Force Oscillating Table Fan

This bestselling table fan from Honeywell is a top choice for circulating air in smaller spaces. It’s designed to be placed on top of a table, desk, or other raised surface, with a head that pivots up to 90 degrees and 110-degree-max oscillation.

Despite its small size, this fan is able to push air up to 27 feet, and it’s said to be 25 percent quieter than similar size fans. While it's budget-friendly, the lack of a remote may be a dealbreaker for some.

High-Velocity Wall-Mount Oscillating Fan

For powerful airflow in your garage or workspace, this wall-mounted fan from Tornado is your best option. The 24-inch fan has three speed settings, and the highest setting moves air at an impressive 7,200 CFM.

The oscillating fan is also durable, made of aluminum and powder-coated steel, and has a grille with a rust-resistant finish. Once this fan is mounted, you can tilt the head 25 degrees up or down, and it oscillates 70 degrees left to right.

The price point may be hard for some to swallow considering it doesn’t come with a remote, though you likely won’t need to shut it off from the couch or bed, since it’s designed for more industrial settings.

Air Multiplier Tower Oscillating Fan

If you’re willing to spend a little extra on a high-tech fan, the Dyson Cool AM07 has a sleek bladeless design, as well as a variety of useful features.

The tower-style fan is just under 40 inches tall, with 10 speed settings—significantly more than most oscillating fans — and it operates quietly and uses less power than similarly sized models. The blade-free design of the Dyson fan is safer for kids and pets, and it’s also easier to clean, as there are no grills or blades to dust.

The oscillating fan comes with an LED display screen where you can set a sleep timer for between 15 minutes and nine hours, and the unit’s sleek remote is magnetized so it can be stored right on the fan itself.

Outdoor Extreme Oscillating Fan

Stay comfortable relaxing on your patio or porch with this outdoor oscillating fan from Rowenta. The pedestal-style design is completely weather-resistant, including a waterproof motor, UV-resistant materials, and an outdoor-rated plug.

The oscillating fan offers three speeds and three operation modes, and you can adjust its settings using the long-distance remote or the LED display panel.

The Rowenta fan is also easy to move and will stay put, as there are five locking wheels attached to its base, and it even has built-in cord storage on the back. The fan head oscillates 90 degrees, and the unit has a built-in timer that will automatically shut off in increments ranging from one to eight hours.

Turbo Silence Oscillating Table Fan

The Rowenta Turbo Silence Table Fan is an ideal option for your bedroom or office, as it operates as quietly at 38 decibels on its lowest setting. This 12-inch table fan is available in multiple finishes, and it has five blades that deliver airflow up to 1,695 CFM—extremely powerful for its size.

Its head can also be pivoted up to 90 degrees in each direction, allowing you to direct airflow exactly where you want it. There are four different speed settings, which is slightly more than most table or pedestal fans. You will have to adjust those added speed setting manually, as there's no remote included.

Oscillating Pedestal Fan

You can get airflow exactly where you need it with this pedestal fan, which can be adjusted between 3.5 and 4 feet, plus it features a height-adjustable base. There are three speed settings to choose from, and it oscillates up to 85 degrees, with a head that tilts up to 24 degrees for even more customization.

The Pelonis fan comes with a remote control and also has a seven-hour programmable timer, along with auto-shutoff if it overheats. It’s certainly well-priced considering its features, though it isn’t especially quiet at top speed.

Battery-Operated Clip-On Oscillating Desk Fan

Key Specs

• Type: Clip-on

• Dimensions (L x W x H): 8.3 x 5.7 x 3.7 inches

• Airflow: Not listed

• Speed Settings: Stepless

You’ll be glad you have this battery-powered clip-on fan this summer when you’re on the go, and it's also great to attach to a headboard or side table up to 1.3 inches thick. It oscillates up to 90 degrees, and rotates 350 degrees vertically and horizontally.

One of its coolest features is its stepless speed control, meaning you can set it to a variety of speeds using the control dial. Also, when the battery is running low, the fan be charged via a USB cable (though keep in mind it can take up to 4 hours to fully juice up).

Fan and Space Heater Combo Tower

Key Specs

• Type: Tower

• Dimensions (L x W x H): 12.5 x 12.5 x 41.9 inches

• Airflow: 350 CFM

• Speed Settings: 4

This tower unit from Lasko does double duty, serving as a fan in the summer and a supplementary heater during the cold winter months. The fan is 42 inches tall, with a small footprint and relatively inconspicuous design, and features four fan speeds and optional oscillation.

When you want to use it for heat, this unit has three different settings, ranging from 900 to 1,500 watts. There's also an adjustable thermostat.

Other highlights include a multifunction remote control and built-in timer, plus the unit will automatically shut off if it ever tips over. But if you're looking for a heat-cool combo fan with muscle to move air at high velocity, this option isn't the best choice, with only 350 CFM.

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