Grow tent fans reviews: Finding the best grow tent fan
We’ve spent many years searching for the best grow tent fan. By now we’ve tried almost every name brand and knock-off grow tent fan in local hydro shops and on Amazon. It’s amazing how many of them are garbage, but some definitely seem to last longer than others.
In this article we’ll give you our grow tent fan reviews for models that we’ve tried or are currently using, and we’ll discuss how to choose the best fans for your grow tent for air circulation:
- How many fans you’ll need
- How to find a powerful fan
- Choosing a silent grow tent fan
- How they attach to tent poles
Want to learn more? Check out what size grow tent fans you need for circulation and how to set up grow tent ventilation.
Grow tent fan reviews for circulation fans
Let’s face it, most grow tent fans are inexpensive and they need to run constantly so they’re not going to last forever. All the online reviews for grow tent fans show people with similar experiences. Some last a few weeks, some a few months, and for many years. Sometimes repeat purchases result in much different longevity rates. Most seem to be garbage, regardless of brand. Eventually the failure rate of all models will be 100%, usually within 1-2 years.
Here are reviews for the best grow tent fans we’ve used. It includes a mix of clip fans for tent pole mounting above the canopy, and floor fans for under-canopy air circulation.
BEST VALUE: CLIP-ON GROW TENT FAN
Comfort Zone 6 inch Clip Fan: $16
The Comfort Zone 6 inch fan has 2 speeds. Both are pretty low volume, but ok for a small area such as a 4×4 grow tent or smaller.
It offers adjustable tilt, whisper-quiet operation — mainly due to the low velocity. So it’s a good choice if you’re looking for a silent grow tent fan for a stealth grow.
The 5.5 Foot Cord is a bit short to reach most wall outlets directly, but if you have a power strip or extension cord in your tent that should be sufficient to allow this fan to be placed where you need it.
It’s not a great fan, but it’s cheaper to replace than other options when they all inevitably fail. At $16 apiece it’s an affordable way to get above- and below-canopy circulation for small tent grows. Buy a third one any you will have a spare, all for less than a single Secret Jardin Monkey Fan.
BEST VALUE: SMALL GROW TENT FAN
Honeywell HT-900 TurboForce Air Circulator Fan, Small: $15
The Honeywell HT-900 TurboForce Air Circulator ($15) is perfect for under-canopy air circulation. It can sit on a grow tent floor, with a 90 degree pivoting head to point up to the canopy. The Honeywell turbo force air circulator fan has 3 speeds & the high speed can move air across an 8 foot grow tent with ease. It can mount to walls so it’s also a good options for grow rooms as well.
It pumps out 35 watts, much more than you’ll find on a clip fan at this price point. At $15 this is a very cost-efficient way to move a lot of air on your tent. I’ve owned two, including one that lasted almost 1.5 years. Eventually they all stopped working though.
The price has wavered a bit recently, at one point these were over $25 on Amazon. At $15 they’re highly recommended for tent growers on a budget. If prices creep up beyond that, consider the Amazon Basics circulator model as an alternative.
Honeywell HT-908 Turbo Force Air Circulator Fan, 10 inch: $30
Need even more under-canopy air circulation? Honeywell offers a few bigger options.
The 10 inch version of the Honeywell HT-908 Turbo Force Air Circulator ($30) moves even more air than the smaller version HT-900.
The base is nice and sturdy, and it keeps the fan electronics off of a grow tent floor to avoid safety issues with water spills. You should use twisties or zip ties to attach power cords to the tent poles to be safe.
Honeywell HT-910 Turbo Force Air Circulator Fan, 18 inch: $54
Need even more power? The 18 inch Honeywell HF-910 Turboforce Floor Fan ($54) has 18″ blades in a 22 inch housing, perfect for very large grow tents and grow rooms.
All of these fan are sold by a company called Helen of Troy under the Honeywell name.
I’ve never used the 18″ version, but I have used the 10 inch version and even on low speed it pushed a lot of air against the grow tent walls and caused a lot of leaves to fluttery gently which was great.
BEST SMALL GROW TENT OSCILLATING FAN
Honeywell HT-906 Turbo Force Oscillating Table Fan: $36
Honeywell HT-906 Turbo Force is an oscillating table fan that would work best on your tent floor for under-canopy air circulation in small grow tents up to 5×5, or for longer tents such as 3×6 or 4×8.
It has 3 speeds. The draw here is the oscillating functionality, something not seen on most other options for grow tent fans.
I’ve never used this fan so I can’t provide a review, but I am intrigued by the oscillation and will be buying this the next time I need to replace a fan. Due to the size and the relatively low price point, is a cheaper option than Secret Jardin’s Monkey Fan if you’re looking for a small grow tent oscillating fan.
BEST VALUE: MOST POWERFUL GROW TENT FAN
Amazon Basics 3 Speed Small Room Air Circulator Fan, 11-Inch: $26
The Amazon Basics 3 Speed Small Room Air Circulator Fan ($26) is 11-inches of powerful air movement. It consumes 53 watts of power, with 3 speeds.
