Best Outdoor Fans 2023

Spending time outdoors is one of the luxuries of having a porch or patio, but it can quickly become uncomfortable in warmer weather when there's no wind. The best outdoor fans improve instant air circulation and create a cooling breeze, while also seamlessly fitting into your outdoor decor. Our top choice is the Carro Striver 52-Inch Outdoor Ceiling Fan for its smart features and stylish look.

The Beachcrest Home Gil fan is wet-rated, so you don't need to install it under a cover, and it ... [+] offers five speeds you can flip through with the included remote.

Outdoor fans aren't the cheapest thing you’ll buy for your home, but experts say these appliances are worth the investment. "They can make sitting outside more comfortable and enjoyable in the warmer months," says Mallory Micetich, home expert at Angi. "As a bonus, outdoor fans tend to deter small insects like mosquitoes." The right outdoor fans can also enhance the appearance of your outdoor space, says JustAnswer home appliance expert Aaron Wilson: "They can add a nice look to your outdoor area."

There are a few elements to consider when choosing an outdoor fan. The fan's style, wet/damp rating, and size and number of blades should all be factored into your decision. These are the best outdoor fans on the market to help meet a variety of needs — and to keep you cool, even as the temperatures soar. (Check out our lists of the best patio furniture, best patio umbrellas and best pool lounge chairs, too.)

The Home Depot

Blade span: 52 inches | Number of blades: 3 | Damp/wet rating: Damp | Control type: Remote, app | Available in: Black, white

The Carro Striver fan is packed with features to make your outdoor experience as comfortable as possible. This fan is smart-enabled, so you can adjust the speed and dim the lights from your phone. If you happen to forget to turn off the fan after you head inside, simply ask Alexa or Google Assistant to do it for you. Flip between 10 speed settings—including downdrafts for summer and updrafts in winter—to enjoy everything from a mild breeze to full-on wind. The fan is damp rated, meaning it can stand up to a mist but shouldn't be installed in an area where it could be subject to a downpour. The three-blade fan uses DC motors for a nearly silent operation.

Amazon

Blade span: 38 inches | Number of blades: 5 | Damp/wet rating: Wet | Control type: Remote, app | Available in: White, bronze, titanium, black

Because of its wet rating, this fan can be exposed to all the elements—but it doesn't skimp on features. Vox's fan can be operated via an app on your phone or your voice-activated assistant of choice, allowing you to adjust the lighting or speed without having to locate the remote (although it has one of those, too). Choose from features like breeze mode and adaptive learning, and reverse the blades with the seasons. The fan is on the smaller side, so it isn't the best for cooling massive spaces. But it doesn't hog ceiling space, making it a great choice for a pergola or patio.

Lowe's

Blade span: 28 inches | Number of blades: 3 | Damp/wet rating: Damp | Control type: Manual | Available in: Chrome

Outdoor standing fans tend to leave something to be desired in the style department, but not this version from Kahomvis. It features a sleek chrome head and wooden legs for a modern look. The fan features a tripod set-up for sturdiness and to make it less likely to topple over in the wind. Choose from three speed gears—low, medium and high—to help find the breeze that's right for that particular moment. The angle of the fan's head is also adjustable for a targeted breeze. A 70-inch cord means your fan doesn't have to sit right on top of an outlet.

Wayfair

Blade span: 54 inches | Number of blades: 5 | Damp/wet rating: Wet | Control type: Remote | Available in: Wood, metal

The Beachcrest Home Gil fan is a statement piece, thanks to its rustic wood finish and metal accents. The fan is wet-rated, so you don't need to install it under a cover, and offers five speeds you can flip through with the included remote. The fan is designed to ventilate spaces up to 18 x 20 feet, giving you plenty of coverage. It also contains a dimmable LED light kit to help you achieve optimal mood lighting. Worth noting: The fan can be installed onto sloped ceilings up to 23 degrees.

