Why Are Ceiling Fans So Expensive? (10 Reasons)

 

A ceiling fan can offer a lot of benefits to a room.

Depending on what type of ceiling fan you have, it can keep a room cool as well as provide plenty of light.

If you’re thinking of having a ceiling fan installed in your home, then you may be surprised at the prices that you see.

Considering that ceiling fans are just fans on your ceiling, you may wonder why they come at such a high cost.

 

Why Are Ceiling Fans So Expensive? (10 Reasons)

 

The average price of a ceiling fan is $500 with some even costing over $800.

Ceiling fans are expensive due to their size, manufacturing costs, and the different features that they offer.

Let’s look at these factors in more detail.

 

1. Size

 

The size of the fan certainly plays a factor in its price.

When it comes to fans, you have all sorts of different sizes to choose from.

Some are on the smaller side and use short blades.

These are most effective in smaller rooms unless they’re built with a high-powered motor.

If so, they might also be ideal for larger rooms.

In most cases, however, larger rooms tend to do best with larger ceiling fans.

Fans with larger blades are able to move air around a larger room more efficiently.

Because the fan is larger, however, it requires more materials to produce.

Due to the higher production costs, the manufacturer has to sell the fan at a higher price.

That’s why you’ll often find that fans with large blades tend to be more expensive than fans with thin or small blades.

They’re more expensive to make.

Ceiling fans are expensive when they’re large.

 

2. Noise Reduction Features

 

A problem some people have with their ceiling fans is that they generate noise.

Whenever the fan turns on, you might hear the whirring of the blades.

The sound becomes louder when ceiling fans start to break down.

Low-quality and cheap fans typically emit more noise than high-quality and expensive ceiling fans.

That’s because they tend to break faster.

This is because they don’t always have the best bearings.

When the bearings deteriorate, the ceiling fan starts to wobble.

The wobbling, as well as the sound of the bearings, is what generates noise.

Manufacturers of high-quality ceiling fans, on the other hand, tend to spend more money on making exceptional bearings.

The bearings last longer, and they don’t emit a lot of noise from the start.

Not only does this ensure your ceiling fan won’t start to wobble any time soon, but it also keeps the noise to a minimum.

That can be an important feature for some people.

Some brands use that feature as a marketing ploy.

They know that some people are more willing to pay extra to ensure their fans aren’t noisy.

The cost of producing ceiling fans with noise reduction features is also higher since it usually means the company is using more expensive materials in the production of the fan.

Those costs also add to the price of the fan.

Ceiling fans are expensive when they offer noise reduction features.

 

3. Remote Controlled

 

Another feature that can make some ceiling fans quite expensive is whether they’re remote-controlled or not.

The ability to turn your ceiling fan on and off with a click of a button is convenient.

Some ceiling fans might even have technology that links them to your phone.

That enables you to turn the fan on and off even if you’re not at home.

If it’s a hot day and you’re still at work, then you can turn on the fan at home to start cooling down the house.

By the time you arrive home, you can walk into a nice, cool room.

Obviously, remote-controlled ceiling fans are going to be a bit more expensive than standard fans.

They require more technology and production.

Fans with simple remote controls typically just need a sensor that connects the fan to the remote.

For something more advanced like connecting to your smartphone, the fan usually needs some form of smart technology.

The more advanced the fan is, the more expensive it is to produce.

That results in a more expensive price tag.

Ceiling fans are expensive because the cost of producing advanced, remote-controlled fans is expensive.

 

4. Motor Quality

 

The quality of the motor inside the fan can also make it expensive.

A ceiling fan runs because of the motor inside it.

The motor rotates the fan’s blades which produce cool air.

Low-quality fans tend to have cheap motors.

The motors are made of cheap materials and don’t last very long.

You often have to replace the motor or fan entirely.

It’s usually a cheaper option just to replace the fan.

Other ceiling fans use more expensive motors.

Manufacturers will use high-quality materials to ensure their motors last a long time.

Motors aren’t always the cheapest thing to produce either.

They need to have an electrical system that powers them to perform a mechanical motion to make the blades move.

Anything that requires movement is going to deteriorate with time.

Since some companies focus on making long-lasting fans, they need to invest quite heavily in their motors.

Because the cost of making the motors is more expensive, they must put a higher price on their motors to offset that cost.

Ceiling fans are expensive because some of them use high-quality, durable motors.

 

5. Energy Efficiency

 

The cost of running your ceiling fan likely matters to you.

The last thing you want is for your fan to end up being a drain on your finances.

