Guide to selecting the most popular ceiling fans
If you’re looking for a new ceiling fan, you’ve come to the right place! I love ceiling fans both because they make your space cooler (i.e. much more comfortable) and save money on energy efficiency.
Being comfortable in your home is a top priority. If you’re too hot (or too cold), it interferes with your enjoyment of everything. You are less comfortable in all your activities, whether it’s spending time with your family, cooking, reading, exercising, cleaning, or just enjoying a good meal with your family or a cup of coffee with a friend.
Often, if you’re too hot, you’re less alert and more distracted, so it slows you down. It can also make you more tired and irritable. Who needs that? Comfort is critical to your enjoyment of activities in your life (and I’m betting it has an impact on your health and sleep, too).
Ceiling fans are such a great invention. They help cool the area down, and the breeze makes it more comfortable so you often don’t even need an air conditioner (and we all know how much energy AC’s use…yes, those energy bills can be quite costly in the summer). With a fan, you don’t need to keep the air temperature quite as low. Plus, air circulation is a good thing…and allows you to open the windows for some fresh air. Air conditioners often recirculate lots of dust and allergens…just look at what gets clogged in those filters.
As a bonus, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that ceiling fans can also save you money in the winter. Yes, it’s true. You can reverse the blades to that they are spinning clockwise (low speed of course). And, when you do this, it will warm your area so that the warmer air at the ceiling will be pushed downwards. This will enable you to lower the thermostat and save some extra money.
Please note that this article contains affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.
In this article, I’m going to share my top recommendations for ceiling fans including my favorite fan and a great value fan, as well as some alternatives. I will also share tips on selecting a ceiling fan and answer some frequently asked questions.
If you’re curious (or in a hurry)
The WhisperWind motor delivers ultra-powerful air movement with whisper-quiet performance so you get the cooling power without all the noise.
It’s an excellent ceiling fan that works for most rooms. It’s powerful and energy efficient. It has a high air flow rating and is Energy Star Certified. You’ll also find that it’s also one of the most affordable ceiling fans that truly delivers.
If you can get it for under $250, grab it. That’s one heck of a deal on a great ceiling fan!
Best Ceiling Fans for 2020:
My top recommendation:
Hunter Palermo ceiling fan
This fan is effective and great value. It also has a design that feels classic and contemporary at the same time. The airflow rating is well above average and comes with a remote control.
The WhisperWind motor delivers ultra-powerful air movement with whisper-quiet performance so you get the cooling power without all the noise.
Best value ceiling fan:
Top 5 ceiling fans on Amazon:
I will be adding more detail to this section soon, but here are the top 5 ceiling fans on Amazon.
1. Prominence Home 40271-01 Brealey Hugger Ceiling Fan – 52″ span.
2. Westinghouse 7876400 Alloy 42″ Gun Metal Ceiling Fan -42″ span
3. Harbor Breeze Mazon 44″ Brushed Nickel Flush Indoorhttps://amzn.to/2KPudl1 Ceiling Fan – 44″ span
4. Hunter 59244 Dempsey Low Profile White Ceiling fan – 44″ span
5. Hunter 53091 Builder Deluxe 5 Blade Single Light Ceiling fan with Brazilian Cherry/Stained Oak Blades – 52″ span This is Amazon’s Choice.
Other great and super stylish ceiling fans
These are from Wayfair and I love some of the selections they have, especially some of the farmhouse style ceiling fans. Just click on any of these pictures to get more info on sizes and prices.
Tips for selecting the best ceiling fan for your space:
There are 4 quick steps you should follow to select the optimal fan for your needs.
Choose the right rating for your location – Will the fan be indoors or outdoors?
There are 3 ratings to consider:
- Indoor rated: As the name implies, this is for indoor areas…areas that do not get direct water or moisture (so bedrooms, living rooms, family rooms, etc….not good for bathrooms).
- Damp rated: Appropriate for mild outdoor and indoor use. It can withstand heat and cool moisture (e.g. cool mist, fog or desert heat. Can not withstand direct rain or hose exposure (good for bathrooms, 3 season rooms, covered porches.
- Wet rated: Rated for outdoor use and can withstand direct water exposure such as rain or hoses. You can use wet rated fans for indoor or damp areas, but not vice versa.
