Our Process
A ceiling fan isn’t an easy purchase to make. While fans can help your home become more energy-efficient, we recognize that their high price-point requires a thorough and time-consuming buying experience.
Buying Guide
Everyone has experienced the discomfort of sitting in a room full of stagnant air. Ceiling fans help prevent this issue by circulating cool air and reducing room temperatures. Some fans’ motors can even be reversed during the winter to push warm air towards your living space, helping you reduce the cost of heating your home. One issue with fans that worries consumers is the amount of space that they take up. When considering the time you’ve spent decorating and spacing the rooms in your home, the stress of selecting the right-sized fan is understandable. However, through our product research, we’ve discovered that quality fans come in a variety of sizes to match any style home. Whether you’re looking for a minimalistic fan with a few blades or a bold, high-efficiency model, we’ve found a variety of options for you to consider. We’ve looked into design, efficiency, and affordability in selecting our recommendations so that you won’t have to sacrifice one feature for another. If you’re ready to buy a ceiling fan for your home, read through our top picks. If you want to learn a bit more about ceiling fans before purchasing, read on to learn about the different types of ceiling fans available to you.
Our Featured Products
Below is a quick overview of our top picks for ceiling fans:
Hunter Key Biscayne 54” Weathered Zinc—The Hunter Biscayne is a traditional fan that still incorporates an attractive design to go along with its solid functionality, earning it our “Best Overall” superlative. If you’re looking for a well-constructed fan that can fit any style home, then this Hunter ceiling fan might be a good choice for you. If it’s pull-chain controlled lighting and speed is a concern, take a look at some of our modern or smart fan recommendations. Hunter Builder 52” Deluxe 5-Blade—The Hunter Builder Deluxe 5-Blade ceiling fan is our “Best Value” fan because of its affordable price point and a solid set of features. The fan is well-constructed and comes in a new bronze or brushed nickel finish. If you’re on a budget but looking for a long-lasting fan with quiet operation, this might be the fan for you. Westinghouse Gun Metal 42” With Opal Frosted Glass—The Westinghouse Gun Metal ceiling fan is compact at 42 inches, perfect for cooling small spaces or rooms with low ceilings. The fan comes with a beautiful opal-frosted glass lighting fixture that adds a modern look to your living space. If you’re looking for a small, yet modern ceiling fan, this Westinghouse fan might be the right fit for you. Haiku Home L Smart 52” Ceiling Fan—This Haiku ceiling fan works well inside your home’s modern aesthetic. This fan has a sleek design and comes with smart home compatibility, so you can control your fan hands-free. If you’re looking for a fan with variable settings that’s suitable for large rooms, this fan might be a good option. Honeywell Carnegie LED 52” Ceiling Fan—The Honeywell Carnegie ceiling fan is a rustic modern fan that comes with LED light bulbs for quality lighting. The fan incorporates a three-speed setting so you can control the amount of moving air throughout your room. If you are looking for a modern ceiling fan suitable for any room in the home, this fan might be a good choice.
Different Types of Ceiling Fans
When we searched through available ceiling fans, we looked into a few different fan designs, including traditional fans, modern fans, and “smart” fans.
Traditional Fans
When you think of a ceiling fan, your mind probably goes to a five-blade fan with a light globe in the middle and hanging chains to control the light and fan speed. These fans have been around for decades and for good reason, they’re tried and true ceiling fans that offer great design and quality performance. Take a look at the pros and cons of traditional ceiling fans:
Pros: Traditional models are simple, yet effective. These fans are durable and are easy to install compared to more advanced models. Cons: Traditional ceiling fans can appear a bit outdated. Their design doesn’t quite fit the trending modern aesthetic we see in homes today. If you’re looking for a sleek, minimalist look, then a traditional fan might not be for you.
Our best traditional fan is the Hunter Key Biscayne 54” Weathered Zinc fan, which is an affordable fan offering quality and long-lasting performance.
Modern Fans
Modern fans have an appealing design that balances style and efficiency to complement your home’s décor. Here are the pros and cons of modern fans:
Pros: Modern fans offer a great look at a reasonable price. They’re available in a variety of models and styles to help you match the look of any room. Cons: Modern fans can be more complex than their traditional predecessors. This leads to a more difficult installation process that could require a professional.
Our best modern fan is the Honeywell Carnegie LED 52” Ceiling Fan because of its sleek design and beautiful, rustic look.
“Smart” Fans
Smart fans incorporate modern technology to give you hands-free control over the airflow in your home. Take a look at the pros and cons of smart fans:
Pros: Typically, smart fans work with other smart technology, like voice control, remote applications, or Wi-Fi. This makes controlling fan speed and the light simple and convenient. Cons: Advanced technology can mean more malfunctions and greater room for error. Additionally, smart fans come with an increased price tag that makes its purchase a little more difficult.
Which way should a ceiling fan turn?
In the summer, a ceiling fan should rotate counterclockwise so that the blades push cool air down and into the room. During the winter, fans that have the capability should be set to turn clockwise and at the lowest speed. This pulls cool air towards the ceiling, replacing it with warmer air.
What’s the difference between a flush-mounted ceiling fan and a downrod-mount ceiling fan?
Flush-mount fans are installed flat against the ceiling. These fans are typically installed in smaller rooms or rooms with low ceilings. Downrod-mounting a fan involves using a rod to lower it away from the ceiling. Downrod-mount fans are usually found in rooms with high ceilings.
How do you know if a ceiling fan is suitable for an outdoor area?
Fans use an Underwriters Laboratories (UL) rating when deciding which settings are suitable. There are three UL ratings: dry rated, damp rated, and wet rated. If you’re planning on using a fan for an outdoor area, ensure that it has a damp or wet UL rating.
Are three-blade ceiling fans a good choice?
Three-blade fans can be a good choice for homeowners. The fans usually require less energy to operate and come in modern designs. A drawback to three-blade fans is that they can be noisier than their five-blade counterparts.
Why Trust The This Old House Reviews Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
