Vornado Box Fan Model 80X for $100: While most people who need a box fan will, frankly, run to Walmart or Home Depot and grab one for $20, you should know that there is a Rolls-Royce of box fans. “It has 99 speeds,” a rep for the brand told me when it came out. “Yeah, right,” I thought. But, sure, this thing actually has 99 speed, accessed through the up and down buttons. I don’t know under what circumstances one might need this much speed, but they are there. It also has a kickstand to reduce vibration, a digital display, and a 1- to 12-hour timer. Plus, the silver-and-black case looks great—like the one you wanted in your home, not a leftover from that one summer your AC broke during a heat wave.
Photo: Kat Merck
Shark TurboBlade (without Blade) for $250: Although this 2025 model without edge billed as a tower fanIt doesn’t look or act like any tower fan I’ve ever seen. It activates more of a windmill than a fan, with a horizontal bar that sits at the base of the telescope, like a large “T”. The bar ends, which are articulated, feature air vents, and each end can be bent straight up, straight down, or anywhere in between for fully customizable airflow direction. The entire bar can also be turned vertically for a more “I” look, if you want a long, thin wind as opposed to a long thin wind. It has all the usual features you’d expect from a fan at this price, including 10 speeds, rotation, a magnetic remote control, and three settings, including “Sleeping,” which makes sense since the TurboBlade, in its “T” configuration, is about the right height for a bed. It’s a good choice if you need air flow in different directions at once, but beware that it makes a loud noise, like an airplane engine, which is noticeable even at low settings. There is also now a TurboBlade Heat + Cool ($400)that adds a 1,400-watt heater in the middle, but WIRED reviewer Matthew Korfhage tested it and didn’t find the heating element to be worth the extra $150.
Shark FlexBreeze for $200: This is my favorite fan of last year. I love that it’s rechargeable, so it can be used without an electrical outlet nearby, and I love that the head detaches from the base with folded legs, allowing it to double as a floor fan for easy portability. Shark claims the FlexBreeze can lower ambient temperatures by 10 degrees with a fog attachment. While I couldn’t measure a drop of more than 6 degrees with most thermometers, the difference in air temperature with FlexBreeze vs. without is big enough to make the difference between an unbearable outdoor dinner and a pleasant one. However, a fog sent with a removable fog attachment (Shark now makes a version with tankbut I haven’t tried it) it’s a little on the heavy side-it made most of my deck completely wet and weakened the clothes of anyone sitting within 5 feet or so. On the plus side, this meant that the fog didn’t blow right away, as it did with its FlexBreeze siblings, HydroGo (below).
Photo: Kat Merck
Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo for $150: I liked the original Shark FlexBreeze (above), but not the fact that it had to be attached to a hose, so I was very happy to see a rechargeable, portable version in fun colors. Shark says it can run for 30 minutes with the master on, or 60 minutes in “interval mode,” and after testing it at my son’s soccer practice, I found these estimates to be more or less accurate. However, the mist emanating from the center is very fine and in a small stream that quickly blew away before it had a chance to cool anyone, unless they were sitting just inches away from it.
Lasko Whirlwind Orbital Pedestal Bearing for $85: This fan is very similar Dreo’s TurboPoly 508Sand it actually sports some of the same features—it rotates vertically 105 degrees or horizontally 150 degrees, it’s quiet (I scored 27 dB down), and it has a remote control. It’s not smart, it doesn’t have RBG lights, and there’s occasional noise from the oscillation, but if you’re looking for a cheap foot fan that offers 3D oscillation, this isn’t a bad choice.
