Best Window Fan Reviews 2018

Are you looking for the most cost-effective way to keep yourself cool under adverse summer conditions? Look no further. We are here to help you find the best solution without breaking a bank. Window fans efficiently bring the cool, fresh air in while exhausting the stale, warm air from your living spaces. But, to find the perfect affixation to eradicate any air pollutants, there are several considerations to be made. We’ve ventured far and wide to bring you five of the best window fan brands you can rely on.

Overview

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Type

Size

Material

Controls

Power

Our Top Choice

Lasko Electrically Reversible Window Fan

With over 100 years experience, Lasko has grown to become a market leader in building high performance, great looking comfort products for clients in the U.S and across the world.

Airflow of about 2470 CFM. Has speed control settings. Works both as an exhaust fan and intake fan. Quiet operation.

No removable grills and thermostat

Full House Window Fan (Single)

26.5 x 8.25 x 22” / 14 lbs.

Plastic/metal

Manual

2470 CFM

Best Value

Bionaire Thin Electronic Window Fan

Bionaire lets you correct indoor air quality and undesirable home conditions for a controlled, clean, and more harmonious living.

40% greater air velocity. 25% more compact. Can be used vertically or horizontally. 3 speed settings. Digital LED control panel. Extendable air panels.

Unidirectional. A bit noisy.

Triple Window Fan

27 x 4.5 x 9’’/ 6.4 lbs.

Plastic

Both manual and electronic

40% greater air velocity

Air King 20" Whole House Window Fan

Air King has a perfect solution for all your air circulating needs. The company is known for their powerful motors that are bound to last for years.

CFM of between 2510 – 3560. 3 different speeds. Impact-resistant and durable. Instant temperature change. Easy to install. Extendable panels for good fit. OSHA compliant.

A bit noisy on the highest setting.

Full House Window Fan (Single)

26.75" x 11.25" x 26.25” / 36.6 lbs.

Plastic/ steel grill & blade

Manual

2510, 3120 & 3560 CFM

Optimus Reversible Twin Window Fan

All Optimus products are engineered to meet and even exceed clients’ expectations when it comes to quality, performance, and style while enhancing your indoor air quality.

Automatically controlled by thermostat. 3-speed setting rain resistant motor. Comes fully assembled with optional feet. Safety grill to avoid accidents. LED digital display.

More noisy than its counterparts.

Dual Window Fan

23.5 x 5 x 12” / 6.5 lbs.

Plastic

Electronic

Not available

Holmes Dual Blade Twin Window Fan

Holmes Group is known for producing foolproof air heaters, humidifiers, and mechanical fans since 1982.

Dual 7-inch blades for efficient cooling/ air circulation. Adjustable extender panel and extender screen. Water resistant motor. Two speed settings.

Less powerful than other options.

Dual Window Fan

22.7 x 5.3 x 11.7” / 5 lbs.

Metal

Manual

Not available

(Updated September 21, 2017)

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Watch Our Window Fan Review

How Do I Choose the Best Window Fan?

Summer is the season that comes as a blessing and a curse, and it all depends on how you’re prepared to handle it. It’s the season when people prefer to travel, celebrate, and visit with friends and family. This means you’re likely to open up your home to a wide range of guests. Now, in addition to furnishing your guestrooms, bathrooms, and living areas, you’ll want to ensure that the indoor air is clean, fresh, and cool to provide an inviting atmosphere. And what a way to achieve that with a quality window fan!

A window fan comes with several benefits of blowing and circulating air around your living spaces efficiently. Just like a window air conditioner, the unit is designed to be installed around the window edges using metal mountings for an efficient expulsion of stale indoor air and bringing in cool fresh air.

Window fans are great for small to large sized rooms by providing a relaxing sleeping atmosphere and dropping out unpleasant odors from your indoor spaces. This is a more cost-effective way of enhancing freshness as compared to purchasing a portable air conditioner.

Apart from the scorching heat, summer months come with high humidity levels. Window fans will save you the agony of purchasing a dehumidifier by reliably and easily eliminating the summertime heat in the guest bedrooms. If you choose an electronically reversible twin window fan, one blade will work to pull in fresh, cool air into the room while the other blade pushes out warm, stale air to the outside.

