Search for Panasonic bathroom fan sones and the number you keep finding is "under 0.3". Panasonic prints it on nearly every fan it sells, and it is true, but it is the figure at the easiest test condition, and it does not tell the six series apart. The useful numbers are on the submittal sheets, where Panasonic publishes an HVI-certified table for every model at 0.1 and 0.25 inch of static pressure, per airflow setting and often per duct size. On October 3, 2026, that came to 24 current models with published sones across the WhisperGreen Select, WhisperCeiling DC, WhisperFit DC, WhisperValue DC, WhisperWarm DC and WhisperRecessed lines.
This page lists all 24, with every figure quoted at the CFM, pressure and duct Panasonic states, ranked quietest first within each series on the 0.25-inch figure. It explains how to read a Panasonic table, what moves the number between series, and where Panasonic's web pages disagree with its own sheets. We do not rank other brands here. For how Panasonic sits beside Delta Breez and Broan-NuTone, see our quietest bathroom exhaust fans guide, which uses the same test-pressure rule. For Broan-NuTone's own range, our Broan bathroom fan sones page lists every current model's HVI-certified figure, quietest first within each series.
Our picks are listed above, with full specifications for each.
How to read a Panasonic sone table
Every current Panasonic fan has a submittal sheet with a table headed "Static Pressure in inches w.g.", and under it rows for "Air Volume (CFM)" and "Noise (sones)". The columns pair each airflow setting with a pressure: 0.1, 0.25 and usually 0.375 or 0.5 inch. Sones appear only in the 0.1 and 0.25 columns; the higher pressures carry airflow and watts but no noise figure. The architectural specification on the same sheet repeats the key figures in a sentence, such as the WhisperRecessed's "no less than 80 CFM and no more than 1.0 sone as certified by the Home Ventilation Institute (HVI) at 0.1 w.g. with no less than 66 CFM and no more than 0.8 sone at .25 w.g." Both the table and the sentence are what we quote.
Three things decide which figure applies to your bathroom. The first is the setting: Panasonic's Pick-A-Flow selector lets you choose 50, 80 or 110 CFM (or 110, 130 or 150, or 50, 80 or 100 on the WhisperValue), and the sone figure is per setting. The second is pressure. Panasonic's own sheets say "Industry research indicates static pressure in typical installations ranges from 0.20 to 0.375", so the 0.25-inch column is the one closer to your ceiling, and it is the column we rank on. The third is the duct. The WhisperGreen Select sheets carry two full tables, one for a 6-inch duct and one for 4-inch, and the figures differ at every setting. The WhisperWarm sheets say "HVI testing and certification based on 4" duct", and HVI lists the 50/80/110 WhisperCeiling DC on a 4-inch duct too. We never rank a 4-inch figure against a 6-inch one.
Sones are not decibels. Two sones sounds about twice as loud as one, and there is no reliable way to turn a sone figure into dB, so we do not try. Our explainer on sones vs decibels covers the units. HVI, which certifies Panasonic's ratings, calls 1.0 sone or less quiet and certifies nothing lower than "under 0.3", which is why that phrase appears on so many Panasonic boxes.
WhisperGreen Select, quietest first at 0.25 inch on a 6-inch duct
Panasonic's flagship line uses an ECM motor with what it calls SmartFlow: "When fan senses static pressure, its speed is automatically increased to ensure that the desired CFM is not compromised, which allows the fan to perform as rated." All eight current models are ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2024 and take Panasonic's Plug 'N Play modules: multi-speed with time delay, condensation sensor, motion sensor, a combined sensor, and a Wi-Fi module. The VKS models have the multi-speed selector pre-installed, so their tables run from 30 to 110 CFM. The six 50/80/110 models ship with an "Integrated 6" to 4" duct reducer" and are rated on both ducts.
- FV-0511VKS3S, slim grille, multi-speed: under 0.3 sone at every setting from 30 to 110 CFM at 0.25 inch, and under 0.3 at 0.1 inch. On a 4-inch duct: 0.6 sone at 110 and 100 CFM, 0.5 at 90 to 70, 0.4 at 60 and 50, 0.3 at 40 and 30 CFM at 0.25 inch.
- FV-0511VKSL3K, lighted slim grille with color-select LED, multi-speed: under 0.3 sone at 110 CFM, 0.3 at 100, and under 0.3 from 90 down to 30 CFM at 0.25 inch. On a 4-inch duct: 0.6 sone at 110 and 100 CFM, 0.5 at 90 and 80, 0.4 at 70 to 50, 0.3 at 40 and 30 CFM.
- FV-0511VKL3, lighted: 0.3 sone at every setting from 110 down to 40 CFM and under 0.3 at 30 CFM at 0.25 inch. On a 4-inch duct: 0.7 sone at 110 to 70 CFM, 0.6 at 60 and 50, 0.5 at 40, 0.4 at 30.
