Whether you want to curb down the moisture or eliminate four odors in your bathroom, an exhaust fan plays a significant role in keeping your bathroom fresh. But having an efficient bathroom also comes with certain cons, and one of them is the loud noise it creates.
The loud roaring sound from the fan is not only annoying, but it also ruins the peaceful showering experience. So you want to get rid of your old exhaust? And find the best quiet bathroom exhaust fan? Well, finding the quiet bathroom exhaust is really tricky as efficiency and low noise doesn’t get hand in hand.
Top 5 Quiet Bathroom Exhaust Fans:
| Name | Author's Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 
|
Broan-NuTone QTXE080 | ||
  |
BV BV-BF-01 | ||
  |
Tech Drive Super-Quiet | ||
 
|
Delta BreezSlim SLM80 | ||
 
|
Win Air 14-13A |
After a lot of research, our team has found out the top five quiet bathroom exhaust fans that can serve as an efficient replacement of your old exhaust. Not only do these bathroom exhaust fans maintain a low sound level, but they also strike an excellent balance between fan capacity and cost.
Top 5 Best Quiet Bathroom Exhaust Fans Reviews 2020
1. BV BV-BF-01 – Budget-friendly Quiet (0.8 Sone) Bathroom Exhaust fan
The best part of this high power fan is that it only makes 0.8 Sones sound level when it is running at full speed, thus ensuring a peaceful environment while you do your chores. On top of it, this exhaust also incorporates a Silent clever technology in its motor that has helped the system to curb down noise by a large margin.
A great thing about this exhaust is that it treats you with a terrific performance by just consuming 24-watt of energy. Plus, this device comes with Energy Star certification that proves the company’s claim to use a low amount of energy. You can entirely rely on the durability and performance of this product because it comes with HVI-2100 and UL certification.
The beautifully designed grill with a white color scheme makes this exhaust fan an ideal addition in any bathroom, whether it has traditional or modern decor. You won’t ever get a chance to question its durability, and the stainless steel housing serves as the primary proof.
If you have an old exhaust housing space, then you might have to make some adjustments as it requires a 9X9.5X7.5inch opening with a 4inch duct hole. Importantly, you will one-year limited warranty coverage and that too, with comprehensive technical support.
2. Broan-NuTone QTXE080 – Quiet (0.3 Sones) Bathroom Exhaust Fan
Despite such terrific exhaust performance, it only makes an 0.3 Sone sound level and ensures an almost noiseless operation for all your daily bathroom chores. The AC motor is meticulously engineered and lubricated so that it can work continuously without making any harsh noise. Importantly, it packs a massive 6inch duct for optimum air movement without any interruption.
Even though it can easily remove moisture from a mid-size bathroom, but it only consumes a minimal amount of energy during the operation. It is also Energy Star certified, so you can stay assured you won’t have a huge energy bill even if you use it for long hours on a daily basis.
In addition to Energy Star, this high quality silent exhaust fan for bathroom also gets HVI certification that indicates you can put your trust in its reliability. When it comes to looks, it flaunts a square structure with Polymeric white grille that blends with most of the decors.
QTXE080 is one of those exhaust fans that can be mounted over showers or bathtubs when you hook it with a GFCI protected branch circuit. The installation process is really straightforward, and you can easily fit in a 2X8inch ceiling space.
The hanger bar system makes the mounting process more straightforward as you have to adjust the bar for easy fitting. With corrosion-resistant galvanized steel housing, the exhaust fan can run for a long time without getting affected by moisture.
3. Tech Drive Super-Quiet – Top Quality Quiet Bathroom Exhaust Fan
You will be surprised by the fact it only oozes out 0.3 sones sound level, which makes it one of the best ultra silent bathroom exhaust fans. However, its quiet operation doesn’t affect its performance because it delivers 70 CFM flow capacity to cater up to a bathroom of 75-80 sq ft.
