Looking for a smart ceiling fan? Well look no further! Smart ceiling fans make excellent additions to modern homes and help save you a lot on energy bills. With the ability to sync them with your Google or Amazon devices, you will never have to get out of bed again to turn them on/off. We hope you enjoy them!
We looked at dozens of products and wholesalers to find the very best smart ceiling fans.
This modern design fan has a 66” blade span to drive massive fresh air with ease. Each Barnwood blade comes coated with a premium-quality weather-resistant aluminum finish. The ceiling fan comes with 8 blades and features six speed settings to facilitate massive airflow.
The DC motor used delivers powerful performance. It is superior to other AC motor fans. Moreover, it keeps the fan running smooth and saves 70% on you AC bill. That’s why it is Energy Star qualified.
The fan has a 20W dimmable LED downlight. You can control the light and the fan speed with a Bluetooth hand-held remote control. You can also order wall control and Wi-Fi touch panel separately. This will allow its easy operation through Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung Smart Things, Nest, and Ecobee.
One of the most reputable ceiling fan manufacturing brands, Modern Forms, offers energy efficient smart ceiling fans for its customers. The designs are sure to complement any décor. But this mode is best suitable for smart homes with larger families.
The Fanimation Custom Wrap fan comes with massive blades of 84 inches. It flaunts a superior matte brushed nickel body, attached to an 8” downrod, which is adjustable. With a lifetime motor warranty, this Energy Star qualified fan is sure to take you by surprise.
The motor is damp rated to be used for indoor and outdoor applications. There are two motor options depending on the desired blade spans. The light kit, blades and motors are thus customizable and sold separately. You can select them as per their area of applications.
The fan is remote control enabled with Bluetooth FanSync technology. You can also order WFR receiver separately for accessing it using smart assistants such as Google Assistant, Alexa, Google Home, and Amazon Echo. The fan comes with 31 speed settings and supports downlight on its body.
Fanimation is one of the leading smart ceiling fan manufacturing companies. With this sophisticated ceiling fan, the company offers a posh addition to your home decors indeed.
Minka’s Light Wave features a 160 RPM DC motor to power three variable airflow speeds. It facilitates an airflow of up to 4531 CFM with an efficiency of 70 CFM/watt. Even at high speed, the fan only consumes 65 watts leading to less power consumption. The current model comes with a long 6 “downrod and expandable up to 48” as per your requirements.
The integrated LED downlight includes a 16-watt light displaying 893.3 lumens with a warmer color temperature of 3000k. The ceiling fan is available in 4 stunning blade finishes such as distressed koa, silver, white, and coal. It also comes with a handheld remote, allowing you to operate the fan with ease.
The Minka Group is a consumer goods company located in Corona, CA, offering a wide range of exclusive ceiling fans, indoor and lighting solutions. Minka’s Light Wave is a contemporary-designed ceiling fan and a perfect addition for a trendy lifestyle.
Design and revolutionary technology together. Through its proprietary fanSync technology and dedicated remote control, you can also control it from a smartphone using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi receiver sold separately).
It is also compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant. You can integrate it into your existing IoT devices like amazon echo, Ecobee, Nest, smart things, and Google Home for easy control.
The Fanimation Drone features six speed settings allowing you to control the airflow at its best. Plus, the advanced Fresh Air Mode lets you modulate the RPM and convert regular airflow to a natural breeze.
Located in Zionsville, IN, Fanimation Fans is a technology-driven company that deals with supplying and installing power-efficient & environment-friendly ceiling fans across the states. However, with such design successes, it is sure to spread its business boundary even more.
The Fanimation TriAire comes with three long 52” blades to propel massive air. You can also choose from other sizes ranging from 44”, 48”, 56”, and 60”, depending upon your room size. Moreover, blades of different finish types are customizable in the same unit.
The fan has a provision to add lighting to its body. The entire system hangs through an adjustable 8” downrod. The ceiling fan uses a powerful DC motor and delivers six speed settings. You can separately buy a light kit and motor to customize the fan as per the application.
