The Best Quiet Fans of 2023

The best quiet fan helps reduce energy costs while promoting a comfortable and peaceful night’s sleep. Explore some of the most favorable options for fans featuring quiet performance and efficiency.

By Carol Benton | Updated Jun 20, 2023 2:52 PM

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more.

The Best Quiet Fan Option

Photo: amazon.com

Strategically placed fans help reduce home energy costs as they circulate air, reducing dependence solely on air conditioning systems. Alternatively, fans provide a cooling function when air conditioning is not available.

While fans do not actually cool the air in the home, they create airflow that moves across your skin to generate a cooling sensation due to moisture evaporation and body-heat dissipation.

The best quiet fan for a peaceful night’s sleep cools bedroom occupants while maintaining a serene environment for uninterrupted slumber. Ahead, discover some essential considerations and product recommendations for high-quality quiet fans that transform a bedroom into a relaxing haven for comfortable snoozing.

  1. BEST OVERALL: KopBeau 36-Inch Oscillating Tower Fan
  2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Honeywell HT-900 TurboForce Air Circulator Fan
  3. UPGRADE PICK: Dreo 42-Inch Pilot Max Tower Fan
  4. BEST TOWER: Lasko 42-Inch Portable Electric Oscillating Tower Fan 
  5. BEST PEDESTAL: Honeywell Advanced Quietset Whole Room Pedestal Fan
  6. BEST BLADELESS: Dreo 40-Inch Cruiser Pro T0 Tower Fan
  7. BEST CLIP-ON: Genesis 6-Inch Clip Convertible Table-Top & Clip Fan
The Best Quiet Fan Option

Photo: amazon.com

How We Chose the Best Quiet Fans

The quietest fans create soothing white noise while you’re sleeping or run all day in a home office without distraction while you’re working. Selecting the best quiet fans depends upon their noise levels, design, adjustability, power, and portability.

Each of the tabletop, pedestal, clip-on, andtower fans in our Top Picks runs under 60 decibels, which is about the noise level of a regular conversation. Many picks hover at 25 to 40 decibels (30 decibels is the level of a typical whisper) and create white noise, which is a comfortable level to keep on at night without interrupting sleep. Based on preferences, the above list offers a variety of tabletop, tower, clip-on, and pedestal fans to suit many typical household needs. Plus, some of these options with a bladeless design are safe for children and pets.

Adjustability and control to properly circulate air are also prioritized in our picks as select options come with programmable oscillations, air speeds, sleep modes, and height adjustment to allow for continuous airflow when needed. Each fan also comes with multiple airspeed options. Finally, multiple models listed above are able to be carried easily from room to room with built-in handles and/or lightweight constructions.

Our Top Picks

These top picks for quiet fans include traditional bladed and bladeless fans in a variety of styles and sizes. The clip-on, tabletop, tower, and pedestal fans in this list of recommendations feature numerous conveniences, such as remote operation, varied airspeed options, and automatic timing functions. These high-quality air circulators are manufactured by reputable companies to promote quiet, cool, and comfortable sleeping conditions.

Best Overall

The Best Quiet Fan Option: KopBeau 36-Inch Oscillating Tower Fan
Photo: amazon.com

This tower fan from KopBeau features a special sleep mode for cool and quiet nights. Select from normal, natural, and sleep modes as well as low, medium, and high speeds via the included remote control.

The easy-to-use control panel and LED display allow you to adjust the oscillation and airspeeds as well as set a timer to end airflow. When in sleep mode, the LED display shuts off automatically in 30 seconds after making a speed selection. For health considerations, the air circulator shuts off automatically when the ambient room temperature drops below 75.2 degrees Fahrenheit. For added customization, this fan can also be adjusted from a 36-inch height to 42-inch height tool-free.

Sized at 42 inches high by 12.8 inches wide by 12.8 inches deep, the slender design of this tower fan facilitates easy placement in a corner or out-of-the-way spot in a bedroom, office, or living room. The fan oscillates in a 65-degree arc to move air throughout the space. At only 10 pounds, it’s also conveniently portable with a built-in handle for use throughout the home.

