Find Your Window Fan: Reviews That Will Make Your Search A Breeze

Keeping your home cool usually requires making some very specific decisions. Even if you have central air, you’re still going to depend on the right kind of fans to keep the air circulating and your bills down. Choosing the right kind of fan, though, can be more difficult than you might think. If you’d like to go with a classic solution, though, getting the best window fan for your home or apartment is usually a good idea.

Don’t just buy any window fan, though. It’s important that you buy the best window fan for your needs and for your space. We’ve done the research to find not only some of the best-reviewed window fans out there right now (we also provide you our take on the best-rated electric fireplaces if you’re interested in some heating options), but to figure out what makes each of them stand out. If you are in the market for a good fan for your home, you’ll definitely want to take a look at the information that we have gathered below.

Top Window Fan In 2021

No two window fans are exactly alike. When you’re searching for the best of the best, you’re going to spend more time looking at the features that set specific fans apart from the pack than anything else. If you know that you have very specific needs when it comes to your next window fan, you’ll want to take a look at some of the best window fans that we have gathered below.

Lasko W09560 Bluetooth Enabled Twin 9-Inch Window Fan

If you’re going to start looking for the best window fan for your home, you might as well start by looking at something that has all of the latest features. You may not need them all, of course, but simply knowing what is out there can help you to set your expectations as you shop. While window fans have stayed more or less the same over the years, there are some manufacturers who have begun to add in some technological advances that make these fans even easier to use than before. If you are in the market for something that has all of the bells and whistles, you’ll definitely want to take a look at this fan from Lasko – it tops our list of today’s best window fans

The feature that probably stands out the most to the casual browser is that this window fan is Bluetooth enabled. This means that you can easily control the fan from wherever you are in your home without ever having to interact with the device itself. This is one of that small quality of life features that might not necessarily seem like a big deal from the outside but that is ultimately going to have a huge impact on the way that most users interact with this fan. 

The other big feature here is that the two fans on the unit have independent motors. This means that you can not only set them to two different speeds but also that you have the option to set one fan to bring air into your home while the other fan can be used to move warm air out. This can make for an incredibly pleasant experience when it is muggy or uncomfortable outside and it’s a perfect choice for those who really want to exercise a little bit of extra control over the conditions inside their homes. 

Comfort Zone CZ319WT 9-inch Twin Window Fan with Manual Reversible Airflow Control

While knowing that there are some technological marvels out there is nice, it’s also good to establish a baseline for what you should expect from an excellent window fan. This unit from Comfort Zone may not have all of the bells and whistles that are available right now, but it does have the features that many buyers have come to rely upon over the years. If you are looking for a good window fan that’s not only going to help you to keep your home cool but that’s going to give you some options in how it is used, you’ll want to take a look at this classic window fan. 

This model from Comfort Zone is, in many ways, the gold standard in terms of what you should expect from a dual blade window fan. It has two separate fans that can either bring air in or out of your home, doubling the efficacy of the unit while still giving you plenty of options in terms of how the fan can be used. A true window fan, it really is designed to be placed in a window so that it can bring in colder air from outside while still freeing up floor space in your home.

It’s also good to note that this unit is very easy to install, especially if you’ve never installed a window fan before. You don’t need any hardware here – the unit already comes with expandable panels so that it can fit in virtually any standard-sized window. Once it’s been placed, using the fan is as simple as choosing a fan speed and allowing yourself to enjoy a brief respite from the heat. Though it may not be a ‘smart’ fan and it might not have many other novel features, this really is the kind of fan-on which most people depend on to keep their rooms cool. 

Holmes Window Fan with Twin 6-Inch Reversible Airflow Blades

How big of a space are you looking to keep cool with a window fan? That’s actually a more important question than you might think, as even the best fan isn’t going to do much to cool a space that’s just too big for its design. If you are looking to cool a space that’s up to five hundred square feet, for example, you definitely need to be on the lookout for a fan that’s designed to handle rooms of that size. One such fan is this one made by Holmes, a fan that’s got a great pedigree and that works well in its intended space. 

This fan from Holmes is a class two-blade unit, one that’s the same as those fans that have been depended on by homeowners and renters for decades. In fact, there’s a good chance that if you’ve seen a two-fan unit before, you’ve probably seen one that looks virtually identical to this unit. That’s not a bad thing, though, as the design has been proven to work and it really does give the kind of options that may need to keep the internal temperatures of their homes livable during the hottest months.

The biggest thing that sets this model apart from other fans is probably the fact that it is meant for spaces of up to five hundred square feet. This makes it an ideal unit to use in a kitchen or even a bedroom, especially if you don’t have central air. The reversible motor also allows you to move warm air and bad odors out of your home, giving you an extra option to help keep your home’s atmosphere exactly as you prefer. Though this fan may not have all of the extras that you see in more expensive window fans, this is still the best window fan design for many consumers. 

