Is a Ceiling Fan Better Than a Pedestal Fan? Pros and Cons

Fans are a common sight in most households. When it gets humid and temperatures turn warm, they help keep a room pleasantly cool and airy by circulating air within. But if you are looking to buy one, should you choose a ceiling fan over a pedestal fan?

A ceiling fan is better than a pedestal fan because it provides more air circulation, higher comfort levels and is safer to use. It’s also more visually attractive and doesn’t use up your floor space. However, it is pricier and more challenging to install, clean, and maintain than a pedestal fan.

If you’re considering buying a fan but are unsure whether a ceiling fan is better than a pedestal fan, you are in the right place. Keep reading to discover the pros and cons.

Contents

1 The Pros of Ceiling Fans
2 Downsides of Ceiling Fans
3 Key Takeaways
4 Final Thoughts
5 Sources

The Pros of Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans push air down. Thus, a centrally placed ceiling fan produces a breeze that cools you down by dispersing the inert layer of air hanging around your body, making you feel comfortable. The average temperature doesn’t go down but the air you will feel cooler.

On the other hand, pedestal fans or stand fans, as they are also known, work by taking in the air and then pushing it out in a specific direction.

Both types of fans are effective cooling solutions. And while selecting the perfect fan depends on your needs, circumstances, and preferences, here are several reasons why you might want to opt for a ceiling fan:

1. Ceiling Fans Are More Effective in Cooling Large Room

Ceiling fans circulate air over a much wider radius than pedestal fans, benefiting your home with increased airflow. This is mainly due to their elevation and central placement.

Also, the bigger the fan, the more air it can move. The fan speed and blade design also determine how much air your fan can move with thin metal blades shaped like an airplane’s wing moving tremendous amounts of air.

These features make ceiling fans significantly more effective in cooling your house, particularly if the room you need to cool is spacious. The longer blades allow them to disperse air more effectively than pedestal fans.

Keep in mind a ceiling fan doesn’t actually cool down the air, it just cools people inside the room.

In areas with temperate climates, you might not even need air conditioning at all since a ceiling fan would be adequate to keep you feeling cool. However, when it gets cold, a ceiling fan works in reverse. It pulls up the cooler air while distributing warmth evenly across the room. This helps you keep warm.

2. Pedestal Fans Work Well in Smaller Spaces

Pedestal fans are ideal for smaller spaces because they deliver a smaller sweep (diameter) and cover a lesser area. They’re typically placed in the corner of the room or in a specific location where there’s a need for cooler air.

They feature an adjustable stand and perform best when placed next to an open window. The fan pulls the air from outside and circulates it around the room. Standing fans also work better when pointing in your direction since this is when you get to enjoy their cooling breeze more. You can also angle the fan’s head upwards or downwards per your convenience.

Unfortunately, if there are many people in a room, most of them might not feel the fan’s cooling effect at all.

3. A Ceiling Fan Is Safer To Use

Contrary to what some people think, ceiling fans are much safer to use than pedestal fans, especially if you have small children or pets.

Kids like playing, and as they run around the house, they could run into a pedestal fan or trip on wires lying on the floor. A pedestal fan could also fall by accident, especially if the stand isn’t well-placed, hurting someone in the process. Provided you have the ceiling fan properly installed; there is very little chance of it causing harm by falling.

Man safely installing ceiling fan. — If installed properly, ceiling fans don’t fall.

4. A Ceiling Fan Doesn’t Take Up Floor Space

Another reason for choosing ceiling fans is their efficient use of space. Unlike a pedestal fan that you place on the floor, a ceiling fan is mounted on the ceiling. This placement is particularly convenient when you don’t have that much floor space or prefer your home to have a clean, minimal look.

Pedestal fans with their large blades typically take up a large floor area, making them unsuitable if you live in a small apartment. They also make cleaning the space harder as you have to keep moving them around as you mop or vacuum. Also, ceiling fans have no pesky wires or cords lying around, unlike pedestal fans.

5. Ceiling Fans Consume Less Energy

With today’s spiraling energy costs, it’s wise to invest in energy-efficient home appliances. This not only results in savings, but it’s also safer for the environment.

A ceiling fan typically uses up less electric power than a pedestal fan. This might not seem likely since ceiling fans are much bigger.

However, pedestal fans oscillate and need to spin at high speed to create adequate airflow to cool a room. Therefore, they use up more energy. What’s more, the number of fans in use and their model can affect the rate of power consumption.

Fortunately, most modern ceiling fans come equipped with energy-saving features, helping you save money on your power bill. Some premium pedestal fans also boast power-saving features.

Pedestal fans consume 50-55 Watts on average, whereas Super Efficient ceiling fans consume a mere 30-33 Watts.

Therefore, you might want to look out for ceiling fans sporting a BEE 5 star when purchasing your fan. They deliver a cost-effective air cooling solution, consuming up to 50 percent less power than standard fans.

Alternatively, check for the ENERGY STAR® label since such fans move air 20 percent more efficiently than regular models.

6. Ceiling Fans Offer Smart Options and Accessories

In today’s world, most homes sport smart equipment, and fans are no exception. Ceiling fans feature innovative smart capabilities that you can integrate into your Smart Home.

Besides, some can also work as stand-alone, mobile-controlled units, allowing you to control your room temperature even when you are up and about.

Depending on your budget or preference, you can also choose various accessories, such as remote or wall control, timer control, or electroplated finishes.

7. Ceiling Fans Are Well-Built and More Attractive

Ceiling fans are made with a wide variety of materials that make them extra strong, rust-proof, bend-proof, and easier to clean as they attract minimal dust.

The materials include steel, wood, plastic, and glass-filled ABS, and for the finishes, laminated veneers, PU (polyurethane), solid wood, stone, rustic, metallic, or electroplated.

