Pedestal, ceiling and tower fans
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ceiling fan reviews 

Best ceiling fans to buy in Australia

Find the best ceiling fan to keep you cool in the warmer months.

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97 models rated and ranked

Ceiling fans that keep you coolest

We put dozens of fans through their paces in accredited labs to find you the truly cool performers.

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Our experts test and rate

Living room cooling

Which fans work best at a high-speed setting, moving air around a large area during the day

Quietest fans

How well they move air at the lowest setting – without disrupting your sleep

Ease of use

We look at how easy it is to use fan controls, speed settings, and rotational direction

Ceiling fans to avoid

Members can compare all the models we test. Here’s a sample of the ceiling fans we suggest you avoid

Ceiling fans to avoid buying
ceiling fans to avoid sad face

We give each ceiling fan a CHOICE score made up of:

Living room cooling (40%)

We score how well the fan works at high speeds. This is the setting that is most likely to be used in a large area during the day.

Quietest fans (40%)

We test how effective the fan is on its lowest setting, the most common setting for nighttime. Too strong is not ideal and too weak is useless.

Ease of use (20%)

Our score is based on how easy it is to use the fan controls, to reverse the fan direction, to move from one speed setting to another, and to follow the installation instructions.

See key features side by side

Make the right decision with our easy comparison tool. Need advice? Our ceiling fans buying guide explains your options.

CHOICE keeps the marketplace honest. Without them, manufacturers will be able to do whatever they want.

Aaron – CHOICE member

They’re here to make a difference and here to make us safe.

Allison – CHOICE member
CHOICE member Aaron

CHOICE keeps the marketplace honest. Without them, manufacturers will be able to do whatever they want.

James – CHOICE member
Which brands does CHOICE review?

Currently, our experts test AC and DC ceiling fans from brands including: Aeratron, Airborne, Arlec, Atlas, Big Ass Fans, Brilliant, Claro, Early Settler, Eglo, Fanaway, Fanco, HPM, Hunter, Hunter Pacific, Kogan, Lucci, Martec, Mercator, Milano, ThreeSixty, Ventair, and more.

How does CHOICE pick ceiling fan models to test?

Our priority is testing the models you’ll see in stores and major online retailers. To do this, we check current market data to see what’s most popular. We’ll also test models that a lot of members have requested.

How does CHOICE get the ceiling fans it reviews?

Unlike other product review sites, we don’t accept free test models from manufacturers. This allows us to be independent and review without interference. Instead, we buy products from a variety of retailers, then bring them into our labs. This means we get what you’d get, and can be sure the model hasn’t been potentially ‘tweaked’ for better performance.

Which brand of ceiling fan is best?

We put the well-known brands, from Aeratron and Big Ass Fans to Hunter and Vento, through the exact same performance tests. We’re looking for: a powerful ability to move air at high speeds at a high setting (living room performance), gentle but effective air movement when used on a low setting (bedroom performance), plus ease of use. Our overall CHOICE Expert Rating shows you at a glance which brands come out on top.

Is a 3- or 4-blade fan better? 

Our data shows no difference in performance between 3- and 4-blade ceiling fans. We test models with 3, 4, 5 and even 2 blades and have found no real trend based on the number of blades. Choose based on our performance data instead.

Is a ceiling fan worth it?

Fans are cheaper to run and buy than other options like evaporative coolers and air conditioners. They start from about $70 but are generally priced at about $200 and up, particularly models using a DC motor. Our testers estimate that, if used for 8 hours a day over summer, a ceiling fan costs just $11 to run. By comparison, a 4kW air conditioner used to cool a small room costs roughly $205 and a large air con unit can cost $491. Remember: a ceiling fan can also pull double duty as a handy heating partner, with the ability to move warm air down from the ceiling area of the room down to the living area without creating an uncomfortable breeze when used in winter (reverse) mode.

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We are nonprofit and have supported Australian consumers since 1959.

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Who we are

We’re a nonprofit that’s been supporting Australian consumers since 1959.

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Our mission

We work for fair, just and safe markets to meet the needs of all Australians. Just like you.

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How we’re funded

Our members fund our independent testing, journalism and campaigns.

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