Air King 9166F 20″ Whole House Window Fan

One reason that many people are reticent to purchase a window fan has nothing to do with how the fans work and everything to do with where the fan sits. It can be a little nerve-wracking to put a fan up in your window, as it feels like a single fall might be enough to make your investment worthless. That’s why it is nice to see that Air King has made a window fan that’s not only very dependable but one that’s also very hard to damage. 

This traditional metal fan design really stands out due to the fact that it feels so solid. It is designed to be incredibly impact-proof, so a shortfall from your window to the ground is not going to cause the unit to break. This can make many first-time window fan owners feel much more comfortable with their purchases, especially since they’ll be getting an excellent window fan in the process. While the unit is quite solid, it doesn’t feel over-engineered in a way that makes it stand out too much or that makes it seem like a bad fit for the average home.

You might expect a unit that focuses so much on being solid to be a little less user-friendly than normal, but the opposite is true. This unit not only has multiple speeds so that you can decide on how cool you want it to be in your home but it is also designed to be fairly quiet. It is about as loud as a refrigerator on its lowing setting, making it one of the quieter metal window units on the market right now. If you’re looking for something that’s sturdy and quiet, this might be the choice for you. 

Lasko U12104 High-Velocity Pro Pivoting Utility Fan

Fans can do many different things for their owners. While most people think of these devices simply as tools that help to keep the air flowing in their homes, the truth is that they also do a really solid job of helping to control the moisture in certain areas. If you are on the lookout for a fan that’s also going to help you with drying out certain parts of your home, you’ll definitely want to take a look at this model.

This small window fan is only about the size of a milk crate but it’s more powerful than you might expect. Able to not only help you to keep your home cool but also to dry out carpets and wet floors, it’s a nice addition to the homes of those who really want to get the most out of their window fans. It might not cover quite as much space as some of the more traditional units, but this window fan really does a great job of keeping rooms cool where it counts.

The fan has three different speeds and manual controls, so you can get the precise kind of cooling experience for which you are looking if you choose this model, which is great if you want to avoid purchasing stronger cooling equipment. It definitely looks quite different from the other fans on the market and it might have more of its design turned towards more industrial applications, but choosing this model as your next window fan can be a great choice if you’re looking for a fan with more than one type of functionality. 

Vornado 573 Small Flat Panel Air Circulator Fan

Not everyone has the space for a big window fan. While most people want to get the most power possible out of any fan that they use, the truth is that it might be smarter to look for a fan that uses clever engineering tricks to keep your room cool instead of just looking for something that takes up more space. If you are in the market for a great, small window fan, this unit from Vornado may be right up your alley.

Vorado’s small flat panel window fan does a lot with its small profile. Rather than just putting out a lot of air anywhere, it allows the user to customize his or her own experience with an adjustable head. This small change in the design allows a user to direct the flow of air up to sixteen feet in a specific direction, providing a cooling experience that’s really focused on the individual instead of being focused on the entire room.

This is really an ideal fan for those who are just looking to keep themselves cool no matter where they are. The small size makes it relatively easy to transport as well, so this is a great fan for those who need a little extra comfort as they travel or as they go to work. If you’re not worried about keeping a larger space cool, you’ll definitely want to consider this fan as your next potential purchase.

Comfort Zone CZ200ABK 20″ 3-Speed Box Fan

There really is something to be said for the classic box fan. It might not be fancy and it certainly might not have the bells and whistles that characterize some of the other great window fans on this list, but you can generally rely on one of these fans to work. They don’t oscillate, they don’t have many settings, and they aren’t particularly compatible with any smart devices but these fans move air incredibly efficiently in a way that’s not only great for consumers but also great for their bills. If you are a fan of old-school box fans, you’ll absolutely want to take a look at this model from Comfort Zone.

Comfort Zone’s box fan looks and feels a lot like the box fans that you’ve probably used for years. The simple construction is amazingly lightweight, so you can move it around your house however you see fit. It’s also particularly durable, though, so a small fall or a quick bump isn’t going to ruin your investment. One of the best things about this simple kind of technology is that it is surprisingly difficult to knock out of service, which will definitely help many individuals to get more mileage out of this type of fan. 

This isn’t to say that there aren’t very specific things to like about this box fan over other models. It has three different speed settings so you can determine not only how cool you want your room to be, but also how much noise you are willing to deal with in the process. The blades of the unit are also incredibly well-engineered, adding a degree of efficiency to this unit that many others lack. Even the safety screen seems a little more robust than average, making it a better fit for families. This is a great take on the classic box fan, one that should not be easily ignored.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do window fans actually work?

