How to Find the Best Large Ceiling Fan

Over the past several years, you may have noticed that there are many ceiling fans that are larger than you may have been accustomed to seeing in the past. Open great rooms indoor with big ceiling spaces to fill; and even greater in size outdoor entertainment areas caused the 52" ceiling fans of yesterday to just not be able to get the job done. 60" ceiling fans became available, but still people wanted more substantial options.

Industrial warehouse ceiling fans

With the emergence of fan companies that specialize in warehouse fans, such as Big Ass Fans, people began to learn there were options that could fill more immense living spaces. However, these huge warehouse fans weren't the perfect answer for residential use, because they usually require more support to install than most home structures offer. Plus, with blade spans of 14' to 24' they are really too big.

Also, most homes are only wired for 120 voltage, and most commercial fans like these need special 220 volt wiring. Also bulky, ugly control panels are needed for speed control that do not fit well with home décor. The control panels alone pretty much defeat the idea of installing this types of fans for residential usage.

Fast forward to today...

Thanks to industry leaders that think outside the box, now there are wide assortment of large ceiling fans for residential use available in sizes of 72" and above.

TroposAir fan company was one of the first to see this need. They designed their Titan model with a DC motor much before many people even knew DC motors were available for ceiling fans. The direct current motor allowed this fan to produce tons of power; all while consuming very little energy. The power of this new fan motor allowed the use of heavy gage extruded aluminum blades, in sweeping spans of 72 inch and 84 inch diameters. With the simplistic motor housing design and the extruded aluminum blades, the Titan took on a look that customers wanted; large and industrial; that performs well and installs easily with existing electrical and the support needed is already provided in today's home structures.

Many other fan manufacturers have since built from what TroposAir started with big, industrial styled ceiling fans designed for the home.

Fanimation has many models, of which the Stellar is their best performing and biggest seller for a large room. The Stellar was first only offered as an 84" ceiling fan, but has since evolved into being offered in many more sizes. One of which is a powerful 96" blade span model. The company also offers it in sizes of 72 inches; just in case your large room isn't quite sizable enough for the bigger spans. They also offer the Stellar these days in a 64" blade span for modest sized spaces, and even a 56" one bedrooms and average square footage sunrooms.

Minka Aire also makes quite an assortment of big ceiling fans. Of which, the 84" Xtreme H2O is likely their #1 selling model. Is it the best 84" fan? No, it is not. It isn't a bad fan for performance, it uses a quality motor, and it looks big and impressive from a distance. Get closer and you'll see some corners cut on the construction of the blades. This helps to keep the price down; and the low price tag below $500 is exactly why this one is Minka Aire Fan's best seller of their large fans. If you're looking for top quality in fans you should definitely consider the Minka Aire brand, but I feel for the company will best serve your needs in indoor/outdoor fan sizes under the 72 inch range. If your room size is more than generous, and insist on buying a Minka Aire, they do offer the 96" Xtreme model that uses higher quality materials through and through, including the extruded aluminum blade structure that is best served with these king-size air movers. I really like the styling on the 96" Xtreme ceiling fan, and I think you will also.

The best monumental sized smart fans

Modern Forms has emerged on the scene, creating a full line of smart ceiling fans. Modern Forms is the first and only company where each and every fan they make is smart, WiFi, Alexa and Google compatible, and more; all designed for indoor and outdoor wet rated locations so that you don't have to pick and choose which ones you want for indoor or outdoor, as they will all be suitable for either or.

Among the fans manufactured by Modern Forms is the 120" Hydra. Yes, I am talking about a full 10ft blade span for residential use. No special 220 volt power source required. Simply install it with ease, like most any other ceiling fan, look up and you're done. You have a massive 120 inch monster of a fan to circulate airflow year round to impress all your guest with. It can be controlled by the included in-wall remote, a handheld remote control, any smart phone with the Modern Forms App installed, and or even just saying, "Hey Alexa, turn my Hydra on at speed 5." This is one is the only of these huge airflow items that you can control virtually any way you can imagine.

The also offers this fan in to slightly smaller sizes that may be needed for your room size. A few other brands also make smart fans, but none with a 10 foot blade span. The Geant 110" fan by Minka is the closest thing in that offers this type of technology.

Which large ceiling fan blows the most air?

For the very most airflow you will need to spends $4k-$5k or more on a true warehouse ceiling fan. Yes, we have these with up to 24ft blade spans, if that is what you want; but don't forget you are going to need special power to power them, and you will have to find a place to hide the bulky and inconvenient control panel, because those control panels really are unsightly. This all makes install a very expansive ordeal, added to the already high cost of the product.

Therefore, for all practical purposes the very best and most powerful fan, that is suitable for both industrial use in garages, gyms, and even home living areas is the TroposAir Liberator. The most CFM's, or cubic feet per minute, will be available from the Liberator with the 96" blade span. It moves 16,900 CFM of airflow. Compare that to the 120" Modern Forms Hydra, which moves 13,300 CFM of airflow, and you'll get a better understanding of just how great the TroposAir Liberator 96" ceiling fan really is.

The Liberator also comes in two other sizes; 82 inches and 72 inches to fill your large ceiling space. Although the 72 inch model may not be as substantial in size or in the CFM category as the 96 inch version, it will in fact spin faster, which causes for more wind speed. More wind speed will give you a higher windchill effect, which may make it a better fit for an outdoor damp environment on a hot summer day.