Surprisingly, this quiet bathroom fan only consumes 24-watt of power, which is unbelievable for a powerful fan of high capacity. To prove its energy efficiency, this fan also comes Energy Star certification that indicates low power consumption. It is also UL and HVI certified that ensure that it would run for a long time without compromising on the performance.
Geared with a low profile grill assembly, it easily blends in the ceiling of your bathroom while spreading fresh air throughout that bathroom. Unlike ordinary models, it features a sizeable 4inch duct that easily pulls out moisture from every corner and checks the growth of mold and mildew.
With steel plate housing, Tech Drive TD-BF-06 promises to work in your bathroom for many years without lowering down the performance. Plus, it comes with a 2-years limited warranty that gives you the confidence to use it according to your requirement freely. You won’t have to worry about the installation because it comes with all the necessary plates and screws for easy fitting.
However, for proper placement, it will need a 9inchX9inchX7.6inch ceiling space and a large hole for the 4inch duct. Unsurprisingly, it is also compatible with installation over shower or bathtub, but only when it is connected with GFCI protected branch circuit.
4. Delta BreezSlim SLM80 – Quiet Bathroom Exhaust Bath Fan
This powerful motor puts out 80 CFM airflow capacity to easily move a large volume of fresh air in a bathroom up to the size of 80sq ft. This DC fan is built to perform, and that is why it can run continuously for a maximum of 70000hours, meaning it can last for a decade without degrading the performance.
With excellent performance, you will also enjoy a high energy-efficient operation as it saves up to 85% so that you won’t have to spend a considerable amount of energy bill. To prove its energy efficiency, this exhaust fan also flaunts an Energy Star certification from EPA.
With super quiet fans like this unit, you might think that it is not working, and that is why it gets a LED indicator underneath the fan. Like others, it also has UL certification, but what sets it apart is the ASHRAE 62.2 compliance. Maintenance won’t be a massive issue as you can easily unmount the grille to clean the fan.
However, Delta BreezSlim SLM80 gets an ordinary body design with a white grille that may not make any design statement but blends well in every ceiling. The slim body profile helps it to accommodate in standard exhaust space, but it will need a 4inch hole for fitting the oval duct.
The best part is that you can either install it to the ceiling or place it on the wall depending upon your requirement. It may be light in weight, but top-quality metal housing ensures that it won’t get affected by tarnish or corrosion even after years of usage.
5. Win Air 14-13A
– Quiet Bathroom Exhaust Fan
However, if you have a bathroom whose size is more than 90sq ft, then we would suggest avoiding this model as it won’t give you the optimum performance. An advantage of installing this exhaust fan is that you can do all your tasks peacefully as this motor reduces moisture and humidity by just making 0.3 Sones. Plus, the engine is specially designed with 100% copper and a high turbo fan that plays a significant role in deciding the performance.
With such terrific performance, Win Air Ultra Quiet 14-13A only consumes 18-watt of power, which is a really great figure for any exhaust fan. Geared with a 4inch duct size, you can expect it to cover every corner of your bathroom and maintain a fresh environment throughout the day. It will not only impress you with its energy-saving capability but also reliability, and this is why this fan gets UL, HVI 2100, and Energy Star certification.
The square size dimension of 9 X 9 X 8inches makes thi unit easy to fit in almost all the standard exhaust housing in the ceiling. However, it will need a more prominent outlet opening in the wall as it comes with a 4inch duct.
The high impact steel housing padded with galvanized brackets makes sure that the exhaust stays intact in the ceiling without getting affected by moisture or heavy usage. What makes this unique? The designer styled white grill that you mostly see in the highest quality quiet bath fans.
What Does a Near Silent Bathroom Exhaust Fan Mean?
A near-silent bathroom exhaust fan can be described as a device that makes 0.5 Sones or less when running at full swing. These bathroom exhausts utilize top-of-the-line fans that work in such a manner that they get the job done without making any sound.
