Best High-Velocity Quiet Shop Fans

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Do you ever find yourself in a scorching room, garage, or a job site where regular fans just don’t seem to cut it?

I have been there. My husband, Daniel, would often complain about the heat in the garage.

High-velocity fans to the rescue!

They are so powerful that they can be used for ventilation and exhaustion, drying the carpet or wet floors, and even as a substitute to your air conditioner.

Unsurprisingly, the powerful motor that enables us to get all these jobs done is also excruciatingly loud.

Thankfully, some manufacturers have worked on this problem.

Let’s dive into some of these low-noise shop fans that you can buy right away!

Product Name
Lasko Max Performance U15720
Lasko U15617
Shop-Air by Shop-Vac
Best Overall
Vornado 293
Best Budget
Lasko Pro-Performance 4900
Lasko Max Performance Pivoting Utility Fan Model...
Lasko High Velocity Max Performance Pivoting...
Shop-Air by Shop-Vac 1032000 Mighty Mini Air Mover...
Vornado 293HD Large Heavy Duty Air Circulator,...
Lasko Pro-Performance High Velocity Utility...
Our Rating
Floor Fan
Good for Home, Job Site, Workshop
Centrifugal Fan; Good for Carpets and Floors
Axial Fan; Good for Small to Medium Workshops
Centrifugal Fan
Product Name
Lasko Max Performance U15720
Lasko Max Performance Pivoting Utility Fan Model...
Our Rating
Floor Fan
Product Name
Lasko U15617
Lasko High Velocity Max Performance Pivoting...
Our Rating
Good for Home, Job Site, Workshop
Product Name
Shop-Air by Shop-Vac
Shop-Air by Shop-Vac 1032000 Mighty Mini Air Mover...
Our Rating
Centrifugal Fan; Good for Carpets and Floors
Best Overall
Product Name
Vornado 293
Vornado 293HD Large Heavy Duty Air Circulator,...
Our Rating
Axial Fan; Good for Small to Medium Workshops
Best Budget
Product Name
Lasko Pro-Performance 4900
Lasko Pro-Performance High Velocity Utility...
Our Rating
Centrifugal Fan

1. Lasko Max Performance U15720

Are you looking for a large pivoting utility fan to quickly dry up spills and wet floors? This model from Lasko might be worth a look.

The direct air stream from these fans can be used for cooling, ventilating, exhausting, and drying and hence, is great to be used in kitchens, garages, workshops, basements, and more.

The pivoting blower delivers air at extremely high speed which is capable of drying wet surfaces and floors in a short span of time. It offers 3 powerful speeds for optimum airflow. The CFM values are 384, 434, 460. CFM stands for cubic feet per minute. It determines the amount of air a fan moves per minute.

At its peak, it produces about 65dB of noise. It is about 5% quite compared to Lasko U15617.

This centrifugal fan is built to serve for long and has a rugged design. Its lightweight nature means it is easily portable. A built-in handle is also provided which makes it easy to carry the fan.

It comes completely assembled out of the box, so there’s no hassle of any sort of installation.

It comes with a 3-prong grounded plug and an extra-long cord.

It cannot be adjusted up or down to direct the air, though. If you’re looking for something more flexible in this regard, consider checking out Lasko Pro-Performance 4900. It’s also slightly bulky and takes a larger space compared to other similar products that deliver equivalent heat.

Pros:

  • Quiet operation
  • Rugged construction
  • Powerful blowers
  • Portable
  • Comes with an extra-long cord

Cons:

  • Cannot direct the air
  • Slightly bulky

2. Lasko U15617

Hunting for a high-velocity pivoting utility fan for home, job site, or a workshop? Consider having a look at Lasko U15617.

This is an updated version of the popular U15701 utility fan.

It can be used for stereos, shop lights, power tools, or you can use it along with many other fans for maximum air circulation with the help of two integrated 120V outlets present on the outside.

It is quieter than many other models due to the hamster cage housing style which is great for directing air. The pivoting head blows a steady stream of air. It generates about 67dB of noise. For an even quieter model, you may check out Lasko Max Performance U15720.

You get 3 different speed options with this centrifugal fan and the highest CFM for this utility fan is 374. If you need a high-velocity fan with an even higher CFM value, I suggest you check out Shop-Air by Shop-Vac.

With the help of the pivoting blower head, the air stream can be rotated in any desired direction. The fan comes fully assembled. It is any very easy to use since it comes with manual controls that can be used to regulated the air velocity.

It is also very easy to carry it to any place due to the large easy-grip handle. It also comes with safety features like Blue Plug safety fuse technology which prevents any mishap.

The fan is able to deliver a huge amount of air but some users recommend that there must be controls to lower the airflow rate as well to enjoy a lighter breeze. Also, it could use more a bit more of a rugged design to help tackle rough working conditions.