With a premium-quality weatherproof finish, it is suitable for both indoor and outdoor usage. Interestingly, it is also rated for wet locations. In fact, you can directly expose it to rain.
Fanimation is a reputable company that makes superior, durable, and long-lasting ceiling fans. This contemporary model well describes Fanimation’s visionary mind to redefine outdoor ceiling fans with time.
The Fanimation Celano V2 flaunts a brushed nickel body with 52” cherry/dark walnut blades to take anyone by surprise. With an AC motor capable of variable RPMs (53 to 174), it creates an impressive AirFlow (rated 4/5). The package arrives with a 4 ½” downrod to maintain a safe distance of the fan from the ceiling and floor.
The ceiling fan comes with an integrated 18W LED light fixture with a dimmable LED array. You can operate the fan through a smartphone app via Bluetooth or through a hand-held remote.
It is compatible with Smart Assistants (Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa) when connected with a Wi-Fi receiver. The wall control and Wi-Fi modules are available separately.
Fanimation products are made for the future. They are best suited for smart homes and bear premium designs with fantastic craftsmanship. This 5-blade fan is suitable for all family types and has broad coverage.
This modern Forms ceiling fan is a heavy-duty item designed to offer uninterrupted airflow under challenging situations. The fan is manufactured using Grade-A Titanium Silver ABS finished blades offering superb durability and rigidity. It has got an energy-efficient DC motor that slashes power consumption up to 70 percent.
Besides the switchboard, the fan offers various modes of connectivity, such as Bluetooth and wireless. It comes with a Bluetooth remote with additional wifi support. You can connect it to your smartphone and use voice commands for easy control.
Currently, it supports devices like Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung Smart Things, Ecobee, and Nest. The product also comes with three types of downlight fixtures delivering 1110 lumens and 3000k warm light.
Modern Forms is a US-based manufacturer and supplier of high-end smart fans and LED luminaries for home, hotel, restaurants and workplaces. They are known for creating cutting-edge luminaries and smart fans. They also conduct thorough and rigorous product testing.
The fan is WET rated to handle rain and other forms of water exposure. Overall, the Modern Forms ceiling fan is a great way to enjoy natural air in indoor and outdoor locations.
Made from highly durable ABS materials, the Xtreme H20 serves as an excellent ceiling fan for outdoor usage. The product is UL WET rated to be used under damp and water exposed settings.
The fan features a minimalist, sleek, and elegant look. The blades are available in five finished designs – silver blade, bronze, white, coal, and smoked iron. The current product comes with a standard 6” downrod and is customizable up to 84”.
The fan has eight 65” blades and rotates in six variable speed settings to provide ample airflow. You will also receive a handheld remote to control its power and speed settings. Moreover, it includes an energy-efficient 40-watt DC motor to save your bill when used at an optimum speed.
The Minka Group is well known for producing quality electrical products and is a branch of Minka and Geroge Kovacs fans and lighting. The Xtreme H2O Ceiling Fan is another addition to its classic range of mid-century designs.
Sleek LED by Minka Aire is an esthetically pleasing smart ceiling fan featuring 60” blades and a 16W bulb at its centre. The fan comes with three seasoned wood blades to add flair to its design. These blades are made up of steel and ABS to increase their durability. The powerful DC motor rotates at 163 RPM speed and delivers 6006 CFM of airflow.
The fan body comes in four finished designs – brushed nickel, coal, flat white, and oil rubbed bronze. The order contains a standard 6” downrod, but you can customize it up to 48” as per your requirements.
It also features a 16 watt light at its centre. The fan is designed for smart control through its proprietary mobile application called the Bond app. Through the app, you can control its functions from your phone and tablet. You can even integrate it with smart voice assistants such as Google Home, and Amazon Alexa.
Minka Aire is a sister company of Minka Lighting Inc. It has been delivering quality lighting solutions since 1993. Their original facility is situated at Corona, California. They are popular for their functional appliances for nearly any space and with this sleek led smart ceiling fan, they have proven it again.
