At twice the cost of other adequate floor-standing fans it's easy to ask if the extra cost is justified. My opinion, yes. Overall, it's more substantial than other 16-inch non-commercial models. The weighted, wide base easily counters the top-heavy characteristics of these fans. There is nothing flimsy with the adjustable support, and it's easy to operate. The unusual angle that allows easy access to the control buttons is really brilliant--makes it so easy to operate. Although I don't use the remote I can see that for some it might be really handy. The fact that it stores on the fan itself is a nice touch. The manufacture's blah blah on the fan's Amazon page is pretty much correct--it's quieter that expected, easily moves volumes of air, and looks high-end.
So what's the downside? Some buyers have reported that the grill rusts. I've only had mine for about a month, but I don't see anything that would make it susceptible to corrosion. That only leaves the cost, is it justified? There are lower cost alternatives available, doubtless adequate. The fan this one replaced was way cheaper, but it worked for at least 10 years. But for me--again, just an opinion--the extra cost is justified for the reasons above.
This fan has rave reviews all over the internet. I was a bit concerned about the rust, but I decided even though rust never sleeps, if it started I probably could remedy it. My first impression. Easy to put together if you watch the utube video. The design is beautiful. I can see the whisper mode coming in handy in the cooler months(Los Angeles) but not really now with the Trump Global warming.
What concerns me: So much use of plastic, seemingly in all the places where if it breaks you are screwdrivered. The part that holds the cage shut. The oscillation knob. The motor casing. The FAN blade itself. Seriously. I would pay $50 more for a fan of this quality all done in metal. Because I know someday...one of these plastic parts will crack or something.
As far as performance...I wanted a bit more phumph or power if you know what I mean. Its strong, but I want just a bit more. And as far as the speeds...well there are so many...but really its hard to tell the difference between some of them. I prefer low..medium..and high..Oh well...I probably would have been happy with a fan half the price...as I wanted to stay away from plastic..but thats what I got anyway...if you don't mind that..it does seem like a great fan.
Also..part of the reason I bought this is because someone said the blue lights fade..but that is only for certain modes. For others they stay on...if you are sleeping at nite why the heck do you need blue lights on this thing...planning on landing a plane in your bedroom?
Here is the deal with all these products. They make plastic looking like metal almost an art form. As if that is what is important. Well..we all know...its not. I have an old Hunter which is all metal. It will still be fanning when I am long gone.
If I thought I could find something similar in metal...I would have sent this thing packing. I just can't find it.
Update 2 weeks after purchase: I changed my rating to 5 star. I realize all the plastic initially kind of turned me off, but the reality is thats how about all things are made these days.
I have grown to appreciate the subtle design and functionality of this thing. I find myself using the whisper mode at nite which is great. And I like the fact that the lights dim themselves after a few seconds. Its design details like that which separate this fan from the pack. 5 star.
To start, plan on spending a few minutes putting this fan together. The base, the fan, the blade, and both sides of the cover all needed to be assembled. This isn't a big deal to me. For reference, I own two Vornado 660's, one Vornado 270 (all three large room circulators), plus a Dyson pedestal fan and handful of other smaller fans. I live in a hot and humid place year round so these fans all see a great deal of use. Overall, they Vornado 270 blows the strongest, but is also the loudest by quite a bit. I would put this fan on par with the Vornado 660 when in turbo mode, though still quieter.
Pros:
Base is nice and heavy--this won't wobble around
Moves a lot of air
Is truly a quiet fan for the power you're getting
Has a remote (NOTE: does not include battery)
Has an array of settings
Cons:
Is too quiet if you're looking for white noise to sleep
Has an obnoxious blue light that illuminates your room at night (put tape over)
Is bulky
Does not move as much air as the smaller and more compact Vornado 270.
I've had this fan for about a week now and it's great. One thing to keep in mind is that no fan -- not ceiling, table, or standing -- "cools" the air. The only thing fans do is to put air in motion. When this moving air passes over your skin, it carries away the warm air that is right next to your skin as well as evaporate any moisture on your skin, which cools you off. So never expect a fan to "cool the room" and it is unnecessary to leave a fan on in a room where no one is; you'll just be wasting energy and $.
