Do you want to find the best bathroom exhaust fan with an LED light?
In this review, you'll discover:
- Our #1 top pick for LED lighted bath fans
- Tips to pick the best one
- A quick overview of installation
- And more!
After performing home inspections for years, I constantly get asked by homeowners on how to save energy and improve the efficiency of their home.
And the hand's down, easiest and most effective way to save money is to replace all the lighting with LED lights.
Bathroom fans with LED lights act as a dual fixture (exhaust fan and light) so you don't have to install a separate light in the bathroom ceiling.
Check out the table below for our top picks of energy-efficient bath fans with LED lighting. Keep reading to learn more about how to pick the top bath fans with LED bulbs!
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall  | Best Overall | Panasonic WhisperFit
|
| View on Amazon |
Best Humidity Sensor  | Best Humidity Sensor | Delta BreezGreenBuilder
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| View on Amazon |
Best Dimmable  | Best Dimmable | Delta BreezIntegrity
|
| View on Amazon |
Best Retrofit Install  | Best Retrofit Install | Broan-Nutone InVent
|
| View on Amazon |
Best Compact  | Best Compact | Broan-Nutone 791LEDM
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| View on Amazon |
My Overall #1 Top Pick
- One 10-watt dimmable LED light chip panel
- Less than 1-watt LED night light
- Flip a switch for either 50-cfm, 80-cfm or 110-cfm (three fan speeds)
- Quiet at less than 0.3 sones (why it's called WhisperFit)
- Made by renowned Panasonic for a quality bathroom fan
The Panasonic WhisperFit is a great choice for a bathroom exhaust fan with a built-in LED light. This bath fan has a 10-watt dimmable LED light chip panel as well as a 1-watt LED night light for a nice evening glow. The "speed selector" feature allows you to choose between 50, 80, or 110-cfm so you can control the fan speed. Made by Panasonic, this quality bathroom fan is extremely quiet at 0.3 sones which is why it's called WhisperFit.
Top 5 Bathroom Exhaust Fans With LED Lights
Are you in a rush? Check out our top 5 bathroom exhaust fans with LED lights! Keep reading to see our buyer's guide.
What Is A Bathroom Fan With LED Light?
A bathroom exhaust fan with LED lighting is a bathroom appliance and light fixture as one product.
These bath fans don't use LED bulbs but rather low profile LED chip modules integrated into the grille cover.
Even though homeowners can replace any standard bath fan light socket with an LED bulb if it's the same socket size, those fans aren't designed for LEDs from the get-go, and it requires larger space between the housing and cover to fit the bulb.
LED stands for light emitting diode and it is about 80% more efficient than incandescent light bulbs. LED lighting can also last up to 25x longer than standard light bulbs. Also, the less heat produced by these high quality lights (and motors) will help prevent fires.
Read Also >> What Are The Best Bath Fans With Standard Light Bulbs?
How To Pick The Best Exhaust Fan With LED Light?
There are a few essential things to know about when you want to pick the best bathroom fan with LED lighting.
1. LED Wattage
Most bathroom fans come with LED lights in the range of 10 to 12-Watts.
It is essential to note that LED wattage is different than incandescent wattage. 11-watt LED lighting is equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent light bulb.
If you know roughly how bright you want your bathroom in terms of incandescent lighting, simply divide the desired incandescent wattage by 60 and then multiply by 11 to get the equivalent LED wattage.
Night Lights
Some bathroom fans also include LED night lights which are used as a low level lighting for the evening (usually around 1-watt). Night lights are great if you want a small amount of light when using the bathroom in the middle of the night without increasing wakefulness.
2. CFM
CFM stands for cubic feet per minute and it is a measurement of fan speed or how much air the fan can exhaust in 60-seconds.
Most residential bathroom fans will have a minimum of 50-CFM and up to 150-cfm to 200-cfm.
The most basic guideline for bathrooms is to have at least 1-CFM per square foot of flooring. So if your bathroom is 100 square feet, you will need at least a 100-CFM rated bathroom fan.
Read Also >> How To Pick CFM For Your Bathroom Fan? (4-Step Guide And Chart)
3. Duct Size
Most new bathroom exhaust fans will require using a 4-inch duct, but some even use larger 5 or 6-inch ducting.
Frequently, bath fans come with adapters such as 4-inch to 3-inch so you can use older 3-inch ductwork if you choose. Just make sure that the bath fan comes with an adapter or you may have to buy one separately.
However, if you want the full performance out of the bathroom fan, homeowners should reduce the duct size which will slow down the airflow. Also, using a reduced duct size will likely increase the noise level of the bath fan.
4. New Wiring
Homeowners may need to run a new electrical cable from the exhaust fan to the wall switch for the additional hot wires.
If your old exhaust fan had no extra features, then it probably had 12-3 wiring, which means only a single hot wire, a neutral wire, and a ground wire.
If your wall only has a single switch, you will also have to install a double wall switch (or second single pole switch) if you want the fan and light to operate independently. If there is a night light, then three switches would be required to operate the fan, light, and night light separately.