Product Specs 

  • Type: Tower fan
  • Fan-speed settings: 3
  • Noise level: 45 decibels

Pros

  • 3 airspeed levels integrated into the construction
  • Automatic shutoff prevents unwanted power use; suitable for those who sleep with a fan on
  • LED screen display for quick checks and adjustments
  • Compact design is portable enough to be moved around if needed

Cons

  • Some users have reported poor air output on some air speeds

Get the KopBeau quiet fan at Amazon.

Best Bang for the Buck

The Best Quiet Fan Option: Honeywell HT-900 TurboForce Air Circulator Fan
Photo: amazon.com

Place this small but mighty table fan from Honeywell on a tabletop or a floor and adjust the 90-degree pivoting head for maximum comfort. Select from three speeds and feel the cooling effect of air circulation up to 25 feet away. For an economical price, this unit offers remarkable cooling efficiency.

Honeywell engineers designed this turbo-force air circulator table fan for maximum cooling capacity via its aerodynamic design. Due to the versatility of the pivoting head, the fan can function equally well for personal cooling or whole-room air distribution. It delivers powerful air circulation whether mounted on a wall or from a tabletop, desktop, or floor location.

This conveniently portable table fan is 10.9 inches high by 8.94 inches wide by 6.3 inches deep and weighs only 2.6 pounds, so most users can easily carry it from room to room. Using this powerful fan for personal comfort helps to reduce the energy costs related to home air conditioning, and it’s one of the quietest fans on our list.

Product Specs 

  • Type: Table fan
  • Fan-speed settings: 3
  • Noise level: 0.1 decibels

Pros

  • Whisper-quiet noise level; one of the quietest fans on this list
  • 90-degree pivoting head provides even distribution of cool air
  • Portable and lightweight construction means it can be moved if needed
  • Energy-efficient construction helps save on energy bills

Cons

  • Meant for use in small spaces

Get the Honeywell HT-900 air quiet fan at Amazon.

Upgrade Pick

The Best Quiet Fan Option: Dreo 42-Inch Pilot Max Tower Fan
Photo: amazon.com

For those who need an intuitive and powerful fan to beat the summer heat, consider the Dreo 42-inch Pilot Max tower fan. This bladeless unit is made for use in bedrooms, nurseries, offices, and more with up to 120-degree oscillation, a 12-hour timer, a 25-decibel noise level, four modes, and 12 fan-speed settings. Plus, it comes in a classic silver or gold to help match a space’s current fixtures.

For user-friendliness, this high-tech model is made with Wi-Fi compatibility so it can be adjusted via Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Google Assistant, the smartphone app, or the included remote control.

Product Specs 

  • Type: Tower fan
  • Fan-speed settings: 12
  • Noise level: 25 decibels

Pros

  • Bladeless unit is ideal for homes with children and pets; self-cleaning function can remove pet hair and dust buildup
  • Comes with 12 fan-speed settings and 4 operating modes for ample customization
  • Wi-Fi compatibility; works with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Google Assistant, and a smartphone app
  • Comes in 2 colors to suit many home styles

Cons

  • Some users have reported that the remote control can be difficult to use

Get the Dreo Pilot Max quiet fan at Amazon.

Best Tower

The Best Quiet Fan Option: Lasko 42-Inch Portable Electric Oscillating Tower Fan
Photo: amazon.com

Place this portable tower room fan from Lasko wherever air circulation is needed while enhancing home decor at the same time. The exterior features an attractive gray and wood-grain finish. With a 13-inch-square footprint, it takes up relatively minimal floor space. The unit stands 42.5 inches tall and oscillates in a wide arc to produce cooling airflow throughout a room.

Featuring high, medium, and low airspeeds, this fan offers versatility for diverse cooling needs. A special nighttime setting makes it an optimal choice for bedrooms. On the nighttime setting, the control display dims and the fan speeds adjust automatically to high for 1 hour, then medium for 1 hour, and then low for the remainder of the night. Additionally, an automatic shut-off feature is programmable for any time interval from 30 minutes to 7.5 hours.

The remote control can be stored in the handy pocket at the top of the unit. A carry handle makes the fan easy to transport from room to room. The fan weighs a modest 15.5 pounds, so it’s fairly easy to move this fan wherever a cooling breeze is required.