As for the most air, don't get caught up on thinking you need to only look at large ceiling fans that just barely fit into your room size. As a matter of fact, if you choose at fan that is too large for your room size you will not get more air circulation, but rather the opposite affect will take place. This is because you need to be sure you have enough space between the tips of the fan blades and any nearby wall/walls, or a sloped ceiling. If the fan's blade span nearly touches any of these there will not be enough space for the air movement to circulate correctly. It will create a vacuum, or void of air above the fan; thus the fan will not have air to pull from to blow down for your benefit. This voluminous models need at least 3 feet from the blade tips to any nearby wall, and they should clear a sloped ceiling by at least a couple feet to allow for the proper airflow. If you can only just squeeze in a 96" ceiling fan and are worried if you have enough space, then instead consider using a smaller 84", or even 72" ceiling fan. Sounds strange, but airflow may be better that way.

All said, for the most airflow you should look for the highest CFM rating in the largest ceiling fan your room is designed to hold. Again, do not just look for the largest ceiling fan that will squeeze into your room. Taking my advice will help you to find the best fit for your personal need.

What size large outdoor fan do I need?

Everyone here at PalmFanStore.com always suggest going larger for an outdoor fan than you normally would for the same sized space indoor, but, just like with an indoor fan, you will definitely need to make sure you have enough space between the nearest wall obstruction.

With this in mind, if you have a covered patio built off one of your home's exterior walls make sure you have at least 2' or more space between the fan and the wall for a 65" to 72" fan. If you're going with an 84" diameter model you will want to have even a little more clearance. Remember, for every couple inches closer your fan becomes to such an obstacle it will begin to limit airflow. If such an obstacle is on too close on two or more sides of the fan you may find yourself in a situation where you feel no noticeable airflow at all.

If you have a free sanding pergola, built away from any obstructive exterior walls of your home, you can go as big was you'd like and not have to worry about it being to big, because nothing is there to limit the airflow pattern. Therefore, in such a case, go with the most sizable option you feel comfortable with, with the highest airflow rating and you should very happy with your decision.

How many blades on a big ceiling fan is best?

The answer to this question shouldn't be about airflow. As you can easily see airflow ratings by looking at the CFM rating for each model. The answer is found in this question; how quite would you like the air movement to be?

All large ceiling fans that use DC motors are going to run very quiet with no electrical 60 cycle hum sound, which you will always get from an AC motor. However, more blades on a fan will smooth the wind noise out quite a bit. Since DC fan motors usually have 6 speed or more, on speeds 4 and below you probably will not hear any noice at all no matter how many blades are on the fan, not even a peep from the wind blowing. If you have sensitive hearing, where you may hear the difference is on the highest speeds, especially from fans with less blades.

A 3-blade ceiling fan that is very powerful will create a slight choppy airflow sound as the blades whirl around. This noise is not from the silent motor, but rather just natural from the amount of airflow the fan is providing. Most people do not mind this, and will only noticed it on the highest two speed settings. Some even feel it is a quite relaxing sound, especially on a hot summer day.

Most large ceiling fans, because they tend to be more industrial in styling, will use 6 to 9 blades. A couple even have more. Once the extra blades are added into the equation, the sound of the airflow is no longer choppy, as it is with a 3-blade model. 6-blade fans make almost no wind noise at all; and I don't think anyone on the planet would ever hear a single bit of wind sound from a 9-blade model.

The answer in summary is that there really is no right or wrong answer for this. Especially since the number of blades have only a very small affect on airflow. The only affect it has a noticeable impact on is the smoothness of the way the airflow rolls off of the blades. Choose more blades if you feel a little choppy sound form the breeze may bother you.

How much does a big fan cost?

Price ranges for these can be all over the place. Google it and you will see for yourself.

I've seen 72 inch ceiling fans start as low as the $250 price point. However, unless you only want a big size and don't care about performance and quality, I would strongly suggest staying away from anything even close to that price point. The only fan I have ever seen in that price point that is actually pretty decent is the 72" Tornado by TroposAir. It is the only one with good air movement in that low of a price range. TroposAir was able to achieve a good performing model for a low price by going back to a standard AC motor, and leaving off bells and whistles, such as a remote control and led light. If that is all you can spend, don't waste you time with anything else except for the TroposAir Tornado. Other items in that low of a price point will use terrible motors to keep price down. Manufacturers will import generic fans from China and will throw in a $60 remote and $80 light, leaving you with only $110 worth of fan that doesn't keep you cool.

To get a good ceiling fan in the 72 inch size range, one that uses a DC motor, as it should, you should expect to pay $599 and up. That said, even though there are a lot of these way above $599, one of the best 72" fans on the market today is the TroposAir Titan II - it currently goes for $649.

When looking to purchase large ceiling fans with 84 to 96 inch blade spans, most of the high quality ones, that move the air you would expect from a big fan will normally cost you at least $800+. However, TroposAir has the Titan II in the 84" size, and outside of their own Liberator model, the Titan II moves the highest cubic feet per minute of airflow than any other fan its size on the market. It also uses the high-end blades you deserve. Amazingly, it is only $699.

This is beginning to sound like a promo for the company, but the Liberator fan I mentioned before is the very best money can buy for the best cooling ability of any of these epic sized models. The 96" version moves more airflow than any fan 120 inches and below. What is even crazier is that the 82" Liberator also does the same. The only fan with a higher CFM rating available than the 82" TroposAir Liberator is its 96" counterpart. They aren't available at all stores, because the company is very picky about the training customer service staff has at the retail establishments that do sell them, but the stores that do carry them will all agree the it is the best of the best when it comes to a ceiling fan of this size.

In Closing

I sincerely hope this detailed article helps in your search for your large room ceiling fan. If you have any questions that have not been answered here; such as how long of a downrod fans for ceiling heights higher than normal need? What is the best light if I need my big ceiling fans with lights? Or, if you have any other questions pertaining to a ceiling fan for your room size, please call us and a customer service rep will be more than happy to help you.

Have a great day, and as always, we at the PalmFanStore.com would like to remind you to say cool.