The Best Outdoor Fans You Can Find At Home Depot, According To Reviews

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When you're spending time outdoors on a hot summer day, a cool breeze can feel like a significant relief and make it easier to deal with the heat. When the breeze disappears, though, the lack of air movement can create stifling conditions that are tough to handle. On days like this, having an outdoor fan available can serve as a replacement when the wind stops. The fan's moving air enhances the rate at which the body loses heat, allowing you to feel cooler.

When you want the best outdoor fans to help you feel cooler on a patio, in a gazebo, or on a deck, you have quite a few options. Outdoor ceiling fans offer extra benefits besides cooling, and they're made to run safely in tough environments or when exposed to damp conditions. Pedestal fans that include misters can keep you cool in the summer and they're easy to move around, matching where you're sitting and the size of the area that needs cooling. Wall-mount fans on posts or deck railings can also generate a cool breeze. You can even gain benefits from using a portable rechargeable fan outdoors, which you can take with you wherever you need more air movement. To help you find the perfect fan for your outdoor oasis, we dug into Home Depot's five best outdoor fans based on customer reviews.

When you have an outdoor area that is a covered space, such as a porch or gazebo, you can install a ceiling fan. Outdoor ceiling fans work like their indoor counterparts in terms of how they move air, but the outdoor models often have motors sealed to protect against moisture. The Minka-Aire Xtreme H2O outdoor ceiling fan is a highly-rated option that offers a 65-inch blade sweep with an operational speed between 50 and 129 revolutions per minute, allowing it to move a small or large volume of air. It is rated for use in wet locations, has a light kit option that's sold separately, and costs $500. 

On the Home Depot website, it has a 4.6 rating out of five. One Home Depot reviewer appreciates that it ships with a remote control, which is helpful in an outdoor area with a tall ceiling where pull chains would be awkward to use. "Love this fan... Beautiful, simple, but perfect for my outdoor space!" Another reviewer says this model is easy to install for those who want to try a DIY job, saying it "provides excellent air circulation and looks great." An Amazon reviewer builds patios as a business and recommends this Minka-Aire model to customers. "We love everything about these fans. We installed two of them back in June of 2022. They push a LOT [sic] of air, look great, and are quiet."

The Mule XL outdoor ceiling mount fan is adjustable in a 360-degree pivot, so you can direct the airflow in any direction you want. It's vertically adjustable with its down rod and is damp-rated for use in covered outdoor areas. It's an 18-inch diameter fan that you can connect to a standard grounded outlet, so installation is an easy process with no hard-wiring required. It costs $230.

Customers on Home Depot's website give this product an impressive 4.9 rating out of five. One reviewer claimed the small 18-inch fan still delivers plenty of air movement across a large covered porch or gazebo, saying it "is a powerful and stylish addition to any outdoor space... It delivers a refreshing breeze even in larger areas." The fan delivers 5,400 cubic feet of air volume movement per minute on the highest setting, yet runs quietly, according to one Lowes reviewer. "Very pleased with this fan. It puts out a lot of air and you can actually carry on a conversation because it's not loud." A Mule reviewer appreciates the durable materials used to construct the fan, ensuring it can stand up to use outdoors. "I'm really happy that I got this fan right before summer... Its sleek design and rust-resistant coating ensure durability, while its powerful motor provides excellent airflow with minimal noise."

If you want an outdoor fan you can move wherever you want, consider the Hampton Bay Conyer 20-inch fan for $114. The 20-inch diameter delivers enough airflow to handle a 10-by-10-foot covered space with a maximum air movement of 2,037 cubic feet per minute. After mounting the included bracket, you clip the fan's secure hook to it then plug the fan into a standard grounded outlet. Hang multiple brackets if you want to be able to move the fan's location easily.

Customers on the Home Depot website give this fan a 4.6 rating out of five. One Home Depot reviewer wishes it shipped with a remote for easy operation, but decided to plug it into a smart outlet to provide control remotely. "This was super easy to put together and install... Nice job cooling off the area and keeping the air fresh." Another reviewer chose to install three of the Hampton Bay fans for a 10-by-32-foot porch. "They work great... Easy installation since I did not have to run new electrical lines." Beyond the easy installation, a third reviewer says the air movement successfully keeps pesky insects from invading the covered porch area. "Love our new fan. Didn't need to run electricity, just ran the cord across the ceiling to an outlet. Using it to have air movement on hot days and help keep the mosquitoes away at night."

If you don't have a covered patio or porch and you don't have a place to hang a fan from the ceiling, a pedestal fan is an option to cool a large area. The NewAir 18-inch oscillating misting fan costs $140, and you don't have to repeatedly fill a reservoir since you can connect it to a garden hose to provide the water.

The NewAir fan has a 4.3 rating out of five on the Home Depot website. It offers 500 square feet of coverage, and the pedestal base allows you to move the unit to the ideal spot where you want to use it. The pedestal is large enough to maintain a sturdy base in almost any location, which is important for one Home Depot reviewer. "This fan is super nice to use when I'm grilling, working on my motorcycles, or just relaxing in the chairs. It's impressive how much cooler it is to have the mist of water." Another reviewer says the unit works nicely as a standalone fan without using the mister on days when temperatures aren't quite as hot. "We've just been using it as a powerful fan to dry out our basement after recent rainstorms... It's SO [sic] strong and the oscillating feature is exactly what we need. This summer, I plan to lay outside in my hammock and turn the misting fan on to keep cool."

If you're spending time away from home but want to stay cool while you're outdoors, the Ryobi One+ cordless misting fan is a handy choice. It can move up to 670 cubic feet of air per minute, making it ideal for personal use or to use around a few people. It costs $69 for the tool only. If you already use Ryobi tools, you can swap the 18-volt One+ batteries back and forth between the tools and fan. This is a highly-rated Ryobi product to consider even if you aren't in the market for tools. 

It has a 4.8 rating out of five on the Home Depot website. Compared to other portable fans, one Home Depot reviewer says the misting feature found with this model is a game-changer. "You can either attach a standard garden hose or use a bucket of water to create a fine mist that helps lower the ambient temperature. This works great for cooling down my outdoor workspace or providing relief on hot summer days." Having a powerful fan that's also portable makes this model a great option, according to another reviewer. "It's an amazing little fan. Very quiet but moves a lot of air. I use it without the mist at work and it's great... There's no cord and I can put it anywhere and move it easily."