This luxurious ceiling fan from Zephyr has lavish glass blades precisely crafted with seeded crystals, cast metals, and piastra glass. The blades are available in two diameters – 52” & 62” – with a 7” canopy. The power comes from a silent DC motor, throwing ample fresh air without any disturbing noises.
The body bears different LED lights between 48 to 52 watts. They are capable of offering 1600 lumens of brightness and a color temperature customizable up to 3500k. Meaning, you can select lights of all temperatures, cooler and warmer.
Both the fan and light can be paired with smartphones and other smart home devices through an additional wifi receiver. Besides wifi, you will have a dedicated Bluetooth remote to control airflow & light settings. Above all, the Zephyr is listed under the WET category by ETL, making it a perfect outdoor fan as well.
Zephyr is a luxurious line of fans from Modern Forms – a new-age company headquartered at Port Washington, NY. Modern Forms is known for manufacturing cutting-edge smart fans and LED products for home, hotel, workplace and restaurants. With this model, Modern Forms proves its worth in crafting designs with iconic minimalism.
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A Smart Ceiling Fan Buyer’s Guide: Everything To Know When Buying a Smart Ceiling Fan.
We have a deep love for ceiling fans and live to help others understand these products as well as we do. That is why we took the time to write a ceiling fan buyers’ guide.
At their core, smart ceiling fans are similar to all other types of ceiling fans in that they provide air flow benefits to the room they are placed in. What separates these fans is how they are controlled and managed.
A smart ceiling fan can be managed remotely, via an app, with your voice, and integrated into other smart home technology integrations across Amazon Echo, Google Home, Apple Siri, SmartThings, Ecobee, and Nest, among others.
You can turn on your fan with your voice by using an automated pre-loaded voice command like this: “Hey Alexa, turn on fan” or “Hey Google, turn on fan.”
Why would you want a smart fan experience?
Firstly, it saves energy and hassle and is downright cool. It’s fun to speak to a device and have it react.
Secondly, voice automation is of particular use for fans that are high above the ground. If you can’t easily reach a fan, for example, you will benefit tremendously from controlling it with your voice.
Thirdly, voice controls integrate into other aspects of smart home automation. For example, if you control your home temperature via Next, you can set a policy that turns the fan on or off when a certain temperature is reached.
Home temperature automation is not only impressive, it is energy efficient. By turning fans on or off you can go about your life without needing to make room by room adjustments. And over time this will save you on your energy outputs and electricity bills.
How smart fans save your energy bill and reduce your environmental footprint
A central air conditioning system consumes 3 kiloWatts, which is about 36 cents per hour. Running a fan only runs at 30 Watts, equivalent to only a cent per hour. Running a smart fan that turns off when a certain temperature range is reached is even more affordable.
Smart ceiling fans with light integrations not only enable you to control turning the fan on or off, but you can adjust the lights too. For example, you can lower the lighting as a room heats up.
This serves the purpose of reducing the energy output.
Smart fans can be controlled not only via voice and home automation systems, but by apps on your phone or tablet. This makes it particularly easy to turn on or off a fan remotely on your way home or while running out the door.
You can see if you left the fan on and turn it off, a nice piece of smart technology to give you greater control and peace of mind.
Nearly all smart fans support a number of technology integrations out of the box. So don’t worry if you use a mix of Alex (Amazon) or Home (Google).
These software platforms will work with your fan from Day 1.
A smart fan is similar to buying other types of ceilings fans
Buying a smart ceiling fan for the first time can be overwhelming. There are many options for fans and each fan has different styles, sizes, functionality, blades, and installation steps. And how a smart fan is controlled – via an app, remote, or automatically – is something we will help you understand too.
Fortunately for you, we have distilled all of the key variables down into an accessible and digestible guide. You can read this guide if you want an in-depth understanding of ceiling fans or you can skim it if you only want to better understand certain aspects of the fan itself.
This includes how to select a fan to buy, the types and angles of a fan’s blades, the pros and cons of the AC and DC motors that power fans, and how to install the fan on your ceiling. If you follow this guide you can be confident that you are making a well informed buying decision.
