Do you want to find the best exhaust fan for your small bathroom?
In my view as a licensed inspector, the right exhaust fan will be rated at 50-CFM for the fan speed for a standard small bathroom.
In this product review, I will go over...
- My overall #1 pick for the best exhaust fan for small bathrooms
- Tips to pick the best exhaust fan for your tiny bath
- How to choose the correct CFM for a smal bathroom
Let’s get started with this guide!
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Top Pick  | Top Pick | Delta BreezSlim
|
| View on Amazon |
 | Panasonic WhisperValue
|
| View on Amazon | |
 | Deltra BreezIntegrity
|
| View on Amazon | |
Includes Light  | Includes Light | Air King BFQ50
|
| View on Amazon |
 | Homewerks 7140-50
|
| View on Amazon |
My Overall #1 Rated Pick
- 50-cfm fan speed, great for small bathrooms
- Quiet fan at only 1 sone
- DC motor for a quiet and long lasting fan
- Energy efficient, consumes only 6.4-watts
My overall top pick for the best exhaust fan for small bathrooms goes to the Delta BreezSlim. It is rated at 50-cfm fan speed which is perfect for small spaces. It is also quiet since it is rated at only 1.0 sone, the measurement of loudness. This exhaust fan has been tested to run continuously for up to 8 years.
Top 5 Best Exhaust Fans for Small Bathrooms
Only have a minute? Check out our top 5 exhaust fans for small bathrooms! Keep reading to learn the details on each top pick.
How To Pick The Best Exhaust Fan For A Small Bathroom?
An exhaust fan for small bathrooms ideally should be easy to install, and even more important — the correct fan speed sizing in CFM. Below are a few tips that I have learned over the years...
Picking The Correct Fan Speed in CFM
CFM stands for cubic feet per minute, so it basically measures how fast the exhaust fan moves bathroom air.
The minimum recommended for any sized bathroom is 50-cfm as a minimum ventilation rate, and this is the size I recommend for a small sized bathroom. I recently wrote a detailed on guide on the best methods for choosing bath fan CFM, I invite you to check it out.
50-cfm should be more than sufficient for your bathroom if it is up to 7-ft by 7-ft or about 50 square feet. If your bathroom is between 50-sf to 100-sf, then I would pick a matching CFM. If the square footage is 75 square feet, then I would pick a bathroom around 75-cfm.
But assuming your small bathroom is 50 square feet or less, then 50-cfm is what I recommend for your exhaust fan.
If you buy an overly powerful fan for a small bathroom, you are basically wasting energy because it isn't required.
But the more important thing is that you may even create a negative air pressure problem in your home.
If your home has high negative air pressure, it could contribute to a situation where backdrafting of vented gas appliances sends harmful gases back into your home rather than to the outside.
This could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Please think carefully about the correct CFM for your bathroom.
Read Also: How To Vent A Bathroom Fan Into An Attic?
How To Pick a Quiet Bathroom Fan For a Small Bath?
Another important consideration is the sound level of your bathroom fan. This may be even more important for a small sized bathroom due to the limited space.
Bathroom found sound loudness is rated in sones. Sones isn't an actual physical measurement of sound (decibels) but rather sones measures the perceived loudness according to the human ear. You can read my detailed guide on bathroom fan sones right here.
The technical definition of sones isn't important, but its important to know the relative scale.
In general, bathroom fans are rated from around 0.5 sone and all the way up to 4-5 sones. The 4-5 sones range is probably the loudest bathroom fans you can think of. These are the oldest and cheapest fans on the market, the ones that can be heard across the hallway.
If you want a truly quiet fan, like a nearly silent exhaust fan, I would recommend buying one that is 1 sone or even lower.
The absolute lowest sone rating I have seen is probably around 0.3-sone. This is so quiet that you probably won't even be able to hear it, and that's why many of them have indicator lights so you know that they are on.
Read Also: What Are The Best Bathroom Exhaust Fans With Lights?
How Easy Is It To Install The Exhaust Fan For Your Small Bathroom?
In addition to the sones, you may also want to think of the installation.
Some fans are just easier to install than others. Many new bathroom exhaust fans now come with installation brackets.
The idea is that you first install this adaptable bracket to the ceiling joists, and then you install the fan onto the bracket (rather than directly the the joists).