- FV-0511VKSL3, lighted, multi-speed: the same table as the VKL3 on both ducts.
- FV-0511VK3, fan only: 0.3 sone at 110 to 60 CFM, 0.4 at 50, under 0.3 at 40 and 30 CFM at 0.25 inch. On a 4-inch duct: 0.8 sone at 110 CFM, 0.7 at 100 to 60, 0.6 at 50 to 30.
- FV-0511VKS3, fan only, multi-speed: the same table as the VK3 on both ducts.
- FV-1115VK3, 110/130/150 CFM, 6-inch duct only: 0.7 sone at 150 CFM, 0.4 at 130, 0.3 at 120, under 0.3 at 110, 100 and 90, 0.3 at 80 to 60 and 0.4 at 50 CFM at 0.25 inch. At 0.1 inch, 0.3 sone at 150 CFM and under 0.3 below.
- FV-1115VKL3, 110/130/150 CFM with light: 0.8 sone at 150 CFM, 0.5 at 130, 0.4 at 120 and 0.3 from 110 down to 50 CFM at 0.25 inch. At 0.1 inch, 0.4 sone at 150 CFM and under 0.3 below.
At 0.1 inch, every 50/80/110 WhisperGreen Select is under 0.3 sone at every setting on both ducts. The slim-grille models are the only 50/80/110 Panasonic fans that keep under 0.3 sone at 110 CFM when the pressure rises to 0.25 inch (the FV-1115VK3 and the WhisperCeiling DC FV-1115VQ1 also manage it on their 110 setting), and the price of that figure is a 6-inch duct: on 4-inch, the same two fans are 0.6 sone.
WhisperCeiling DC, quietest first at 0.25 inch
The WhisperCeiling DC is the simpler ECM fan, with the same Pick-A-Flow selector, an "integrated dual 4" or 6" diameter duct adapter" on the 50/80/110 models and a 6-inch duct on the 150 CFM models. Panasonic publishes one table per model rather than one per duct. For the FV-0511VQ1 and FV-0511VQL1 the performance curve is drawn for a 4-inch duct and the HVI directory lists them on 4-inch, so that is the duct we assign their figures to. The 150 CFM pair are listed on 6-inch.
- FV-1115VQ1, 110/130/150 CFM: under 0.3 sone at 110 CFM, 0.5 at 131 and 0.7 at 152 CFM at 0.25 inch; under 0.3 sone at all three settings at 0.1 inch. Its 0.7 at the 150 setting ties the WhisperGreen Select FV-1115VK3, and at 0.1 inch it is the only 150 CFM Panasonic under 0.3 sone on its top setting.
- FV-1115VQL1, 110/130/150 CFM with light: 0.5 sone at 110 CFM, 0.7 at 131 and 0.8 at 144 CFM at 0.25 inch; under 0.3, under 0.3 and 0.5 sone at 110, 130 and 150 CFM at 0.1 inch.
- FV-0511VQ1, 50/80/110 CFM: 0.4 sone at 53 CFM, 0.6 at 83 and 0.9 at 111 CFM at 0.25 inch, on a 4-inch duct; under 0.3 sone at every setting at 0.1 inch.
- FV-0511VQL1, 50/80/110 CFM with light: 0.4 sone at 50 CFM, 0.6 at 83 and 0.9 at 110 CFM at 0.25 inch, on a 4-inch duct; under 0.3, under 0.3 and 0.4 sone at 50, 80 and 110 CFM at 0.1 inch.
Set beside the WhisperGreen Select on the same 4-inch duct, the 50/80/110 WhisperCeiling DC is 0.9 sone at the top setting where the WhisperGreen Selects run 0.6 to 0.8. Set beside each other, the 50/80/110 pair carry the same 0.25-inch figures, and the light shows up only at 0.1 inch, where the VQL1 is 0.4 sone at 110 CFM against under 0.3. The 150 CFM pair differ more: 0.7 against 0.8 sone on the top setting at 0.25 inch, and under 0.3 against 0.5 sone at 110 CFM. Our guide to the quietest bathroom fans with a light covers what the night lights and sensors on these fixtures do after dark.
WhisperFit DC, quietest first at 0.25 inch on a 4-inch duct
The WhisperFit DC is Panasonic's retrofit fan: a 5-5/8-inch-deep housing for 2x6 ceilings, "4" diameter duct with optional 3" adapter included", and the same ECM motor. Panasonic rates it on both duct sizes, and the 3-inch figures are a warning about adapters.