We know all things ceiling fans and want to pass on our learnings and insights to help you.
Most importantly, we know that once you evaluate, select, and install a ceiling fan it will likely remain in place for many years to come. That is because ceiling fans can be heavy, expensive, and labor intensive to install.
Take the time to do research now before buying because the switching costs of changing your mind can be high.
Go through this evaluation check-list so that you better understand the types of motors, blades, installation units, and fans exist. We encourage you to optimize for:
- Overall quality: in particular the speed of the motor to optimize for cooling efficacy and quietness.
- Aesthetics: in particular ensure that you are happy with how the fan looks, its color, shape, design, and blade count.
- Size: select the right size fan for the room you will be placing it in. Larger rooms require larger fans to create strong air flow.
Selecting the location of a smart ceiling fan: Inside or Outside
Most smart ceiling fans are used within the home. Before deciding which type of smart fan to buy, determine where you will place it. Understanding the placement of a ceiling fan will help you select other attributes – like size, speed, and sound – that will enhance your experience with the fan.
Outdoor fans require different electrical strategies and water-proof finishes. Please keep this mind throughout the guide as we largely focus our attention and advice to those people who want to install indoor fans.
If placing the smart ceiling fan in an indoor room, measure the size of the room.
Bathrooms tend to be smaller than bedrooms which tend to be smaller than living rooms or kitchens.
Knowing the approximate size of the room in which the fan will be placed is important.
Larger fans are best suited to larger rooms as their blades and motors move greater volumes of air.
Ceiling Fan Size Chart
| Room (in feet) | Cubic Feet/Minute | Fan Size |
| 6′ x 6′ | 3,000 – 4,500 | Shop: 24″ to 36″ |
| 10′ x 10′ | 4,000 – 5,500 | Shop: 37″ to 48″ |
| 12′ x 12′ | 6,200 – 7,500 | Shop: 49″ to 56″ |
| 15′ x 15′ | 7,000 – 9,000 | Shop: 60″ to 72″ |
| Larger | 9,000 – 11,000 | Shop: 80″ to 99″ |
The length of the blade of the fan and the size of the room go hand in hand.
In short, if you have a large room, buy a larger fan. The bigger the fan the better.
The common sizes for ceiling fans are 36, 44 and 52 inches, with the largest having a blade wingspan of 60 inches.
Measure the height of the ceiling and allow at least 7 feet and 6 inches of space.
It is wise and safe to place your fan at least 7 feet above your flooring.
Placing a ceiling fan high up protects tall individuals from hitting their head or having their hair caught while the fan is in motion. Fans need to be installed on ceilings and these installation bases take space as well.
An installation base is adjoined to a downrod, which is a simple piece of metal that the fan is connected to and hangs from.
The average American ceiling height today is 9 feet (2.7432 meters). This means that the average room can support a fan but with a shorter downrod.
If you have average sized ceilings you can afford to install no more than 1 foot and 6 inch downrods.
How to measure downrods and base mounts
A ceiling fan is composed of fan blades, a downrod, and an installation base.
The installation base attaches to the ceiling. The downrod connects to the base. And the fan itself hangs from the downrod.
Per the measurements mentioned above, the fan must be at least 7 feet and 6 inches above the ground if you have a standard 9 foot ceiling.
There is one exception: fans placed above beds, where you will not walk, require less height.
Many people enjoy selecting the fit and finish of the downrod as these pieces of metal or plastic come in different colors, shapes, and sizes and compliment the overall fan’s aesthetic.
As a general rule, more expensive ceiling fans enable you to have longer and more customizable downrods. The downdrods tend to be longer – between 6 and 18 inches.
This is for functionality and aesthetics. Cheaper ceiling fans sometimes have very short – or almost nonexistent downrods – because the base and the fan are fused together.
Design and Look: What to Think About the Fans General Aesthetics
A hugely important aspect of a ceiling fan is what it looks like. If you see the fan while lying in bed or while in your living room you will it to look great.