Wayfair

Blade span: 18 inches | Number of blades: 3 | Damp/wet rating: Damp | Control type: Switch | Available in: Black, white, red

Misting fans are often an eyesore. But Sunheat's CoolZone misting fan manages to combine the look of a stylish outdoor fan with cooling technology. The fan offers three speeds to find the wind that's right for you and has a generous 1.7-liter water tank capacity that can provide mist for up to eight hours. Four wheels make it easy to reposition as needed. There are even built-in speakers, so you can pipe your favorite music via USB or Bluetooth through your fan as you cool off.

The Home Depot

Blade span: 60 inches | Number of blades: 8 | Damp/wet rating: Damp | Control type: Remote | Available in: Walnut/black, galvanized

The Makenna fan gives you plenty of options with lighting, allowing you to choose from six color temperature settings with the included remote. The LED lighting is also dimmable from 2,700K to 6,500K. Enjoy five fan speeds and choose the direction of your rotation, depending on the season. The remote control also comes with a wall cradle, in case you want to always remember where you left it. With eight blades and a 60-inch span, you can cool large areas with this fan.

Wayfair

Blade span: 18 inches | Number of blades: 4 | Damp/wet rating: Damp | Control type: Switch | Available in: Brown

Patios often don't have overhangs and the closest wall may be farther than you prefer to generate a cool breeze. That's when the Loon Peak Reames comes in. This corrosion-resistant fan stands 50 inches high and offers three wind speeds to give you plenty of coverage on warmer days. The oscillating fan has a unique wood look to make it a talking point and add to your outdoor decor. It also features a weighted base to prevent it from toppling over in windy conditions. It's worth noting that you can also add a mister to this fan (purchased separately) to help you stay cool on particularly hot days.

Amazon

Blade span: 88 inches | Number of blades: 3 | Damp/wet rating: Damp | Control type: Remote, app | Available in: Wood, black, gray and more

There are large outdoor fans and then there's the massive Monte Carlo Maverick, which spans over nearly 90 inches. Many outdoor ceiling fans, by comparison, are in the 50-inch range. This expansive fan has a sleek, modern look—choose from 10 different colors—and is designed for spaces with higher ceiling heights. (The company recommends at least 8.5-feet ceilings.) The fan is controlled by remote and offers up six speeds with the capacity to reach an airflow of nearly 15,000 CFM.

Lowe's

Blade span: 24 inches | Number of blades: 3 | Damp/wet rating: Damp | Control type: Switch | Available in: Yellow

It's difficult to make an outdoor space completely mosquito-proof, but generating a solid breeze across a large area won't hurt. The Tidoin outdoor fan has a 24-inch span that can deliver up to 4,700 CFM of airflow across a wide swath of space to keep mosquitoes away. It also has a bold color and contemporary design to pop on your patio. Wheels help you easily reposition it as needed. Flip through three speeds and even rotate the fan 360 degrees as needed. If you’re interested in even more coverage, the fan also comes in a 30-inch version.

The Home Depot

Blade span: 52 inches | Number of blades: 5 | Damp/wet rating: Wet | Control type: Pull chain | Available in: Bronze, white

The Hampton Bay Lillycrest features palm leaf-inspired blades to create a vibe, whether it's mounted on a pergola or covered porch. The fan is wet-rated, so there's no need to add a special cover—it can simply hang from your pergola. The fan provides three speeds that can power up to nearly 5,000 CFM. The fan is operated via pull chain—you don't have to try to locate a remote when you’re relaxing outside. Choose from an aged bronzed or matte white finish.

To choose the best outdoor fans, we consulted with two home experts for their advice on what to look for in these important appliances. From there, we tracked down the most popular outdoor fans on the market and analyzed them for elements such as blade span, control type, whether they’re rated for damp or wet conditions and if they can meet a range of demands for users. Reviews from real users were factored in as well to ensure we had the best view of how these fans perform across a series of outdoor spaces.

There are a lot of different elements to consider when shopping for an outdoor fan. Keep these in mind during your search.

