You may not be spending that much time in your garage, but you do need to think about keeping it well-ventilated. All those fumes and heat buildup need to be removed and kept away from home. A garage ceiling fan would be able to perform this task perfectly.
Table of Contents
Best Garage Ceiling Fan Comparison
| Image | Garage Ceiling Fan | Max Air Flow | Certifications | Light Kit Adaptable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Emerson Ceiling Fans CF765WW Loft | 6916 CFM | Energy Star/UL Damp-Rated | No |
 | Hunter Fan Company 59214 Ocala | 3904 CFM | ETL Damp-Rated | Yes |
 | Monte Carlo 3MAVR60BS Maverick | 6,687 CFM | Energy Star/UL Damp-Rated | No |
 | Casablanca 59191 Duluth | 7988 CFM | ETL Damp-Rated | No |
 | Hunter 59135 Key Biscayne | 4170 CFM | ETL Damp-Rated | Yes |
 | Casa Vieja Turbina | 9755 CFM | UL Damp-Rated | Yes |
 | Fanimation Ascension FP6717MW | 7071 CFM | Energy Star/UL Damp-Rated | No |
 | Hunter Original Cherry Blades | 4620 CFM | ETL Damp-Rated | Yes |
 | Honeywell Belmar | 5459 CFM | ETL Damp-Rated | Yes |
 | Hunter Fan Company 53292 Builder Elite | 3565 CFM | ETL Damp-Rated | Yes |
 | VES Industrial Grade Garage Ceiling Fan | 46,000 CFM | UL Damp-Rated | No |
Which would be the best ceiling fan for a garage?
It’s obvious that you need to get the right-sized ceiling fan for your garage. This applies to any room in your house. But there is one feature that is necessary for garages specifically.
We are talking about moisture resistance. Inside your home, you wouldn’t have to worry about it as much since the air would most likely be dry. But that’s probably not the case for your garage.
If you want your fan to safely run in the possibly humid environment of your garage, you should make sure that your fan is at the very least safety listed for damp locations. You may also go for a fan that is rated for wet conditions, but that may be overkill for your garage.
Another thing that you may want to consider is the design of the ceiling fan. With garages, it may not matter as much for you: while working in the garage, the coolness of the air would be more important than the aesthetics of the fan. But if it does matter to you, then do make sure to get a ceiling fan that corresponds to your garage’s interior theme.
The Best Ceiling Fans for Your Garage
Emerson CF765WW 60” Loft Ceiling Fan
A larger ceiling fan like Emerson Loft would be suitable for you if you have a spacious garage. The three 60-inch blades of this thing deliver 6916 CFM of air, which should be excellent for garages sized at and over 400 square feet.
In terms of energy efficiency, this ceiling fan isn’t the best on the list, but it still is quite good. The Loft fan consumes 69 watts of power at high speed setting, which means that it delivers 100 CFM per watt. Again, not the best, but the 4 speed settings of this fan should allow you to flexibly control its power draw and airflow in accordance with your needs.
A thing to keep in mind with this fan is that it isn’t light fixture-adaptable out of the box. So if you want your fan to have a light, you should look for another model.
Pros
- Great CFM airflow.
- 4 fan speed settings.
- Damp safety rating.
Cons
- Not adaptable for a light kit.
Why get this ceiling fan for your garage?
If you are looking for a ceiling fan for your 400-450 square feet garage and don’t really care about power draw, this ceiling fan may be an excellent option for you.
Hunter 59214 52” Ocala Ceiling Fan
Hunter’s Ocala ceiling fan is a better choice for those who have a smaller garage, as well as for those who don’t want their fan to draw 80 watts of power.
With its shorter 52-inch blade span, the Ocala ceiling fan delivers an airflow of 3,904 CFM while consuming just about 46 watts. The airflow efficiency of this ceiling fan isn’t that high – 84 CFM per watt – but its low power consumption may make up for it for you.
A thing you may also like about this ceiling fan is that it has two 9W LED lights, which should be enough for up to 55-60 square feet areas, if we were to judge by this guide.
Pros
- Draws just 46W of power.
- Has two 9W LED lamps.
- ETL Damp rating.
Cons
- Not the best CFM to watt efficiency.
Why get this ceiling fan for your garage?
The Ocala fan has all the good stuff a ceiling fan should have. Not the most efficient fan on the list, the Ocala ceiling fan is nonetheless a good option if you don’t want your fan to consume a lot of power in your 300 square feet garage.