Product Specs 

  • Type: Tower fan
  • Fan-speed settings: 3
  • Noise level: 46 to 55 decibels

Pros

  • Control display and remote included for quick adjustments and checks
  • Nighttime setting adjusts automatically; suitable for those who sleep with the fan running
  • Built-in carrying handle for moving around a space when needed
  • Compact design will not take up a lot of space in a typical-size home

Cons

  • Heavy compared to other fan options available on this list
  • Loud when in operation; may not be ideal for light sleepers

Get the Lasko quiet fan at Amazon, Appliances Connection, or Best Buy.

Best Pedestal

The Best Quiet Fan Option: Honeywell Advanced Quietset Whole Room Pedestal Fan
Photo: bestbuy.com

Honeywell ensures the quiet operation of this oscillating pedestal fan that produces 25 percent less noise than comparable models. Engineers created the aerodynamic blade and the cone-shaped air diffuser with whisper-quiet operation and powerful cooling capacity in mind.

This fan’s pedestal design offers the convenience of a twist-and-lock height adjustment, so you can enjoy a cooling airflow at the optimal level. Additionally, the remote control facilitates the convenient adjustment of five fan-speed settings without you having to leave the bed or sofa. Avoid losing the remote by storing it in the special slot on the back of the fan.

Large enough for whole-room cooling, this pedestal fan is 48 inches high by 15.75 inches wide by 15.75 inches deep and weighs just 13.22 pounds.

Product Specs 

  • Type: Pedestal fan
  • Fan-speed settings: 5
  • Noise level: Unlisted

Pros

  • Twist-and-lock height adjustment to circulate air where it is needed
  • Remote control included for adjusting anywhere in the room or space; built-in remote control storage slot
  • Aerodynamic fan blades provide ample air movement

Cons

  • Bladed design may not be safe for small children
  • Heavy weight compared to similar quiet fans available
  • Limited maneuverability; may be cumbersome to move around a home

Get the Honeywell Advanced Quietset quiet fan at Best Buy.

Best Bladeless

The Best Quiet Fan Option: Dreo 40-Inch Cruiser Pro T0 Tower Fan
Photo: amazon.com

Bladeless fans offer the advantage of significant noise reduction when compared to bladed fans. This bladeless tower fan from Dreo oscillates in a 90-degree arc as it delivers a cooling breeze with minimal noise. At only 34 to 48 decibels, the noise from the fan does not disturb a restful night’s sleep.

Use the included remote control to choose from normal, natural, and sleepmodes. Additionally, select from among low, medium, high, and highest airspeeds. The fan offers a wide range of fine-tuning to suit many users via the four modes and five airspeeds.

With a base that is 11.42 inches square, this tower fan has a small footprint in a bedroom, an office, a living room, or any room in the home. It stands 40 inches tall and weighs only 9.24 pounds, which helps make it easy to carry around the house.

Product Specs 

  • Type: Tower fan
  • Fan-speed settings: 5
  • Noise level: 34 to 48 decibels

Pros

  • 90-degree oscillation provides ample air circulation around a space
  • Remote control included for quick adjustments
  • Compact design does not take up a lot of floor space
  • Lightweight and portable construction can be moved around if necessary

Cons

  • No built-in handle for maneuvering around a home

Get the Dreo Cruiser Pro quiet fan at Amazon.

Best Clip-on

The Best Quiet Fan Option: Genesis 6-Inch Clip Convertible Table-Top & Clip Fan
Photo: amazon.com

Focused, directional airflow provides comfort for those who grow hot as they sleep. A clip-on fan facilitates directed, personal air circulation without disturbing sleeping partners or family members.

This clip-on fan from Genesis Designs offers quiet operation and two fan speeds. Clip it to a headboard, shelf, or the edge of a table or nightstand. The clamp features a sturdy gripping surface to ensure stability and focus the airflow where desired. Alternatively, users may attach the included base to transform this fan into a tabletop unit. Conversion is easy with the operation of a butterfly screw on the fan head.

A handy addition to the bedroom, this compact clip-on fan is just 10 inches high by 6 inches wide by 5 inches deep and weighs a mere 1.92 pounds. Transport it easily to the office, living room, kitchen, or anywhere a directed airflow is needed for personal, cooling comfort.

