Noise levels

I was careful to measure the decibels of the fans I tested, as it’s important to get a good idea of how noisy they are, especially at the highest settings. You don’t want a fan that makes it difficult to concentrate or fall asleep, so decibels well below 50 (and below 30 for quieter settings) are very important.

Speed levels and modes

A good tower fan should have several speed options for how powerful you want those cooling currents — some, like Dyson, offer as many as 10. And many models will include additional modes as well, like options designed to mimic a natural breeze or extra quiet modes for sleeping.

Reach and oscillation

All good tower fans should have the ability to oscillate, or turn back and forth to reach a larger area. That’s very important for cooling down large spaces, but less important if you just want a fan near your desk or bed.

Sensors and automation

Tower fans don’t usually need sensors to function, but they can add a lot of usability. Temperature sensors can turn them on and off automatically to save time and money, while humidity sensors let you know where cool air can do the most good.

Some tower fans offer Bluetooth control and smart home integration, too. I like these features, but they usually mean trusting one person with the app and profile management, so keep that in mind if you want your fan to be smart.

Timers

Timers shut off tower fans after a certain period, which is nice if you want them to turn off in the morning, etc. If a tower fan doesn’t have any advanced sensors, it should at least have a timer mode.

Control options

Do you want onboard control, a remote control, app controls or a bit of everything? Think about how you’ll use the tower fan and what you may like to control from afar versus up close and personal.

Design and cleaning

Tower fans should also have a durable design (hopefully, one that looks great, too) with features that make it easy to carry around and open up to clean out or replace filters.