It's easy to assume that more blades are better, but that's not necessarily the case. A fan with three blades can generate as much wind as a fan with eight blades—it's more about the power behind them. Keep in mind that fans with less blades tend to create more sound than those with a larger number of blades. However, when you’re outside, the difference is unlikely to be noticeable. Fans with more blades are typically on the larger size, although there are expansive three-bladed fans, including our favorite large outdoor fan, the Monte Carlo 3MAVR88BK Maverick Super Max 88-Inch Outdoor Ceiling Fan.

This is an important factor to pay attention to, particularly when you factor in where you plan to place your outdoor fan. At minimum an outdoor fan should have a damp rating. This means the fan can be exposed to mist and other damp conditions without breaking. However, these fans shouldn't be left out in the open where they can be subject to a downpour. A wet rating essentially means the fan is waterproof. It can be mounted someplace where it will be exposed to water, like a pergola, and will continue to operate as designed. The right rating for your fan ultimately depends on where you will use it.

Outdoor fans typically have one of three control mechanisms: Pull cord, remote or app. Some will have all three. Pull cord fans need to hang closer to the ground—so they’re a bad choice for high ceilings—but they tend to be less expensive than other models. Remotes are common with outdoor fans, but they require you to actually keep track of them and will need regular battery changes. Smart fans are controlled by an app, making them a great modern feature. However, they tend to cost more than fans with other control mechanisms.

CFM stands for "cubic feet per minute," and a CFM rating with outdoor fans is typically a measure of how much airflow the fan can generate. As a whole, the bigger the space you want to cover, the higher the CFM rating you’ll need. Some fans, like the Monte Carlo Maverick Super Max, can reach CFM airflow speeds of nearly 15,000. However, many quality fans like our top choice, the Carro Striver 52-Inch Outdoor Ceiling Fan, will have a CFM of around 5,000—plenty for most homeowner needs.

If you have an outdoor space that's blocked from the breeze, or you live in a climate that gets hot, an outdoor fan is worth considering. These appliances can increase the length of time you can comfortably enjoy your outdoor space. Select models can also provide lighting to allow you to use your patio or deck for longer periods during the day. A misting fan like the Hampton Bay 52-Inch Misting Fan can create a cool feeling outdoors, even on scorching days. Finally, an outdoor fan can add to your decor. (Consider the Hampton Bay Lillycrest 52-Inch Ceiling Fan if you want to create a tropical vibe.)

It's really a personal preference. "I recommend choosing an outdoor fan that has three, four or five blades," Micetich says. "If you want your fan to be as efficient as possible, go with three blades. For a quieter fan, consider purchasing a fan with four or five blades." The number of fan blades you have generally correlates to how much noise your fan makes—but fans with more blades may use up more energy, Wilson says. "If you want a quieter fan, you can get more fan blades at the cost of efficiency," he says. Ultimately, it's up to you.

It's important to consider where you plan to install your outdoor fan, as well as your personal needs. "Unlike indoor fans, outdoor fans need to be able to withstand harsh weather conditions," Micetich says. "Always make sure your outdoor fan is either wet-rated or damp-rated. If your outdoor fan is regularly exposed to rain, opt for a wet-rated fan. If it doesn't rain a lot in your area, a damp-rated fan is all you need to protect your fan from humidity." Aesthetics are important, too, as well as ensuring that your fan is the right size for your outdoor space, Wilson says. Extras like remote or app controls and misting options are worth considering as well, he says.

Again, it depends. "The ideal CFM rating for your outdoor fan depends on the size of your outdoor space," Micetich says. "In general, the larger the space, the higher the CFM you need." CFMs can range from 1,000 to 10,000 and up, Wilson says. "You will need to measure your outdoor area and pick the fan that best suits the size of your area," he says. "Additionally, you can choose more than one outdoor fan as well." If you’re still unsure what CFM you’ll need, Micetich offers this advice: "I recommend looking at outdoor fans that have CFMs of around 5,000 and going from there."