Product Specs 

  • Type: Clip-on fan
  • Fan-speed settings: 2
  • Noise level: 13 decibels

Pros

  • Sturdy-grip clip stays wherever it is needed
  • Comes in multiple colorways to suit many styles
  • Compact design will not take up a lot of space
  • Affordable compared to similar quiet fans available

Cons

  • Limited airspeed options compared to other models
  • Slightly loud when in operation

Get the Genesis quiet fan at Amazon or The Home Depot.

Jump to Our Top Picks



What to Consider When Choosing a Quiet Fan

Quiet fans are available on the market in a variety of types and sizes. Shoppers may choose from small clip-on or tabletop fans that focus a cooling current of air over a limited area. Alternatively, larger fans in tower and pedestal styles are better suited for covering entire rooms.

Options for airspeed and power settings vary among fans, as well as convenient features like remote control, automatic timers, and portability. Read on to investigate a few vital considerations before selecting the best quiet fan for the bedroom.

Type

Based on room size and configuration, as well as cooling needs, shoppers may choose from among several types of quiet fans to promote comfortable bedroom sleeping.

  • Tabletop fans provide portable air circulation for optimal sleeping conditions. Place an oscillating tabletop fan on a nightstand, a dresser, a desk, or a table in the bedroom for a cooling breeze.
  • Tower fans stand on the floor and tend to be larger than tabletop fans, although they are lightweight enough to allow portability from room to room. Featuring a slender cylindrical profile, tower fans don’t take up much floor space in the bedroom.
  • Pedestal fans stand on the floor much like tower fans, but their shape resembles a circular fan unit atop a vertical pole. With their large size and oscillating capabilities, pedestal fans provide whole-room cooling. However, the caged design of these fans offers little aid when cleaning dust or debris from the blades.
  • Clip-on fans offer focused, directional airflow for individual comfort when clipped to headboards, tables, desks, or shelves.
  • Bladeless fans operate via an air multiplier system that utilizes either moving blades or a brushless electric motor hidden in the base. These moving parts pull air in and push it through a tube, blowing the air at a high velocity from holes or slitlike vents. The blades are not visible, require minimal cleaning, and do not pose a safety hazard for children or pets. Manufacturers offer bladeless models in both tabletop and tower fans.

Size

When considering the purchase of a quiet fan for the bedroom, shoppers might think about their available space in addition to particular cooling needs. The dimensions of fans vary in their footprint and their height.

Clip-on fans are the smallest size, and they take up zero space on a floor or a table. Although they do not broadcast a breeze throughout the room, these fans provide focused cooling for individual comfort.

Tabletop fans offer more widespread cooling capabilities than clip-on fans. The typical footprint ranges from approximately 6 inches long by 6 inches wide to 12 inches long by 10 inches wide, and they stand about 10 to 15 inches tall.

Tower and pedestal fans are the largest sizes. These fans are designed for placement on a floor, and they oscillate to offer whole-room cooling. Tower fans are typically about 11 inches long by 11 inches wide to 13 inches long by 13 inches wide, and pedestal fans are a bit larger. Both pedestal and tower fans range in height from around 30 to 48 inches.

Power and Speed

Quiet fans offer airflow settings that affect the speed at which air blows forth in the room. Some fans feature modes of operation, including normal, natural,and sleep. The sleep mode ensures the quietest setting to minimize noise while providing a cool breeze for sleeping.

In addition to modes, quiet fans also feature airspeed settings, including low, medium, high, and highest. Alternatively, some models boast settings with descriptive names like white noise, refresh, and power cool. The general principle is that the lower settings produce the least noise and the gentlest breeze.

Larger fans produce more cooling power via a more robust motor. This makes larger models desirable for whole-room cooling. Smaller fans with a less powerful motor offer directional cooling for focused areas of a room or for individual comfort.

Controls and Timers

Quiet fans feature controls for on/off functioning as well as to modify the speed, power, oscillation, and timing of the airflow. While buttons on the base of most units provide manual operation, many quiet fans offer the added convenience of a remote control. With remote operation, you can control the fan without leaving the comfort of your bed.