Bath Fan May Have 2-3 Hot Or Live Wires
A bathroom exhaust fan with a light is going to have at least two hots, one hot for the fan, one for the light. However, if there is a night light — then there will be THREE hot or live wires. There will also be at least two neutral wires (white), and a ground wire.
Licensed Electrician
Please make sure to factor in any additional wiring required for a bath fan with LED light. We recommend hiring a licensed electrician if you aren't comfortable with the wiring, and a local building permit may even be required for the new electrical work.
Read Also >> What Are The Quietest Bathroom Exhaust Fans?
How To Install A Bathroom Vent Fan With LED Light?
Here is a short breakdown of how to install a bath fan with an LED light...
- Cut Hole In Drywall: It's important to have correct size hole in ceiling to fit housing (not too small or big). Use provided template to cut hole with drywall keyhole saw.
- Connect Installation Bracket To Joists: If there was a supplied install bracket (for most bath fans), you will need to screw it into the joists.
- Connect Wiring: Remove knock out plate from junction box and pull wiring through hole, wire all connections. Secure it with a stress relief.
- Connect Duct: Connect the ducting to the adaptor assembly and secure with mastic or zip tie.
- Install Adaptor Assembly Onto Bracket: Fasten the adapter that includes the junction box and duct connection to the installation bracket. Secure it in with supplied screws.
- Slide Housing Onto Adaptor Assembly: Slide the fan body onto the adaptor aligning it wit the slots. There should be an audible click once in place.
- Fasten Fan Body: Secure the fan body/housing with the supplied screws.
- Caulking: Caulk the gap between the drywall ceiling and the housing flange to provide an air seal.
- Install Grille Cover: Install the cover by squeezing the spring clips and inserting them into the holes on the housing.
Our Reviews of the Best Bathroom Exhaust Fans with LED Lights
Here are my top picks for the best bathroom fans with LED lighting...
My overall #1 top pick goes to the Panasonic WhisperFit that includes LED illumination.
This bathroom fan has a 10-watt dimmable LED light chip panel. The fan also has a 1-watt LED night light for a nice evening glow.
You can flip a switch with this fan and choose between 50-cfm, 80-cfm or 110-cfm — a great feature.
This fan is also ultra quiet at 0.3 sone, why it's called WhisperFit.
- 10-watt Dimmable LED light chip panel
- 1-watt LED night light
- Choose 50-cfm, 80-cfm or 110-cfm
- Quiet at 0.3 sone
- More expensive
- Complaints that it is noisier than advertised
The Delta BreezGreenBuilder is a premium bath fan with an LED light.
The LED is 11-watts which is equivalent to a 60-watt standard light bulb --- very energy efficient.
The BreezGreenBuilder is also very quiet coming in at 0.8 sone.
It also includes a humidity sensor so you can have the fan turn on/off automatically if you want.
- 11-watt Dimmable LED Light
- Includes Humidity Sensor
- Quiet at 0.8 Sone
- Complaints of Difficult Installation
The Delta BreezIntegrity is a budget friendly bathroom fan.
This bath fan comes with a dimmable LED light for full lighting control.
The motor is a high quality brushless motor so it is ultra quiet at only 0.7 sones.
The BreezIntegrity also comes with a built in soft start feature which helps the motor last longer.
- Dimmable LED Light
- High Quality Brushless Motor
- Quiet At 0.7 Sone
- Complaints of Not Enough Power
The Broan-Nutone InVent Fan is a well-designed single speed exhaust fan for bathrooms up to 105 square feet.
This 110-cfm fan comes with an 11-watt LED light for extra bathroom lighting.
The InVent fan is easy to install and is designed to work well for bath fan retrofit installations. It is also pretty quiet at 1.0 sone.
- 11-watt LED Light
- 110cfm for more power
- Easy install (designed for retrofit)
- Louder than other premium fans
The Broan-Nutone 791LEDM is a premium exhaust fan and LED light combo.
It comes with an energy efficient 12-watt LED light for extra bathroom illumination.
This bathroom fan is compact and easy to install for retrofit fan replacements.
It is rated at 110-cfm and 1.5 sones.
- 12-watt LED light combo
- Easy Installation With Compact Design
- 110-cfm For More Power
- Louder Than Other Bath Fans
My Top Pick: Panasonic WhisperFit
My overall #1 top pick goes to the Panasonic WhisperFit with LED light. Here's why...
1. LED Light
The bath fan comes with a 10-watt dimmable LED light chip panel. The fan also has a less than 1 watt LED night light.
2. Speed Control
With the Speed Selector feature, you can choose between 80-cfm or 100-cfm so you can choose your fan speed based on your bathroom size and preference.
3. Quiet
At less then 0.3 sones, this fan is extremely quiet, nearly silent --- hence the name WhisperFit.
4. Easy Install
The WhisperFit comes with an adjustable install bracket to make the installation so much easier.
5. Quality Manufacturer
Made by Panasonic, this bathroom fan comes with the reputation of a serious play. You can trust that this product has the Panasonic brand behind it's quality.
6. Energy Star Rated
The WhisperFit is energy star certified which means it is very energy efficient and costs pennies to run.
