5 Best Ceiling Fans of 2026, Lab-Tested and Reviewed
We tested options from Honeywell, Hunter, Westinghouse, and others to find these five models that run quietly and move air effectively
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Ceiling fans look attractive and can also make your utility bill look less daunting throughout the year. For instance, if you have central air conditioning and also run a ceiling fan, you can raise the thermostat by a few degrees and still feel just as comfortable, according to the Department of Energy. And in cold weather, running a ceiling fan on a low speed in reverse (clockwise) can push warm air down from the ceiling into a room to help keep you toasty.
Best Ceiling Fans
Below are the top five ceiling fans from our tests. All of them are on our recommended list.
How CR Tests Ceiling Fans
For each fan, we measure airflow at high and low speeds using a special tool called an anemometer, capturing and recording wind speed at nine locations around a fan. For our adjustability score, we measure the difference in airflow between the fan’s highest and lowest speeds.
We also test each fan for the amount of noise it makes on both the highest and lowest settings. We evaluate noise from both the moving air and the motor.
Apart from these metrics, which make up the Overall Score for each fan, we also note how each fan operates, including mount design and switch style. Ceiling fans are usually wired into a wall switch that turns the fan and light on and off. But with most fans, you have to use a pull chain to adjust the speed (and another to turn the light on and off). Some ceiling fans also come equipped with a remote control so that you can set the speed to your liking without getting up from your easy chair.
