Who Makes the Best Ceiling Fans for 2022 - 2023?

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Mistakes to avoid when shopping for ceiling fans!

The most common mistake people make when purchasing a ceiling fan is to base their decision strictly on how a fan looks and how much it costs without considering how it will perform. Will it wobble? Will it make noise? Will it actually cool you off? After talking to thousands of people shopping for ceiling fans over the past 20 years, I have learned that the average consumer is not even aware that there are such differences between ceiling fans. They generally assume that one fan is more expensive than another simply because it is fancier...or it has a remote control or some other feature. Ultimately, there are huge differences in the airflow performance of ceiling fans that you need to be aware of as discussed in the next section.

The average kWh by state used by our calculator is derived from information published by the US Government Department of Energy as of May 2009. Since this is an average number calculated by the Government, your actual cost may differ from this. You can find your exact cost of electricity per kWh on your electric bill if you wish to plug in that number for a more precise calculation.

EPA Exemptions for CFM Testing

Certain ceiling fans are exempt from the EPA legislation, particularly hugger fans and fans with large palm leaves. Apparently hugger fans cannot be tested using the same method...and they do not move as much air as traditional fans anyway. Fans that are considered as strictly decorative are exempt as well such as fans with palm leaf blades, belt driven fans, and Punkah style fans that waft from side to side. Fans like these are simply not capable of moving much air and should only be considered where you are more interested in making a decorative statement and do not really care about keeping cool or lowering your thermostat.

Don't know how much your electricity costs?

If you do not have your electric bill handy, use this map to find he average cost per kWh by region in the USA, then plug that in to the calculator. The cost for your area could vary dramatically from this table, so for a more exact calculation, refer to your electric bill.

The numbers below are "CENTS" per Kilowatt "NOT" Dollars per Kilowatt
For example: California is just 12 cents per kWh!

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More information regarding what to look for in ceiling fans

Important Note: The information below has been posted on our website for several years...which was prior to having the CFM and Watt data as detailed above. We have kept this information on our site for you to review because most of it is still pertinent, although some details make less sense now that there is actual data that can be used to compare fans.

The most common mistake people make when purchasing a ceiling fan is to base their decision strictly on how a fan looks and how much it costs without considering how it will perform. Will it wobble? Will it make noise? Will it actually cool you off? After talking to thousands of people shopping for ceiling fans over the past 20 years, I have learned that the average consumer is not even aware that there are such differences between ceiling fans. They generally assume that one fan is more expensive than another simply because it is fancier...or it has a remote control or some other feature.

The bottom line is, there are huge differences in the performance and quality of ceiling fans that you need to be aware of...and the information on this page will help you understand them

The most important component of a ceiling fan is the motor.

If you have ever shopped for a car, you know some cars are available with your choice of a 4 cylinder, 6 cylinder, V8 and or high performance V8. You also know that the price goes up substantially with each motor as does the performance capabilities and optional bells and whistles. In general, the same is true for ceiling fans. The motor inside each ceiling fan is the most important component to compare because it is what makes the fan work. Smaller cheaper motors move less air and are not precision made so they have the propensity to wobble or make noise. Larger high performance motors have precision made components designed to provide maximum air movement with smooth quiet operation, but they come at a much higher price. Just as with shopping for a car, you will need to balance the quality and performance level with your budget.

Unfortunately, the motor inside a ceiling fan is completely hidden inside the decorative outer casing, so you don't necessarily get to "Pop the Hood" before you buy a fan. But, if you know what to look for, you can make an educated decision when comparing ceiling fans...which is why we have made it easy for you by including this information in our search result pages and on our product detail pages.

Although there are many more motors used in ceiling fans than what we have here in this chart, this information will give you a good idea as to how we go about rating our fans. In most cases, the rating we give a fan is directly related to the motor inside. However, equally considered is the quality of the additional components used to make up the fan. The best fans will have precision made components throughout so they will run smooth and quiet and last a lifetime.