Many quiet fans feature programmable timing functions for automatic shutoff after a preset period of time. Additionally, some models include operating cycles that promote ideal conditions for nighttime sleeping. These cycles reduce the power and airflow speed over time, producing prime cooling at the beginning of the nighttime sleep cycle and reducing the airspeed and power throughout the night.

Advanced technology enables users to operate smart fans via a smartphone app. Voice activation is available with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri. Wi-Fi capability and voice controls create ultimate convenience for the operation of smart fans.

Portability

Although the bedroom may be the optimal location for a quiet fan, it’s an equally effective item in home offices, living rooms, workshops, or anywhere in the home. For this reason, shoppers might investigate portability when considering the purchase of the best quiet fan for their needs.

A small clip-on fan is optimally portable at approximately 2 pounds or less. However, it offers limited directional cooling capability. Tabletop fans range in weight from around 2 to 7 pounds, making them conveniently portable for use in various locations throughout the home.

Pedestal and tower fans tend to be larger and heavier than clip-on and tabletop models. Weighing in at approximately 6 to 8 pounds, tower fans feature carry handles that increase their portability. Pedestal fans vary in weight from about 11 to 15 pounds, making them the least portable type of quiet fan.

Noise Level

When the objective is to provide a cool and quiet atmosphere conducive to comfortable sleep, the noise level of a fan becomes an important consideration. The forcefulness or amplitude of sound is measured in decibels, and greater noise levels produce higher decibel levels. For example, the noise level of normal conversation in the home is approximately 50 to 60 decibels, while the noise level of a helicopter at 500 feet is about 87 decibels.

Although many manufacturers of quiet fans do not state their noise levels in decibels, a noise level of around 35 decibels would probably be noticeable to most users. Lower settings and sleep modes produce less noise than higher airspeed settings.

In general, quiet fans produce approximately 15 decibels of noise on their lowest settings and 40 to 50 decibels on high settings. Bladeless fans have gained popularity in recent years because they operate at an overall lower noise level than bladed fans.

Additional Features

Many quiet fans offer additional features that enhance their usefulness. One of the most useful functions is oscillation. When a fan oscillates, it turns from side to side, altering the airflow direction at a slow and regular pace. This function means that a cooling breeze disperses throughout the space.

Another helpful feature is the LED display included on many quiet fans. The lighted screen allows you to easily read the settings for power and airspeed. Many units also feature an automatic shutoff for the LED display after 15 to 30 seconds when the fan is in sleepmode to ensure an adequately dark sleeping environment.

Some fans offer a pivoting head that allows you to aim the airflow at a higher or a lower level for focused cooling. For pedestal fans, the adjustable-height function permits you to modify the level of airflow in the room.

FAQs 

Operating a quiet fan in the bedroom can create a comfortable sleeping atmosphere while it lowers home energy costs by easing the work of an air conditioning system. The wide array of types, sizes, power options, and features can make it challenging to find the best quiet fan to suit one’s needs. Read on for answers to several of the most frequently asked questions.

Q. Are bladeless fans quieter?

Yes. Bladeless fans tend to be less noisy than traditional bladed fans. They are also more energy efficient and safe for homes with children and pets running around. Plus, they are a lot easier to clean after accumulating dust.

Q. How many decibels is a quiet fan?

The quietest fans produce approximately 15 decibels on low settings and 40 to 50 decibels on high settings. Many quiet fans have an average volume of 25 decibels, which is unnoticeable in most homes as it has the same volume as a normal residential street.

Q. How many decibels is too loud for a fan?

A noise level above 35 decibels is probably too loud for a quiet household fan. For comparison, a normal conversation in the home is approximately 50 to 60 decibels, and whispering is usually about 30 decibels.

Why Trust Bob Vila

Bob Vila has been America’s Handyman since 1979. As the host of beloved and groundbreaking TV series including “This Old House” and “Bob Vila’s Home Again,” he popularized and became synonymous with “do-it-yourself” home improvement.

Over the course of his decades-long career, Bob Vila has helped millions of people build, renovate, repair, and live better each day—a tradition that continues today with expert yet accessible home advice. The Bob Vila team distills need-to-know information into project tutorials, maintenance guides, tool 101s, and more. These home and garden experts then thoroughly research, vet, and recommend products that support homeowners, renters, DIYers, and professionals in their to-do lists.