THIS FAN DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF NEC ARTICLE 500 . Please refer to National Electric Code Article 500 or applicable state or local codes alen breathesmart or standards relating to electrical requirements for hazardous locations. DO NOT route power cord under rugs, carpets, runners or furniture.
The dial let us turn it to set three different speeds, and with each turn, we heard a loud clicking sound. This was unlike the dial on the Vornado, which lets you grip it comfortably as you smoothly and quietly rotate it around clockwise and back. This Lasko fan was easy for us to set up since, like the other circulator fans we tested, it requires no assembly; we just lifted it out of its box and plugged it in. We liked its fully tiltable head, which we were able to push all the way around to cool off either side of our testing area. But we found its blue control knob on the back of the fan to be a bit cumbersome to reach, as we had to tilt the fan down to access it, and even then, the knob felt a bit wobbly in our grip. This was unlike the firm, smooth motion we enjoyed while turning the knob on the Vornado Energy Smart 533DC circulator fan.
Lasko 18 Inch Elegance Performance Oscillating Standing Pedestal Fan . This Black+Decker fan was easy to assemble — that is, until we tried to attach its rear and front grilles together. There is a plastic ring that secures the two grilles together, but we found the fan’s Lasko Box Fan one flimsy clasp on the front grille was not enough to firmly secure the two grilles together. We kept wrestling with the three parts of the fan to make them work; it took us about 20 minutes longer to assemble this fan than it did all the others in our testing.
But we noticed it was shorter and weighed less than the other pedestal fans we tested, making it less durable and sturdy. We also noticed that it was quite easy for us to pull up on the fan’s rod but have the entire rod lift out from its base when we did so. Luckily, we only tried moving it when it was turned off, but we could see how this could be a potentially dangerous action should anyone try to move it even a foot away while it’s turned on. We tested 13 fans over four summer weeks to find the most effective and efficient indoor fans available. In our testing pool, we included oscillator/oscillating fans, bladeless fans and other electric fans that were adept at circulating the air in our basement. Some fans had a battery-powered remote control, and some did not.
Bedrooms and other smaller rooms may require only an 18-inch fan that is quieter and takes up less space than a more powerful model. Bigger spaces, such as a garage or warehouse, may require a larger, more powerful fan that is capable of moving a lot of air. The products listed here were selected according to the above considerations to narrow the field to some of the best pedestal fans on the market. Any of these fans will provide better circulation and a cooler feel to a living space or garage.