But there are many other things that can impact the installation process, I would take a peek at the installation manual and carefully inspect your existing exhaust fan prior to installing.
If you plan on installing a new duct to the outside, always remember that exhaust ducts should always terminate outdoors in order to avoid moisture and mold problems. You can read one of my detailed guides on installing bathroom fans right here.
Read Also: How To Replace A Bathroom Fan Without Attic Access?
What Is The Best Exhaust Fan For Small Bathrooms?
Here are my top picks for the best fans for small bathrooms. Check it out below...
This budget friendly fan by Delta is rated at 50-cfm which is perfect for small bathroom sizes.
This DC motor powered fan is energy efficient and has been tested to last for up to 8-years at continuous operation.
The BreezSlim has a slim profile so it should be easier to install it into your existing ceiling or wall—good for retrofit installations.
It comes in at only 1-sone for a quietly operating fan in your tiny bathroom.
The BreezSlim only consumes 6.4-watts and 8.9-cfm per watt.
- 50-cfm for small baths
- Slim profile is great for fan replacement
- Only 1-sone for quiet experience
- Difficult installation
- Poor air sealing around ceiling
The Panasonic WhisperValue is a great bathroom fan for any small bathroom.
This exhaust fan can be set to either 50-cfm (best for small bathrooms) but you can also flip a switch and increase it to 80-cfm or 100-cfm if you choose.
Also, this bathroom exhaust fan has a slim profile and can even fit in 2x4 ceiling joists—basically making it easier to install.
The WhisperValue comes with an ECM motor so it is quieter than other fans and the motor should last much longer.
It also comes with a Flex Z-Fast bracket to much installation a breeze.
- Flip a switch and choose your CFM fan speed
- ECM motor for quiet operation
- Slim profile at only 3-3/8" depth
- Customer complaints of noise
- May be delay in fan turning on
The BreezIntegrity by Delta is rated at 50-cfm which is perfect for smaller sized bathrooms.
It includes a brushless DC motor which will give you a quiet fan, and extend its life considerably.
This Delta fan has a built-in soft start feature which will extend the life of this exhaust fan even more.
It also has a thermal cutoff switch which will automatically turn it off if it gets too hot — preventing a fire hazard.
The BreezIntegrity includes a dimmable LED light for additional bathroom lighting.
- 50-cfm for smaller bathrooms
- Dimmable LED light
- DC brushless motor for a long life
- Quiet at only 0.7 sone
- May have to install double switch due to light
- No option to increase CFM
The Air King BFQ50 is an energy star rated bathroom fan which is rated at 50-cfm — perfect for small bathrooms.
The BFQ50 features a unique snap-in installation system which makes it easier to install in ceilings.
It is also quiet since it is rated at only 0.5 sone, a strong consideration in a small bathroom.
This exhaust fan for small bathrooms is HVI certified, and it can be installed above a shower if on a GFCI circuit.
- Quiet at only 0.5 sone
- Snap-in installation system
- 50-cfm for small baths
- Easier install for new construction
- Mostly plastic parts
The Homeworks 7140-50 is a good quality exhaust fan for small bathrooms.
It is rated at 50-cfm fan speed so it can accommodate small bathrooms up to around 50 square feet.
It is also pretty quiet at only 1 sone so you should barely be able to hear it.
The body of this bath fan is made of galvanized steel to resist the corroding properties of bathroom moisture.
The AC motor was also designed for continuous operation if desired.
- Galvanized steel body
- 50-cfm for small sized baths
- Quiet at only 1 sone
- AC motor instead of brushless DC
- Louder than comparable fans
My #1 Top Pick: Delta BreezSlim Exhaust Fan For Small Bath
My top pick for the exhaust fan for small bathrooms is the Delta BreezSlim. Here's why...
#1. 50-CFM
The minimum CFM for bathrooms should be 50-cfm, which is the rating for this fan. This is great if your bathroom is up to around 50 square feet.
#2. Slim Profile
The BreezSlim has a slim profile which should help you with the installation for the ceiling or wall.
#3. Quiet
This exhaust fan is rated at only 1.0 sone which is a sound measurement for loudness. It basically means it is whisper quiet.
