High levels of moisture in your air can spread germs and microbes throughout your home. It also encourages the growth of harmful black mold and increases the frequency of asthma and other health problems.
With bathrooms having multiple sources for water to creep into the air via showers, sinks, drying bath towels, and toilets, it is easily one of the muggiest rooms in your home. To protect yourself against the growth of mold and the harmful side effects that come with it, purchasing either a ventilation or exhaust unit for your bathroom is a wise investment.
A ventilation unit circulates the air while an exhaust unit pulls out the moisture to decrease humidity. Both discourage mold and germs that thrive in moist areas from growing.
If you don’t have the foggiest idea of what ventilation or exhaust unit will address your individual needs, here are the top-rated bathroom fans we found and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Top 11 of the Best Bathroom Fans
[amazon table=”23733″]
1. RadonAway 23030-1 RP145 Radon Mitigation Fan
[amazon box=”B00294RBFM” description=” ” rating=”4.7″]
The RadonAway fan meets all electrical code prerequisites. It is rated for business and private use and has a water-solidified mechanized impeller. The motor is thermally protected and the fan has its seams sealed to prevent radon leakage. It is also energy efficient and quiet.
Sample Customer Review…Now really, how can one “love” a radon exhaust fan (per the 5-star rating)? But it is a perfect and correct direct replacement for the one we had that failed, as they do after some years, and it works fine, trouble-free, 24/7. It comes with no power cord, so you either transfer and re-use the one from the previous unit or buy a new one (we got new), simple to attach (similar to replacing a wall switch or outlet).
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
2. Broan-NuTone 688 Ceiling and Wall Ventilation Fan
[amazon box=”B00004TTZZ” description=” ” rating=”4.6″]
The Broan-NuTone fan is easily installable on either the wall or ceiling and the motor can snap out to clean the fan. It works for average rooms at 50 CFM and the polymeric grilles on the fan are a stylish addition to any bathroom. At 4.0 sones the fan is louder than others on the list.
Sample Customer Review…Bought this to replace a fan that broke. I was so relieved to find that the motor and fan blade fits the old mechanism, so I was able to easily take the new one off of the housing it came in and put it in my old housing. Not sure if they’re all the same size or I got lucky, but otherwise I would have had to cut drywall to get the new housing to fit. The fan itself works well, quiet, and no problems this far. Good, inexpensive deal.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
3. Hunter 83002 Ventilation Sona Bathroom Exhaust Fan
[amazon box=”B00JFO1F6A” description=” ” rating=”4.7″]
The Hunter fan is a stylish fixture boasting a scrollwork design and bronze finish. It circulates the air to reduce odor and reduces moisture and humidity in the room. The fan is fairly loud at 3.0 sones and requires two bulbs for the light, though they are not included with the purchase. The installation is easy and the fan comes with a 5-year limited warranty. Its 110 CFM rating also makes it a good fan for average to large bathrooms.
Sample Customer Review…Best fan ever! I did some research for quite some time and bought this one. I had it professionally installed, it has golden-hued lighting when on. If you have a dual light switch, you can turn the fan on without light or only use the light setting. It’s dim but it gives a spa-like feel in your own bathroom! Suction is also great, I don’t have any windows in my bathroom and it gets the job done with no steam on the mirrors! I highly recommend it.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
4. Panasonic FV-11VH2 WhisperWarm
[amazon box=”B001CJUKZS” description=” ” rating=”4.6″]
If you’re looking for a high-quality exhaust fan for your bathroom, the Panasonic FV-11VH2 WhisperWarm is a great option to consider. This Panasonic fan includes a heater and is made out of stainless steel to protect from rust and corrosion. It is also made to fit any bathroom size using a 4” duct. This bathroom exhaust fan is very quiet. It’s rated at 0.6-sones which means ultra-low sound. If you need something practical and quiet, the Panasonic FV-11VH2 is a great choice.
Sample Customer Review…I bought two of these units, and they both have been a huge improvement over the last two we had. The fans are so much quieter, the heating element is much better made and should last for many years. The way the unit is constructed, you can actually use the heat and the vent at the same time. With my last units, you could only use one at a time.
Have had these units for about 6 months and have had no issues!
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
5. Panasonic FV-0511VQ1 Bathroom Exhaust Fan
[amazon box=”B076Q7V5WX” description=” ” rating=”4.7″]
With the Panasonic bathroom exhaust fan, you can choose the CFM to be 50, 80, or 110 with a flip of a switch to compensate for different sized bathrooms. It also has an LED light and motion sensors as well as condensation sensors to help detect when the room’s humidity is high. The fan is also energy efficient to help save your electric bill, though it is also fairly noisy.
