Ever since the first human being noticed that a breeze on a hot day resulted in a much more pleasant experience, human beings have been working on inventing fans to mechanically re-create the action of the wind. In 1837, with the advent of steam technology, a British man named William Fourness created the first steam-powered fan. This was soon followed up in 1882 by the invention of the first electric fan.
Today, fans are an ubiquitous part of our lives, even when our homes and offices include advanced environmental control appliances like heaters and air conditioners. Even a fan small enough to be comfortably placed on a desk can provide a refreshing stream of air in an interior space to reduce or eliminate the sensation of stuffiness.
Fans are useful for ensuring that homes and offices enjoy improved air circulation, as well as reduce the fatigue and irritability that affects humans on a hot day, improve productivity, and keep insects at bay. There is nothing worse however, when you are concentrating in the office, than a fan that buzzes like a paper shredder every time you power it up. When you have to sacrifice peace for a breeze that’s just not fun. Thankfully there are some great quiet desk fans out there in the market now, and we look into the best of these below.
Best Quiet Desk Fans – Comparison Table
| Image | Product | Features | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Portable USB Mini Fan | Quiet Fan Rechargeable Battery With LED Light | 4.4 out of 5 |
 | Honeywell HTF210B Quiet Set Personal Table Fan | Oscillating table fan Quiet cooling Increase your comfort | 4.4 out of 5 |
 | OPOLAR 9 Inch USB Desk Fan | Two-speed fan 360-degree vertical rotation Metal construction | 4.5 out of 5 |
 | Vornado Zippi Personal Fan | Soft nylon blades quickly and quietly propel 2-speed manual control Equipped with an adjustable tilt head | 4.5 out of 5 |
 | SPT SF-0703 7-Inch Silent Electric Table Fan with Ionizer | Space saving design Ultra quiet motor Folding base with safety switch | 4 out of 5 |
 | Fancii Small Personal Desk USB Fan, Whisper Quiet Cyclone Air Technology | Twin turbo Cyclone-Blade technology 25% quieter and 40% more powerful than similar models Small, portable and lightweight personal fan | 4.1 out of 5 |
 | OPOLAR USB Desk Fan | Three-speed fan Up to 2,400 RPM USB-powered | 4.7 out of 5 |
 | Comfort Zone CZ6D - 6" Table Fan | All Around Strong Ensured For Quality High And Low Settings | 4.3 out of 5 |
 | Ozeri Brezza III Dual Oscillating 10" High Velocity Desk and Table Fan | Powered by new ultra-quiet, 4-speed, dual oscillating motors Automatic vertical and horizontal motion Aerodynamically designed | 4.7 out of 5 |
 | Vornado VFAN Mini Classic Personal Vintage Air Circulator Fan, Green | Iconic Performance Timeless Design Simple Controls | 4.7 out of 5 |
A Mini Buyers Guide for Choosing the Right Quiet Desk Fan
Thanks to some impressive breakthroughs in fan engineering, it is now possible to enjoy a nearly silent desk fan while still receiving all of the benefits that a small table fan can provide. Beyond the level of sound produced when operating, another common consideration when choosing a desk fan is, of course, ensuring that the device has the right dimensions to comfortably operate on your desk, table, or other interior furniture.
Beyond these two basic criteria, here are a few other things to consider when buying the right desk fan for your needs:
Fan Design
The most common kind of fan uses what is known as an axial flow design. This refers to a rotating spoke with a number of fan blades that rotate in parallel to the spoke and thus drive air flow. A standard axial flow fan will have either a round or square exterior with an impeller shaft in the exact center that usually blows air through a safety screen or grille.
Another popular kind of fan manufactured today is generally referred to as a tower fan. Instead of a squat circular or square design, a tower fan features a tall vertical design with a minimized horizontal footprint. In a tower fan, the impeller shaft has a vertical orientation and lies in the center of the fan. As the shaft turns, blades push air both up and down (as opposed to horizontally, as in a standard axial flow fan) while the exterior of the fan contains carefully engineered outlets for directing the air flow.
