The Best Fans for Every Need: From Smart Features to Misting Capabilities

If you don’t think you need a new fan, you might want to reconsider. Even if the dusty old pedestal fan you've been carting around for 25 years is still kicking, modern fans can do a lot more than just blow air. They're smarter, quieter, and far more versatile than they've ever been, with new tech features that would have seemed like science fiction even five years ago.

The Dreo TurboPoly 707S, for instance, has radar that can track where someone is in the room and redirect airflow as they move about, while the company's 508S model can provide mood lighting in more than 1,000 shades of color. There are bladeless fans, fans just for fitness purposes, and ones that can mist or cool your skin with a cryo-inspired metal plate.

I've been covering fans at WIRED for almost two years, and I'm always on the lookout for the latest and most interesting fan technology. If you know of a cool fan you want me to check out, let me know in the comments.

If you're looking to take your fan on the go, be sure to check out WIRED's companion guide to the Best Handheld and Wearable Fans. For more ways to keep your indoor air quality cool and under control, check out our guides to the Best Indoor Air Quality Monitors, Best Air Purifiers, Best Humidifiers, Best Dehumidifiers, and Best Window ACs.

Updated June 2026: I've added new pedestal fans from Dreo and Coway, a new handheld fan from Aecooly, and ensured up-to-date links and prices.

Quick Picks

Best Air Circulator

Vornado's bare-bones 660 air circulator was my top pick in this category for the past two years. It could sit on either a table or on the floor, ensuring bulk air movement through Vornado's proprietary Vortex Action (which my colleague Matthew Korfhage described—accurately—as “a fancy name for spinning a fan into a spiral grate oriented opposite to the action of the fan”). There was no remote, no oscillation, and its buttons on the top activated its three speeds. It got the job done with a minimum of fuss, but darn if it wouldn't have been nice to have a remote.

From my mouth to Vornado's ear, apparently, as earlier this year, the brand released the Vora 8, which is basically an upgraded version of the 660. It's stronger (1,100 ft/m max wind speed to the 660's 1,083 ft/m), with 10 speeds, three airflow modes, an aromatherapy pad for the center button, and—blessedly—a remote. It also oscillates vertically as well as horizontally, and it's got a backlit touch display on the base. Note that there's no smart option on offer for now. I did find myself missing the simplicity of the 660 a little bit while trying to learn all the fiddly new features and settings of the Vora 8, but otherwise, it's around the same price and an improvement in every functional capacity.

FeaturesSmart app:NoRemote:YesWind speed on high:1,083 ft/mNoise (on high/on low):69 dB/42 dBOscillation:Yes, vertically and horizontallyWarranty:5 years

Best Pedestal Fan

Dreo’s flagship PolyFan 704S has been the brand’s most popular pedestal fan for years, but I didn't have the best luck with my test unit (see below). Plus, I found the fan to be heavy, unwieldy, and difficult to move around compared to competing models. Thankfully, last year saw the release of Dreo's improvement on the PolyFan, the TurboPoly. It's not only slightly smaller and lighter than the original PolyFan, but it's also billed as Dreo's quietest fan of all time. The marketing materials specified 20 decibels, but I measured 29 on my meter. Regardless, this is indeed the quietest fan I've tested. Its highest wind speed is average for a pedestal fan, but perfectly sufficient.

It comes in white, gold, or silver, sports nine speeds, can oscillate vertically or horizontally, and has smart capabilities (including compatibility with Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa). It's controllable through the remote, the button on the fan itself, or via the Dreo app, which also includes a 12-hour timer and the ability to set a schedule. It's also got a cool RGB ring light on the back, and if you use the Dreo app, you can choose from up to 1,000 colors.

If you prefer no-nonsense: My previous pick for Best Pedestal Fan, the Vornado 683 Whole Room Circulator ($85), has no Wi-Fi or smart capability, no remote, no timer, and no oscillation. It's not as quiet or as strong as the TurboPoly, but it's lightweight and easy to move around. It will do whatever basic job you need it to do for years to come.

FeaturesSmart app:YesRemote:YesWind speed on high:1,040 ft/mNoise (on high/on low):55 dB/29 dBOscillation:Yes, up and down, side to sideWarranty:1 year

Best Tower Fan

Though tower fans aren't always easy to clean and are prone to tipping over if you have active children or pets, they are less top-heavy than pedestal fans, and the slim profile and small footprint make them easy to store when you're short on space. In the tower fan category, Dreo's 36-inch Nomad One (otherwise known as the 307) is the best bang for your buck, offering superior build quality and performance for this price point. It's got four speeds and a remote, as well as an easily removable front grille for cleaning.