Sample Customer Review…Didn’t think I’d like the fact that it takes 10 seconds to get going, but I got used to that quickly and now I like the fact that it’s using less electricity because of the DC motor (reason for the slow startup). I paired it with the Eaton 9590AW 5-Button Preset Minute Timer and it’s terrific. I particularly love the ability to change the airflow of this unit. I have a 5 x 7 bathroom and switched it down to the lowest setting which still has more than enough pull and is super quiet. I think people tend to buy more fans than they need, and this is an easy way to avoid that. Easy install, great all around.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com
6. Broan-NuTone 9093WH Exhaust Fan
[amazon box=”B001PO29TA” description=” ” rating=”4.6″]
The Broan-NuTone is an exhaust fan with a built-in radiator and 7-Watt night light. It can heat rooms up to 65 square feet and is 70 CFM to cover average-sized rooms. easy to install. The fan’s white veneer grille design is a stylish choice for any bathroom. It also comes with a one-year warranty and is an easy DIY product to install.
Sample Customer Review…My family loves this heater/fan/light unit. The nightlight gives off the perfect amount of light for those nighttime visits (enough light to see but not too bright so it wakes you up completely). The nightlight is also on 24/7 so you don’t have to worry about turning it on/off. The fan is powerful without making a lot of noise and has a timer function (five minutes is more than enough to clear the room of fog after a shower). The heater function is the best I’ve ever come across. You can choose the temperature you wish to heat your room too and it will cycle on and off to maintain that temperature. No more freezing in the bathroom shower on those chilly mornings!
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
7. Broan NuTone 655
[amazon box=”B0002YTKZK” description=” ” rating=”4.6″]
The Broan NuTone 655 is a great option to consider in your search for exhaust fans for your bathroom. It gets rid of odors, reduces humidity, and is equipped with a light and heater. The Broan NuTone measures 16.75″ x 10.63″ which is slightly larger than most bathroom fans, although maintains an attractive, minimalist design. The light fixture sits in the center of the unit and is protected by a moisture-resistant panel. This is a great bathroom fan option, but if you’re not experienced in electrical work, you may want to leave the installation up to a professional.
Sample Customer Review…I had good expectations buying the exact replacement vent for my home. While the duct and vent can were in excellent condition, there was no need to remove the entire original vent. This allowed me to swap the heater, vent, and fan/light components exceptionally fast. All screw holes/hangers aligned perfectly! One of the few times anything goes as planned. 45 minutes later I was returning my tools and ladder with a job completely finished! Research your model number first before ordering a replacement for the easiest repair you’ll ever do!
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
8. Broan-NuTone AE80B InVent Bathroom Exhaust Fan
[amazon box=”B016UQ2YXS” description=” ” rating=”4.5″]
The grille of the Broan Nutone Exhaust looks smooth and is a stylish choice for any restroom stylistic. It is made from sturdy plastic and comes with a restricted lifetime guarantee in case it ever breaks. It can also be supplanted with another unit on the off chance that it doesn’t work appropriately.
It’s extremely simple to introduce the Broan Nutone Bathroom exhaust. The cycle takes just 10 minutes and the bundle contains a clasp, a wrench, the guarantee, the determinations, and the establishment directions. This fan fits 7.25″ x 7.5″ or 18.4cm x 19.05cm and 8″ x 8.25″ or 20.3cm x 20.9cm openings.
Sample Customer Review…This is a really well-built unit and exceptionally quiet. Of course, it is a squirrel-cage fan, not one of those flat noisy bladed things. After complete installation, I climbed up on the roof to check the airflow and was pleasantly surprised by how much it was pushing. I have a flexible insulated duct of about 8 feet in length.
I would buy this unit again, and I probably will as I remodel my other bathroom. Which reminds me – one very nice feature of this unit is that the enclosure is set up for both new construction and for retrofit. Very clever design in that regard.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
9. BV Ultra-Quiet 90 CFM
[amazon box=”B01884PENC” description=” ” rating=”4.5″]
If you’re searching for a quiet performance ceiling fan for your bathroom, this Energy Star approved BV Ultra-Quiet 90 CFM fan is a great choice for you. This fan operates at 0.8-sones, making it ultra-quiet and ideal for your bathroom. The BV Ultra-Quiet can vent up to 90 square feet of space. It measures 9 x 7.5 x 9.25 inches.