Monte Carlo 3MAVR60BS Maverick 60″ Ceiling Fan
The Maverick ceiling fan by Monte Carlo is excellent when it comes to power efficiency. The 46W power draw in the Hunter Ocala fan was great, but 27W is much better!
But that’s not everything. This fan delivers an airflow of 6,687 CFM, which means that it has an airflow efficiency of 247 CFM per watt. Thereby, the Maverick fan not only consumes very little raw power but also delivers plenty of airflow per each watt.
Moreover, with the 6 fan speeds, you will be able to very flexibly control the airflow and the power draw based on your requirements.
A downside in this ceiling fan is that it isn’t compatible with light kits out of the box. In addition, the Maverick has a pretty steep price tag, so you need to have the budget to afford it.
Pros
- 6,687 CFM airflow.
- 27W power draw.
- 6 fan speeds.
- Extremely efficient.
- Safety listed for damp locations.
Cons
- Not compatible with light kits.
- Pricey.
Why get this ceiling fan for your garage?
Needless to say, the main feature of this ceiling fan is its energy efficiency. If you do really care about each watt and are ready to pay several hundred dollars for an efficient ceiling fan, then the Maverick may be the best option for you.
Casablanca 59191 Duluth Outdoor Ceiling Fan
If you care about airflow more than about power efficiency, then the Duluth ceiling fan by Casablanca may be the right garage ceiling fan for you.
Thanks to its 60-inch blades with a 16-degree pitch, the Duluth ceiling fan delivers an airflow of 7,988 CFM, which should be excellent for garages sized around 500 square feet, maybe even more.
At the same time, it consumes quite a lot of energy – 112.5 watts, to be precise. Given the airflow, this means that the Duluth ceiling fan delivers 71 CFM per watt, which is pretty low when compared to the rest of the fans on the list. The 3 fan speeds should allow you to gain some control over the power draw though.
The rough design in this ceiling fan should be mentioned as well. All the previous fans on the list were also good-looking, but the Casablanca Duluth is a real eye-catcher. It has a DIY feel to it, which, in our opinion, would suit a garage really well.
A thing that should also be noted is that this fan comes with a long 11-inch downrod. If you have a taller ceiling in your garage, this downrod will come in handy.
Pros
- Huge 7,988 CFM airflow.
- Good-looking rough design.
- ETL Damp rating.
- Long 11-inch downrod included.
Cons
- Pretty low airflow efficiency.
- No light kit compatibility.
- Pretty expensive.
Why get this ceiling fan for your garage?
A large garage requires a large amount of airflow. If you have an about 500 square feet garage, then the Casablanca Duluth fan may be the best garage ceiling fan for you.
Hunter 59135 Key Biscayne 54″ Ceiling Fan
The Key Biscayne ceiling fan is very similar to the Hunter Ocala fan we reviewed above, but there are a couple of things that we like more about this fan.
The first thing is the design. This is a very subjective thing, and the Ocala looked nice too, but we liked the vintage design of the Key Biscayne a bit more. Now, the design won’t play a role in the fan’s performance, but it nonetheless is a pretty important thing to consider.
The Key Biscayne is slightly better in terms of power efficiency as well. It consumes the same 46W but delivers 4,170 CFM of airflow versus the 3,904 CFM of the Ocala. As a result, the Key Biscayne has a better airflow efficiency of 91 CFM per watt.
The Key Biscayne fan also has two 14W CFL bulbs built in it. In accordance with the guide mentioned above, this would be enough for about 60 square feet areas, which is decent.
A notable downside in this fan is the location of the reverse switch. It is located behind the light cover, and since this fan comes with no remotes or wall control panels, you’ll need to remove the cover every time to change the fan speed.
Pros
- Vintage design.
- 46W power draw.
- ETL Damp rating.
- Has two 14W CFL bulbs.
Cons
- The reverse switch is difficult to access.
Why get this ceiling fan for your garage?
This fan basically has the same benefits as the Hunter Ocala fan. If you wanted low power draw and a beautiful vintage design, this model may be the best garage ceiling fan for you.
Casa Vieja 60” Turbina Ceiling Fan
The nearly 8,000 CFM of the Casablanca Duluth fan was really impressive, but how about almost 10,000 CFM?
The Casa Vieja Turbina fan delivers 9755 CFM, which puts it on the number spot on our list. At least, at the moment.
If airflow is all you care about, this ceiling fan is a great option. This thing gets pretty loud at its highest speed though, so keep that in mind.