- FV-0511VF1, fan only: 0.4 sone at 50 CFM, 0.8 at 80 and 1.2 at 111 CFM at 0.25 inch; under 0.3, 0.3 and 0.8 sone at 50, 80 and 110 CFM at 0.1 inch. On a 3-inch duct: 0.9 sone at 51 CFM, 1.4 at 81 and 1.5 at 94 CFM at 0.25 inch, and 2.0 sones at 110 CFM at 0.1 inch.
- FV-0511VFC1, with condensation sensor: the same table as the VF1 on both ducts.
- FV-0511VFL1, with dimmable LED light: 0.4 sone at 51 CFM, 0.7 at 82 and 1.3 at 110 CFM at 0.25 inch; under 0.3, 0.3 and 1.0 sone at 50, 80 and 110 CFM at 0.1 inch. On a 3-inch duct: 0.7 sone at 51 CFM, 1.3 at 80 and 1.4 at 89 CFM at 0.25 inch.
So the lighted WhisperFit is lower on the 80 setting and higher on the 110 setting than its fan-only siblings, which is why the ranking above depends on the setting you will use. One more thing to know: the VFL1 submittal we read says "HVI and ENERGY STAR certifications for WhisperFit DC FV-0511VFL1 are pending", while HVI's directory now lists the model with these figures.
The WhisperValue DC is 3-3/8 inches deep, built for 2x4 ceilings and walls, and ducted through a "Built-in 4" Oval duct collar" that also takes 4-inch round. Panasonic calls it "the lowest profile ENERGY STAR rated ventilation fan available". Its seven current models share one HVI table, so there is no ranking to do within the series:
- FV-0510VS1 (fan only), FV-0510VSC1 (condensation sensor), FV-0510VSL1 (LED light) and FV-0510VSCL1 (light and sensor), all 50/80/100 CFM: under 0.3, 0.4 and 0.9 sone at 50, 80 and 100 CFM at 0.1 inch; 0.5, 0.8 and 1.3 sones at about 52, 81 and 100 CFM at 0.25 inch (Panasonic's sheets give 52 or 53 CFM for the low setting and 100 or 101 for the top).
- FV-0810VSS1 (multi-speed) and FV-0810VSSL1 (multi-speed with light), 80/100 CFM plus continuous settings: 0.9 sone at 100 CFM, 0.4 at 80 and under 0.3 from 70 down to 30 CFM at 0.1 inch; 1.3 sones at 101 CFM, 0.8 at 81, 0.6 at 72 and 64, and 0.5 at 52, 41 and 31 CFM at 0.25 inch.
The multi-speed pair matter if you want continuous ventilation in a shallow ceiling: their 30 to 70 CFM settings stay at 0.5 or 0.6 sone at 0.25 inch. Their product pages print "0.06 sones" for the 70 CFM setting at 0.25 inch, which is a typo; the submittal and the HVI directory both say 0.6. For a powder room in a shallow ceiling, our guide to the quietest bathroom fans for small bathrooms picks the WhisperFit DC for a 2x6 ceiling or a 3-inch duct and the WhisperValue DC for a 2x4.
WhisperWarm DC, the heater fans
Both WhisperWarm DC models carry a "1600W Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater", need a "Minimum 20 Amp dedicated circuit" and are, in Panasonic's words, "not intended for installation over a tub/shower enclosure". HVI tested them on a 4-inch duct, and there is no ENERGY STAR category for a fan heater.
- FV-0511VHL1, with light: under 0.3, under 0.3 and 0.7 sone at 50, 80 and 110 CFM at 0.1 inch; 0.7 sone at 52 CFM, 1.0 at 81 and 1.5 at 111 CFM at 0.25 inch.
- FV-0511VH1, fan and heater only: the same 0.1-inch figures; 0.8 sone at 51 CFM, 1.0 at 82 and 1.5 at 112 CFM at 0.25 inch.
The two are a tenth of a sone apart on one setting and identical elsewhere. What a buyer should notice is the 1.5 sones at the top setting at 0.25 inch, at least five times the figure of a slim-grille WhisperGreen Select at the same airflow and pressure. If you want heat on a few cold mornings, a quieter fan plus another heat source is the trade worth considering.
WhisperRecessed, the one that gets quieter under load
The WhisperRecessed FV-08VRE2 hides the fan behind a 6-inch recessed light trim with a replaceable 8 W GU24 LED lamp. It is also the one current Panasonic without an ECM motor; the submittal specifies a "Four-pole fully enclosed condenser motor". Its table reads 80 CFM and 1.0 sone at 0.1 inch, then 66 CFM and 0.8 sone at 0.25 inch, with the note "0.25 = Installed Performance". The sone figure falls because the airflow falls; the DC fans hold their airflow as pressure rises, which is why their sones climb. Its 1.0 sone at 0.1 inch is the highest box rating in Panasonic's current range.