This model, VU5670, is the one with a timer which you can set to have the fan turn off after 1, 2, 4, or 8 hours. It has Low, Medium, and High speeds, then at the low end it has the slightly lower speed "Silent Night", and at the high end, a slightly higher "Turbo Boost". The Silent Night mode is amazing and it is truly whisper quiet. I have already used it during the night. Even with the fan on Low, this fan is more quiet than the white noise app I use to fall asleep with. I haven't had to use the higher speeds much yet (it is only April) but even at the higher speeds this fan is quieter than others I have used.
It also has a feature called Decrescendo which I haven't used or figured out yet. My guess is that it starts on high and then over some as-yet-unknown time frame, will adjust down to medium, then low, then silent night speeds...maybe it works with the timer, I don't know yet.
Putting it together was fairly easy. I took my time and it was mostly obvious how to do it. But I am glad someone else mentioned in another review that the black piece that screws on for the fan blades is reverse-threaded (because of the direction the fan spins). If you look for it, it does indicate on the piece which way to tighten and loosen it.
Bottom line, I am very glad I bought this fan and I would recommend it.
This is a fairly well-made fan that is exceptionally quiet. On the lowest setting it is all but undetectable, and on the second-lowest it is still very quiet. The only time it gets really loud is when the turbo is on, and then it is probably only a little louder than the average fan of this size. The base is rather heavy, so moving it from room to room may be some work for people with diminished strength, back problems, etc.
The only reason this isn't getting 5/5 is the remote, which was a piece of garbage, and Rowenta's customer service, which was equally terrible. They had no interest in replacing a clearly defective part. Otherwise, this is a really good fan.
Feature Product
- ULTRA-QUIET PERFORMANCE - 35dB(A) whisper-quiet operation offers ultimate silence at each speed; ideal for home or office
- POWERFUL OSCILLATING AIRFLOW - Delivers exceptionally strong airflow (up to 2436 Cu. Ft./min); oscillates for broad coverage; 16"-diameter head and 5 effective blades
- 5 SPEED SETTINGS - 3 speed settings + 2 speeds (including Turbo Boost for extra power and Silent Night mode for especially soundless operation)
- ELECTRONIC CONTROL PANEL - Includes an 8-hour timer and energy-saving mode, which automatically decreases the airflow until the fan reaches its most energy-efficient setting
- COMPACT REMOTE CONTROL - Sleek remote control with integrated on-board storage for added convenience
- NOTE: The remote control is located at the cardboard that is covering the fan cage connection to the motor; it may also be located at the bottom of that piece of cardboard or flipped the other way
Description
Combining intense power with ultra-quiet performance, the Rowenta VU5670 Turbo Silence Extreme 16-inch stand fan makes a great choice for home or office. The oscillating fan runs quietly at just 35db(A) and delivers impressive airflow up to 2436 cubic ft./min-perfect for cooling in the summer or general air circulation year round. Choose from five speed settings, including Turbo Boost and extra-quiet Silent Night Mode. The stand fan's user-friendly electronic control panel offers an eight-hour timer (great for falling asleep to) and energy-saving mode, which automatically decreases the airflow until the fan reaches its most energy-efficient setting. The Rowenta 16-inch stand fan comes with a compact remote control that fits comfortably in the hand, making it easy to change the speed or set the timer from across the room. Even more, its integrated remote-control storage (a slot in the fan's top carrying handle) means quick and easy access for instant, intense airflow. Airflow max (m3/min) :68
After researching fans online I decided to try the Rowenta standing fan. I love how quiet it is and in silent mode it's silent. The stand is sturdy and it was easy to assemble. We have 3 standing fans in the house and this one moves the most air and is by far the quietest. My only complaint is the little tiny blue light that somehow is bright enough to light up a whole section of the room. My fan stand now looks like Steven Tyler's microphone with scarves wrapped around to try and keep the light down. This also interferes with the remote but I just keep it on all night so that hasn't been an issue. I think if I can find some static cling black dots or something along those lines I can block out the blue light and call this fan perfect.