Yes, window fans do actually work. There are countless consumers who depend on these fans either as an alternative to air conditioning or as an extra cooling device in their homes, and they’ve been around long enough that they are fairly well-proven. With that said, there’s no window fan out there that’s going to be a replacement for central air. Make sure that you understand exactly what one of these products can do before you make a purchase. 

Should I set my window fan to intake or exhaust?

This really depends on your personal needs. During the cooler months or when it’s particularly humid in your room, you may want to set your fan to exhaust so that it gets the warm or muggy air out of your home as quickly as possible. If you’re looking to cool down space or to keep air circulating, though, you’re probably going to be better off setting the fan to blow cool air back into your home. Ideally, you’re going to have multiple fans running that can do both so that you get an ideal experience. 

How to use a window fan?

Using a window fan is easier than you might think. Simply set the fan up in front of the window, choose the fan setting that you prefer, and turn the fan on. Some fans might take a little more work to install, but this isn’t exactly a difficult process. You should generally try to move air into your home when you are trying to keep it cool and move air out of your home when you are trying to dry out the air or when you are trying to remove odors. If you depend on window fans as your primary mode of cooling, you’ll definitely want to invest in multiple fans to place in front of different windows. 

Are window fans safe in the rain?

Yes, most window fans are technically safe to use in the rain. The motors of window fans – the part where all the electrical bits are kept – are generally enclosed and aren’t going to be impacted by a light sprinkle. With that said, it’s almost always a good idea to move your window fan out of the window if there is a big storm, as you don’t want the water getting into your home and you certainly don’t want it hitting the outlet into which you have the fan plugged. 

Window Fan Buying Guide

One of the major reasons that many consumers get frustrated with window fans is that they buy the first model they see on the store shelves and then don’t understand why it won’t do everything that the consumers need. In truth, the best way to get the best window fan isn’t to look for the model that’s highest-rated, but the model that has the features that you need. If you are in the market for a new window fan and you don’t want to be disappointed with your purchase, it’s definitely a good idea to keep the factors below in mind. 

Fan Type

The first thing to look at is the type of fan you are buying. Are you looking for a dedicated window unit or are you looking for something that you can move around the house with you? There’s actually a fairly large difference between the two, so make sure that you know what you’re getting. Once you have this question answered, you’re going to need to decide between the number of fans on the unit – either one fan unit or a two fan unit, each of which has its own selling points.

One fan units look more like traditional box fans and tend to be better for bringing in a lot of cool air all at once. Two fan units tend to have more control and speed options, but neither of the fans brings as much raw power. Choosing between the two different models is just a good place to start.

Directionality

Your next choice is going to be to decide whether or not you get a fan that’s capable of going in reverse. Your average fan usually works by propelling air forward, bringing cooler air in your home, and cooling things down quickly. It’s possible, though, to get a fan that’s capable of doing the reverse – pulling warmer, muggy air out of the house so that you can feel more comfortable in your space.

If you’re in doubt, it’s usually a good idea to get a fan that can do both. You’re usually going to have to switch between modes to get the kind of performance you need, but there are now a few dual-fan models that will allow you to set one fan to bring in the air while the other fan is in reverse. 

Speed Options

Speed options are fairly common among fans of all types. Most fans are going to allow you to set the unit to low, medium, and high – settings which not only determine the airflow in your room but that also determine the noise of the fan. It’s usually a good idea to make sure that the unit you get has at least two settings so that you’ll be able to have some options when it comes to the noise level of the fan.

With that said, more settings aren’t always better. Try to make sure that you’re paying for something that you need, not something that checks off a few boxes on the back of the packaging. Always go for utility over the ‘wow’ factor when possible. 

Controls

You’re probably going to spend more time changing the settings on your window fan than you might think, so it’s a good idea to make sure that these controls make sense to you. The common options include one-button controls and control dials, but there are window fans out there with LCD control screens and even a few that have remote controls. Newer models now even incorporate Bluetooth connectivity, so you have more options than ever before.

The best way to make a choice here is to think about how you’re going to use the device. If you’re only ever going to use it when you are in the room, a simple control scheme will probably suffice. If you need the window fan running all the time, though, picking controls that you can use from across the room or house might make sense.

Installation

Finally, look at whether or not the fan will fit in your window. If you’re going with a traditional unit, you may want to measure your window to see what will fit. Most dual-fan units, on the other hand, come with some form of the extender to help them fit in common windows. If you have windows of unusual size, though, you’re definitely going to need to do some measuring to see if the installation process can work in your favor. 

The good news is that the actual installation of a window fan is fairly straightforward. Simply put the fan on a ledge and use the included hardware (if any) to ensure that it remains safely seated on the window. If you’re afraid of having to make any permanent changes to your home, do some research to find a model that can be slotted into a window frame without using any hardware.