The Best Kitchen Fans to Keep You Breathing Easy, According to Our Testing
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If you can’t take the heat, use a kitchen fan.
Food & Wine / Marcus Millan
A good kitchen fan can make a world of difference. In the sweltering summer heat, they counterbalance the waves of heat coming from your oven and make cooking much more manageable. On fish fry night, they help circulate air to dissipate the unsightly odor from fish much quicker, giving you your kitchen back in a fraction of the time. And for those with sensitive smoke detectors, a kitchen fan can be just the thing to help you sear a steak in peace. Plus, unlike range hood fans, you can pick them up and move them wherever you need. To find the best kitchen fans, we assessed their performance, including their oscillation range, airflow power, and other features like portability and design. Read on for our tested top picks across every fan category.
Best Tower Fan: Better Homes & Gardens 40-Inch 3-Speed Tower Fan
Pros
It’s not too loud, and we appreciate the remote in order to control it easily.
Cons
We noticed some dust buildup, which was a tad tricky to clean.
This was our favorite tower fan by far. Standing around 42 inches tall, it has a remote for extra convenience, three different speed settings, and three wind modes for six unique settings to personalize your comfort and customize the fan to your preferences. Its oscillating function ensures equal airflow throughout your space, and its remote control and LED electronic touch panel are easy to use. During testing, we felt it was relatively quiet, and its airflow was strong enough to cool a room. The tower design means this fan can easily tuck into a corner unnoticed but still has an extensive range of motion. All in all, this is a quality fan with great value.
Price at the time of publish: $75
Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 41.5 inches
Oscillation: Yes
Remote control: Yes
Smart features: No
Filters: No
Best Box Fan: Pelonis 3-Speed Box Fan
Pros
It's powerful and can easily move from room to room.
Cons
We noted that it can be quite loud when turned on the higher settings.
Box fans are a versatile choice for any household, and we found this model to be perfect for the kitchen. This fan can sit snugly in a kitchen window to draw fresh, outside air in, allowing smokey and stuffy air to escape. It’s also just as beneficial sitting on the floor or in a doorway since its three speeds can thoroughly circulate air for the whole room or provide a gentle breeze while cooking. The lightweight design also makes this fan easy to store and maneuver. During testing, we noted how powerful this fan was, and we think it would be especially useful for cooling a large kitchen to push the air throughout the room instead of concentrating on one small area.
Price at the time of publish: $43
Dimensions: 5.6 x 20.6 x 21.3 inches
Oscillation: No
Remote control: No
Smart features: No
Filters: No
Best Portable: Crane Circulating Desk Fan
Pros
We loved the surprising amount of power this fan generated for its compact and convenient size.
Cons
It's small, pinning its airflow to a shorter distance.
With a footprint not even a full cubic foot, this fan has significant power for its small size. It has three speeds and oscillation, providing a direct, powerful flow of air. This fan is just as at home on low nestled on a countertop as on full blast on the floor, and with its portability, you can easily take it from the kitchen to the bedroom or an office. The small size is convenient since it’s easy to store, but the downside is that the small face makes the air feel more concentrated. We noticed a strong breeze standing six feet away, but at 20 feet, it felt significantly less powerful.
Price at the time of publish: $50
Dimensions: 9.75 x 9.75 x 7.75 inches
Oscillation: Yes
Remote control: Yes
Smart features: No
Filters: No
Related: The 8 Best Range Hoods to Keep Your Kitchen Air Flowing
Best with Air Purifier: Dyson Pure Cool Link Wi-Fi Enabled Air Purifier
Pros
We loved the plethora of extra features on this model as well as the double filter design.
Cons
Likely due to its lack of blades, the air flow isn’t as strong as some of the other models as tested.
This Dyson air purifier and fan combo is the epitome of luxury. It’s Wi-Fi enabled, so you can sync it with your Amazon Alexa and go hands-free. The Dyson Link app lets you monitor air quality in real time and control your unit from the app. This fan uses a filter, which is advantageous for any household concerned about allergies; it can trap even the tiniest particles, including pollen and pet dander. When testing, we loved that it had ten different speed settings, a timer, oscillation functions, night mode, and more. We also noted its small stature, which is ideal for tucking away when unused, making it an excellent kitchen addition. However, this fan is certainly a splurge option and requires regular filter replacement, an added cost.