This ceiling fan also is more energy-efficient than the Duluth fan. The Turbina fan consumes 85W of power, which allows it to boast a fairly good airflow efficiency of about 115 CFM per watt.
Another thing that you may like in this fan is that it comes with a remote control. This is great since ceiling fans usually come with only wall controls. However, we’d also like if this fan also included a wall panel since remotes are easy to lose.
Pros
- Huge 9,755 CFM airflow.
- Remote control included.
- UL Damp rating.
- Compatible with light kits.
Cons
- Loud at the highest speed.
- It would also be great if a wall control panel was included.
Why get this ceiling fan for your garage?
If the airflow capacity of the Casablanca Duluth fan wasn’t quite enough, then the Turbina ceiling fan may be an excellent alternative for you.
Fanimation Ascension FP6717MW 54″ Ceiling Fan
Fanimation Ascension FP6717MW fan is a good option if you have an around 400 square feet garage. That’s because this thing has an airflow capacity of 7071. In addition, it consumes not so much power, just 57W, which allows for airflow efficiency of 124 CFM/W, which is very decent.
The sleek design in this ceiling fan is also notable, especially with the brushed nickel color option. If your garage has a more modern feel to it, then this ceiling fan should fit it very well.
A thing that may also interest you is that this fan is available in 120/220V variants. If you happen to need a 220V fan, the Ascension is again a good pick.
Possibly the most remarkable feature in this fan is its FanSync feature, which allows it to be controlled via a mobile device. So basically, the Ascension fan is a smart fan!
Pros
- Sleek design.
- May be controlled from a mobile device.
- High CFM airflow.
- 53W power draw.
- Rated for damp areas.
- 120V/220V options are available.
Cons
- Not compatible with light kits.
Why get this ceiling fan for your garage?
All in all, this ceiling fan could be described with one word – “balance.” It has great airflow paired with low power consumption, and it costs not so much. For the money, the Ascension fan offers plenty of value.
Hunter Original Cherry Blades 52″ Ceiling Fan
Hunter Original Cherry Blades is a rather eye-catching ceiling fan. We’ve examined a vintage-looking fan a bit earlier – the Hunter Key Biscayne – but this one is the most beautiful so far. Possibly not the best ceiling fan for everyone, this fan would be very appropriate for those who highly value classic designs.
In terms of airflow, this ceiling fan is pretty good as well. It delivers an airflow of 4,620 CFM, which should be more than enough for 300-400 square feet garages.
However, in terms of power efficiency, this fan isn’t the best. It has a 53W power draw, which isn’t that high. But when you combine the power draw with the airflow capacity, you get just about 87.17 CFM per watt, which isn’t much.
You can add lighting fixture on this fan. The light fixtures are sold separately though. Likewise you can choose which light you like whether it is CFL or LED for great energy savings.
Pros
- 4,620 CFM airflow.
- Gorgeous vintage look.
- ETL Damp rating.
Cons
- Not very power-efficient.
- Light fixture sold separately.
- Expensive.
Why get this ceiling fan for your garage?
If you really value vintage things and want a garage ceiling fan with good airflow, then the Hunter Original Cherry Blades is a good option.
Honeywell Belmar 52” Ceiling Fan
Honeywell Belmar is yet another ceiling fan that is good for around 300-400 square feet garages. The advantage of this ceiling fan over the other fans on the list with a comparable airflow is that it is rather inexpensive.
In spite of its cheap price, the Belmar ceiling fan is better than the Harbor Breeze fan we’ve just reviewed in terms of efficiency. The Belmar fan has a bit lower 5459 CFM airflow, but it consumes 56.4 watts, about 11 watts less. This allows for a better airflow efficiency of 97 CFM/W.
The design of this ceiling fan is also remarkable. The Belmar combines in it the rough-ish feel of its blades with the intricate and smooth shapes of the body. This combo makes for a very nice modern design, in our opinion.
Pros
- Sleek look.
- Decent airflow.
- Pretty cheap.
- Rated ETL Damp.
- Light kit adaptable.
Cons
- Produces just 97 CFM per watt, which is relatively low.
Why get this ceiling fan for your garage?
If you are on a budget and want a ceiling fan for your pretty big garage, then the Honeywell Belmar ceiling fan is a great option.
