Tower Fans

Tower fans

The thin, vertical design of a tower fan allows it to fit into small spaces. A tower fan is less likely to tip over than a top-heavy pedestal fan. The smaller grates make it safer for use around children. As Real Simple describes, "Instead of spinning blades, it has a tall, hollow tube at the center that spins, pushing air through the vertical slits in the outer casting." Tower fans seem to be less noisy than traditional fans. Real Simple recommends the Lasko 2534 Tower Fan with Ionization (*Est. $60). This model is 40" tall and has three speeds. It touts an ionizer as a positive feature, but experts aren't positive about ionizer features in air conditioners or other gadgets because they can produce ozone -- which can be an irritant. Another Lasko tower fan is one of the four best fans in the Good Housekeeping Institute test. The Lasko 2530 Elite Wind Tower Fan (*Est. $55) "is powerful enough to refresh a room super-quick." This fan is also 40" tall, with three speeds, but it skips the ionizer feature. Each of these tower fans comes with a remote control, 7-1/2 hour timer and a limited one-year warranty.

A tower fan receives the best review in the test of seven fans by Doree Shafrir at Slate.com. The Bionaire Metal Tower Fan BT49R-U (*est. $80) receives top marks from Shafrir in cooling ability, noise, design and value. This thin fan measures approximately 9.65" x 8.45" x 32.88". It has three speeds and oscillates. It also features a remote control and 7-1/2 hour timer. Shafrir appreciates "the breeze feature, which is meant to mimic natural wind by randomly varying the speed at which the fan blows." Shafrir also mentions a drawback: some assembly required. The fan must be attached to its base, which necessitates a Phillips head screwdriver, an assistant and about 15 minutes. This model is available mainly at Bed Bath & Beyond and comes with a five-year warranty.

On Amazon.com, the best-reviewed tower fan is the Honeywell 3-Speed Digital Tower Fan with Ionizer (*Est. $60), which receives high scores from more than 60 owners. Like the Bionaire model, this tower fan has three speeds and a breeze feature. It is larger, at 13" x 13" x 41". It has a timer and can be programmed to turn off at two-, four- and eight-hour intervals. This is another fan with an ionizer feature -- and experts are mixed on whether ionizers are effective enough to balance out the small amount of ozone they produce. Many lung-disease experts, including the American Lung Association, recommend avoiding devices that produce any ozone.