The Nomad One's wind speed is slightly stronger than my previous pick in this category, Dreo's slightly larger but pricier 519, but this new pick is also slightly louder. Not so much, though, that the difference is super noticeable. Like the 519, the Nomad One's got a handle on the back and a slot for the remote, as well as a digital display, four modes, eight speeds, a timer, and a button that mutes any beeping while selecting menu options.

FeaturesSmart app:No (unless you opt for the S model)Remote:YesWind speed on high:1,220 ft/mNoise (on high/on low):57 dB/33 dBOscillation:Yes, 90 degreesWarranty:1 year

Best Box Fan

The no-frills Lasko box fan is an enduring classic—it's got plenty of surface area, there's a handle so you can move it around, and the shape makes it easy to stick in a window or sliding glass door. It's also reliable and widely available at most big-box stores. (If you live in a wildfire-prone area, you'll also know it's popular for making a DIY air purifier, also known as a Corsi-Rosenthal box.) It's not the strongest or the quietest fan you'll buy, but for around 20 bucks, you wouldn't expect it to be. It's also less than 5 inches in width, so it's easy to store in a closet.

Lasko added a Cool Colors line last year, offering the same longtime utilitarian staple, but in fun colors like red, blue, fuchsia, and purple. These are no different from the old-school white version, but the hue does make the fan look more intentional in your home, rather than a remnant of a water-leak emergency or AC malfunction. Some online complaints mentioned wobbling at low speeds, and there was some slight shaking at medium and high speeds in my tests, but not so much that it affected function.

FeaturesSmart app:YesRemote:YesWind speed on high:1,024 ft/mNoise (on high/on low):52 dB/31 dBOscillation:Yes, 120 degreesWarranty:1 year

Best Tabletop Fan

Photograph: Kat Merck

Levoit

Windi Pro Mini Portable Tower Fan

As a gear reviewer, there are some products I struggle to let go of once the testing window ends, and this little 15-inch-tall tower fan with a handle is among them. It may not be the best-performing fan in terms of wind speed, but it is so insanely convenient that it's been my most-used fan so far this year. It's also got a remote and a little USB-C–powered dock upon which it sits. When you're ready to use it, just carry it wherever you need it (it weighs about 3 pounds) and enjoy the breeze. It's also stylish enough to leave out in plain view, and there's an amber light around the bottom, I assume for vibes purposes. Note that it also oscillates and has a timer for two, four, eight, and 12 hours, though the latter two settings seem unnecessary given that the charge only lasted a few hours in my testing, especially if the fan was operating on one of its higher speeds (there are five).

FeaturesSmart app:NoRemote:YesWind speed on high:748 ft/mNoise (on high/on low):50 db/30 db (slight rattle on low)Oscillation:Yes, up to 90 degreesWarranty:2 years

Best Misting Fan

Among Dreo's new lineup for 2026, this 12-speed 765S misting tower fan borrows patented technology from Dreo's humidifiers—namely, the ability to diffuse ultrafine mist particles as small as 17 microns. This effectively lowers the perceived temperature in front of the fan (significantly—my family all agreed it felt exactly like an air conditioner). The mist particles are so small that they won't wet surfaces, as is the case with other misting fans. This means that, unlike my previous category pick, the Shark FlexBreeze, this misting fan is perfectly fine to use indoors. I admit I was dubious of this claim, but I stood in front of the fan on its highest mist setting for several minutes, and my clothes and skin remained perfectly dry. (The tank holds 6 liters, which should last a whole day.)

In addition to a built-in thermometer and humidistat, the 765S also hits all the Dreo-fan high points, including 90-degree oscillation, smart capability (Amazon Alexa and Google Home), and a remote. Dreo specs claim 20 dB on low, and while my decibel meter only went down to 32 dB, I can attest it was barely audible. If air conditioning is not an option for you, this is a viable alternative.

FeaturesSmart app:YesRemote:YesWind speed on high:1,200 ft/mNoise (on high/on low):66 dB/32 dBOscillation:YesWarranty:1 year

A Fan That Turns Into a Lamp

I unboxed this fan without reading anything about it first, so I admit I was perplexed as to why it looked like a barrel-shaped basket. It wasn't until I turned it on and started using it that I understood: one click of the side button on the remote and the fan stopped and slowly tilted upright, with a soft white ring glowing on its underside. It was a lamp! An actual, lamp-shaped lamp! I've yet to find someone who's been unimpressed by this party trick when I show it to them. In addition to doubling as a lamp, the EOS also sports an industry first: the ability for a user to pop both magnetic sides of the “basket” apart, sans tools, for cleaning. Once the magnetic bond is broken, the fan blades will automatically stop spinning, making it safe around curious kids or even in case of an accidental fall.