The duct. On the WhisperGreen Select, the same fan at 110 CFM and 0.25 inch is 0.3 sone on a 6-inch duct and 0.8 sone on 4-inch (FV-0511VK3), or under 0.3 and 0.6 (FV-0511VKS3S). On the WhisperFit, the 3-inch adapter turns 1.2 sones at 111 CFM into 1.5 sones at 94 CFM.
The grille. Panasonic's slim-grille WhisperGreen Selects, the VKS3S and VKSL3K, are rated lower than the standard-grille VK3, VKS3, VKL3 and VKSL3 at every 0.25-inch setting on both ducts. Panasonic does not say why on the sheets; the tables simply differ.
The setting. Every multi-speed Panasonic is at its loudest on its top setting at 0.25 inch, and the gap can be large: the WhisperValue DC goes from 0.5 sone at 52 CFM to 1.3 at 101. Buying the airflow your room needs and no more is the cheapest noise upgrade in the range.
The light. On the WhisperGreen Select and the 50/80/110 WhisperCeiling DC, the lighted and fan-only versions share their 0.25-inch figures or sit a tenth apart. The one wider gap is the 150 CFM WhisperCeiling DC set to 110 CFM: under 0.3 sone without a light, 0.5 with one. The light is rarely what makes a Panasonic loud.
The heater and the housing. The two series with the highest top-setting figures, WhisperWarm DC at 1.5 sones and WhisperValue DC at 1.3, are the one with a heater in the airstream and the one squeezed into 3-3/8 inches. Depth and heat cost sones; a light costs little.
Where Panasonic's pages disagree with its sheets
Panasonic's web pages are less careful than its submittals. The WhisperWarm pages label their noise row "(50,80,110 CFM)" and then print 0.7 sone first, which reads as if the 50 CFM setting were the loud one; the airflow row on the same page runs "110, 80, 50", and the submittal table and HVI put the 0.7 and 1.5 at 110 CFM. The WhisperValue 80/100 pages print "72 @ 0.25" SP = 0.06" where the sheet says 0.6. The WhisperValue LED pages say the selector offers "50, 80, or 110 CFM" while their own tables and sheets say 100. And the current WhisperGreen Select, WhisperFit and WhisperRecessed product pages publish no sone figure at all; you have to open the submittal. We used the submittals throughout and checked every figure against HVI's directory, which agreed in every case.
Discontinued models still on Panasonic's site
Panasonic's discontinued list includes the previous WhisperGreen Select generation, the FV-0511VK2, VKS2, VKL2, VKSL2, FV-1115VK2 and FV-1115VKL2, yet product pages for several of them are still live and retailers still list them. They are not in the ranking above. If a listing shows a VK2 or VKS2 model number, it is the older fan, and its sheet is a different document from the VK3 sheets we quote.
Panasonic also sells families this page does not cover, among them the WhisperChoice, WhisperRemodel, WhisperThin, WhisperSlim, WhisperSense, WhisperMighty and the AC-motor WhisperCeiling spot fans at 190 to 390 CFM. We limited this page to the six DC and Select series named in its title; the figures above should not be assumed to apply to those other lines.
HVI treats 1.0 sone or less as quiet, and all 24 Panasonic fans are at or under that at 0.25 inch on their lowest setting. On their standard duct, 13 stay under it at their top setting, and the other 11, the WhisperFit, WhisperValue and WhisperWarm models, run from 1.2 to 1.5 sones there. Sones add up in a straight line, so a 1.3-sone rating is more than four times as loud as 0.3 sone, and the quietest fans here are rated below even that. Where that line should fall in a bathroom off a bedroom, as against a powder room, is the subject of our room-by-room guide to how quiet is quiet enough.
How we chose
We opened Panasonic's US ventilation fan listing and every product page for the WhisperGreen Select, WhisperCeiling DC, WhisperFit DC, WhisperValue DC, WhisperWarm DC and WhisperRecessed series, then downloaded the submittal sheet for each of the 24 models. We recorded the "Noise (sones)" row with its "Air Volume (CFM)" and static pressure columns, per duct size where Panasonic gives more than one, and the architectural specification sentence that repeats the figures. We then checked every 0.1 and 0.25-inch figure against the Home Ventilating Institute's certified products directory, which lists all 24 models with the same numbers. We ranked only at the same pressure and duct size, and we did not convert any sone figure to decibels. Panasonic lists no prices on its pages, so no price appears here.
We did not measure any of these fans ourselves. Every figure on this page is Panasonic's own published, HVI-certified rating, quoted with the airflow, static pressure and duct size it describes, and where Panasonic's web page and its submittal sheet disagree we say so and follow the sheet.