Sample Customer Review…It’s extremely quiet, you can barely hear it when you turn it on, you cannot hear it over the noise of the shower. The suction power is very good and solved my steamy mirror/walls and moisture problem. It was OK to install. I had to cut out a bigger hole in the drywall in the ceiling. You could cut a hole big enough for the unit, with its little flanged rim, to fit up in but then you’ll have to hold it up as you’re mounting it and that could be awkward. I carried it up into the attic, got it lined up, mounted and screwed it, and then did the rest. That’s probably easier too because of ducting and electrical. Make sure to make a list and take all your tools and materials with you.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
10. Hauslane BF200
[amazon box=”B01K8S1BZG” description=” ” rating=”4.2″]
At 1.2 sones, the Hauslane fan is fairly quiet while removing excess moisture from your bathroom. Despite being suitable for bathroom sizes up to 120 square feet, it is energy efficient. The fan also comes with a LED light panel to save you the trouble of having to install a light in addition to the fan. The detachable design also helps to make installation easy. It also comes with a 2-year warranty.
Sample Customer Review…We needed an exhaust fan that would ventilate a closet that did not have a window. Although this fan is mainly meant for ceiling installation it was easily installed in the outer wall. It was easy to install with a basic knowledge of carpentry and electricity. We did not find the unit to be noisy and expect it to pull plenty of air with its 120 CF. The LED light is quite bright.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
11. Akicon Ultra Quiet 90CFM Ventilation Fan
[amazon box=”B07DFCNV1S” description=” ” rating=”4.1″]
The Akicon Ultra Quiet 90CFM Ventilation Fan is yet another quiet bathroom exhaust fan to consider when buying a fan for your home. The Akicon works great to keep steam and moisture from building up in medium-sized bathrooms. It generates a 90 CFM of airflow and in combination with the size of the fan and low RPM, it creates a comfortable level of noise while using your bathroom. It has a sturdy design, it has a heavy plastic low-profile grille with the rest of the fan being made up of coated galvanized steel. It is equipped with a sound emission rating of 0.8-sones, guaranteed to provide the perfect low-level noise.
Sample Customer Review…Easy to install, quiet motor, bright LED, and works great!
Read more reviews at Amazon.com.
Buyer’s Guide: Things to Consider When Purchasing Bathroom Fans
Longevity
Make sure the fan has a long warranty to ensure it won’t need to be replaced sooner than necessary.
Noise
The noise of bathroom fans varies widely depending on the model, and while many manufacturers opt to produce quiet fans, not all make silence a priority. If the sound is an issue, check the “sones,” measurement of a fan ahead of time to know how much noise it will emit. Most fans range from 0.5 to 6.0 sones with higher numbers equating to louder noises and lower numbers being quieter, respectively.
Fan Size
The size of a bathroom should dictate the size of a fan to ensure the fan can efficiently pull moisture from the air. Bigger bathrooms will need fans with higher CFM (cubic feet per minute a fan moves air) ratings. Most fans range from 50 to 110 CFM, but higher-powered models exist for larger bathrooms. Ideally, a fan’s CFM rating will be high enough to circulate the bathroom’s air about eight times per hour. Be sure to buy the right-sized fan to help prevent the growth of mold in the bathroom.
Energy
Make sure the fan is energy efficient to avoid a high electric bill! Larger fans do not always consume more energy than smaller fans.
Mounting options
Bathroom fans can either be mounted on the wall, the ceiling, or both depending on the model. Single-story homes and top-floor bathrooms generally have ceiling fans while mid-level bathrooms use wall fans. Ceiling mounts are generally the most common, but the bathroom’s layout and available ducts should ultimately determine where the fan is installed.
Installation
If replacing an old bathroom fan, the new fan should be installed in the same place as its predecessor. If there are no pre-existing bathroom fans, installing the fan between the toilet and shower on a section of the ceiling free from pipes and other obstructions is ideal. To prevent bathroom fans from releasing the captured moisture into the attic and encourage mold growth, you should vent the bathroom fans outdoors.
Note that some fans with additional features such as heaters and lighters may need additional circuits and wires during installation.
Other features
Bathroom fans can come with additional features such as integrated lights, motion sensors, nightlights, and humidity sensors to name a few. Know what you want in a bathroom fan before shopping to ensure that you buy the fan best suited to your needs.
Conclusion
We open you can find the best bathroom fan for you! Don’t forget to decide prior to what your looking for and see if our pros and cons can help.
Written by Srushti Patel and Charlene Pepiot
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