These fans are more visually appealing than pedestal fans. What’s more, ceiling fans offer permanency and a more intentional look.

And since they come in a wide array of unique designs, it’s pretty easy to find something that fits your style and preferences. Besides, you can use your ceiling fan as a statement piece or add a splash of elegance to your home.

For example, you can purchase an antique-looking ceiling fan to match your retro-styled home or choose one with wooden blades to complement your furniture.

Ceiling fans that boast aerodynamically profiled blade styles are both high performers and feature elegant, minimalist designs that spruce up your home’s interior décor.

Pedestal fans are mostly made with plastic material. Unfortunately, a plastic fan placed in the corner of your home with wires protruding from one end doesn’t look particularly appealing. That said, you can get pedestal fans that come with wood paneling, and these might pair off better with your furniture.

8. Ceiling Fans Are Multifunctional

Ceiling fans can do more than one job. They not only make you feel comfortably cool in warmer weather, but they can also light up your home. You can buy a ceiling fan that comes with light fixtures to improve circulation, add a stylish look and get your room lit up—all at the same time.

Additionally, you could opt to include features like a color-changing mechanism, LED light intensity adjustment, or mood lighting to make the light fixtures more vibrant.

But that’s not all. Choosing an underlight ceiling fan equipped with a reversible motor lets you adjust the rotation of the blades and reverse airflow. As a result, you can enjoy cooler air in summer and warmer air during winter.

9. Ceiling Fans Are Less Noisy

Ceiling fans emit low noise. This is the opposite of pedestal fans, whose whirring sounds can be quite disruptive, especially if you have one in the bedroom.

In that case, falling asleep might take a bit of time and effort, as the noise can be distracting.

To avoid a noisy fan, check the noise ratings before purchasing one or select from the wide range of ceiling fans with aerodynamic blade designs. These blades reduce the vortex while delivering a higher thrust with minimal noise.

Additionally, for smooth, noise-free operation and optimal air movement, look for a ceiling fan with a technologically advanced motor.

Downsides of Ceiling Fans

Even with all the benefits discussed above, ceiling fans come with a couple of downsides that can make them a little less attractive. Below are some of the cons of a ceiling fan:

1. Ceiling Fans Are More Expensive Than Pedestal Fans

Ceiling fans cost more than pedestal fans. They also require installation and electrical wiring, and unless you’re adept at carrying out DIY projects, you would need to engage the services of a professional.

This means you will also incur additional costs in terms of labor fees.

In contrast, pedestal fans are affordable since they’re available at a much lower price point. Furthermore, they are readily available in electronic or furniture stores. So, you don’t need a considerable budget to purchase one, and professional installation is unnecessary since you only need to plug it in, and it’s ready to go.

Still, although ceiling fans are more expensive to buy than pedestal fans, they tend to last much longer. So, while the initial cost might be slightly high, they are cheaper to run, which can save you money on maintenance or purchasing a new unit in the long run.

Another factor that could drive up your costs is that opting for a ceiling fan essentially means you might have to install one in multiple rooms. This is because you might need one in your living room, kitchen and bedroom. But a pedestal fan is light and portable, so you can move it from one room to the other with relative ease.

Finally, a ceiling fan calls for commitment. You see, once the fan is in place, you can’t change its position or decide to move it to a different room.

2. Maintaining a Ceiling Fan Might Be More Challenging

Fans collect a lot of dust, so they require regular cleaning. To clean a ceiling fan, you would need to use a special magnetic duster or vacuum cleaner.

But cleaning ceiling fan blades might pose a challenge since you have to look upwards the entire time, which can be pretty uncomfortable for your neck.

While you might need to open a pedestal fan’s grill to access the blades, the task is more straightforward since it doesn’t require craning your neck.

3. Ceiling Fans Are Unsuitable for Certain Spaces

Unlike pedestal fans, which you can place in almost any space, you cannot install ceiling fans in any room. This is because the space needs to meet certain specifications.

The thing is, ceiling fans are only suitable for use in rooms that come with high ceilings, at least 8 feet (2.4m) high.

For your ceiling fan to work effectively, the blades must be 7- 9 feet (2.1- 2.7cm ) above the floor and 10 – 12 inches (25.4- 30.4 cm) below the ceiling. Ideally, they should be at least 8 inches away from the ceiling and about 18 inches (45.7 cm) from the walls.

This makes ceiling fans unsuitable for homes with low ceilings or tall occupants. Again, if you’re renting your space, your landlord might disapprove of you installing a ceiling fan if the room doesn’t have one initially.

Where to mount a ceiling fan with dimensions.

Key Takeaways

Ceiling fans will cost more upfront, but you can’t deny that they’re far more efficient than pedestal fans.

Not only can you use a ceiling fan for cooling, but they’re also effective at warming your home during the winter months, and they double as attractive light fixtures.

Even though they need to be professionally installed, it’s well worth the money if you own the house and intend to have the fan there for years. This is especially true if you live in areas known to have longer, hot summers.

However, for renters or those looking for a cheaper solution, pedestal fans are a great option. They’re far more affordable and, better still, they’re portable.

If you live alone or with a partner, chances are you don’t need a ceiling fan in every room. Instead, you can just bring it with you as you move from one room to another with a stand fan.

Lastly, pedestal fans need very little space as you can get some that are incredibly slim. With these designs, you don’t need to worry about blade catching on the walls, or worse, on your head.

Final Thoughts

Ceiling fans and pedestal fans are both great for keeping your home cool and comfortably aired. But when choosing the best option for your home, consider factors like space constraints, your style and preferences, and your budget.

That said, ceiling fans are more advantageous since they work more efficiently, are safer, use less energy and feature various models to meet different tastes and styles.