Pick a tower fan for a bedroom or office: it oscillates, has a remote and timer, and stands on a small base. Pick a box fan to move the most air for the money, run a fan in a window or cool a garage. Lasko rates its Cool Colors 20-inch box fan at up to 1,725 CFM and its Wind Curve tower at up to 262 CFM, though the tower draws less power.
Pick a tower fan for a bedroom, office or living room where you want a quieter fan that oscillates, takes a remote and a timer, and stands on a small square of floor. Pick a box fan when you want to move the most air for the money, run a fan in a window, or cool a garage or workshop. In Lasko's own specs, its Cool Colors 20-inch box fan moves up to 1,725 CFM against 262 CFM for its 42-inch Wind Curve tower fan, while the tower draws less power.
| Spec | Lasko Wind Curve 42 in. tower fan (T42954) | Lasko Cool Colors 20 in. box fan (B20308) |
|---|---|---|
| AirflowLasko's figures; Lasko does not say how it measures CFM | Up to 262 CFM | Up to 1,725 CFM |
| Power draw | 40 W to 48 W | 56 W to 83 W |
| Noise | 39 dBA low, 55.4 dBA high | Not stated by the maker |
| Size | 41.8 in tall, 13 x 13 in base | 22.56 in tall, 21.5 in wide, 4.44 in deep |
| Weight | 10.63 lb | 7.0 lb |
| Oscillation | 60 degrees | None |
| Controls | 3 speeds, remote, 0.5 to 7.5 hr timer, Night Mode | 3 speeds on a rotary knob; no remote or timer |
| Children and petsNeither manual mentions pets | Manual: keep fingers and objects out of the grill, never leave children unattended | Manual: keep fingers and objects out of the grill, attach the feet, keep it on a stable surface |
| Window useThe instruction sheet is silent on windows; check yours | No window use described by Lasko | Lasko says its weather-resistant motor supports window placement |
| Cleaning | Vacuum the grills from outside; Lasko says do not open it | Unplug, remove the grills, wipe with a soft cloth and mild soap |
| Price on Lasko's storeAs of October 2026 | Most cost more than Lasko's box fans | Usually cheaper |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years |
| Best for | Bedrooms, offices and living rooms where a timer, remote and small footprint matter | Large rooms, garages, workshops and window use, where airflow comes first |
| Buy | Check price | Check price |
Figures from the makers' own pages and manuals: lasko.com, images.salsify.com, laskoproducts.zendesk.com.
We compared two Lasko fans you can buy today: the Wind Curve 42-inch tower fan and the Cool Colors 20-inch box fan. Lasko publishes the same spec fields for both, plus a manual for each. Every figure on this page comes from Lasko's product pages, manuals and help center as of October 2026. Other brands and models differ, so check the spec sheet of the fan you are looking at.
The two fans we compared
Lasko Wind Curve 42 in. Tower Fan (T42954)
Lasko Oscillating Tower Fan with Remote, 42 inch, Gray/Woodgrain (T42954)
The Wind Curve 42-inch tower fan is rated at up to 262 CFM and 40 W to 48 W. It stands 41.8 inches tall on a 13 by 13 inch base, weighs 10.63 pounds and oscillates through 60 degrees. It has three speeds, a remote, a timer and a Night Mode, and Lasko gives it a 1-year warranty.
Lasko Cool Colors 20 in. Box Fan (B20308)
Lasko Cool Colors 20-Inch Box Fan
The Cool Colors 20-inch box fan is rated at up to 1,725 CFM and 56 W to 83 W. It has three speeds on a knob, a steel frame with a carry handle, and a weather-resistant motor that Lasko says supports window use. It weighs 7 pounds, and Lasko gives it a 2-year warranty. Lasko's older plain box fan, the 3723, ships with the same instruction sheet.
Pick the appliance or type its watts, set the hours and your state: the cost per hour, per night and per month, before you buy.
Airflow: the box fan moves far more air
Fan makers rate airflow in CFM (cubic feet per minute), the volume of air the fan pushes. Lasko lists the Cool Colors box fan at up to 1,725 CFM, more than six times the Wind Curve tower's 262 CFM.
That gap is large enough to matter in a big room, a garage or a room you want to air out fast. If raw airflow is the goal, our guide to high CFM box fans covers the strongest options.
Treat tower fan CFM as a rough guide, though. Lasko lists the Wind Curve with ionizer (T42950) at up to 634 CFM, with the same 40 W to 48 W rating as the 262 CFM version. Lasko does not say how it measures either figure.
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Power draw and running cost
The tower fan uses less electricity. Lasko rates the Wind Curve at 40 W to 48 W and the Cool Colors box fan at 56 W to 83 W.
Per watt, the box fan still moves more air. By our arithmetic from Lasko's figures, the Cool Colors moves about 21 CFM per watt on high and the Wind Curve about 5. To put a dollar figure on your own use, enter the fan's watts, your hours and your state in our fan running cost calculator.
Noise
Lasko gives a noise rating for the tower fan: 39 dBA on low and 55.4 dBA on high. It gives none for the Cool Colors box fan, so we cannot put the two side by side on noise from maker figures.
The tower fan does have a Night Mode that dims the lights and drops the fan to low, which helps in a bedroom.
Size, weight and where each one fits
The Wind Curve is tall and narrow: 41.8 inches high on a 13 by 13 inch base, at 10.63 pounds. It fits beside a bed, a desk or a sofa without taking much floor space.