Perhaps an important consideration you might make is whether or not your guests or family members are sensitive to air allergens. Window fans are likely to bring in some level of dust and irritants, especially if you’re living on a busy street. Incorporating an air purifier is a great way to purify the air so your guests feel comfortable.

Having said that; it’s time to dig deeper into the features to look for when choosing a window fan before you dive into our top five picks.

Price

Window fans are perhaps some of the most cost-effective means of cooling your home and enhancing indoor air circulation during hot summer months. A good window fan will cost anything between $25 and $220. The prices vary depending on size (based on window size and room size), functionality, and brand. Models with manual reversibility will be much cheaper as compared to models with automatic electronic reversibility. Again, some window fans will be more costly based on the brand reputation. That shouldn’t mean you can’t find the same quality at a lower cost from some new comers in the HVAC industry. What we strongly discourage you from is purchasing very cheap window fans that fall way below our price range. They are probably some cheap imitations that may not give you value for your money.

Features

While choosing the right window fan, it is important to consider some factors to get more value for your investment. These devices allow you to save money you would spend on powerful air conditioners and the associated costs of maintaining them. Here are the features that will enable your window fan to cool your spaces more efficiently:

Fan Direction – The direction of the fan plays an important role in blowing out the air around the room or pulling in air from the outside. If you decide to choose a model with a single blade, be sure to understand the direction of the fan and pick one that offers the most efficient rotation.
Appearance and Safety – Consider fans with high-quality construction and approved design materials. Also check the safety feature of the fan panel to avoid ugly accidents, especially if you have kids around the house.
Storage Space Availability – Check how much space you have in the room and pick a model that will fit well while allowing adequate spacing for maximum airflow.
Fan Controls – A window fan should have some means of controlling the fan blade’s rotation speeds as well as temperature throughout the room. Models with a remote facility to adjust fan speeds and direction can be an added benefit.
Size of Window Fan – Be sure that the size of the window fan will match the window frame to adequately blow out warm, stale air from your indoor spaces. Since it’s sometimes difficult to find a perfect fit for your window, consider the biggest size available for your window size to make them as efficient as possible.
Fan power – The best window fan should have enough power to draw in massive amounts of air inside and exhaust an equally large amount of stale air to the outside. The more powerful the window fan is, the fresher and cooler the room will be.

Construction and Design

Now, a window fan may not work for every home, or even if it does, it may not be useful for every window within your home. If you’re planning on drawing air from outside and a window faces directly to the car port, garbage area, a garage, or any area with fumes or unpleasant odors, you should avoid using such windows.

Now, if your home is appropriate for window fans, let’s help you understand the appropriate design and construction features. The first consideration is the waterproof and anti-rust capability of the fan. Since you’ll fix the fan to the window, it’s likely to experience humid conditions, including rain. Consider models with good waterproof resistance but also ensure that you can close down the windows during a storm.

Secondly, buy a window fan with a screen. This is important in keeping away intruders like insects and rodents from gaining access to your home through the fins. Additionally, the screen prevents burglars from entering your home through that window.

Sometimes, it may be difficult to carry around a tape measure. So, you probably won’t find the right window measurements, and you can be forgiven for that. You can opt for a window fan with extenders so as to conveniently fit your window.

Finally, a duo-direction window fan can be fitted both horizontally and vertically. This is the perfect choice since you can play around with it to find the perfectly fitting position. If it fails to slot in vertically, you simply flip it over and fit it horizontally. Sounds great!

Performance and Ease of Use

Window fans provide a quick way of bringing cool outdoor air into your indoor spaces while expunging stale and warm air from your living spaces. A lot of upscale models now come with user remote controls and thermostats.

Remote controls allow you to change the settings of your fan while in the comfort of your bed. Most models come with multiple speed controls that you can switch through as the conditions dictate. Fans with multiple blades, either twin or triple, can enhance better airflow in and out of your room. They are quite convenient as they can draw fresh air in and expel air out at the same time. Single blade models can only do one task at a go. A thermostat enables the fan to automatically adjust according to the prevailing temperature in each room.

Putting all of these fabulous features aside, the window fan needs to operate as efficiently as possible. One factor that affects the efficiency of a window fan is the blades. Metal blades circulate air with a much better efficiency than their plastic counterparts. The fan blades should be made from good quality and durable materials that can withstand continuous rotation, dynamic air flow, and the excessive heat generated from the rotational motion without snapping.

