Floor Fans

Floor fans

Floor fans tend to be more utilitarian than table fans. They are also loud, which can be great if you like to sleep against a background of white noise. The Honeywell Mega Turbo High Velocity Floor Fan HF-810 (*Est. $45) is the best floor fan in the Good Housekeeping review. According to testers, this fan "sure can create wind flow -- it circulates gusts of air in hallways and basements." It is made of black plastic, measures 20.5" x 11.5" x 21" and weighs 11.5 pounds. The head pivots 90 degrees for use as an air circulator, and the controls for the three-speed motor are top-mounted. This fan does not oscillate. On Amazon.com, the HF-810 receives mostly favorable reviews from nearly 15 owners. Most are amazed by how much air this fan moves, but, again, noise is a problem for some. The Good Housekeeping review cautions that as "with all the floor fans we tested, its large grates are not kid-safe."

In the review by Doree Shafrir at Slate.com, the Lasko 3733 20\" Box Fan (*Est. $17) receives good marks for its cooling ability, but it is very loud. Shafrir "found it difficult to talk over, and I had to crank the TV up several decibels above normal." On Amazon.com, more than 30 reviewers give this three-speed, steel body fan with a white plastic grill very good ratings, although reviewers seem split on whether it has enough power. It measures 22.5" x 5.38" x 22", weighs 10 pounds and comes with a one-year warranty.

The larger, Patton U2-2003-UC 20-Inch Velocity Air Circulator (*Est. $65) measures 24.2" x 8.9" x 24.2" and weighs 22.1 pounds. It receives an average of 4 stars from more than 20 reviewers on Amazon.com. One reviewer likens it to a hurricane. It has three speeds, an all-metal frame and comes with a ten-year warranty. Vornado's 600-series fans, including the Vornado 630 floor fan (*Est. $50) is one of their fans that's still made in the U.S. We didn't see many professional reviews, but users give it a good average score, with some comments about noise. You can adjust the tilt on the round fan, but it doesn't oscillate (floor fans generally don't).

Real Simple recommends the Lakewood Portable Electric Fan 101 (*Est. $25) , calling it "one of the quieter, more efficient models." This box fan measures 21.88" x 4.75" x 20.75" and weighs 8.9 pounds. It offers three speeds and comes with a limited one-year warranty.