Fan Motor Rating Chart (ratings updated 4/30/2011 - added DC motors)
RATING	TYPE	Details	Price Range
5+	DC Motors	Super Efficient DC Motors (the Green choice!): DC motors are the latest technology for ceiling fans. Unlike all other ceiling fan motors, DC Motors have their own built-in electromagnets so they do not use Electricity to create a magnetic field. This allows them to operate using up to 75% less electricity! They also generate more power than other motors with no wobble or noise. What's more, they operate at a cooler temperature boosting their efficiency even more while introducing less heat into the room. We consider all ceiling fans with DC motors to be the Best of the Best and our highest recommendation! More about DC Ceiling Fans | Shop for Ceiling Fans with DC Motors	$400 to $1000 +
5	Casablanca XLP Hunter Cast-Iron Some 212mm	Hi-Performance Motors: No wobble or noise. Fans with these motors are precision crafted throughout including the balancing of blades and careful engineering all components so they run perfectly smooth and quiet. Built to last a lifetime with an unsurpassed proven track record of longevity, you can leave fans like these running 24 hours a day for years on end without worrying about the motor burning out. Unfortunately, Casablanca has discontinued the use of the XLP motor due to energy regulations. The Hunter motor we are referring to is only included in their Cast Iron fans and is not in any of their other models.	$300 to $1000 +
4	188mm - 212mm	Very Good Performance: Great air movement. Very little wobble or noise. Will last many years. Good for small to medium size rooms.	$200 to $500
3	172mm	Above Average: Acceptable air movement. Very slight noise. Very affordable. Recommended for smaller rooms if a higher quality fan is not affordable.	$150 to $350
2	53mm	Average: Less air movement. Some noise or wobble over years of use. Recommended for contractors where projects require inexpensive fans.	$95 to $200
1	*Typical Import	Below Average: Very little airflow. Annoying wobble and noise when new or within 1 or 2 years of use. Not recommended for any application.	Under $95
(motors from Emerson ceiling fans)

*Fans with smaller motors are typically found at home centers and mass merchants. We do not supply this type of fan at Home of Decor.

Important Note: Fans with extra wide palm leaf, wicker, or canvas type blades will only provide a gentle breeze and are considered to be more decorative than functional. Because this type of blade will tend to overwork an average fan motor we recommend that you choose only brands that offer these styles with Hi-Performance motors. Otherwise, your fan will overheat and start to make annoying noises and eventually burn out.

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DETAILS: What makes some fans better than others?

The motor inside your fan is the most important component!

The most important consideration when purchasing a fan (aside from the way it looks) is the size, power, and durability of the motor. Larger more powerful motors are more expensive than smaller more generic mass produced motors...but they will move substantially more air without wobbling or making noise and can be left running for days, weeks, even years on end without burning out.

There are 5 major factors that work together to determine how much air a fan will move as well as it's overall performance and durability. The most important factor is the motor. A strong precision made motor will move the most air without noise or wobble if the other 4 factors are present.

The 5 basic factors are:

1. Motor Quality and Power (size)
2. Blade Pitch
3. Blade Shape and Size
4. RPM
5. Height from Ceiling

Looking more closely at each of these factors will show how they affect each other and why a fan with the most powerful motor can produce the most air movement.

1. Motor  - Size, Power, and Quality
   The motor is the most important component of a ceiling fan. The most powerful motors will move the most air when combined with the proper blades and RPM. High power fan motors are only available in the top of the line models from each of the major name brands. As a consumer, it is difficult to know what type and quality of motor is inside a fan that you are considering. So to make it easy for you to find fans with good motors, we give each of our fans a motor quality rating between 1 to 5...where 5 is the best. Fans rated above 5 on our website are super efficienty DC motors that are 2 to 3 times more efficient than other motors, so they cost much less to operate. You can rest assured that any fan with a motor rating of 4 or 5 will be a good quality powerful motor that we would highly recommend. Fans with good motors are going to be more expensive...but the difference in the amount of air you will feel is quite remarkable and the performance, durability, and efficiency is well worth the extra money.
   

2. Blade Pitch:
   The angle at which the blade sweeps through the air is called the "Pitch" of the blade. A good blade pitch is typically 14 degrees or more, although some fans with slightly lower blade pitch may perform well based on other factors such as blade surface area and shape. For example, some fans have blades with an airfoil shape where the pitch is not fixed, but rather more steep closer to the motor and flatter out near the end of the blade. These types of blades are much more aerodynamic and can be extremely efficient, requiring less power from the motor to move the same amount of air as a flat blade.