Price at the time of publish: $349
Dimensions: 4.3 x 7.7 x 40 inches
Oscillation: Yes
Remote control: Yes
Smart features: Yes
Filters: HEPA and activated carbon filters
Best Pedestal: Pelonis 16-Inch Pedestal Fan
Pros
We loved the considerable area this fan covers, plus the convenient remote.
Cons
We found it difficult to move, losing points in portability.
This pedestal fan has a vast range of motion; between its oscillation radius and adjustable height, there’s no corner of a kitchen it can’t reach. It also has a remote, so you can set it up in the corner without having to stop what you’re doing to adjust it. While testing, we were impressed that it was rather quiet for such a large fan. The trade-off of this fan is that it takes up quite a bit of space and can be difficult to move. Overall, we feel its sturdy design, digital features, and strong breeze make it well worth the price.
Price at the time of publish: $73
Dimensions: 15.75 x 15.75 x 51.18 inches
Oscillation: Yes
Remote control: Yes
Smart features: No
Filters: No
Our Favorite Kitchen Fan
The BHG 40-inch 5-Speed Tower is an excellent choice for almost all kitchens with its easily customizable features and powerful breeze output. If smoke, particles, and other air impurities are a concern in your kitchen, we recommend Dyson Pure Cool Link TP02 Wi-Fi Enabled Air Purifier.
Our Kitchen Fan Tests
To find the best kitchen fans, we tested over 20 models side by side. We looked at factors like how many speeds the fan is equipped with, if the airspeed is controlled by manual push buttons, a dial, or digital controls, and determined if its noise was subtle enough to fade into the background or distractingly loud. We also evaluated the fan's build quality, aesthetics, and features and considered design features that make the fan more practical or convenient to use. Finally, we measured its effectiveness by using tape to mark a spot on the floor directly in front of the fan at a distance of six inches, six feet, and 20 feet to determine the strength of its airflow.
Factors to Consider
Type
What type of fan you need depends on your kitchen. In a smaller space, the best choices are a compact fan that can sit on the counter or a box fan that can lean in a window. If your kitchen is larger and you need to cool a bigger space, consider a tower fan or pedestal fan, especially if the model oscillates. If you’re concerned about smoke or have other air quality concerns, try a fan with an air purifier built in.
Size
Small spaces require small fans, and large spaces require large fans. The size of the fan doesn’t always indicate its power, so make sure you have an idea of the ideal footprint for your fan and then determine power needs from there. Some small fans pack a serious wallop, but if you plan to put it on your counter close to your food, you might end up blowing that salad right off the plate.
Filters
Depending on where you live and the time of year, air quality might be something to consider before buying a fan. If there are lots of pollen or smoke in the air, a fan can just push it around instead of helping to remove it. This can be compounded by smoke or even odors that come from cooking. If you have air quality concerns or plan to cook pungent or smokey dishes often, reach for a fan with a built-in filter.
Extra features
Some fans come with remote controls, which is great if you know it’s time to bump up the power, but you don’t want to step away from the stove. Some even offer smart features that can be controlled via an app. Others offer oscillation settings, ideal for more gentle airflow across a wider area. Consider your budget as well — paired-down and straightforward fans will be more affordable, while the extra bells and whistles tend to cost a bit more. Nevertheless, if you want some extra features to make things a little easier in the kitchen, it’s worth the investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does your kitchen need a fan?
If you’ve ever cooked during the summer, deep fried at home, or accidentally burnt popcorn, you know how necessary a fan can be. Fans provide air circulation that can help cool the room down quickly and dissipate smells and smoke. No one likes to cook in a stuffy kitchen, especially if there’s spattering oil, plumes of steam on a hot day, or thick clouds of smoke, so why not make life in the kitchen a little easier on yourself? They also contribute to removing heat, steam, and other cooking odors and can even help prevent buildup on surfaces.
Our Expertise
Nick DeSimone is a food writer and restaurant chef with nearly a decade of experience. They have spent many days in hot, smokey kitchens — home and commercial — so they know the importance of a good kitchen fan. For this piece, they also used tested insights from our internal testing lab.
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