A new kind of fan that has become very popular lately is called the “bladeless” fan. While it is true that there are no fan blades visible, making this style of fan design extremely safe to use, a “bladeless” fan actually works by rotating fans inside of a base and then a motor pushes the flowing air through an exposed ring where the air flow is focused into a directed “breeze.” These fans are sometimes known as “air multipliers” because of how the two engineering elements (rotating blades to create air flow and then a ring to focus it) work together to increase overall air speed.
Oscillation
In physics, the term oscillation has a complex definition, but in fans it refers to when the direction of air flow can be set to “swing” from side to side. Whether it is referring to a standard axial flow fan or a tower fan, the ability for the fan to oscillate ensures an even higher volume of air circulation in a given space without having to increase the speed at which the fan blades are rotating.
Power Source
All of the desk fans that we reviewed were electric in nature, but each of them were powered via different methods. A traditional desk fan requires the use of a cord that must be close enough to a socket in order to function. Other options for powering fans include batteries (rechargeable or replaceable) and USB ports. A desk fan that can be powered/charged with a USB port is a handy benefit for anyone planning on using their desk fan in conjunction with a computer or other electrical device designed to power secondary external devices.
Timers and Programming
Depending on your needs, you may benefit from a quiet desk fan that can be programmed and/or is equipped with a timer. The ability to program a fan ensures that it will cease operation at a given point, a useful safety feature or helpful when you want the fan to be running as you drift off to sleep but not run continuously throughout the night.
10 Best Quiet Desk Fans
After sorting through thousands of models of desk fans, we have assembled this list that we feel includes the top 10 quiet desk fans that are available on the market today:
Portable USB Mini Fan, OXOQO Desk Desktop Table Electric Quiet Fan with LED Light, Built-in 2500mah Rechargeable Battery for Room Office Outdoor Travel Camping Car
With a cute, futuristic black and white exterior and bright blue fan blades, the OXOQO quiet desk fan is the perfect addition to any desktop, nightstand, or horizontal surface. Measuring just 4.84 by 1.61 by 5.83 inches, this ultra compact fan delivers a refreshing stream of air. Producing less than 50 decibels when operating, the OXOQO quiet desk fan can produce air flow speeds at up to 4.2 meters a second or 9.3 miles an hour, which is rather impressive.
The OXOQO has one convenient button that controls all operations, including two fan speeds and a built-in light. The OXOQO has a 2500mAh rechargeable battery and can be recharged either in a standard socket (using the included adapter) or a USB port (using the included micro USB cable). You get up to seven hours of refreshing air on a single charge from the OXOQO quiet desk fan.
Key Features:
- Quiet Fan
- Rechargeable Battery
- With LED Light
Honeywell HTF210B Quiet Set Personal Table Fan
Featuring a stylish black tower design, the Honeywell HTF210B measures just 13 inches high, perfect for use on a desktop, nightstand, or other horizontal service. The Honeywell HTF210B is powered by a direct current (DC) brushless motor to use up to 50% less energy than a standard alternating current (AC) motor and operate very quietly. The Honeywell HTF210B has a built-in oscillating function for increasing air circulation and a convenient automatic off timer. There are four different air speeds with the Honeywell HTF210B table fan, the lowest of which is virtually silent.
Key Features:
- Oscillating table fan
- Quiet cooling
- Increase your comfort
OPOLAR 9 Inch USB Desk Fan
Need to keep cool while you work? Check out this fan from OPOLAR. It’s a robust little table fan that can create a steady stream of cool air as you work on your computer. The two-speed fan is adjustable and very easy to use.
Not only can you change speeds, but the fan also adjusts vertically. Find the right angle to take advantage of the air! The metal construction is super durable, making this a long-lasting investment.
Key Features:
- Two-speed fan
- 360-degree vertical rotation
- Metal construction
- Rubber stabilizing feet
Vornado Zippi Personal Fan
Available in six fun colors, the Vornado personal fan is one of the most compact desk fans on the market today. Using soft cloth blades makes this desk fan safe to operate even without a safety grille or screen. The Vornado produces very little noise when operating and has two different fan speeds. The Vornado is designed to be folded down for added versatility when on the go.