Dust is unavoidable in most neighborhoods. While you can’t manage to police the dust on a daily basis, it’s advisable to regularly check the build-up and rid it off before it begins to slow down the fan and lower its efficiency. You simply need a screw driver to open up the cover and use a vacuum with a hose to suck up the dust.

Something we can’t leave without mentioning is the noise level of the window fan. A good fan should be quiet enough to allow you enjoy a good night’s sleep, watch your favorite TV show, or have a conversation with your guests. Keep off any model that disrupts your peaceful home environment. It’s not worth your investment!

What is the Best Window Fan?

Window fans are specially designed for installation on the window space and come with metal sheet mountings around the edges. Now that you’re adequately informed about what to look for when shopping for a window fan, what are you waiting for? It’s time to dive into our individual reviews and grab a unit that suits your needs and budget.

Our Top Choice

The Lasko Electrically Reversible Window Fan comes with airflow of about 2470 CFM to keep your rooms less stuffy and more comfortable. Looking for a twin window fan for your small-sized window instead? Go for the Lasko 7" Twin Window Fan.

Lasko Electrically Reversible 16 Inch Window Fan

Lasko Window Fan 2155A

Features

Founded in 1906 by Henry Lasko, Lasko Metal Products started its operation in Philadelphia by manufacturing small appliances, household portable heaters, and fans. The company has continued to grow and its manufacturing locations expanded to include Tennessee and Texas. Today, Lasko has grown to become an international organization and industry leader in ceramic heaters and portable fans including ceramic, low profile heaters, high velocity fans, room fans, and more.

While it is great to have air conditioning in your house, running it can turn out to be really expensive. Lasko understands this perfectly well and that is why they created their Electrically Reversible Window Fan, full of power. Made in the USA, this electrically reversible window fan is durable and is designed to fit various window sizes ranging between 26.5 to 34.5 inches width and 22 inches in height. With airflow of about 2470 Cubic Feet per Meter (CFM), this fan is bound to make your room less stuffy and regulate indoor temperatures to a more desirable level. Hot air will be sucked up from the house and cool air blown in!

Here are more features that come with this window fan:

Storm guard feature allows you to close the window when need arises
3-fan speeds allow for quick air removal from the indoors. The fan speeds are whisper quiet so you will hardly know that the unit is working
The reversible motor makes operating the Lasko Electrically Reversible Window Fan a breeze. Simply dial to select the required setting!
Strong 16-inch 3-paddle blades
Expansible side panels allow for a precise fit
E.T.L. listed
Comes with a fused safety plug

Not moved by this particular model? Lasko has other window fans that you can check out today.

Best Value

The Bionaire Thin Electronic Window Fan comes with a 40% greater air velocity, making it more powerful than similar window fans, but 25% more compact to minimize window obstruction. Willing to pay more to enjoy the convenience that comes with using a window with a fully functional remote control? Go for the Bionaire Remote Control Window Fan that fits 24’’-27" wide windows.

Bionaire Thin Electronic Window Fan - Available in 2 Styles and 2 Colors

Bionaire Window Fan BWF0522E-BU - Black Fan with Digital Thermostat

Features

As a pioneer in the industry, Bionaire has earned its position of excellence through innovative designs, pure quality, and advanced technology. By offering an ideal balance between form and function, this brand helps you experience pure indoor living with products that help renew and nurture your well-being. The company manufactures filters, heaters, fans, air purifiers, humidifiers and dehumidifiers.

The Bionaire Thin Electronic Window Fan distributes revitalizing coolness to give you maximum comfort and freshness. Designed for windows with 25.5 inches width x 8 inches height as minimum openings, this window fan comes with a reversible airflow option which allows you to manually reverse it to take in fresh cool air, draw out hot stale air or do an exchange for a full air circulation. With 40% higher air velocity, the Bionaire Thin Electronic Window Fan is more powerful compared to other similar products, but 25% more condensed to reduce window blockage.

Other features that come with this window fan include:

3-speed settings
3 powerful blades
Ability to fit in the window either vertically or horizontally
Digital, LED control panel
Extender panels with the ability to extend to a width of between 6.7 and 8.7
5-year limited manufacturer warranty

The best part is that this window fan comes in two colors; choose between white and black. You can also choose whether you want to go with a fan with a digital thermostat or one with manual controls.