The base and downrod are not nearly as important as the blades for how a fan looks in a room.
Blades come in different cuts, lengths, seizes, finishes, colors and of course quantities.
How many blades should the fan have?
At a minimum, a ceiling fan will have two blades though four or five are certainly more common.
A two blade fan can be made of one long piece of metal connected at the mid-point or two distinct blades.
One type of ceiling fan, called a windmill fan, can have upwards of 20 blades packed tightly together.
Blades add functionality and impact the air flow.
When you look at a fan that is turned on, the blades are hard to see. When the fan is stationary, however, the design and color of the blades will need to align with your preferences for style and decor.
Fans with four to six blades produce a lower pitch, softer volume noise output. Three blade fans use the air surrounding the fan most efficiently and require the least effort to clean as you have fewer blades and surface area to collect dust.
Windmill fans, always popular in kid’s rooms, have the most surface area of blades. This increases the effort to clean and dust these fans.
The color, material, and quantity of the blades impact how the fan looks and performs.
Another subtle variable is at play too: the angles of those blades. If the blades are too flat, they won’t whisk through the air and create air flows. We highly advise blades with angles between 12 and 14 degrees.
Nearly all of the fans we provide you here have angles in that range for optimal air circulation and air flow efficacy.
More than a fan: how a smart fan provides lighting, symmetry, and aesthetic benefits.
Some people buy ceiling fans simply to cool or heat a room. Others buy ceiling fans because they can be elegant and add character to a home. Some fans have lights and others do not.
If you are going to place your fan in the center of a room – for example, your living room – you might do so at the expense of a central lighting system.
For this reason, adding lights to fans is popular. If you add lights you will want to also consider how easy it is to change the bulbs, especially if the fan is very high above your floor.
LED, Halogen, and Fluorescent lighting options are available on all fans that have integrated lighting.
Control Your Environment: Noise and Air Flow
Fans without lights produce two types of energy outputs when they are on: noise and air-flow. Both will impact your experience with the fan.
Firstly, noise is a byproduct of any fan. The rotation of the blades and the motor can cause distinct sounds. Larger motors produce more power and, as a result, can generate more noise.
The good news is that noise can be mitigated.
Motors that are built from higher quality and durable screws, armature, bearings, windings, and rotors are more expensive.
Cheaper fans have motors that usually produce more noise as a byproduct.
If you want a quieter fan, buy a more expensive one. You won’t regret it.
Please pay particular attention to this when considering which type of fan you will place in different rooms in your home. If you are considering a bedroom ceiling fan, it is prudent to optimize for minimal sound.
People tend to care less about noise when a fan is in a garage or bathroom.
The second type of energy output is air-flow.
Fans can only cool rooms, they can also heat rooms and reduce air moisture.
They substitute central cooling or work in conjunction with air conditioning.
Fans do not lower air temperatures. They produce air flows and circulation which can in turn create the effect of a windchill.
The wind chill temperature is how cold people feel. The air flow, which leads to evaporative cooling (deratification), is generated by the ceiling fan.
If you are using a fan for general room cooling, you will want a fan that accelerates the heat loss from exposed skin.
Put simply, you will want a fan that generates significant air-flows point downwards and towards the center of the room.
Air Flow Deep Dive: Cubic Feet per Minute
Air flow is the volume of air that is produced by the fan.
The most common way to measure air flow is Cubic Feet per Minute (or CFM).
All of the fans we review have a CFM rating so that you can easily compare how much air that each fan productes.
The average CFM is around 5,000.
For nearly all non-industrial use-cases, like your home bedroom, kitchen, living room, or garage, a CFM of 6,000-7,000 is optimal.
At this rate you will be left feeling cooler without greatly enhancing your energy bill or having papers strewn all over the place from the powerful wind currents that larger fans produce.
You might also see a measurement similar to CFM which is air (or wind) Miles Per Hour.
Much like measuring the speed at which one drives, a fan can have its air speed measured too.
Nearly all fans produce between 3 and 5 Mile Per Hour air flows. Naturally, the higher the MPH, the stronger the air flows.