Key Features:
- Soft nylon blades quickly and quietly propel
- 2-speed manual control
- Equipped with an adjustable tilt head
SPT SF-0703 7-Inch Silent Electric Table Fan with Ionizer
With an elegant silver and black design, the SPT SF-0703 comes with an ionizer for added refreshment of air flow during use. The SPT SF-0703 table fan is a classic axial flow style fan and comes with a very quiet motor. The SPT SF-0703 has three different fan speeds to choose from and weighs three pounds. Measurements of the SPT SF-0703 table fan are 10.5 by 12 by 4.5 inches and can be folded down for easy transportation. Power for the SPT SF-0703 is provided via an included cable that connects to a standard electrical outlet.
Key Features:
- Space saving design
- Ultra quiet motor
- Folding base with safety switch
Fancii Small Personal Desk USB Fan, Whisper Quiet Cyclone Air Technology
The Fancii Small Personal Desk USB Fan comes in your choice of all-black or all-white design. The Fancii Whisper Quiet Fan has a twin turbo cyclone blade to bring you 40% more power than similar sized fans. While it brings you more power, it also brings you less noise, at about 25% quieter than similar models. It is compact, powerful and quiet. Everything you want from a desk fan.
Key Features:
- Twin turbo Cyclone-Blade technology
- 25% quieter and 40% more powerful than similar models
- Small, portable and lightweight personal fan
OPOLAR USB Desk Fan
Here’s another fan from OPOLAR. This one is a bit more flexible, as it’s made of plastic. The plastic material is lightweight and easy to manage. But don’t be fooled: It’s still quite robust and durable.
This particular model has three speeds. The highest is 2,400 RPM, which is enough to create a brisk breeze. Powered by USB, this fan is easy to operate. Just plug it into your computer and enjoy the cooling wind!
Key Features:
- Three-speed fan
- Up to 2,400 RPM
- USB-powered
- Adjustable tilt
Comfort Zone CZ6D – 6″ Table Fan
This traditional axial flow desk fan from Comfort Zone features an elegant all-white design. The Comfort Zone CZ6D has two different air flow speeds and can deliver extremely quiet breezes via its built-in ABS plastic fan blades. It can be tilted to direct the air flow wherever you need it most and even comes with a handy carrying handle for easy transportation. The Comfort Zone CZ6D is powered via a standard electrical cord (six feet long) and can deliver wind speeds of up to 9.29 feet per second. The Comfort Zone CZ6D weighs 1.4 pounds and measures 10.5 by 8 by 6 inches.
Key Features:
- All Around Strong
- Ensured For Quality
- High And Low Settings
Ozeri Brezza III Dual Oscillating 10″ High Velocity Desk and Table Fan
The Ozeri Brezza III uses two ultra-quiet oscillating motors to deliver a refreshing stream of air at four different speeds. With an elegant black and brushed steel color design, the Ozeri Brezza III comes with a remote control to activate both the horizontal (left and right) and vertical (up and down) oscillation options. The oscillation function can be turned off with the press of a button to direct a steady stream of air in one constant direction. The Ozeri Brezza III has a timer that can be set for up to four hours of continuous breezes and weighs 6.5 pounds. The measurements are 14 by 10 by 14 inches.
Key Features:
- Powered by new ultra-quiet, 4-speed, dual oscillating motors
- Automatic vertical and horizontal motion
- Aerodynamically designed
Vornado VFAN Mini Classic Personal Vintage Air Circulator Fan, Green
This lovely Vornado VFAN Mini Classic Fan features an extremely quiet fan design perfect for use around sensitive coworkers, friends, or family members. The Vornado VFAN Mini Classic measures 8.3 by 7.1 by 5.7 inches and weighs just 3 pounds. This desk fan also comes with an oscillating function that allows the fan 90 degrees while also improving air circulation in any room or office. The Vornado VFAN Mini Classic Fan is very simple and compact in design, and easy on the eye.
Key Features:
- Iconic Performance
- Timeless Design
- Simple Controls