Pros:

  • Quieter than competition
  • Comes assembled
  • Compact
  • Portable
  • Blue Plug safety fuse technology

Cons:

  • Needs to be a bit more rugged
  • No setting for a lighter breeze

3. Shop-Air by Shop-Vac

Are you in search of a high-quality centrifugal fan that can quickly dry wet carpets, floors as well as walls and ceilings? You might love Shop-Air.

Its maximum CFM is 500 which is about 35% more than Lasko U15617. If you fancy even higher CFM values, try having a look at the Vornado 293.

The fan can be daisy-chained (multiple fans being connected together) to provide ultimate airflow. Unlike many other similar products, this small but sturdy fan does not produce much vibration due to the high-velocity of air being delivered from it.

It is one of the quietest models on my list and produces about 60 to 70 decibels of noise during its operation.

The handle of this set doubles as a cord wrap, as well as the AC power outlets. It does not come with a rotating head and hence if you want a fan that can direct air in any direction, then you may try Lasko U15617.

Though it is devoid of a rotating head, it covers that shortcoming with three sets of rubber feet that can be used to tilt it in any specific direction.

It has its fair share of flaws, too.

It could use some improvement to be better able to filter the air. Also, it’s not the most compact fan on my list—which makes it a little bit more challenging to move around.

Pros:

  • Ultra-quiet
  • Handle doubled as a cord wrap for the 10 feet long cord
  • Can be daisy-chained and stacked
  • Sturdy
  • High CFM value (500)

Cons:

  • The air filtration needs improvement
  • Not compact

4. Vornado 293

If you are in need of a small but effective axial fan that is perfect for small to medium workshops, Vornado 293 might be everything that you ever dreamt of.

It has the ability to efficiently circulate the air throughout the region due to its Vortex design. This vortex action allows the air to not only flow in one single direction but also facilitates its reflection from the walls in order to circulate them more uniformly. The CFM values offered by this set are 360/500/685 which is even higher than Shop-Air by Shop-Vac. It comes with three-speed settings: 950, 1200, and 1550 RPM. Since it can move air up to 100 feet, it can also be used to beat the heat in large garages.

This is one of the quietest models on my list and generates only 55 to 68 decibels of noise.

The rugged plastic housing along with the metal frame makes it extremely durable. It comes with a 10 feet long power cord.

It is dust-resistant and resists dirt with the help of sealed ball bearings in the motor.

The product is backed by a warranty of 5 years.

While it can move a tremendous amount of air, the ability to blow could certainly use some improvement.

Pros:

  • Durable
  • Portable
  • Dust-resistant
  • Comes with a 5-year warranty
  • Vortex design for uniform air circulation

Cons:

  • Ability to blow air could use improvement

5. Lasko Pro-Performance 4900

Are you looking to buy a centrifugal fan without breaking the bank? This might be a great choice.

It is furnished with rotating heads that allow air to be directed in any required direction. The product also comes with built-in power outlets and an integrated circuit breaker with a reset switch. It provides a maximum of 350 CFM.

Despite having powerful motors, this is extremely quiet during its operation. At its peak, it generates about 64 dB of noise.

This utility fan is the smallest on my list and is also comparatively much lighter than its competitors—making it extremely portable.

It comes with a warranty of 1 year. The rugged construction adds to the longevity of the product.

At higher speeds, it may vibrate slightly creating a whooshing sound. The noise is still under bearable limits, though.

Also, it is designed to circulate areas in smaller areas only, hence it might not be the ideal choice if you wish to cool down a large room.

Pros:

  • Budget-friendly
  • Compact
  • Long-lasting due to the rugged construction
  • 1-year warranty
  • Portable

Cons:

  • Not good for cooling larger areas
  • May produce some whooshing sound at higher speeds

The Buying Guide: Factors to Consider Before Buying

1. Airflow Velocity

Usually, garages and shops tend to have a temperature slightly higher than homes and other places. Hence, to combat this stagnant and humid air, a shop fan can be of immense help.

With its high-speed rotating blades, it can direct a fine stream of air in all directions to relieve people of the warm atmosphere. The higher the velocity, the better is the cooling effect.

To effectively lower the heat, products like Shop-Air by Shop-Vac and Vornado 293 are truly amazing.

The Vortex action in the latter helps circulate cool air uniformly throughout the vicinity.

2. Noise Level

This is the most important criterion to consider before buying. After all, if it produces ear-splitting noise despite being highly effective in cooling, it can severely affect your performance at home or work and that could be detrimental.

The products listed in this article are all very quiet when in use. The quietest of all is Vornado 293 and produces only 55-68 decibels. Another great product with respect to this factor is Shop-Air by Shop-Vac which makes around 60-70 decibels.

