Top 5 Quietest Ceiling Fans in 2023: Tested Reviews!

Ceiling fans are a wonderful addition to any hot and humid interior. But sometimes the noise they produce is too much to bear.

Especially if you’re a light sleeper, and if the ceiling fan is installed in the bedroom. Or in a work environment where you need maximum concentration. To avoid the irritating squeaking and airflow sound, the best option is to get a quiet ceiling fan from the get go.

Many manufacturers are aware that customers value silent performance. So there are a couple of fans that are almost completely silent. A rubber flywheel is a good addition to fans with rotating blades for noise reduction purposes. The quietest option are ceiling fans without fan blades.

I’ve tested the supposedly quietest ceiling fans to find the ones that fit the bill. Overall, the quietest fan turned out to be Panasonic’s WhisperCeiling Mounted Fan (aff link). But the other 4 on this list are pretty close both in terms of quietness and performance. You can read the full reviews below.

Top 3 Noise Factors

Before we check the quietest ceiling fans, I just want to share with you the top three features that can have a direct impact on ceiling fan noise.

Motor insulation

A motor that’s not well insulated can be noisy in some cases, especially if you put it to max speed. This goes for any appliance, and ceiling fans are no different. The insulation is typically made from thick rubber. The thickness is important because it acts as an obstacle for any noise coming from the motor.

Although ceiling fans usually don’t have significant motor power, there are some parts that can produce noise.

For example, poorly lubricated ball bearings. Another common culprit are loose screws holding the motor housing.

Fans with a stronger motor also usually have better insulation. At the same speed, the motor of a stronger fan will be much quieter than that of a weaker model with weaker insulation.

Fan blades and flywheels

Rubberized flywheels produce less noise.

It’s also important that the blades are balanced so that there’s no wobbling. For this reason a balancing kit is included with most ceiling fans. It’s used to tighten and balance the blades.

Blades can get out of balance after a period of use, especially if the fan is used frequently at higher speeds. It goes without saying that better rated models are less likely to cause this problem.

If you want to fully avoid any noise from blades, simply get a ceiling fan that doesn’t have any.

Light fixtures

If a ceiling fan has lights, they can be a source of noise. The light fixtures can get loose and require tightening with a screw.

I don’t recommend purchasing cheap ceiling fans with lights for this very reason. The lights are oftentimes fixed improperly, so they produce squeaking noise no matter how much you tighten them.

To avoid noise from lights, the best solution are fans that have in-built lights, which aren’t removable. They’re usually attached to the other elements more firmly.

The ceiling fans with lights recommended below were selected in part because they don’t create any light-noise problems.

Quietest ceiling fans

1. Panasonic WhisperCeiling Mounted Fan

A fan without any blades to worry about is a very low maintenance solution. WhisperCeiling as the name suggests is specifically designed to prevent any noise issues.

But it doesn’t jeopardize motor power in order to do so. The motor/blower has a 120 volts and 60 Hz power rating which should be enough to maintain proper temperature in average-sized rooms.

It’s also equipped with a thermal-cutoff fuse, which means that you can program it to turn off when the desired temperature is achieved and come back on if it starts to go one way or the other.

Another reason for reduced noise is the thick housing and grilles which prevent motor noise from venturing outside to any noticeable degree. It also prevents any rattling noises which can be problematic with a thin housing.

The 2000+ customer reviews on Amazon are reflective of the fact that this is the most popular ceiling fan on the market. It’s no wonder, considering these simple but very valuable features and a modest price of around $230. You can check out the current price and reviews on Amazon (aff link).

2. Hunter 53039 Summer Breeze

This is another top-rated quiet fan with a really affordable price, at just under $100. It’s a 52 inch fan with five blades and a whisper quiet motor.

The motor is reversible so you can change the direction of the fan from downdraft to updraft. Downdraft is better for cooling purposes during summer, while updraft is better during winter months.

The blades are set to a 13 degree pitch for optimal air movement. Due to its slick, non-intrusive modern design, this fan can be fit into any indoor environment.

This ceiling fan also comes with a lifetime motor warranty. See the current price and reviews on Amazon.

3. Casa Vieja’s Ceiling Fan with LED Light

This elegant ceiling fan with brushed nickel finish also boasts super quiet performance.

The three tapered blades operate on a 14 degree blade pitch, and feature three speeds you can adjust through the remote control. You can also control the in-built LED light through the remote.

The quietness mainly stems from optimized airflow efficiency (89 cubic feet per minute per watt). Thanks to the well positioned blades (44″ blade span) it requires less speed for the same amount of airflow, thus keeping the noise levels down.

This fan has a full 5 star rating from customers, many of which have singled out quietness as the standout feature of this ceiling fan.

At the moment of writing the price was around $180. See the customer reviews and current price on Amazon for more information (aff link).

4. Panasonic WhisperWarm Ceiling Mounted Fan/Heat/Light Combination

Now that’s a handful! But seriously, if you’re looking for a fan that can keep the room temperature optimal during winder and summer AND quietly this is The One. It was rated by experts as the most efficient fan in 2018.

This USA-made fan is also one of the quietest models on the market. It provides fan/heat combinations. The heat option is really effective due to the tubular stainless-steel-sheathed heating element which features chrome wire with magnesium oxide.

On top of that, the blower wheel is designed to draw air in both sides. This allows more area for air to enter the wheel.

When it comes to light, there is an option with light and without. This also has an impact on the price.

Either way, with over 1000 (mostly positive) customer reviews, it’s hard to go wrong with this fan. Especially if you plan on installing it in a small-to-medium sized room because it’s quiet and powerful. See the current price and more info on Amazon (aff link).

5. Hunter 54″ Whisper Quiet Ceiling Fan

This is another super quiet Hunter ceiling fan that has more of a rustic color and design.

The WhisperWind motor produces very little sound. It’s also reversible, so you can change the direction of airflow (downdraft for summer, updraft for winter).

The 13 degree blade pitch provides proper air movement that doesn’t require excessive motor speed for air flow further lowering the noise.

To turn it on/off and adjust the speed simply tug on the pull chain. There is also a limited lifetime warranty for the motor in case of any difficulties.

This is a relatively affordable ceiling fan, with the price just under $200 at the moment of writing. With over 75% customers giving this ceiling fan a 5 star review, it’s definitely of the safest options on the market. See the current price and reviews on Amazon (aff link).

Final Word: Best Quiet Ceiling Fans

These are the top 5 quiet ceiling fans on the market. They’re quiet, but they’re also powerful enough to maintain optimal temperature in a properly sized room.

Some of them have lights, which are in-built and properly fixed so you don’t have to tighten them all the time to prevent squeaks.

These fans also don’t require any lubrication of ball bearings so you won’t have to deal with any noise from them either. Hope this helps!