Hunter 53292 52″ Builder Elite Ceiling Fan
For a garage sized under 250 square feet, a fan like Hunter Builder Elite is a pretty good option. This fan delivers just enough airflow and also is pretty inexpensive. The airflow of this fan is 3,565 CFM, which may seem too little, but why get more if you don’t need it?
You may also like the fact that this ceiling fan has a low 38W power draw. The power efficiency of this ceiling fan isn’t that high – about 94 CFM per watt – but its low power rating is the more important thing, in our opinion.
The design of the Builder Elite ceiling fan has a feeling very similar to the Honeywell Belmar ceiling fan. But it has a little brighter color scheme, which may be more to the taste for some people.
Pros
- Modern design.
- Inexpensive
- 38W power draw.
- ETL Damp rating.
- Compatible with fan light kits.
Cons
- Air flow could be improved.
Why get this ceiling fan for your garage?
If you have a smaller garage and not a too big budget, then the Hunter Builder Elite ceiling fan may be an excellent garage ceiling fan for you.
VES 60” Industrial-Grade Garage Ceiling Fan
And the last product on our list is VES’s 60-inch industrial-grade garage ceiling fan. If you have a huge garage and none of the previous fans were sufficient for you, this one may be the right choice. In fact, the VES ceiling fan is a great choice for workshop owners!
The main feature of this ceiling fan is the airflow of 46,000 CFM, which should be enough for any residential garage. Unfortunately, VES doesn’t provide figures on the power draw of this ceiling fan, so we can’t say how efficient it is. But if you are getting a ceiling fan with such an airflow, you probably don’t care about its power draw.
A great thing about this ceiling fan is that it is pretty inexpensive, which is a bit surprising, given the airflow it delivers. Even if you are on a tighter budget, you should be able to afford this ceiling fan.
Pros
- Monstrous 46,000 CFM airflow.
- Inexpensive.
- UL Damp rating.
- Long 18-inch downrod included.
Cons
- No data on the power draw.
Why get this ceiling fan for your garage?
Well, obviously, if you have a huge garage or maybe want a ceiling fan for your workshop, the 46,000 CFM of this ceiling fan will come in handy. And this thing costs not so much, mind you!
How to choose the right garage ceiling fan?
Now, it’s time for you to make your choice of a garage ceiling fan. To help you with that, we are going to talk about the features that you should care about the most in garage ceiling fans. We’d like to pinpoint 3 key features.
Airflow
Let’s start with airflow.
Airflow, typically measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM), is the amount of air moved by the fan. For a larger garage, you’d need to get a ceiling fan with more airflow.
Consult this chart for reference:
| Garage area (square feet) | Desirable CFM rating | Blade span (inches) |
| Under 144 | 1000 – 3000 | Under 42 |
| 144 – 225 | 1600 – 4500 | 44-50 |
| 225 – 400 | 2300 – 5500 | 50-62 |
| Over 400 | 5500 – 13500 | Over 62 |
Note: If you have a garage with no windows, choose a higher CFM ceiling fan so that it will blow the heat out when you open your garage door.
Power efficiency
Power efficiency is probably going to be crucial for you in your garage ceiling fan. If that’s indeed true for you, then there are two indicators that you should care about.
First of all, consider the fan’s power draw in wattage. Ideally, you should go for the ceiling fan with the lowest power draw, but make sure that the fan still satisfies your needs in airflow, price, or whatnot.
The second indicator is airflow efficiency measured in CFM/W, which indicates how much air a ceiling fan moves per watt. The higher the efficiency, the better. Go for the fan that has the highest airflow efficiency, while, again, making sure that it satisfies your other needs.
Moisture protection
A key feature with garage ceiling fans is moisture protection.
Usually, the safety of ceiling fans is rated by the Underwriters Laboratory (UL), though there are other organizations like the ETL or MET. Ceiling fans receive one of the following 3 ratings:
- A Dry-rated fan would only be suitable for dry indoor locations.
- A Damp fan may be used in humid locations, but can’t be exposed to rain or snow.
- A Wet-rated fan may be used outdoors and can withstand rain or snow.
As we’ve said at the beginning of the article, your garage ceiling fan should be at least Damp-rated.
Conclusion
There are plenty of options out there, so choose wisely. Your needs play a crucial role in selecting the best garage ceiling fan, so make sure to understand them. Imagine the frustration if you spent $100-200 on a garage ceiling fan, spent hours setting it up, and then discovered that it isn’t good for you.
Go through our list once again, read our guide, do some other research if necessary. Don’t rush it, and you will be able to get the right ceiling fan for your garage.
