If you plan to carry it around your home, we also found that it sometimes comes apart mid-transit — though it simply slides back together again easily. At the end of the day, if you want a fan to help keep your area at a more consistent temperature, the functionality and simplicity of this fan are here to help. Despite being the smallest of our tested fans, the Vornado 683 Medium is Lasko Box Fan also among the most powerful. Packing a big punch, we measured this little fan hitting 13.4 mph. While this will certainly help cool you off when pointed directly at your face, it’s also fairly effective as an air circulator when positioned just right in larger spaces. Instead of a solid base, this lightweight model has five sturdy legs that give it a small but stable footprint.
Although it costs a bit more, this fan uses a DC motor instead of a typical AC one, which helps save up to 80 percent more energy than a standard AC fan. But despite using less energy, this model is powerful, with the ability to propel air up to 80 feet. It also has a sleek, modern look, which is rare for pedestal fans, and it weighs in at only 10 pounds. However, the lightweight plastic disc base lacks any feet to hold it in place on a hard floor. While we don’t think this is a huge problem, if your furniture gets frequently bumped into by children or pets (or adults!), the Lasko S16612 will slide. And, if you have a giant living space and are hoping to place a fan across the room that can still reach you with a powerful breeze on the couch, this one may disappoint you with its below-average wind speeds.
The Lasko Cyclone and Rowenta Turbo Silence are both noticeably larger than the competition, in base and head size, as well as the overall presence in a room. Pedestal fans can be fan-tastic in your home, but their unique shapes can also make them more challenging to Tetris into your space. Pay attention not just to the fan head’s size, but also to the size and shape of the base.
Place 2-3 drops of light machine oil into the base of the shaft, then spin the shaft to distribute the lubricant. Separate the front of the motor slightly to create a 3-4 mm gap; do not fully remove the front section. Align the alen breathesmart “oscillation” and “speed” knobs with their cutouts so they can slide out the housing. The fuse within the plug detects any electrical hazards, and it will stop the current of power to the fan to protect against any damage.
It chirps loudly and obnoxiously with every setting change, and though the lights dim, they never turn off. Switching between speeds, the unit we tested also had considerable difficulty finding the right rotation rate, shifting awkwardly between several speeds before settling at a constant pace. At the end alen breathesmart of the day, though we find much to like about this quiet, effective fan, we’re not quite sure its shortcomings make it worth the hefty price tag. Of course, this level of simplicity may be too simple for some. Offering just three speeds and no remote or other frills, this fan is in no way fancy or modern.