The rest of the fans have at least one screw holding the grill onto the head of the fan. The Vornado 683 has several screws but also includes directions on how to remove both the grill and the blade for more thorough cleaning. This review is spearheaded by Senior Review Editor, Maggie Nichols, who lives and recreates in the hot high deserts of northern Nevada. Maggie grew up enduring the oppressive heat/humidity combination of the Midwest, spending sticky afternoons keeping cool in front of fans. She’s spent a huge chunk of her life battling heat and humidity from teaching in the jungles of South America and plains of Africa to living on a remote Caribbean island.
It includes a timer and a remote — though no CR2032 battery — and features a remote caddy on top of the motor. We also love that it remembers its last settings when you turn it back on and is surprisingly quiet and pleasant at every speed. Our favorite pedestal fan is the PELONIS Silent Turbo for its myriad options and fully functional range of speeds. This fan has 12 different speeds, allowing you to achieve the ideal airflow for your needs. The Lasko S16612 with Thermostat offers surprisingly convenient functionality beyond its optional thermostat functionality — which we love. This fan emits a lower-pitched hum that more easily fades into the background than many other models’ higher-pitched whirring noises.
When it comes to keeping these units clean, all of them have removable grills that can be rinsed or wiped, allowing easy access to the blades to keep them dust-free. The Honeywell Double Blade, Pelonis 18″ 3-Speed Oscillating, and Black+Decker 16″ make it even easier, with simple clasps that can be twisted to the side with your thumb for removal. The Comfort Zone, Lasko S16612, and Lasko Cyclone grills can be popped on and off, as they utilize plastic tabs to stay in place.
Features adjustable height, oscillation and 3 quiet speeds to create powerful airflow in your fitness studio or large living space. Though the Pelonis Silent Turbo doesn’t offer the high rate of flow that many others do, it does have a wide range of lower speeds. With 12 distinct speeds, this quiet fan measured between 3.3 mph on its lowest setting to 10.5 mph on its highest. It has four different modes with intuitive speeds and functions to fit precise situations that likely occur daily in most homes. With just three speeds and no remote or other frills, this fan is in no way fancy or modern.
With normal, constant breeze, and variable breeze modes, this three-speed, remote-controlled fan has plenty of options to find the one that’s right for the setting. A timer adds another extra touch of usability, and for those who appreciate powerful speeds on every setting, the Honeywell is sure to please. We measured its highest power at 12.7 mph, which is significantly above average for this group. It tilts both up and slightly down and has quieter beeps that are less obnoxious than other models.
The Double Blade also won’t recall your last settings and defaults to the lowest speed without oscillation when powered back on. It’s not a quiet fan either, particularly on the highest settings, which makes it difficult to watch TV without turning up the volume. Though the operation lights on the front dim after several seconds, if you’re particularly sensitive to lights in the bedroom, you may end up covering the front of this one. Overall, however, this is a useful fan with a fair range of features and good power for less money than many others, making it a great value option. This elegantly engineered white pedestal fan from Lasko blends into surrounding decor and cools the largest home spaces.
It’s also not particularly powerful or especially quiet, falling about in the middle of the pack on both fronts. Though the Comfort Zone doesn’t feel like it’s made of the most bombproof materials, we had absolutely no issues with its sturdiness or durability during our testing. At the end of the day, though this fan Lasko Box Fan lacks the bells and whistles of fancier models, it still gets the job done, making it a good value item. This Lasko 20-inch oscillating remote control pedestal fan has a simple design that offers easy tool-free assembly. The included metal grill is simple to install and remove, making it easy to clean the fan blades.
Use the remote control to change speed settings and turn oscillation on and off, or use the electronic controls to set the 7-hour timer. It has a small footprint with legs that can go around objects and a small head that’s powerful and can be pointed in nearly any direction, pivoting a full 90 degrees, from horizontal to almost vertical. The Lasko S11612 is a fairly average overall size but is much lighter than most and with a thin, wide base that can slide easily under most furniture. The lightweight Comfort Zone has a folding base comprised of four legs, and though they’re much wider, their small profile makes them conducive to squeezing into spaces and under furniture. 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.
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 pets or people are frequently bumping into the furniture, 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. 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.