Choose the right blade span for the room
Measure your room (Length x width) and then calculate the square footage. Bear in mind that if the room is very large, you may consider using 2 fans rather than 1. The span is from tip to tip.
- 36-81 sf (i.e. 6 ft x 6 ft to 9 ft x 9 ft)….32″-48″ span
- 81-196 sf (i.e. 9 ft x 9 ft to 14 ft x 14 ft)….48″-54″ span
- 225-361sf (i.e. 15 ft x 15 ft to 19 ft x 19 ft)….56″-66″ span
- 400-625sf(i.e. 20 ft x 20 ft to 25 ft x 25 ft)….68″-72″ span
Yes, not all rooms are square (or even rectangular), but use the square footage to approximate.
Ceiling fans blow down in a downward cone shape. If you get one that’s too small, you may not get the desired air flow. Or if you get one that’s too large, you may not get enough breeze under it (similar to the “eye” of a hurricane). This truly is like Goldilocks, but if you follow above guidelines, you’ll be fine.
Choose the right drop height/mount type
First, you want to make sure you have at least 7 foot clearance from the floor to the bottom of the fan (for safety reasons). If you have a low ceiling, you’ll want to get a hugger base (i.e. no drop pole) so that there will enough clearance. Second, if your ceilings are high, you’ll want to have a drop pole so that the fan is lower, so it will create better circulation and create a nice breeze.
You want the proper balance of being high enough to avoid accidents, and low enough to create comfort and get more air circulation. The lower the fan, the more it begins to feel like an air conditioned breeze. Again, this is a bit like Goldilocks.
Here are some guidelines based on the height of your ceiling.
Ceiling Height
- 8 ft…. flushmount or 2.5-4.5″ drop rod
- 9 ft….6″
- 10 ft…12″
- 11 ft….18″
- 12 ft….24″
- 13 ft….36″
- 14 ft….48″
Note: For safety reasons, try to avoid installing ceiling fans above the bed
Choose the right style, features and price for your budget
This is a judgment call in terms of what you visually like (i.e. style and color preferences), importance of remote and/or wall controls, wind power and of course budget.
Helpful insights and advice when considering your ceiling fan purchase:
- DC motors are new and magnetic based, so they are the most energy efficient, quietest and have 6 speeds.
- The bigger the motor, the better the quality of the air movement. More power = more air and a cooler feel.
- Interestingly enough, the number of blades has virtually no impact on air flow. It does have an impact on aesthetics, though.
- Federal regulations limit ceiling fans to only output a max of 180 watts for the down light. If you prefer more light, look for fans with both down lights and up lights (or choose an alternative light source).
- All fans have the ability to reverse, allowing the fan to warm up the space in the winter or cooler months by pushing warm air from the ceiling downwards. This can make the space more comfortable and allow you to lower your thermostat during the winter and save some money.
- Note that rounder, tropical blades tend to push air sideways rather than downwards causing less of a breeze, so if your priority is coolness, avoid these types of fans.
Ceiling fan frequently asked questions:
What is a hugger fan?
A hugger fan means that the fan is installed flush mount to the ceiling. They do not have down rods, so they are close t the ceiling. The name hugger is becausee of the way they hug they appear to “hug” the ceiling. They save head space and may be needed if you have a low ceiling (or if a member of your household is very tall. Please note that you should always have clearance of 7 ft from floor to bottom of fan for safety reasons.
Please note that when the fan is too close to the ceiling, you can sacrifice some air/coolness because the blades are closer to the ceiling and you therefore limit the air that gets blown downward.
What does CFM stand for?
CFM stands for Cubic Feet per Minute. It’s a measure of air flow you get a fan. Generally, a higher number is better.
Where can you buy ceiling fans online?
There are many places you can buy ceiling fans online. I’d say my favorite is Amazon. Their prices seem to be the best and usually their shipping is free, especially if you are an Amazon Prime member. And, you can get try an Amazon Prime membership free for a month. This will give you faster shipping (for free) and many other free benefits. Also, on Amazon, you can read their customer reviews which I find very helpful.
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Best Ceiling Fans for 2020 | Buying Guide
