How to choose the best smart ceiling fan
Most people look forward with enthusiasm to the warm summer temperatures, but some of the excitement wears off when higher electricity bills arrive after running the air conditioner 24/7.
However, air conditioning is not the only method to cool things off. Traditional ceiling fans also offer an efficient way to help cool the house and reduce those electricity costs. Furthermore, smart fans provide an even more cost-effective method for keeping it cool.
The smart ceiling fan allows you to automate the cooling process, turning on only as the temperature rises, turning off when the A/C is needed, or in combination to cool the house when temperatures soar.
What is a smart ceiling fan?
A home equipped with “smart” devices allows homeowners to control lights, thermostats, appliances and other devices remotely using an app on a smartphone or tablet via an internet connection. The implementation of smart technology with hardwired or wireless systems provides homeowners with convenient operation and cost savings.
Now, ceiling fan manufacturers are also incorporating state-of-the-art smart technology in their products. Household fan operations and temperatures are controlled by simply creating a schedule on your smartphone or asking Alexa (or another smart system) to perform a task.
Controlling a ceiling fan with a preset program helps circulate the cool air and allows you to set your air conditioning temperature several degrees higher. Reducing the “on” cycles of an AC by raising the temperature decreases your total energy consumption and saves you money.
Features to consider when buying a smart ceiling fan
When shopping for a smart ceiling fan, your first consideration should be its compatibility with your existing smart home system or one that you plan to purchase.
Once you have created a shortlist of smart fans with the right technology, look at these features.
Fan capacity: Measured in cubic meters per minute (CMM), the volume of air a fan can push will determine how effective it is in cooling your space. Look for a fan with a high CCM rating.
Double ball bearing: The best design for supporting and maintaining ceiling fan stability is the double ball bearing configuration.
Energy efficiency: Many smart fans offer high performance at low wattage. Shop for a fan with less wattage and high CCM to conserve electricity.
Number of fan blades: Ceiling fans are now available in three- and five-blade configurations. Fans with three blades are superior because they generate a higher CMM than fans with five blades.
Dust-free coating: Fans collect dust on the top of the blades and are challenging to keep clean. Look for a smart fan featuring blades with a dust-free coating. It will reduce the amount of dirt distributed in your room and the need to frequently clean the blades.
Best smart ceiling fans
Best modern-looking smart ceiling fan
Haiku Home L Series Ceiling Fan: available at Home Depot
Our take: Rated as one of the best fan manufacturers on the market, Haiku offers a wide variety of modern-style smart ceiling fans. The company has received over 75 international design awards and offers a model for every buyer’s taste.
What we like: The L Series works with Alexa or Google Assistant, giving it voice-activation, and the fan is compatible with the best smart thermostats, like the Nest and Ecobee. It also features 16 unique brightness levels of LED lighting, and the energy efficiency far exceeds Energy Star requirements.
What we dislike: Noisy
Best fan for Apple Homekit
Hunter 59222 Symphony Fan: available at Amazon and Wayfair
Our take: The graceful and elegant lines of the Hunter fan blades make a stylish addition to any room. The fan offers wireless control and smart home automation with other HomeKit-enabled products.
What we like: The smart fan comes with a reversible motor allowing you to choose an updraft or downdraft mode depending on the outside weather.
What we dislike: Smart integration can be difficult to implement.
Best smart device compatibility
Modern Forms Morpheus III Indoor and Outdoor Three-Blade Smart Ceiling Fan: available at Amazon and Wayfair
Our take: The ideal fan for the smart home. It works with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Ecobee, Josh AI, Samsung Smart Things, Control4, Lutron Homeworks, Savant and Nest.
What we like: Built with completely silent DC motors, Modern Forms Fans are factory-balanced and sound-tested to eliminate wobbles and rattles. They are up to 70% more efficient than traditional fans.
What we dislike: Difficult to assemble.
Best high-performance smart fan
Atomberg Renesa Smart + Ceiling Fan: available at Amazon
Our take: The fan, made with an aluminum body and covered with a dust-free coating, can be controlled using a remote, with an app on your smartphone or with voice commands using Alexa or Google Assistant.
What we like: Equipped with a brushless super energy-efficient BLDC motor, only 28 watts are required to operate the fan at its highest performance level, resulting in a significantly lower electric bill.
What we dislike: Expensive
Best high-capacity smart fan
Minka-Aire F868L-WHF Smart Ceiling Fan: available at Amazon
Our take: The high-performance three-bladed ceiling fan featuring a sleek, modern design offers powerful air movement for buyers looking for convenient smart features.
What we like: The 60-inch sleek and smart ceiling fan includes a 16-Watt LED light and an easy-to-use IOS and Android app to control six levels of air movement. The remarkable 5,655-cubic-feet-per-minute airflow capacity delivers powerful air movement for efficient cooling in large rooms up to 18 x 20 feet.
What we dislike: The light can be dimmed only with the app and not with the remote.
Best affordable smart ceiling fan
Honeywell Rio Ceiling Fan: available at Amazon and Wayfair
Our take: The classic fan with a brushed nickel finish includes three blades and a reversible motor to produce a cool breeze in the summer and keep warm air down in the winter. The energy-efficient design moves enough air to cool medium to large rooms.
What we like: The innovative Smart Sync remote control features buttons for adjusting lighting, fan speed and motor rotation.
What we dislike: The smart features are limited to voice control with Alexa.
Best smart fan with flexible mounting
Hunter 59226 Apache Ceiling Fan: available at Amazon and Home Depot
Our take: The bronze ceiling fan with light kit and remote is Wi-Fi enabled and compatible with Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and Alexa.
What we like: Offering three different mounting positions — standard, angled and low — the fan’s multispeed WhisperWind reversible motor delivers ultrapowerful airflow and ensures exceptionally quiet operation.
What we dislike: Pairing the remote and the HomeKit setup can be challenging.
Jeffrey Harper is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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