It’s one of the few fans I’ve bought for grow tents that I don’t run on high, it will blast cannabis leaves that are too close. Just put it on the floor and push air across the bottom of your canopy.
Amazon Basics also makes a smaller 7″ Air Circulator Fan ($15). But unless you’re in a small tent you’re always better off getting the larger fan size and running it a little lower. Like many things it’s always better to buy grow tent supplies with an eye for future expansion. Plus running on slower speeds reduces noise compared to running small fans on full speed.
BEST CONNECTOR ON A GROW TENT FAN
Secret Jardin Monkey Tent Pole Fan 6 inch: $40
The Secret Jardin Monkey Fan is more powerful than other fans. They’re designed specifically for grow tents.
The standard model was 16 watts ($45). A 16w two-pack is $80. It’s a big step up in terms of power compared to other lower-priced clip on 6″ fans. But at more than 2x the cost, it may not be for everyone. For larger tents they have a 16w 4-pack ($160).
BEST OSCILLATING FAN FOR GROW TENT
Secret Jardin Oscillating Monkey Tent Pole Fan: $54
If you’re looking to cover more surface area of your canopy, consider an oscillating grow tent fan. Secret Jardin in the only major manufacturer of oscillating fans for grow tent poles, and they have a few options. All are considerably more expensive than their competitors.
Secret Jardin makes an oscillating Monkey Fan that is 20 watts ($54) and there’s an updated version II oscillating Monkey fan ($76).
A two-pack of the 20 watt fans ($80) is a best value solution for these oscillating fans, they’re only $40 each. This setup would provide adequate above- and below-canopy air circulation for small and midsize tents. It’s perfect if you need an oscillating fan for 4×4 grow tent setups.
The 20w four-pack is $220 could work if you need oscillation fans for 4×8 grow tents. At that tent size you’d probably be better served using a larger oscillating standup fan though, it’s much more economical.
The Monkey Fan clip is designed for a tent pole, it’s not a standard clamp like other clip-on grow tent fans. Interchangeable clamp connectors accommodate different pole thicknesses, and a metal hook holds the top in place. Mine tended to wander to the side after a time due to vibration. A small strip of duct tape held the top metal hook in place and it was easy to unpeel to raise and lower the fan on the grow tent pole.
The flexibility in positioning these pole clips are why we think these are the best oscillating fan for grow tents. It’s the best solution available.
MOST POWERFUL GROW TENT CLIP-ON FAN
Secret Jardin 30-watt Monkey Tent Pole Fan: $55
Secret Jardin also makes a more powerful 30-watt Monkey fan ($55). It’s a fixed fan so it doesn’t oscillate. But it’s the most powerful grow tent clip fan we’ve seen for above canopy circulation. Certainly it’s much easy to position then mounting an air circulator with zip ties or duct tape.
Are Secret Jardin Monkey Fans worth the cost? The real question is — are they durable? Mine lasted only 4-5 months before it stopped working. So that was a bummer. But once broken you can remove the clip and use on other brands of clip fans. It would be nice if someone sold the fasteners separately.
I had been hoping for more durability given the high price point. I replaced it with two cheaper fans. With Secret Jardin fans you’re paying a premium for higher wattage and the tent pole fastener. But like all of these cheap grow tent fans, you need to hope for the best and prepare to be disappointed. All the grow tent fan reviews on Amazon will tell you the same thing.
I love the idea of the oscillating fan to cover more of the canopy, or the power of the 30w version but given the durability concerns of my initial purchase I haven’t ponied up the money on that option. I’d rather run two gentler $16 fans across the top of a canopy from different ends of the grow tent then blast it all with a single higher-powered burst.
BEST FAN FOR A LARGE GROW TENT
Vornado 460 Small Whole Room Air Circulator Fan, Small
The Vornado 460 Small Whole Room Air Circulator Fan ($50) pumps out air with 3 Speeds. They claim the air can be felt 70 feet away. And this is the “small” model.
It’s a heavy-handed solution to the problem of grow tent fans, and may not be the best choice unless you’re working in a large grow space.
It’s too powerful to point right at plants, but in large grow tents it can by used to push air indirectly and avoid stagnant dead zones. Just be careful to avoid wind damage with direct contact.
CHEAPEST CLIP-ON GROW TENT FAN
Genesis 6-Inch Clip Convertible Table-Top & Clip Fan: $15
We’ve made multiple purchases of the Genesis 6-Inch convertible clip fan. The table top adapter allows you to position it on the floor to use as an under-canopy circulation fan, but you’re better off with the clip for that to keep it off the floor in case of water spills..
It has two speeds and is relatively low volume — but still a decent amount of air movement given the low price point. It’s another good choice for a silent grow tent fan, it doesn’t move enough air to generate much wind noise.