Controlling Your Fan and Your Energy Output for Efficiency
Mobile apps and the internet have changed how we communicate, manage, and control various technologies.
Ceiling fans are no exception.
Ceiling fans are well suited for management by a digital switch, remote, or mobile app because you can power the fans on or off (or even alter the speed) from afar.
A connected fan is controlled via a remote control or smartphone. In contrast, less expensive and simpler fans are controlled via a manual switch.
Lastly, some ceiling fans are controlled by chords.
While chords are usually made long enough for all users to reach them, please keep in mind that this can cause discomfort or annoyance on high ceilings or fans that need to be frequently turned on or off.
If you plan on installing your fan over 9 feet above the ground, you should buy a fan that can be controlled digitally.
All ceiling fans can create air-flows bi-direactionally.
Usually a simple switch exists on the fan’s motor or external base that enables you to change the direction in which the blades rotate.
Changing the directional air propulsion is critical during the winter months.
Rather than have air convected from the center of the room for cooling, you will want air to move from the blades horizontally down through the walls.
Lateral air-flow is used for heating rooms and maintaining central warmth while reducing your energy bill.
Choosing the right ceiling fan direction
How you control your fan is correlated with how much energy your fan uses. Will you leave it running all the time? Or will you use smart logic to power it down after a certain amount of time?
We have gone above and beyond to think about fans not just as cooling mechanisms but as a tool that can help you save money while lowering your ecological footprint. These efforts will, most importantly, save you money.
Let me explain further.
When you use central cooling or air conditioners, you are physically reducing the temperature in a room.
An air conditioner sucks air into its ducts through a vent. This air cools the gas in the evaporator and as the heat is removed from the air, it is cooled. Cool air then flows into your room.
This process is energy intensive and expensive.
In contrast, a ceiling fan does not cool the room or remove heat. Rather, it moves air around which creates the feeling of cooling. Actual cooling is not occurring. Less energy out means less energy in. And in total this means a lower energy bill.
What A Fan Looks Like To You and Others
This guide provides ample information pertaining to how a ceiling fan works and things you should be aware of before buying one or many fans for your home.
What we have not discussed in great depth is how a fan looks and the importance of design aesthetics.
A fan will need to fit aesthetically into your room and, as a result, you should think about material (wood, metal, plastic), color, and design patterns. Some questions to reflect on:
- Is the room light or dark? Is it well or does it require lots of electrical light?
If your ceiling fan is going in the center of your living room, for example, you will likely want a fan with built-in lighting. This is because many living rooms have existing fixture hardware and wiring.
- Do you want a smart fan that connects with your digital applications and services (Google Home, Nest Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa)?
If you control other aspects of your home – the temperature and humidity – via smart apps, you might want to add a ceiling fan as another connected Internet of Things device. Likewise if you have high ceilings and plan to install a fan that you can’t easily reach by hand.
Smart fans can be controlled via your phone, tablet, or voice, and these controls will make turning them on or off easier.
- Do you want a windmill fan?
Windmill fans are harder to clean (more blades means more surface area for dust to land and accumulate). On the other hand, windmill fans are quiet and elegant.
This type of fan is also hugely popular in kids rooms and living rooms.
The windmill fans pay homage to an older design aesthetic.
While this fan is not modern chic it goes very well in rooms with wooden floors or darker walls because it is made of simple plastic or wood finishes, glass fiber reinforced polyester, and thin pulp-plastic infused blades.
- What color do you want the fan? What style finish do you want?
Sleek and minimalist fans have fewer blades. These fans, made of lightweight metal, have universal white, grey, or black finishes.
Where to buy a ceiling fan?
Ceiling fans are heavy and can be difficult to fit in a car or to transport yourself unless you have a large vehicle or flat-bed truck. Given this, it makes a lot of sense to have your fan shipped to you so that it arrives ready for home assembly.
You can self-install a ceiling fan. This work requires moderate technical skills and physical strength. This is because you will need to install not only the fan (the blades) but you will need to connect the fan’s base to the ceiling and its electrical fixture hardware and wiring.