The Cool Colors box fan is 22.56 inches high, 21.5 inches across and 4.44 inches deep, and weighs 7 pounds. It is short, wide and light, with a carry handle, so it moves easily between rooms or into a window, but it takes up more of a walkway.
Controls, oscillation and timers
This is where the tower fan pulls ahead. The Wind Curve oscillates through 60 degrees, has three speeds, electronic controls on top and a remote. Its manual says the timer runs from half an hour to 7.5 hours in half-hour steps (Wind Curve operating manual).
The Cool Colors box fan has a rotary knob with three speeds and nothing else: Lasko lists no oscillation, no timer and no remote. It blows in one direction, so you aim it by moving the fan.
If you want a taller fan that oscillates but has a classic blade, our tower fan vs pedestal fan comparison covers that middle option.
Safety around children and pets
A tower fan keeps its moving parts inside a slim housing with grills front and back, while a box fan's blade sits right behind its front grill. Neither Lasko manual calls its fan safe to leave around children, and both warn against the same thing: fingers or objects through the grill.
The tower fan manual also says never to leave children unattended while the fan is on or plugged in, and to set it on a stable, flat, level surface so it does not tip over. It says to keep the remote away from chairs and beds, where someone could sit on it and switch the fan on.
The Cool Colors instruction sheet says to attach the plastic feet before use, never to run the fan with the feet missing, and to keep it on a stable surface so it cannot overturn. Neither manual mentions pets, so the same rules are the sensible ones for a dog or cat: keep the fan steady, the cord out of the way, and the fan off when nobody is around.
Window use
A box fan can double as a window fan; Lasko describes no window use for its tower fans. Lasko says the Cool Colors box fan's weather-resistant motor "supports safe window placement to pull in fresh outdoor air." For its Weather-Shield box fan motor, Lasko's help center adds that the fan can run in a window in the rain, but should come out in heavy weather, when strong wind can blow water into the motor and your home (Lasko on Weather-Shield). The same caution makes sense for the Cool Colors.
Check your own manual first. The Cool Colors instruction sheet says nothing about windows either way, and the use and care sheet linked from Lasko's Power Plus box fan page says not to use that fan "in or near a window," even though the page promises window use. If your manual says no windows, follow the manual.
If the fan will live in a window most of the summer, a fan built for it may suit you better. Our window fan vs box fan guide covers the trade-offs.
Cleaning
The two clean very differently. For a tower fan, Lasko says to vacuum the front and rear grills from the outside with a brush attachment, and to use a can of compressed air if dust remains. It advises against opening the unit, which can void the warranty (Lasko tower fan cleaning). Our guide to cleaning a Lasko tower fan walks through it.
A box fan comes apart. The Cool Colors instruction sheet says to unplug the fan before removing the grills, clean it with a soft cloth and a mild soap solution, never immerse electrical parts, and refit the grills before plugging it back in. Lasko's general box fan cleaning steps add the detail: remove the screws around the front grill, wipe the blade with a damp cloth, keep water off the motor and vacuum the back of the motor. That takes longer, but you can reach the blade itself, which you cannot do on a sealed tower.
Price
On Lasko's own store, box fans are usually cheaper than its tower fans, as of October 2026. The box fan also carries the longer warranty: Lasko gives the Cool Colors two years and the Wind Curve one.
Which one should you buy?
- Bedroom or home office: a tower fan, for the timer, remote, Night Mode and the small footprint.
- Large room, garage or workshop: a box fan, for the airflow.
- Pulling in cool night air: a box fan Lasko rates for window use, if its manual allows it.
- Tight budget: a box fan, the cheaper type on Lasko's store.
For more options across every type, see our fan guides.
Frequently asked questions
Is a tower fan or a box fan better for a bedroom?
A tower fan usually suits a bedroom better. Lasko's Wind Curve tower fan has a remote, a timer that runs from half an hour to 7.5 hours, a Night Mode that dims the lights and drops to low speed, and a 13 by 13 inch base. Lasko rates it at 39 dBA on low. The Cool Colors box fan has a three-speed knob only, and Lasko gives no noise figure for it.
Does a box fan cool better than a tower fan?
A box fan moves more air. Lasko lists its Cool Colors 20-inch box fan at up to 1,725 CFM and its Wind Curve 42-inch tower fan at up to 262 CFM. Neither fan cools the air itself: Lasko says its fans only move room-temperature air around and create a breeze effect. In a large room or a garage, the extra airflow of a box fan makes the bigger difference.
Which uses less electricity, a tower fan or a box fan?
The tower fan in our comparison draws less: Lasko rates the Wind Curve at 40 W to 48 W and the Cool Colors box fan at 56 W to 83 W. The box fan moves about four times more air for each watt, though. To see what either costs per night or per month, enter the watts, your hours and your state in our fan running cost calculator.
Can you put a box fan in a window?
Often, yes, but check your manual. Lasko says the Cool Colors box fan's weather-resistant motor supports safe window placement, and for its Weather-Shield motor it advises taking the fan out of the window in heavy weather. Lasko's paperwork is not consistent, though: the use and care sheet linked from its Power Plus box fan page says not to use that fan in or near a window. Follow your own manual.
Are tower fans safer than box fans for kids?
A tower fan keeps its moving parts inside a housing, while a box fan's blade sits right behind its front grill. Lasko's manuals do not call either one safe around children, though. Both warn against putting fingers or objects through the grill and say to keep the fan on a stable surface so it cannot tip. The tower fan manual adds that children should never be left unattended while it is on or plugged in.
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