Looking for something different? Check out the other window fans offered by Bionaire and make a pick!

With a CFM of between 2510 – 3560, and featuring 3 different speeds, the Air King 20" Whole House Window Fan is powerful enough to provide instant cooling and air circulation in the entire house. Have a smaller window and don’t need all that speed? Then save yourself some bucks by getting the 16’’ Air King Storm Guard Window Fan.

Air King 20" Whole House Window FanProduct Model Number Air King Window Fan 9166F

Features

Air King welcomes you to more comfortable living by offering one of the most exhaustive ventilation products line on the market today. Their products include whole house operation ventilation fans, bathroom exhaust fans, professional range hoods, and under cabinet range hoods. Air King strives to manufacture products that exceed their clients’ expectations in terms of quality, style, and performance while enhancing their indoor air quality.

Whole house fans are great ways of reducing temperature and humidity in your house without the need for an expensive-to-run air conditioning system. These fans are real money savers that dramatically raise the comfort of your living space without using excessive electric power. The Air King 20" Whole House Window Fan is among the best choices available now because it combines ease of use and installation with a durable construction.

This fan has the ability to fit window openings that have between 27 inches and 38 inches width and 26.25 inches height. Unlike traditional window fans that will require physical removal for the window to be closed, the Air King Whole House Window Fan comes with a storm guard system that allows the closing of the window during unpleasant weather conditions or when you want to secure your home.

Other features that come with this window fan include:

Powerful 3-speed, 1-phase, 1/6 HP, 120V, motor, coupled with sleeve bearing and permanent split capacitor
Front-mounted rotary control for easy selection of the desired speed
Easy to install and comes with mounting hardware
OSHA and ETL compliant
Fitted with powerful steel blades and front grills to withstand all elements
Extendable plastic panels provide that perfect fit

Need other options? Check out other selections from Air King and have that perfect air circulating solution for your home!

The Optimus Reversible Twin Window Fan is automatically controlled by a thermostat and comes with a 3-speed setting and a rain resistant motor that safeguards it from unpleasant weather conditions. Don’t mind a manual reversal and lack of LED display? Save some bucks by getting the Optimus 7-Inch Twin 2-Speed Window Fan that also comes with rain-resistant motor.

Optimus 8’’ Reversible Twin Window Fan with Thermostat and LED

Optimus Window Fan F-5286

Features

Optimus Enterprise, Inc. welcomes you to a more comfortable living through their wide range of quality window fans. The company produces some of the most complete lines of certified ventilation products you can find on the market today. From whole house continuous operation fans to bathroom exhaust fans, under the cabinet range hoods, and window fans, Optimus has something for everyone, all season round.

The Optimus Reversible Twin Window Fan is an electronically reversible twin fan that comes with a 3-speed rain-resistant motor to enhance efficient air delivery. The fan is electronically controlled by a thermostat, making it effortless to adjust air flow from the comfort of your couch. Reversibility means you can pull cool air into the house and exhaust stale air from the room. This is especially useful when you want to warm out the room during deep winter seasons.

The fan is also built with an adjustable slide screens that are secured with a lock. The two 8-inch plastic blades powerfully propel air to facilitate faster cooling.

Here are some extra features of the Optimus window fan:

Optional feet allows for free standing operation.
The unit comes fully assembled, so you’ll simply plug it into the main socket and power it on.
The safety grill protects children’s fingers from any injuries.
The digital thermostat maintains the temperature control to a pre-set level.
Its LED digital display allows you to get a quick reference of the current temperature within your space.
Water-resistant design on the 3-speed motor keeps rusting at bay hence improving durability in wet weather.

Not exactly your kind of window fan? Feel free to check out other alternatives by Optimus for an ideal match.

Get the Best Window Fan of 2018!

Choosing the right window fan will improve the air circulation and cool your home while saving significantly on energy costs. Feel free to check out other alternative models from these brands if you didn’t find our picks ideal for your needs!

Our Top Choice

Lasko Electrically Reversible Window Fan

Best Value

Bionaire Thin Electronic Window Fan

Air King 20" Whole House Window Fan

Optimus Reversible Twin Window Fan

Holmes Dual Blade Twin Window Fan