Curious as to what is the best high velocity drum fan?
Drum fans, also known as barrel fans, are light industrial fans that range from 5,000-cfm to 20,000-cfm and move a significant amount of air.
I invite you to check out my list of the best drum fans that can ventilate large spaces, warehouses, factories, and workshops.
You will love these drum fans!
In this HomeInspectorSecrets.com guide, you will learn:
- My top pick for the best industrial drum fan
- Things to know before buying a drum fan
- All of the advantages of owning an industrial drum fan
Below is a quick list of all our top products. Keep scrolling to learn more about how to choose and use the best drum fan.
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Overall Top Pick  | Overall Top Pick | Tornado
|
| View on Amazon |
 | MaxxAir BF60
|
| View on Amazon | |
 | MaxxAir BF30DDPro
|
| View on Amazon | |
Budget Pick  | Budget Pick | Q Standard
|
| View on Amazon |
 | Xpower FD-650DC
|
| View on Amazon |
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
Updated On January 11, 2023
Our favorite pick for the best industrial drum fan goes to the Tornado Drum Fan. This portable 24-inch barrel fan can be rolled around on two wheels and comes with two handles. The Tornado can be tilted up to 360-degrees for maximum fan flexibility.
It comes with ultra-light aluminum fan blades and an advanced bearing-style motor making it one of the quietest drum fans on the market.
Top 5 Best Drum Fans
Are you in a hurry? Check out our top 5 drum fans below! Keep reading for the details of each top pick and our buyer's guide.
What Is A Drum Fan?
A drum fan, also known as a barrel fan, is a high velocity fan with a cylindrical steel housing.
Drum fans are usually for light industrial or large room use because they can move a significant amount of air volume. These high velocity fans are great for basements, gyms, barns, warehouses, and other large rooms where ventilation is required.
How To Choose Barrel Fan Speed (CFM)?
The CFM (cubic feet per minute) of air flow for these industrial fans are generally in the 5,000 to 20,000 range. In contrast, the CFM for your average 20-inch box fan is around 1,000 to 2,000.
One of the biggest complaints I have discovered with drum fan buyers is that the perceived air flow doesn't match the CFM rating of the fan.
If the hitting the marketed CFM is important to you, I would thoroughly read customer reviews to see if they are satisfied with the air flow.
Read Also: What Are The Best Panasonic Bathroom Fans?
Speed Settings
Almost always, there are at least two speed settings for drum fans — low speed and high speed — though sometimes there are three speeds.
Also, some barrel fans have multi-speed rotary dials so you can fine tune the exact speed that you want. Multi-speed rotary dials are great if you want to find that perfect blend of air flow and noise.
Noise
Noisy drum fans are probably the second biggest complaint that buyers have.
Unfortunately, most drum fan manufacturers don't state the sone level of their fans (unlike in the bathroom fan industry), so you will be left to reading customer reviews.
But if noise level is important to you, I would put in a little more research on the noise level of your barrel fan.
Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Mold in Basements?
Power Cord
Most power cords for industrial drum fans are in the range of 6-ft to 9-ft in length.
If safety is important to you, I would verify that the powercord is UL listed and possibly even OSHA certified.
Residential structure fires from electric fans is a common occurance.
High Temperatures
If you are buying your drum fan for use in high-temperature environments, you may want to look for a barrel fan that was designed for that purpose such as the Q Standard Drum Fan. These specialized fans are designed for high temperatures and include resettable thermal shutoff switches.
Also, their motors are permanently sealed and were designed to run with less power needed which means that the motor doesn't get as hot.
Read Also: What Are The Best Low Profile Ceiling Fans?
Our Reviews of the Best Industrial Drum Fans
Our top pick goes to the Tornado drum fan mostly because it is one of the quietest barrel fans on the market.
With it's ultra-light aluminum fan blades and bearing-style motor—Tornado has reduced its noise by 40%.
The Tornado drum fan also has great portability with two wheels, two handles, and a 360-degree tilting capability.
The Tornado has 3-speeds with a high speed of 7,800-cfm, medium is 6000-cfm, and low is 4000-cfm.
- 40% quieter with bearing-style motor
- 24-inches with aluminum blades
- 360-degree tilting ability
- 2 wheels and 2 handles for max portability
- Complaints of under-performance for air flow
- Complaints of louder than expected
The Maxx Air BF60 is a premium industrial drum fan with an air flow rating of 19,000-cfm on high.
Use this high velocity fan to keep your room cool and dry — great for garages, gyms, barns, or other heavily used areas.
This fan 60-inch fan is belt-driven to improve performance and to make it much quieter.
And it is a 3/4-hp PSC motor with thermal protection for enhanced power and safety.
The BF60 is made of 22-gauge steel and a powder-coated housing for a tough durability.
- 22-gauge powder coated steel
- 19,000-cfm high speed
- Belt driven for quiet operation
- Dual ball bearing drive
- Somewhat loud
This 30-inch barrel fan Ventamatic MaxxAir brand is a premium drum fan for any residential or industrial application.
It features a 1/3-hp thermally protected PSC motor for optimal performance.
The BF30's is dual speed with a high fan speed of 5500-cfm.
It includes a handle for easy portability and powder-coated grills for rust resistance.
This MaxxAir high velocity barrel fan includes dual ball bearings and a reinforced steel motor mounts.
- 2-speeds (high of 5500-cfm)
- Handle
- 1/3-hp PSC motor
- Dual ball bearings
- Only 2 speeds
This industrial 1/2-hp drum fan by Q standard is a top choice for your basement, barn, porch, or warehouse.
It features 30-inch blades and is direct drive (no belt) so it can operate at a higher capactiy.
The high speed in cubic feet per minute is 9100-cfm (high) and 7000-cfm (low).
It includes a re-settable high temperature thermal shutoff and is designed to withstand higher temperatures.
This Q Standard drum fan is built to be rugged and dependable with permanently sealed bearings.
The direct drive requires less power and minimal maintenance.
- High speed of 9100-cfm
- Direct drive (less power needed)
- 1/2-hp & sealed bearings
- Designed for high temperatures
- Complaints of shipping damage (dents)
This powerful drum fan by XPower moves an impressive 9500-cfm with its 1/2-hp motor.
Use this fan to ventilate your basement, warehouse, enclosed porch, or other large room.
At high speed, this barrel fan only uses a low 1.8-amps which means you don't need a dedicated circuit.
The motor is permanently sealed and has a high temp safety shutoff switch.
This XPower drum fan has handles and wheels for easy portability.
The XPower barrel fan is safety certified and meets OSHA requirements.
- 9500-cfm on high
- Low amp draw on high
- Handles & wheels
- 1/2-hp motor (sealed)
- Pricey