As such, some fan manufacturers invest in technology and materials that make running the ceiling fan energy efficient.

However, the cost of making an energy-efficient ceiling fan isn’t always cheap.

It usually involves using materials that are more expensive than the company would prefer.

Since they’re taking on higher costs, they’re going to sell their fans at higher prices.

An energy-efficient fan is also marketable.

Consumers typically like the idea of buying something that is going to be less expensive to use in the long run.

They’ll save money on their energy bills by buying an energy-efficient product.

Some people also rely on ceiling fans instead of air conditioners to cool their homes.

As such, they want to ensure that the ceiling fan doesn’t increase their energy bills by too much.

Since it provides a cost-saving benefit, people are more willing to pay a more expensive price for it.

That allows companies to put an expensive price tag on their products, too.

Ceiling fans are expensive when they’re energy efficient.

 

6. Luxury Item

 

Some people also see ceiling fans as luxury items.

In homes that have air conditioning, ceiling fans are often hung for aesthetic purposes.

They’re rarely used.

Others might use their ceiling fans sparingly.

Because of that, some ceiling fans are non-essential to some households.

People simply buy them because they want to fill up some of the open space on a ceiling.

A ceiling fan can be as decorative as it can be practical.

Others who don’t have air conditioning tend to rely on ceiling fans more.

To them, ceiling fans are essential.

For those who don’t find ceiling fans essential, buying one may seem like a luxury purchase.

A luxury item is something that you don’t necessarily need, but it can improve your life or perceived status.

It gives you a feeling of prestige.

Luxury ceiling fans may be great at doing their job, but they’re considered works of art more than anything.

These types of ceiling fans tend to be more expensive because they’re artistic in nature.

The company may have hired an actual artist to design the fan.

Ceiling fans are expensive because some of them are luxurious.

 

7. Light Bulbs

 

Another big factor that can make a ceiling fan expensive is whether it has light bulbs or not.

Some ceiling fans just offer cooling benefits.

Others double as a light.

The ceiling fans that also double as a light tend to be more expensive than just standard ceiling fans.

The reason that ceiling fans that come with lights are more expensive is due to manufacturing costs.

It costs less to make a standard ceiling fan.

When you want to put lights on it, then you need more parts and machinery.

The production of the ceiling fan becomes more complex.

The cost of owning a ceiling fan is also more expensive when it has lights on it.

For one, those lightbulbs burn out over time.

You need to replace the bulbs.

That’s an added cost of owning a ceiling fan that you have to keep paying.

Lights might also increase your energy bill.

It takes more power to run a ceiling fan with lights since you have electricity going both to the motor and to the lights.

As such, between the increased cost of the fan and the costs of owning it, ceiling fans with lights tend to be on the expensive side.

Ceiling fans are expensive when they also have lights.

 

8. Rotational Fans

 

The different directions that your fan blades can rotate can also increase its price.

The cheapest ceiling fans may only go in one direction.

They typically don’t go clockwise and counterclockwise.

This can be a problem if your home has fluctuating temperatures.

For example, one direction is better at cooling down a room while another is better at distributing heat.

Some fans also come with different fan heads.

Those heads might rotate on a swivel to circulate the air more efficiently.

The more rotational options that a fan has, the more expensive it is.

Ceiling fans are expensive when they offer different rotation speeds and features.

 

9. Fan Material

 

The materials that the fan is made of can also influence its price.

Cheap fans tend to use plastic.

More expensive fans will use more lush materials like wood or variants of wood.

Wood is more expensive because it’s a natural resource.

The type of wood that a fan is made of can make some fans even more expensive than others.

For example, if a fan uses a rare type of wood, then it’s likely going to be quite expensive.

Fans that use more common types of wood are going to be on the cheaper side.

Wood is expensive because it requires more labor to cut and process.

It’s also seen as more luxurious.

Plastic fans are cheaper since manufacturers can make the plastic they need in their factories.

Ceiling fans are expensive when they’re made of wood or more expensive materials.

 

10. Outdoor Versus Indoor Fans

 

A final factor that makes ceiling fans expensive is when they’re made for outdoor use.

Ceiling fans made for patios or porches tend to be more expensive because they use outdoor-friendly materials or coatings.

Waterproofing, for example, is important in outdoor ceiling fans.

Since that requires manufacturers to add more steps to production, which equates to more cost, they’re going to sell their fans at higher prices to offset those higher costs.

Outdoor fans also have several features that you won’t find on indoor fans.

Because they need to be more durable, they are made of more expensive materials.

Ceiling fans are expensive when they’re made for outdoor use.