It's otherwise a lot like the Vora 8 above. Both can oscillate vertically and horizontally, have a center pad for aromatherapy, and feature 10 speeds. The EOS is available in short (tabletop/floor) and pedestal versions; I have the short version. The light has five modes of brightness, but even the brightest is a soft glow—maybe bright enough to read by if you're right next to it, but otherwise it’s more of a mood light, akin to Vornado's Ara tower fan, below. It's even more fiddly than the Vora 8, but I'm willing to forgive it for this, given it's one of the strongest fans I've tested. (Note that the fan and lamp modes cannot run concurrently; if it's functioning as a lamp, it can't be a fan, though the light can still glow in fan mode.)

FeaturesSmart app:NoRemote:YesWind speed on high:1,417 ft/mNoise (on high/on low):75 dB/45 dBOscillation:Yes, vertically and horizontallyWarranty:5 years

Best 2-in-1 Fan

Like Coway's Airmega P50, this is a 2-in-1 that can be a tabletop or floor fan, except this one is a cinch to switch over: Just pop it out of its taller stalk onto the separate fold-out stand. The only downside is that you’ll have to find someplace to store the stand so it won’t get lost in the off-season (if you have an off-season). It’s also got a remote with included batteries and a remote holder, plus six modes and 12 speeds. It’s compatible with Dreo’s app, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home ecosystems, and it can oscillate horizontally or vertically.

I’ve had it in the background in my office in its pedestal configuration for the past few weeks, and I have not heard any mechanical noise at all—in fact, the sound has been barely perceptible. My only slight gripe is that it takes a long time to reposition itself when you turn it off, so it's not clear if it actually received the message or not—more than once, I've had to wait, watching it slowly move its head all around, to ensure it really was going to turn off. Otherwise, this is another high-quality entry from Dreo with a useful feature that's worth the price.

FeaturesSmart app:YesRemote:YesWind speed on high:1,220 ft/mNoise (on high/on low):55 dB/31 dBOscillation:Yes, vertically and horizontallyWarranty:1 year

Best Fan for Home Gyms

A fitness fan, you might be asking yourself? Does one really need a special fan just for riding a Peloton or running on the treadmill? I wouldn't have thought so, but that was before I tried the Fly Max. I live in a hilly neighborhood, so I find myself running indoors on a treadmill whenever the thought of scaling a steep hill is just too unappealing. (Which, I'll be honest, is most days.) The Fly Max has shifted this activity from a hot, sweaty, unpleasant mess into something I don't mind doing, even on a hot day.

I've used other fans next to my treadmill before, but the makers of the Fly Max have thought of everything to make this model as perfect as can be for indoor workouts. It doesn't oscillate, but it does tilt 180 degrees to whatever angle you need it to hit, and the airflow is meant to simulate air resistance while exercising outdoors. My favorite feature is a little round magnetic remote with a cradle on a Velcro strap that you can attach to your machine to turn the fan on and off or up and down—it fits perfectly around the handle of my treadmill. (It looks like a watch, but an icon on the back reiterates that it most certainly is not.) I wish the fan cord were a little longer and that it had a handle for moving around, as it is heavy and bulky. Overall, though, this is an amazing addition to any indoor workout room or machine, and I've been using it without incident for almost a year now.

A Fan For Taking to the Gym: Vornado makes another fitness fan, the Fly Move ($70), which is small and USB-C rechargeable with a 17-hour run time (I can't vouch for this, but I have also used it for a week's worth of hour-long workouts and never had it run out). It also has a leather-esque strap for carrying. The output is not super powerful at 750 feet per minute. It's not adjustable and sits right on the floor, propped up by a little bumper, so it's mostly good for floor work, but I do love putting it on a weight bench to keep me cool while I do my reps.

FeaturesSmart app:NoRemote:YesWind speed on high:1,772 ft/mNoise (on high/on low):72 dB/60 dBOscillation:NoWarranty:5 years

Best Fan for Emergencies, Floods, and Heavy-Duty Jobs

Sometimes one simply needs a fan to provide a breeze on hot, lazy days. Other times, a fan is necessary for less-pleasant purposes: flooded basements, dishwasher leaks, or clearing out smoke. Or the time a freak storm blew several inches’ worth of snow through m