They work so silently that some manufacturer has incorporated indicator lights to show that it is doing its job. Having such a fan not only will assist you in maintaining a fresh environment but also facilitate you to take a shower peacefully.
Generally, a silent bathroom exhaust comes with a sound rating lower than 1.0 sones level, and the criteria remain the same even when you go for a big exhaust fan. Almost every house owner in the US prefers to have a silent exhaust in their bathroom rather than loud fans with a sound rating of more than 2.0 Sones.
However, some of the quiet exhausts tend to get louder with time, so you should keep this fact in your mind when choosing a particular model. So getting brushless fans for exhaust can solve the issue because this fan type maintains the sound level even after years of usage.
How Does a Quiet Bathroom Exhaust Fan Work?
An ultra-quiet bathroom exhaust fan works in the same manner as any other exhaust fan in the market. Unlike others, it utilizes premium-level motors like brushless DC motor or ECM controller motor to create a noiseless operation.
These motors come with specialized hardware that helps them to create a high CFM while keeping the noise level below 1.0 Sones. These quiet exhaust systems also make use of high-quality fan blades that play a crucial role in keeping the noise at a minimal level.
Even though they make a low sound, they put out a high performance to take out all the unnecessary moisture and four odors from the bathroom. Most noise-free bathroom exhaust systems are geared with a sizeable 4inch duct instead of a 3inch duct system in ordinary models.
With the help of the significant duct, the fan comfortably takes out a large amount of air without requiring much power; thus, it is able to maintain low noise. According to different experts, nowadays, some premium exhaust fans are coming with extra padded guards that are helping the motor to curb down the noise by a good margin.
An ultra-quiet bathroom exhaust will start making sound over the years if you don’t maintain them at regular intervals. The motors should be lubricated while the blade should be cleaned so that they can work seamlessly without making any harsh noise. However, you should remember that if you have an old exhaust and it doesn’t make a loud sound, then the motor is not working to its full potential.
How You can Install a Quiet Bathroom Fan Yourself?
The installation process of a quiet exhaust fan in the bathroom is really straightforward, and you won’t need to hire a professional to install the fan. If you have an old exhaust fan in your bathroom, then you first need to unmount it from the ceiling or wall. While removing the old fan, you should adequately unplug the wires and try to replace old cables if they have worn out.
Before mounting the new quiet bathroom exhaust system in the existing cutout, you should check the fan and duct size as noise-free fans often get a unique dimension. If the new system doesn’t match the old cut, you will have to make some adjustments in the cut-out or make a new hole to fit the system properly.
Most of the quiet bathroom fans get a 4inch duct so you will make adjustments to the wall hole to fit the new duct properly. Remember, try to fit the new duct in such a way that it has a minimal twist; otherwise, it would create a lot of sounds.
Now it is time to mount the new exhaust system in the cutout and secure it with the help of the mountable bracket system it gets. Almost every exhaust system comes with a bracket system with adjustable wings, and you can easily secure them to the ceiling or wall with screws.
After securing the bracket, now you need to hook the electrical wire to the existing wire of the power switch. However, if your exhaust comes with a separate switch for fan and light, then you might need to introduce a new wire for operating the light.
Once all the fitting has been done, you will have to seal all the places to prevent air leaks, and you can do it by using a caulking gun. However, if you don’t have a caulking gun, then you can use foil or any kind of tape to seal the place. Now, if you are using any additional cover, then you can reinstall it and secure it with clips or screws.
After all the installation process is complete, now you will have to switch on the exhaust to check whether it is working correctly or not. To check the suction capability, you can put any kind of light paper near the grill and assess the power.
How to Choose the Best Quietest Bathroom Fan?
Picking the best quietest bath fan may seem in the first place, but you need to consider various factors to decide it. For your convenience, we have listed all the vital considerations so that you can easily find the best one:
Sound Rating(Sone)
The first thing that you need to consider is the Sone rating, and for the quietest operation, we would suggest you go below 0.5 Sones. According to experts, a bath fan with a sound score below 1.0 Sone will offer quiet service.