How much do ceiling fans cost? What impacts the price of a fan?
Ceiling fans range in price from $75 on the cheap-end to over $2,000 on the high-end. There are several reasons why the range in price is so large.
A ceiling fan, made of plastic instead of more durable wood or metal, is cheaper.
Additionally, less expensive fans have weaker motors. This means that they are capable of producing less air flow or have smaller Cubic Feet per Minute scores.
More expensive fans are akin to those you would experience at a resort or high end hotel. A ceiling fan over $1,200 will likely come packed with high tech solutions built-in.
These fans will enable you to:
- Program the fan based on motion, temperature, or humidity.
- Turn the fan on or off based on preset logic or rules for maximum physical comfort.
- Enjoy very efficient and quiet DC motors that have multi-decade support and lifetime expectations.
Moreover, these pricer fans come with app based (smart phone, iPad) mobile management and remote controls.
It is common for expensive ceiling fans to come with mount options so that you can install a panel adjacent to your light switch. These wall mounts enable you to control not only the fan (on/off) but also the fan speed and direction.
Cheaper fans do not come with these in depth level of controls or sophisticated management features.
And that is ok. Simplicity might be what you crave.
Cheaper fans cool rooms as well and can be easily turned on/off with pull chains.
Less expensive fans (in the $100-$300 price point) still come with energy-efficient dimmable lightbulbs.
AC vs DC fans: Understanding a fan’s power source
Most inexpensive fans leverage AC motors.
Although AC motors are more powerful than DC motors, they typically are less efficient and are not as good at using their energy output.
This can cause additional noise (thereby making it harder to sleep if that fan is in your bedroom).
When buying a fan, please take a moment to see the Power Source listed in the fan’s essential product information that all suppliers provide. If you buy a fan with an AC motor, it will be louder.
As a result, we highly advise buying a DC powered fan if you will be sleeping near it.
AC motors are durable and longer lasting. While this might seem positive, DC motors are better (and therefore more costly).
DC motors are simpler to install into the fan’s base, have high startup power, and have a faster response time.
This means that time will be shortened from when you switch the “on” button to when the fan is accelerating to cool your room.
Although more expensive, ceiling fans with DC motors consume 70% less power which will enable you to save money over time as you pay less to power them.
Where to place the ceiling fan: voltage and flush mounting
Many people place their ceiling fans in the center of a room or above a bed. This is to maximize comfort and the impact of the fan’s air flows.
A centrally placed ceiling fan also creates room symmetry.
Voltage is the pressure from an electrical circuit’s power, and the most common electrical outlet in any home is a 110 volt. If you live in the United States, you will need to select a fan that complies with this voltage limit.
Luckily for you, nearly all off-the-shelf ceiling fans support this standard.
When installing a ceiling fan you will need to get a few things absolutely right. We have done this many times for ourselves, our family, friends, and of course our clients.
Firstly, some ceiling fans support flush mount integrations. Flush mount fans sit directly against the ceiling and point downwards. These fans are typically useful for cooling a small room.
Not all ceiling fans are flush mountable.
This means that they will hang lower from the ceiling. If you buy a fan that cannot be flush mounted, please ensure that the lower point of the fan is at least 7 feet and six inches from the ground.
Additionally, ensure that the weight bearing load of the ceiling can support the fan.
Similar to voltage, this should be routine in many homes.
But it is worth investigating because you don’t want to buy a fan just to see it unable to stay upright.
For most fans that we review and see our clients deploy, a ceiling must be able to support approximately 35 pounds of downward pressure.
Buyer’s Guide Summary: Bringing It All Together
Buying a ceiling fan for the first time does not need to be overwhelming.
Simply follow this guide to evaluate and buy the fan that fits best in your room and adds the most value in your life.
Don’t get bogged down in the details. If nothing else, pick a fan that looks great, fits well within your room, and that is priced according to your budget.
If the fan is going into your bedroom, it is worth spending a bit more for a quitter product – you won’t regret it.