The clip’s grip strength was ok but it needed to be fastened down to maintain the desired angle. You can find cheaper fans out there, but this is the cheapest one we’ve found that actually lasts for a while.
Hurricane Classic Clip Fan 6 inch: $24
The Hurricane Classic Clip Fan 6 inch fan has two speeds. It delivers 14 watts of power. The power cord is 5 feet long and it’s UL listed.
The 6″ Hurricane fan has a fairly strong grip on the clip. The mount spins and tilts to allow you to direct airflow where you need it. It doesn’t move a ton of air, but a pair of these would be sufficient for and small grow tent sized 5×5 feet or under.
At $24 it’s priced in the middle of the pack. I’ve bought a few in recent years, one is still working after 2 years which is impressive compared to the other brands I’ve used.
Lasko Breeze Machine Fan 8 inch: $26
The Lasko Breeze Machine Fan has a pivoting head that can lock into position, making it useful for under-canopy air circulation in your tent.
It has two speeds and draws 30 watts of power. Its 8″ blades move much more air then smaller clip-on fans. While it was working it was perfect on the slow speed for a 4×4 grow tent. But the thing only lasted about 3 months, so I can’t recommend it. I replaced it with an Amazon Basics Air Circulator and that one has worked well.
More grow tent fan reviews
We’ll keep adding new grow tent fan reviews to this page as we keep trying new brands.
In general you should plan for about a year of use for cheap clip-on or floor fans. You’ll find that paying more doesn’t mean it will last longer. Putting two circulation fans in grow tents means that air movement will continue even if one stops working.
While you may not want to dump $100 into two Monkey Fans if you’re just starting out as a grower, buying a backup of a cheap brand isn’t a bad idea.
Things to consider when selecting a grow tent fan
1. How many circulation fans will you need?
Very small tents (3×3 foot or smaller) you can get away with one clip-on fan aimed into the top of the canopy, pointed down. Make sure air is able to circulate from the bottom to the top of the tent to avoid overly-moist zones.
For most smaller tents (such as 2×4, 4×4, or 5×5 grow tents) it is much much better to have two fans in your tent, adding a second to circulate air below the canopy.
Consider using the two-fan approach with a clip on fan at the canopy level, and a more powerful air circulator fan on the floor aimed below the underside of the canopy.
For larger tents, such 4×8 grow tents or larger, you’ll need to step up your game and use more powerful air circulator fans on the floor and stand-up oscillating fans above the canopy.
Learn more about choosing fans for air circulation in grow tents
Note that in addition to the circulation fans we’re discussing here that circulate air inside of your tent, you’ll also need an inline fan with a carbon filter to pull air out of your tent. Setting up a grow tent exhaust fan is critical to remove stagnant air, and the filter will cut down the odors from within.
2. How to tell how powerful a fan is: check the wattage
All of the product descriptions for clip on and air circulating fans say they’re powerful. Usually in poor quality translated descriptions that don’t inspire much confidence in those claims.
Your best bet is to check the product specs to see what the wattage is. This will let you compare the relative power of similarly priced options to see which is the most powerful. More powerful fans tend to be noiser, so if you’re looking for a quiet grow tent fan consider a lower wattage model.
Powerful air circulation fans are great for grow tent floors, but be careful with direct wind contact on the more powerful models. Your goal is a gentle flutter across your cannabis leaves, but they shouldn’t be taking abuse and getting beaten in the wind.
Make sure that the fan you buy for your tent isn’t USB-only – those tend to be novelty devices with less powerful fans.
3. Choosing a silent grow tent fan
If you’re looking for a silent grow tent fan, consider getting a larger model but running it on the slowest speed setting. The larger blades move air without the higher speed rush required of smaller fans running at full speed.
I’ve always found that the bigger culprit for fan noise comes from the inline fan used for ventilation and/or through air-cooled lights. Usually the same trick of reducing power usage using a fan controller will slow the noise made by the rush of air through the flexible ducting. While no grow tent fans are truly silent, most of the inexpensive fans are quiet due to lower energy consumption.
4. How to attach fans to your grow tent
Clip-on fans work well, but the continual vibration tends to slide them into undesired positions over time. A little duct tape or a few plastic zip ties can complete the job. Don’t tape too much though, since you’ll need to raise the fans as your canopy grows taller.
Twisties or zip ties can also be used to suspend a non-clip fan at canopy level in a pinch. I’ve used twisties and large black metal clip binders in the past, but they rust out after a few grows.
Special tent pole fasteners are available on Secret Jardin Monkey Fans. Use a short piece of tape to hold the metal bar in place and you’re golden. As a bonus, after the Monkey Fan breaks you can swap the pole connector piece and reuse it on other generic clip fans. Hopefully if you get a Monkey Fan it lasts longer then mine did, which was only 4 months.
Air-circulator or desktop fans can be placed right on the tent floor at the edges of the tent, pointed up. But be smart and make sure to not place them where you might spill water.