So it entirely depends upon the sound level you find it tolerable while you are using the bathroom. However, the price of the exhaust goes higher when you go for a lower sound rating. Plus, you should stick to reputed brands as cheap quality brands often showcase fake sound ratings.
CFM
The sound level of an exhaust fan and CFM goes hand in hand, and if you go for high CFM, then you are more likely to get high noise. So a noise-less bathroom exhaust fan with CFM around 120 might not give you a sound rating lower than 0.5. Check the guide to calculate CFM.
But if it offers somewhere between 0.6-1.0, then you shouldn’t hesitate to choose that model. However, you should consider CFM based on your bathroom’s size and maintain coherence as there is no use to get high CFM for a small bathroom.
Installation Space and Convenience
When you are getting an exhaust fan, you should consider the size of the installation space on the wall or ceiling. If you have an old 2X4inch housing space, then a modern, quiet bathroom exhaust might not fit in that space. Plus, they come with a large duct, so it will require you more space for accommodating the tube.
Along with space, you should check whether the exhaust fan is easy to install or not. A unit that requires professional assistance will increase the cost of ownership.
Energy Efficiency
Another factor you need to take into account is energy efficiency; otherwise, you will have to spend a massive amount of money on energy bills. Always look for high energy efficiency and energy certified exhaust fans because they ensure optimum performance with low energy consumption.
Cost Factor
Lastly, you should think about the costing of the quiet exhaust because of the price increases with the quietness level. If you are short on budget, then getting an exhaust with a sound rating below 0.5 Sones may be a problem as they are generally expensive.
How Quiet Bathroom Exhaust Fans are Different Than Other Bathroom Fans?
An ultra-quiet bathroom exhaust fan is similar to any other bath fan, but what makes them different is the low Sone sound rating they achieve. Even when they are in full swing, they don’t make any sound or vibration like others. Unlike ordinary bath fans, they come loaded with top-end features like humidity sensors that automatically start working when it senses that the humidity is above an acceptable level.
Some models even feature a lighting facility that serves as a great additional light source, especially when you want to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. Nowadays, few top-end models come equipped with heaters so that you won’t feel discomfort in chilly mornings.
Where to Buy the Quietest Bathroom Exhaust Fan?
Well, there are many places where you can get the best and quietest bathroom exhaust fan, but if you want our recommendation, then we would suggest Amazon. Not only will you find numerous options and brands, but you will also get to explore numerous reviews posted by users.
They will deliver the product to your doorstep, and if you are satisfied with the product, then you can quickly return it to them without paying any extra charge. On Amazon, you can easily compare products based on their specification and reviews, which is not always possible if you visit an electronics store.
Conclusion
Having the best quiet bathroom exhaust fan can change the whole scenario in your bathroom as it will ensure a fresh environment and maintain a peaceful surrounding. While showering or doing your morning routines, you won’t get annoyed by the noisy operation of fans.
Our team has carefully picked five top quiet bathroom exhaust fans that can eliminate stale air and moisture while working silently.
There are numerous brands that promise to offer silent fans, but when you install them, they tend to make a lot of noise. However, this isn’t the case with the fans we have selected because units like Broan-NuTone QTXE080 can cater to a large bathroom while maintaining a 0.3 Sones sound level.
All the models in this list are exceptionally quiet, and you won’t even notice even when they are in full swing. So we hope our guide will help you to locate the appropriate bathroom exhaust and help you to keep your bathroom healthy and fresh.
Related Articles:
- Best Bathroom Exhaust Fans with Light and Heater
- Best Bathroom Exhaust Fan with Humidity Sensor
- Best Bathroom Exhaust Fan with Bluetooth Speaker
Pat is the former Luxury Sales Specialist of Groupe Deschenes. He has experience of 15+ years in the home improvement industry. He is now the Senior Sales Officer at The Rubinet Faucet Company.