11 Fans That Cool Like Air Conditioners

This oscillating tower fan is a great pick that can cool a medium-sized room just as well as many air conditioners. It oscillates to cover your entire space and has three speeds, plus an automatic shut-off feature that allows you to set the fan to run for anywhere from 30 minutes to 7.5 hours. Bustle’s Commerce Editor, Amy Biggart, says, “I had this fan in my living room along with a window AC unit all summer long, and I almost never used my air conditioner. This fan was more than sufficient for my living room and was a lot quieter than my air conditioners. Next summer, I won’t even put the AC in the window.”

A Glowing Review: “It took less than 30 seconds to assemble. I tested it immediately after assembling during a nap...OMG, OMG, OMG. I usually wake up mid nap because of summertime heat but I surprisingly slept all the way through and didn't even need to turn on my AC. It's a stronger airflow than I expected. I plan on ordering another tower fan to compare but so far I am loving it and this magnificent breeze.”

Fan Type: tower

Most of the time, when you purchase a fan to cool extra-large rooms, you have to accept a trade-off: in exchange for efficiency, you must be willing to deal with noise. But that's not the case with this floor fan, which can move air up to 100 feet and has four speed settings, most of which are whisper-quiet (at its highest speed, expect it to sound more like white noise).

This fan tilts both vertically and horizontally and has a gliding chrome bar that lets you easily control the direction of airflow. One reviewer said it lowered the temperature in his large room by three degrees. It's effective, portable (it weighs 7.3 pounds), and non-disruptive.

A Glowing Review: “I can’t even describe my joy. We sat on the bed and it feels like cold air is going all around us. No weird hot spots or humidity. Just a really consistent ‘cold air is all around me’ feeling and the absolute bliss that I don’t have to drop another 10k on ripping out all the ductwork.”

Fan Type: floor

Even oscillating fans tend to have a limit on the range in which they’ll rotate. Some will move 90 degrees, others will be able to rotate 180 degrees, but it’s rare to find one that rotates all the way around. That’s what makes this 360-degree rotating fan from Genesis so incredible. This fan has three speeds and you can set the oscillation to one of four settings, 60 degrees, 90 degrees, 120 degrees, and 360 degrees. A built-in thermometer shows the temperature in your space, so you can monitor how this fan is affecting the temperature of your room and adjust the speed accordingly. It also has a remote control you can use to adjust the speed and oscillation from wherever you are.

A Glowing Review: “This fan works wonderfully. It is full of features like various oscillating angles, timer settings, and a remote. There is even a breeze setting, that mimics a natural breeze by fluctuating air flow. As far as speed settings, they all work great. This thing can really move some air and cools my large living room very nicely.”

Fan Type: tower

When you read through the more than 2,000 five-star reviews this budget-friendly portable fan has earned, you may notice a theme: Most people are beyond pleased with this fan's efficiency — something they didn't expect, given its affordable price tag.

Boasting a super-slim profile, the fan is perfect for adding a powerful breeze to small spaces or for packing in your gear for camping trips. With a height of 11 inches and a weight of about 2 pounds, the fan can be operated via batteries or wall AC outlet. And, thanks to its amazing price, you may just decide to invest in one for every room.

A Glowing Review: “Based on a recent camping trip with 90 degree weather and 99% humidity and being stuck in a tent for 4 hours with pouring rain, this fan is a must-have on my camping list! The fan is very quiet and keeps a two-person tent comfortable with flowing air.on the low setting. On the high setting, it gives you a nice blast of cool air on those very muggy nights.”

Fan Type: tabletop

Most pedestal fans have a fairly large footprint. But this adjustable pedestal fan is slim enough to not take up a lot of floor space in medium to large rooms. Its height can be adjusted from 41 inches to 52 inches, and it has an optional oscillation function, a remote control, and sleep mode with auto shut-off. With three quiet speed settings and the ability to direct wind flow up or down, this is the perfect fan to suit the cooling needs of more than one person in your home. And it's also got a leg up on other pedestal fans: it has a built-in carry handle and weighs 13 pounds — making it a sturdy, but still portable option.

A Glowing Review: “I am very sensitive to heat and need this fan to help me sleep. It has a very low/quiet setting that works well. I do not like it pointed directly at my face, but at a distance of about 3,' it is perfect. It is much quieter than my white noise generator, which I still need even though this is running.”

