Which Dyson Fan Is Best For Your Space?

Portable fans are an ideal device when you need a way to cool off on a hot day, pull humidity out of a bathroom, or circulate warm air around a drafty spot. Most portable fans provide a compact and energy-efficient way to lower your heating and cooling costs. From handheld fans to stationary desk fans, bulky box fans to tall oscillating pedestal fans, hands-free neck fans to flexible grip stroller fans, there are literally thousands of portable fans out there. In 2009, the beloved vacuum brand, Dyson, entered the portable fan market with the Air Multiplier. It was a noisy contraption that wasn't a fan favorite — pun intended. In the years that followed, Dyson improved its technology to create two highly-rated products that have hundreds of five star ratings: the Dyson Cool Tower and the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cold. Both have pros and cons, depending on your individual needs, so we carefully reviewed them to help you determine which Dyson fan is best for your space.

The first thing you'll notice when shopping for a Dyson fan is that there are no blades to be found. Gone are the days of cleaning a filthy box fan or worrying about injured little fingers. Dyson's engineers have developed what the company calls "Air Multiplier technology" that rapidly cycles an uninterrupted stream of air in a process more similar to a jet engine than a conventional fan. Their space age shapes are also different, and have lower centers of gravity, so the air purifying fans don't easily topple over.

The highest rated Dyson fan is the Cool Tower AM07 ($332.10 from Amazon). Available in an iron and blue or black and nickel finish, the device's cooling fans project up to 132 gallons of air each second. An impressive 10 airflow settings allow you to adjust the amount of air projected via remote control. Reviewers like that the remote is magnetic, allowing them to attach it directly to the fan so it doesn't go missing. Weighing just over 6 pounds, but taking up less than a single foot of floor space, the Dyson Cool Tower works well in small areas. Hundreds of users gave it a five star rating on Dyson's website, calling it "innovative and enjoyable", "very quiet", and "the best fan ever".

If your goal is to circulate warm air to heat your home, there are better options out there, as this Dyson model is intended to provide a steady stream of cool air. Although the fan oscillates up to 70 degrees, the sturdy tower design means there's no head to tilt or adjust so the airflow is limited to the fan height of just over 3 feet. Some customers said this limitation makes them question the value for the money. Others experienced disintegration of the rubberized plastic on their device. And, although the Dyson Cool Tower has a programmable sleep timer, several restless sleepers who need the sound and breeze from a fan to catch some Z's said they would be sticking with a traditional oscillating fan. 

You may be making home mistakes that diminish your air quality without even knowing it. "The off-gassing tendency of formaldehyde means it can build up within the home and go undetected for years," said Alex Knox, Dyson's vice president of environmental care, in an article on the brand's website. Many household items, from wallpaper to carpet, can contain formaldehyde and other harmful chemicals. The Dyson Purifier Hot + Cold Formaldehyde ($849 from Amazon) combats this with highly engineered filters that capture tiny particles of dust, bacteria, and viruses, in addition to destroying formaldehyde and other gases. The multifunctional device also provides both room heating and cooling. Although it's much more expensive than top-rated options like the Dreo Tower Fan or Amazon Basics Ceramic Space Heater, the Dyson Purifier Hot + Cold has over 1,000 five star ratings from users who think it's excellent.

Several reviewers mentioned the significant cost savings that resulted from using the device during freezing weather. Ceramic plates heat air as it's projected, and the company says the built-in thermostat can save up to 30% in running costs while maintaining a room's temperature. Others appreciate the purifying power that removes smoke and stinky pet smells from the air, leaving their home "fresh". From new parents to sunroom gardeners, this Dyson fan has satisfied a wide variety of customers. A few people weren't happy with their purchase, complaining that the device is noisy, and that filters are hard to swap out. Others thought the sensors that analyze airborne pollutants were unreliable, and find the LCD screen that displays the results difficult to read.