Best Outdoor Pedestal Fans For Your Backyard To Keep You Cool

We all love to sit outside in your backyard during summer. It would be a waste of glorious weather to be stuck inside, after all.

Problem is - summers are getting increasingly hotter, and it’s starting to become harder to stay outdoors without overheating.

Without those relaxing gusts of wind or a cool pool to dip into, it’s not easy to regulate your body temperature in the heat of summer.

Whether you want to prevent getting heat stroke or if you simply want to sit in a more comfortable climate, you need to find a way to cool down ASAP.

Outdoor pedestal fans are probably the answer to your problem. These look like regular standing fans used in offices and bedrooms, except they are built for outdoor use.

They are designed to keep you cool, plus it means you don’t have to resort to a tiny hand-held fan to cool you down.

Here’s our guide to the best outdoor pedestal fans for your backyard to keep you cool!

Tornado 20" Heavy Duty Industrial Pedestal Stand Fan 

In the world of outdoor pedestal fans, bigger is better. This is to provide enough cool air for multiple people to sit around.

Not only this, but you’ll want to find a product that is sturdy enough to withstand the elements outside.

The Tornado pedestal fan stands at 3.5-4.5 feet tall (with an adjustable height) with an impressive fan diameter of 20”.

With blades this large, it can produce cool air in three types of settings - low, medium, and high. These settings can be changed at the press of a button.

The best part? You don’t have to sit directly in front of the fan to receive cool air.

This pedestal fan features oscillating movement, meaning it will move side to side to cool a vast area. Plus, the fan can be tilted downwards if you want to cool down the kids at a lower height.

This product is made of aluminum, which is sturdy, durable, and resistant to developing rust. Despite this, as it’s an electric product, it cannot be used in rainy conditions.

When testing this product, we appreciated the sheer strength of the blades at both the medium and high levels.

Even the low level offers a significant amount of cool air, which is ideal for those horrible heatwaves. 

Pros

• Adjustable - Ability to alter the height and angle of the fan head
• Strong settings - 3 settings produce a lot of cool air
• Sturdy - Made of durable aluminum for use in backyard, warehouse, covered patio, and more

Cons

• Loud - Even at the lowest setting, this is a noisy fan

Deco Breeze Nautica Outdoor Pedestal Fan 

Here’s the thing - outdoor pedestal fans aren’t meant to be aesthetically pleasing. They’re not designed to match the decor of your backyard, they’re simply there to serve a purpose.

Still, if you want to find a fan that might hold a more permanent role in your backyard, then you might want to consider its appearance.

The Deco Breeze Nautica pedestal fan is arguably the most attractive product on our list.

Featuring a stylish and old-fashioned brass coloring, along with a unique faux rope wrapping at the bottom, this fan is a subtle nod to the steampunk era.

Even if you keep it in the corner of the living room when not in use, it’s still a very attractive fan to own.

Now, let’s talk about the practicality. This product can be adjusted in height from 3.3-4.1 feet and features an 18” fan, which is only slightly smaller than the previous fan.

Still, it’s large enough to cool down the people in front and around it, especially thanks to its oscillating feature.

When testing this product, we appreciated how the heavy brass material kept the fan weighted down to the floor, even in windy conditions.

Plus, you don’t have to worry about the brass coloring fading, because it’s covered in a UV-resistant paint to maintain the beautiful color.

Pros

• Attractive - Brass material and faux rope base provides an eclectic and vintage fan
• Practical - Oscillating fan and adjustable height to cool down vast area
• UV-resistant - Paint cover protects brass from fading in sun, wind, and rain

Cons

• Settings - Doesn’t seem to feature settings for fan strength

iLiving ILG8P30-72 Commercial Pedestal Floor Fan 

If you’re looking for a pedestal fan with a wide diameter, then you might struggle to find one with a fan bigger than 20”. However, that doesn’t mean bigger pedestal fans don’t exist.

The iLiving pedestal fan, for example, boasts a fan diameter of 30”.

This is pretty impressive for a pedestal fan, not to mention its oscillating capabilities, which help to keep everyone in the area cool.

As a result of this large diameter, this product is popularly used in backwards, porches, warehouses, and factories.

This fan consists of a steel base with aluminum propellers, making it as hardy as it is practical. The base itself is wide enough to prevent the fan from falling over.

The fan can also tilt at an angle, and it comes with 3 settings of strength to suit every temperature.

When testing this product, we liked how it comes with a 9-foot cord.

This is pretty long for a pedestal fan and allows you to take it far into the backyard when plugged inside - and even further when plugged into an extension cord.

Pros

• Large diameter - 30” fan is huge compared to most other models, providing more cool air in large spaces
• Settings - Comes with 3 settings to suit all temperatures
• Long cord - 9-foot cord means it can be plugged indoors and extend far into backyards

Cons

• Noise - Large fan means this is a fairly noisy product

Designer Aire Indoor/Outdoor Standing Floor Fan 

Here’s the thing - not everyone wants a pedestal fan that can only be used for outdoors.

If your AC isn’t working, you’ll need to find a way to cool down inside your own home, too. Unfortunately, not all outdoor pedestal fans are suitable for indoor purposes.

The exception is this Designer Air standing floor fan.

Standing at 40-51” tall with an 18” wide fan head, this is a slim and fairly lightweight fan that can be moved in and out of the house with ease.

Its ability to tilt alongside the oscillating head means that it can cool down any indoor or outdoor space, including living rooms, porches, covered patios, and warehouses.

While most pedestal fans aren’t exactly physically attractive, this product is nice for those with a flare for vintage characteristics.

The fan is made of shiny stainless steel, featuring a fancy and elegantly decorated base that makes the fan look appealing even when not in use.