Fan Type: floor

Let's get this obvious point out of the way: the Dyson tower fan and HEPA air refresher is incredibly expensive. With that said, it's also a long-term investment — a uniquely designed, bladeless fan that's safe around children and pets and is unlike any other model you'll find on the market. This fan features 3 purified air circulation settings and 10 airflow settings, a sleep timer, and precise oscillation control that allows you to pinpoint where in the room you'd like to concentrate the most cool air.

When it comes to cleaning this fan — something that's usually a hassle given how dust and debris stick to blades — you won't have any trouble at all. Wipe it down with a cloth and you're finished — that's it. This fan even comes with a remote control with a magnetic back that adheres to its base. It's quiet, energy efficient, and a conversation piece, too. What more could you want?

A Glowing Review: “When the furnace began to run this fall, my wife and I both suffered from upper respiratory allergies in the morning. I bought the Dyson unit because it works both as a filter and as a fan (we use a fan blowing across our bed during the hot summer months). The first morning after I installed this unit, our sneezing and dripping stopped; sinus pain and drainage stopped.”

Fan Type: tower

This set of two fans covers all your bases if you’re looking to replace your air conditioner with a fan. The standing pedestal fan oscillates to cover your entire space and has three speed settings that you can control from a remote. The air circulator fan is designed to be set on the floor or on a tabletop, and also has three speeds you can adjust from the dial on the back of the fan. For under $80, you’d be hard-pressed to find a set of two fans that are this powerful for this price. Even better, these have garnered over 17,000 five-star reviews and a 4.6-star overall rating on Amazon.

A Glowing Review: “I like the double blade design as I can feel the difference in air movement. The fan is quiet, and oscillates with very little noise. I usually just keep it on the normal mode, but really like the sleep, and nature modes since they vary the fan speed automatically.”

Fan Type: tower fan and floor/tabletop fan

When an extra-large room in your home or office needs as much cooling as possible, it's time to bring in this industrial-strength fan, which is tilt-adjustable and can be wall mounted (super convenient). This fan has three speeds and a powerful motor for extended reach throughout bigger spaces. But don't expect it to be very quiet: it's noisier than most others on this list, but is also very sturdy — it weighs 14 pounds — and well-made.

A Glowing Review: “The lowest setting is already a higher setting than the highest setting on the other. The metal looks really nice on it. And it blows SO MUCH AIR!! It has the tilt so that I can point it up towards me or leave it at fully vertical. It has the nice base, so no falling over or lack of sturdiness.”

Fan Type: floor

Let's start with the obvious: This vintage-inspired tabletop fan scores major style points — important since a gadget that sits on your desk or bedside table will tend to take center stage when it comes to aesthetics. It also boasts consistently high ratings, with reviewers praising its "excellent air movement" despite its small footprint.

The 8-inch tall fan has two speed settings and — although it's not the quietest option — reviewers report it provides great white noise for sleeping. It's important to note that a couple of Amazon reviewers complained this fan stopped working after a few months. That being said, the majority gave it a five-star rating, and since it comes backed by a five-year warranty, it's probably still worth trying out for yourself.

A Glowing Review: “This fan exceeds my expectations. The retro design is extremely stylish, and it is compact enough to carry around my office when I go to my desk every day. The air flow is superb [...] Mostly, I turn this fan on low (two speeds) and it is more than enough to keep me cool.”

Fan Type: tabletop

This powerful oscillating fan offers three basic speeds, in addition to a “turbo” speed setting and a silent night mode that you can adjust based on your space and needs. With a relatively quiet, 35-decibel operation, you’ll be able to keep this fan in nearly any room without it disrupting your day. Best yet, this fan has a remote control so you can adjust the settings from across the room without moving more than a finger. With over 4,000 five-star reviews and a glowing 4.7-star overall rating, this is one of the most popular fans on Amazon.

A Glowing Review: “This fan is WORTH THE MONEY. We have a hard time keeping our bedroom upstairs cool in the summer months and so we bought this fan to help move air around. That's exactly what it does without being too loud.”

Fan Type: floor

The advantage of purchasing a box fan like this one is that you can easily mount it in your window, where it does a stellar job of moving stagnant air out from indoors to outdoors. This, of course, also saves you a ton of floor space. This fan is 20 inches wide and covers a large space, but be aware that you can't tilt it and it gives off a subtle white noise, so don't expect it to be completely quiet. It has three speed settings and is ideal for apartments, garages, and dorms.

A Glowing Review: "These fans sit perfectly on my windowsills (the windowsills are 6.5" deep) and are perfect for cooling the house down in the evening. After being so happy with the first one I ordered two more. They are easy to operate, and create a strong wind tunnel that makes a big difference even in a larger room."

Fan Type: box