   A good way to understand how blade pitch effects air movement is to equate the blades of a fan to the oars of a rowboat. If you have ever tried to row a  boat, you know that if you put the oars in the water virtually flat, it takes very little effort to row...but even if you row very fast, the boat moves very slow. If, on the other hand, you tilt the oars at a steep angle in the water, it becomes very difficult to row the boat...but each stroke makes substantial progress. You will need to be much stronger and in better shape to sustain a high rate of speed for any period of time in this case.

   The same is true with ceiling fans. Believe it or not, a fan spinning at a high RPM encounters substantial wind resistance if the blades are set at a steeper pitch. A fan that has blades with a very flat pitch (between 10 and 12 degrees), does not require a very powerful motor to make the blades spin fast. However, even at full speed, the fan will move very little air and may have a tendency to wobble or make noise. On the other hand, a good blade pitch (between 14 and 15 degrees) or a fan with airfoil designed blades requires a well engineered finely tuned powerful motor to move the blades through the air at a high rate of speed for extended periods of time without overheating and burning out. Just as well, a good blade pitch with an average or lower grade motor will not be able to reach as high an RPM and may in fact be overworked resulting in a fan that overheats and eventually burns out.

   Therefore, the pitch of the blade and the power of the motor must be well engineered to work together to create air movement without going beyond the motors capability in order for a fan to operate efficiently and last a lifetime.

3. Blade Shape and Size
   Imagine rowing a boat with short narrow oars compared to wider longer oars. The wider and longer the oar is, the more effort it takes to pull it through the water. But once again, more effort means more progress. With ceiling fans, when you combine a wider longer blade with a steeper pitch, you get even more air movement...at least to a certain point.
   
   There is a limit to the shape and size that the oars or fan blades can and should be. If the oars or blades are too wide or too long, you will not be able to move maneuver them fast enough no matter how strong you are. As with ceiling fans, blades that are too wide or long cannot be moved fast enough to be effective with even the most powerful fan motor. So...larger does not always mean better...but too small or narrow is not good.
   

4. RPM
   RPM is simply how fast your fan blades spin at a given speed setting. Faster means more air...but only if the blades are pitched properly. Also, some fans have a lower RPM at low speed and a higher RPM at high speed, which means they give you more flexibility in the cooling effect required. The best fans will give you 6 speeds from very low to very high.
   
   

5. Height from Ceiling
   In order for a fan to operate efficiently, there needs to be about 10 to 12 inches between the blades and the ceiling so that the air can flow freely around the blades without bouncing up and down between the blades and the ceiling. For this reason, you will find that ceiling hugger fans (fans that mount flush to the ceiling) don't move very much air. This type of fan will always have a small motor with relatively flat blades so that it does not create enough turbulence to cause it to wobble or shudder. You just won't find a "Hi-Performance" hugger fan.
   
   The blades on a typical hugger fan will be 7 or 8 inches from the ceiling as opposed to 10 to 12" for a good quality performance fan. The additional 2 or 3 inches makes all the difference in the world...kind of like having a tire on a car that is just a little out of balance. It may only take a small .5oz weight to balance the tire, but without the weight, the tire will bounce up and down like crazy at certain speeds. You should only use hugger fans if your ceilings are lower than 8' high or there is some other restriction (such as a bunk bed) that prevents you from installing a Hi-Performance fan that drops down a few more inches. 
   
   For higher ceilings, a longer downrod is recommended in order to bring the fan blades to about 8 or 9 feet from the floor so that you will feel the air movement.
   
   

Conclusion:
A well engineered ceiling fan takes all of the factors on this page into account, and with precision testing, a "Sweet Spot" is determined with the most efficient combination of blade pitch, shape and size of the blades, RPM, height from the ceiling, and most importantly, the capacity or capability of the motor.

The fans on our site that are rated 4 or 5, or are referred to as "Hi-Performance" are fans that are well engineered to the "Sweet Spot" and will give you the best performance for many years. We are sure you will be satisfied if you purchase one of these fans. We believe any other rating to be a compromise that manufacturers make in order to design fans to meet lower price points.