Page: 10 of 10
In this report

See Also

Fans: Ratings of Sources
Total of 16 Sources

For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.

1. Good Housekeeping
July 2004
Fan-Tastic Fan Reviews
by Editors of Good Housekeeping
4 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

The Good Housekeeping Institute tests 32 fans and recommends the best in four different categories. Unfortunately, the fans that didn't win aren't identified. The best floor fan is the Honeywell HF-810. The… best pedestal fan is the Lasko 2530. (This Lasko model is actually a tower fan, but presumably the test combined pedestal fans and tower fans into one category.) The Honeywell HFT-114B is rated as the best tabletop fan, and as a window fan, it's the Holmes HAWF3159-U. No other details of testing are given, although more information surfaces in a report from ABC News (listed below). This brief article also mentions that fans lower room temperatures by 12 degrees.

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2. ABC News
June 29, 2004
Good Housekeeping: Summer Products
by Editors of ABC News
4 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

This article is a recap of the Good Housekeeping test of 32 fans (described above). Interestingly, it provides more information about the testing procedures than can be found in the Good Housekeeping… article itself. The ABC article states that the fans were tested based on four factors: ease of use, features, performance and safety and appearance. Other staff members from the Good Housekeeping Institute then rated the importance of each category and considered price when identifying the best fans.

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3. Slate.com
Aug. 9, 2006
The No. 1 Fan
by Doree Shafrir
4 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Doree Shafrir ranks seven fans based on cooling ability, noise, design and value. She tallies an overall score for each fan. She tests the fans at night while she sleeps -- for two nights, when the fan… allows -- and also for at least one hour at three different times of day: early morning, early evening and at night before bed. The best fan is the Bionaire Metal Tower Fan, followed by the 16-inch Allaire Classic Oscillating Stand Fan from Restoration Hardware.

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4. Real Simple
June 2005
The Right Fans to Cool Down Any Space
by Editors of Real Simple
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

This article discusses how to match the right fan with your needs. It also describes the best places to situate a fan within a room and what features are most important for each type of fan. The article… includes quotations from experts such as Kate Lewis, marketing manager for the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program, and Benjamin Bodie, field-operations manager at the Patterson Fan Company. Recommendations for fans in different categories are provided, although no testing is described. The Vornado Fan in retro green is shown as an example of a table fan. The 16" Oscillating Fan by Essential Home is an "RS Pick" for a pedestal fan. The pick for a desk fan is the Vornado Air Circulator 550. The window fan pick is the Holmes Twin Window Fan. For a tower fan, Real Simple recommends the Lasko Tower Fan with Ionization. However, it isn't clear why these were chosen over others.

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5. Amazon.com
As of May 2008
Fans
by Contributors to Amazon.com
3 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment

Amazon.com lists dozens of fans and hundreds of reviews for them. The best-reviewed fan on the site is the Honeywell HW-628 Twin Window Fan, which receives 4.5 out of 5 stars from more than 150 reviewers.… Many of the comments on fans take sides in an argument over whether the fan is too noisy or not. This site is useful to see what the most highly rated fans are, after you have determined the type of fan you want.

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6. Real Simple
June/July 2002
Invest in a Box Fan
by Editors of Real Simple
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment In this very short article, Real Simple states that box fans can be used to supplement air conditioning and are easy to store. Editors recommend the Lakewood Portable Electric Fan Model 101 as "one of the quieter, more efficient models."
7. Dwell
Not Dated
Product of the Day: Fan
by Editors of Dwell
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment In an ever-changing section listing the "Products of the Day," Dwell highlights the Propello Desk/Table Fan, stating that "the sleek desk fan is both safe and quiet, featuring a ball-bearing motor that runs virtually silent." You will have to click ahead through this section to find the listing called "Fan."
8. House Beautiful
June 2007
The Best! June 2007
by Editors of House Beautiful
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment The Vivre Cool Breeze Fan is featured as one of "The Best!" summertime products. The review praises the fan's retro look (in blood orange or Caribbean blue) and its quiet functioning. However, we don't know why this fan is rated higher than others, nor can we tell if other models were considered.
9. The Observer
July 30, 2006
Electric Fans
by Ben Flanagan
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment A television weather reporter from the United Kingdom, Sian Lloyd, tests five electric fans for The UK's Observer. Most of these fans are not sold in the United States. Lloyd offers brief assessments of each fan and gives some personal shopping tips about electric fans in general.
10. Apartment Therapy.com
June 16, 2004
Fans
by Oliver Ryan
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment In this short article, the author recommends the Allaire Fan from Restoration Hardware. He likes the fan's retro look and power but notes that it is noisy.
11. HomeDepot.com
As of May 2008
Portable Fans
by Contributors to The Home Depot
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment The Home Depot allows owners to post reviews of products, but few fans are reviewed. Of those, few receive more than a few comments.
12. Epinions.com
As of May 2008
Electric Fans
by Contributors to Epinions
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Few fans are rated on Epinions, and the ones that are listed receive only a few comments.
13. Sears.com
As of May 2008
Fans
by Contributors to Sears.com
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment Sears allows owners to post reviews of products, but few fans are reviewed and comments are sparse.
14. AssociatedContent.com
June 8, 2007
Buyers' Guide to Tower Fans
by Z. Perry
2 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment In this brief Associated Content article, the author reviews the features of several tower fans. No assessments are provided and there are no ratings.
15. ReviewStream.com
Not Dated
Vornado Desktop Fan
by Author not listed
1 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment This review of the Vornado Desktop Fan is highly complimentary. The author states that the fan is powerful and lightweight. No other fans appear to be tested or rated, however.
16. TechnoMoves.com
Not Dated
Mini LED Techno-Fan
by Editor of TechnoMoves.com
1 stars Credibility Rating
Our Assessment This retail website recommends the Mini LED Techno-Fan, a handheld fan with soft, vinyl blades that create patterns of colors when spinning. The unidentified writer states, "We've seen other mini fans elsewhere but like this one best because of its rotating/swiveling capability and soft flexible blades."

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