3. Portability

Another crucial factor is to ensure that the shop fan can be easily moved from one location to another based on your day-to-day projects.

It would be hectic to carry an overly large and heavy shop fan for your work. Hence, check for the overall weight and size of the shop fan.

It is preferred to go for the ones which have a compact design and are very light. The Lasko U15617 and Lasko Pro-Performance 4900 are some great choices in this regard.

4. Dust Resistance

Shop fans need to be sturdy enough to tackle harsh work environments. Dust and debris are common at any workshop and hence, the device must be able to protect itself from them.

The dust may accumulate on the blades and even penetrate the housing and interfere with the normal functioning of the machine.

This situation can be avoided with some very basic maintenance and cleaning and going for a dust-resistant shop fan.

Vornado 293 is great when you’re dealing with a job site. It takes the help of sealed ball bearings to keep the dirt and dust away.

5. Fan Type

Fans are generally classified into 2 types based on the direction of the airflow. They are axial and centrifugal. Before going into the details of both these types, here is a short video to help you understand the differences between the two a bit more easily.

Axial vs Centrifugal Fans
Axial vs. Centrifugal Fans

Axial

Axial fans have their blades rotating around the axis. This causes the air to accumulate parallel to the axis and when it is propelled out of the fan, the air is directed to one particular direction.

Axial fans are great at providing a tremendous amount of air at a very high flow rate. The air that is delivered is at a lower pressure and the device does not require much power as input for its operations.

Axial fans find use in cooling confined spaces like your personal computers. They can also be used to make larger areas cooler.

One of the best axial fans not only on my list but also in the market happens to be Vornado 293.

Parts of Axial Fans
Parts of Axial Fans

Centrifugal

An amazing alternative to the axial fans is the centrifugal fans. They have several advantages over axial fans. Centrifugal fans generate air at high pressure which makes them ideal for high-pressure jobs such as drying and air conditioning systems. 

They are much more efficient than axial fans and they tend to reach almost 84% static efficiency. Their heavy-duty construction makes them very durable. They are available in a variety of sizes and are very versatile due to multiple airflow/pressure combinations.

Light maintenance is enough to keep it going for many years. One of the best centrifugal fans from the above-mentioned products is Shop-Air by Shop-Vac.

Parts of Centrifugal Fans
Parts of Centrifugal Fans

6. Blades

The size of the fan is based on the size of its blades. It is the blades that decide the amount of cooling a particular fan can provide.

Besides size, the shape, and the number of blades also have a direct impact on the overall performance of the fan.

Generally, larger blades are thought to be better. But that might not be the case always. Using multiple fans with smaller blades together can help circulate air in various parts of a workspace rather than a single large fan which can deliver air only to limited space.

Fans with more blades are always preferred over the ones having fewer blades since the latter is better able to deliver a huge amount of air stream to cool a space adequately.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a High-velocity Fan?

High-velocity fans tend to have a heavy-duty design and construction to circulate air effectively. These air-circulation floor fans are very versatile and can be used in different places.

They are utilized to cool your home, garages, and other job sites. Their high competency can sometimes even override the output of air conditioners.

They have high CFM values which can even reach 4000.

2. How Does a High-velocity Fan Work?

The high-velocity fans work by delivering a tremendous amount of air with the help of the numerous blades present in them. It clear out the hot air and cools down space twice as fast.

A number of options for speed are present which helps the user regulate the rate of the airflow and hence get the best results. The more settings or speeds you have to choose from, the more versatile the fan is.

They can be tilted in any direction to get the air moving exactly as you need it.

3. What are the Uses of High-velocity Fans?

High-velocity fans can be used in a number of commercial and domestic places. Some of them are listed below:

  • for cooling gyms, garages, home, job sites
  • can be set on the porch or patio to keep insects away
  • can be used as a substitute to AC
  • can be used for ventilation and exhaustion
  • it can help in drying wet surfaces and floors
  • acts as carpet and wood dryers

4. Are DC Fans Quieter than AC Fans?

Yes.

DC fans are incorporated with the latest technology which makes their operations quieter compared to the AC fans. DC fans also require lesser power input for their operation and hence reduce energy consumption by about 70%.

They also come up with more options for regulating the speed and have a sleeker design, thus meeting the requirements of the users better.

The Bottom Line

After careful evaluation, I believe Vornado 293 is the best high-velocity fan for most people. This dust-resistant axial fan has CFM values up to 685, making it an ideal choice for use in workshops.

Lasko Max Performance U15720 is a great option for centrifugal fans. Its heavy-duty construction and manual controls make it durable and effective. The CFM values offered are 384, 434, 460.

Lasko Pro-Performance 4900 is also a great pick on a budget. Its compact design and lightweight make it extremely portable. It provides a maximum of 350 CFM.

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