How to Pick the Best Office Fan for Your Workspace

Be a fan of fans

Air conditioners and cold drinks may cool you down, but there’s something special about a well-placed fan. The breeze from these appliances doesn’t just cool you down, it also resets the airflow of a room and improves circulation. That’s why an office fan is still popular on a hot day. The difficult part is choosing between models, from the humble office desk fan to a sleek tower design.

Not sure where to start? Let’s take a closer look at some popular examples and highlight the best features for your office.

Which office fan is right for your workspace?

It’s not enough to buy just any old fan for your office—the right decision can vary depending on your room size, layout, overall temperature and other factors. That’s before distinguishing personal fans from industrial models that could make your desk a little too cold. It’s important to find a fan model that strikes the right balance between performance, energy efficiency and everyday maintenance.

Ceiling fans

If you’re comfortable installing a new fixture, a ceiling fan is still quite effective at creating a pleasant atmosphere. Each blade on the fan is connected to a central hub that spins to move air while the high position benefits the entire room.

It’s important to note that ceiling fans don’t actually reduce the temperature—they rebalance warm and cool air by improving airflow. During a hot day, a clockwise spin creates a downward current that feels nice and cool. On a cold day, a counterclockwise spin reverses this flow and scatters warm air accumulating near the ceiling.

Ceiling fans are very energy efficient and can make air conditioners and heaters more productive by better distributing their output. They can be smart additions to office spaces that have existing heating or cooling solutions that need a little help.

Floor fan

Floor fans are a broad category of fans that belong at ground level, including box and pedestal fans. Most floor fans use the same principle as ceiling fans by pushing relatively cool air toward the ceiling to promote airflow circulation. The primary difference is that floor fans tend to be more customizable—they are more portable, easier to reposition and some models will oscillate back and forth to maximize airflow. 

Table fans

A desktop or office table fan sits on an elevated surface to provide an immediate cooling effect for one or two people.

Most table fans aren’t high-performing compared to other models on this list, but they are ideal in small spaces, such as a personal office or cubicle. Table fans are also portable, making it easy to move anywhere with electricity—or even a battery. Table models are also one of the most affordable office fan options in terms of energy and overall purchase cost. Finally, if the ceiling fan or air conditioner breaks, it’s easy to break out a small fan for office desks to get some relief.

While desk fans are designed for personal comfort, note that they can’t do anything about the temperature of the overall room. 

Tower fans

Tower fans are a relative newcomer to the category, but one that is quite effective at cooling down a room without relying on external blades. These obelisk-shaped fans collect cool air from small, ground-level vents, spin it around to increase velocity and launch it across the room through a primary opening.

Outside of the high-performance function, it’s the tower’s design that makes it aesthetically pleasing. It’s less intrusive and more subtle than traditional blade fans and takes up a relatively small amount of floor space. Tower fans also come in a variety of sizes, most of which are conveniently light and portable.

Fan-favorite features

Overall power

Fans typically measure their airflow in terms of cubic feet per minute (CFM), which reaches as high as 10,000 for industrial models. Instead of aiming for high performance, it’s best to contrast CFM with the size of your office. For example, a fan with 5,000 CFM can easily circulate most, if not all, of the air within a 500-square-foot room. If you’re looking for a personal desk fan, a modest 100 CFM will be more appropriate.

Noise level

Many fans can occasionally produce distracting noises, especially industrial models that prioritize airflow over conversations. While this is less common in office fans, some low-quality and high-CFM models can be too noisy. When researching fans, be on the lookout for any with quiet settings or features, particularly among tower fans.

Position adjustment & oscillation

Being able to aim, adjust and reposition fans is a powerful convenience. Some standing fans include manual adjustment options, but newer models may include a remote control to change settings from a distance.

Can’t decide on the best direction for your fan? Look for oscillation features that turn the airflow back and forth at your preferred speed—an especially powerful feature when you need to help multiple people cool down at once.

Let Walmart Business cool you down

Now that you’ve settled on your fan—or several—it’s time to make your purchase. Walmart Business can help by offering fans from towers to tables. If you’re looking for even more value, sign up for Walmart Business+ to gain access to free shipping,¹ free delivery from store on orders over $35² and 2% rewards back for purchases over $250.³ You’ll even have the chance to save over $500 a year!⁴ Learn more here.

¹ Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

² Restrictions apply. 

³ Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.

⁴ Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).