4. Honeywell Dual-Action Air-Circulator Fan

$32.99 at Newegg.com

Whether you’re heating or cooling, there is one affordable addition that can improve your efficiency without much added cost: a really good room fan.

Energy-efficiency can’t usually be achieved if air isn’t moving and the implementation of a good fan can make a significant difference in how evenly a home’s heat is distributed. Whether you choose to use the fan in the same room as a fireplace or wood-stove to move warm air to other areas of the home or you forgo traditional air-conditioning just a few weeks longer in favor of a reliable system of fans, air-circulation is cheap and very do-it-yourself. The Honeywell High Velocity Dual Action Air Circulator Fan is built to do both, and with its straight-forward design and flexible features, it was put right to work in our home.

The fan is actually two fans in one–the sturdy upright base houses two small fans that work independently of one another. Both fans have a "low," "high," and "off" setting, and they pivot 90 degrees. It’s possible to cool two people sitting at different ends of a room or to move heat completely through a very large room with just these fans.

The "Turbo Force Power" is fancy talk for "effective." The fans put out a lot of air for how small they are. We also instantly took to how hushed they were and found that they could be put in a quiet office or nursery with no noise disturbance to speak of. The fan is virtually maintenance-free, but if you get motivated to clean it, the fan grilles are removable. This air circulator is sleek-looking and will easily replace the awkward styling of your typical pedestal stand or box fan. 

Since the goal of air circulation is to make a little heat (or cooling) go a long way, there is no end to the potential for “greening” your home with these fans. With a very low operating cost and an initial investment that most households can afford, this fan can compliment and streamline the energy plan of any home right away.