When testing this product, we appreciated the range of settings (from low to medium to high) with its impressive 45-watt motor, which helps to cool an area down quickly.

Plus, it comes with a handy cover to protect the blades when the fan isn’t in use.

Pros

• Versatile - Good for both indoor and outdoor use
• Attractive - Looks stylish and sleek thanks to vintage design
• Cover included - Comes with protective cover to reduce dust and cobwebs

Cons

• Noise - Produces a lot of air on all settings so can be noisy

Pelonis 18 Inches Oscillating Pedestal Fan 

While most pedestal fans come with settings, these settings are typically controlled with buttons on the fan itself.

This is better than no settings at all, but it also means that you’ll have to continuously get up to press the button.

That’s where the Pelonis pedestal fan comes in.

For those with mobility issues (and even those who don’t want to stand up repeatedly), this fan comes with a handy remote control, featuring 4 modes, 5 speed settings, and even a programmable timer on an LED display.

Not only is this ideal for changing settings with ease, but it also tracks how long the fan is on for.

The eco temperature control sensor will also save energy consumption by increasing or decreasing the fan speed depending on the room temperature.

Plus, it comes with a sleep mode to keep you cool during the night.

When testing this product, we appreciated how versatile the fan is.

While it’s not quite as tall as the other products on our list, it makes up for it in oscillation, tilting, and its range of settings.

It can be used in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Pros

• Multiple settings - 4 modes and 5 speed settings controlled on a handy remote control
• Eco-friendly - Eco setting reduces energy consumption by automatically increasing or decreasing the fan speed depending on room temperature
• Versatile - Can be used for both indoor and outdoor environments

Cons

• Noise - Reviewers say this fan is unfortunately loud

Buyer’s Guide

Buying a pedestal fan for your backyard isn’t seemingly a huge ordeal, but it’s worth considering the essential and non-essential factors in these fans.

Here is the ultimate buyer’s guide on how to pick an outdoor pedestal fan for your backyard.

Fan Size

It’s not hard to understand that the bigger the fan head, the more cool air you’re going to receive.

Not only this, but the bigger the blades, and the faster the blades turn, the quicker the immediate area is going to cool!

Most outdoor pedestal fans will feature a fan size of approximately 18-20”, with some as big as 30”.

While the biggest ones aren’t necessary for most backyards, these are highly suitable for warehouses and factories.

However, keep in mind that you will have to store the fan when not in use.

Outdoor pedestal fans aren’t designed to be left outside in every weather condition (particularly rain and harsh winds), so make sure there’s enough space in the shed or elsewhere to account for the size of the fan.

Oscillation

Oscillation is when a fan automatically moves slowly side to side.

This is an essential factor for any type of pedestal fan, because it means the fan will work to cool a vast area rather than simply the area in front of it.

This is also very handy for when you’re trying to cool multiple people outside, so you don’t have to huddle directly in front of the fan to get cool air.

Settings

Most pedestal fans come with at least 3 settings or speed modes, typically in low, medium, and high speeds.

While this is the norm, some fans don’t come with any settings at all. We recommend opting for fans with multiple settings, so you can control the cool air.

If you intend on bringing your pedestal fan indoors, whether to sleep or just cool off while working, we recommend looking for a modern pedestal fan with a sleep or eco setting.

These are quiet settings that produce a low amount of air to keep you comfortable while sleeping in the heat.

Plus, eco settings automatically increase or decrease the speed of the blades according to the room or outdoor temperature. This is to preserve energy consumption.

Height

While the height of a pedestal fan doesn’t matter too much, it’s important to look for a product with an adjustable height.

These fans will range from 3-5 feet when at the shortest and tallest height settings. This adjustability means you can cool down when standing or sitting.

Weight

Again, this isn’t a deciding factor, but it’s one worth thinking about.

You’ll have to bring your fan inside at some point during the day, week, month, or year depending on the weather.

While they are intended for outdoor use, most outdoor pedestal fans can’t be left outdoors all the time.

So, if you’re not too strong or if you have a back injury, you might want to consider opting for a lighter pedestal fan.

However, lighter fans have a tendency to fall over from a gust of wind, so look for ways to keep it firmly on the ground.

You can use heavy items such as plant pots, for example.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Outdoor Fans Worth It?

If you live in a hot climate, or you’re starting to get tired of the summer heat, then outdoor fans are definitely worth it!

You’ll want to spend time in your backyard in the glorious weather, but it’s not always doable when you’re uncomfortable in the heat.

Outdoor fans help to keep yourself and the immediate area cool, in the same way that air conditioning helps to keep indoor spaces cool.

It’s worth pointing out that outdoor fans tend to be taller and bulkier than most indoor fans, which might take up significant space on a small patio.

They can be heavy to carry around, especially if you intend to move the fan around the backyard as you do some gardening chores.

How Big Should A Patio Fan Be?

The size of a patio fan depends on the size of your patio.

For most patios, you should be fine with a fan that is 18-20” large. However, for bigger patios, aim for fans that have a 30” head.

The key is to find a pedestal fan that has an adjustable height, so the cool air has enough room to move both upwards and downwards.

Plus, look for oscillating fans that automatically move side to side, as this will help to cool a larger area.

How Many Blades Should An Outdoor Fan Have?

In most cases, you’ll find a suitable outdoor fan will have between 4 and 6 blades. The more the merrier, because more blades means that the fan will produce more cool air.

However, keep in mind that this inevitably means that these fans are typically louder than regular indoor ones.

Can Outdoor Fans Get Wet?

Outdoor fans are almost always plugged into an electrical outlet, meaning they should not get wet.

This means you need to move the fan indoors, or at least cover the fan, when it starts to rain.

However, some outdoor fans come with a damp or wet rating, meaning they can withstand light rain.