I have just put mine together and am completely thrilled with it. I had been using a cheap pedestal fan with very a cheap, sheet metal base. No reason to compare them -- one sold for a cheap price and was a junky fan that did work (if it didn't fall over or trip you). I would not have hesitated for a second to buy this one (I got the VU551, older model, no sleep timer) if I had believed how beautifully it is engineered, how stable it is, how quiet it is, and how much air it pushes. I do wish that I had paid better attention and gotten the newer model, which is priced the same. Still, I am so thrilled with this fan that I don't fret over a sleep timer. In fact, I might get another one and get my sleep timer this time and throw out all the miscellaneous fans I have lying around except for the box fan that works in the window. One of the engineering features of the fan is that it is very easy to aim it where you want it. Admittedly, it is not quite as easy to carry from one place to another as with a lighter, non-pedestal fan. But when you get it where you want it, it is ready to go. No fretting around for something to sit it on...just put it right where you want it. I read a lot of concern with difficulty in some fans of getting the cage apart to clean the blade. I don't see that as a problem. Oh, and it is very attractive.
Edit after only 24 hours of use: Although I mentioned the power and high air flow from this fan, I was really thinking only of cooling power. There is another aspect of this that is very important in the home: The high power makes placement of the fan much less critical; you can locate it further away -- in a convenient spot -- and still get all the air you need. I had been using a cheaper pedestal fan and created an obstacle course for myself because I had found it necessary to partially block a doorway with it. No problem now, because the fan can be further away.
This fan was super easy to assemble and it is beautifully made. You will need a Phillips head screwdriver to loosen the screw at the bottom of the front fan grill and you will also need a CR2032 battery for the remote control. There are a few small books that come with the fan and the assembly instructions are in the book labeled "Safety Instructions". Also, the picture on the first page is for a table-top model. The instructions for the pedestal fan start on page 2.
The assembly instructions are pictures only, but they're fairly well illustrated and were easy to follow. One thing they don't tell you is that the plastic piece that holds the fan blade on doesn't follow the normal "righty tighty, lefty loosey" rule. It's right to loosen and left to tighten.
The fan itself is heavy since the base is weighted in order to balance out the top part where the motor is. It's around 20 pounds, so it's not too terrible, and I don't worry about it falling over if someone bumps into it. I played with the different settings and even when the Turbo Boost is on, the fan is still very quiet. We've had some in the past that sounded like a jet taking off when it was on high.
I don't usually review products on the same day I receive them since I like to use them for a bit to see how they wear, however, this fan is so good that I made an exception.
I got this Rowenta pedestal fan a few months after getting the desktop version, and they're both FANtastic. Not silent (moving air makes its own sound), but extremely quiet relative to the amount of air flow that you get. Some simple and intuitive assembly required. You can put it together without the metal cage to maximize the output. However, unlike the desktop version, without the weight of its cage, the fan will pivot backward on its mount and aim at an upward angle. There is no tightening mechanism to prevent this from happening. To keep the fan aimed horizontally without its cage, I used some paracord to loop around the top and under the control panel. Don't expect the oscillation feature to work if you do this.
The base is weighted for stability, circular, and about 18.0" in diameter. No speed wobbles. Height can be adjusted from about 34.5" to about 46.0" (as measured from base to center of fan blades). The remote is fairly large for only having 3 buttons and doesn't light up, but it toggles the fan reliably from at least 10' away with a direct line of sight. If you turn it off and on, it'll be at the same speed you last left it. However, toggling away from turbo always brings it back to the lowest speed. I really like this fan, and I plan to get a few more for the other rooms in my house.
My room is a good 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the house and I found that I needed a fan. I saw this one on Amazon but it was a little too pricey for me. So I got one at Walmart for 40 dollars. The Walmart one was so insanely loud. It was not only just loud whole running normally, it also often had a clicking sound and I'd have to punch it, which would only stop the clicking 50% of the time. Finally I got fed up and just ordered this one. I was lucky enough to get a "used, like new" one and it's perfect. It is nearly silent and just really good quality. Also a problem with the Walmart one was that the lowest speed was still very strong. The Rowenta one has perfect speeds and the low on the other matches medium on this one. I'm extremely happy with this fan and glad I splurged. It's one of my favorite purchases ever.
The assembly process I would give a B-. I couldn't even find the directions at first and then they were just pictures. The cover was a little weird to put on.
The only other minus is that I have to get a watch battery for the remote, but I'm not super annoyed by that at all. I just can't use the remote right away.
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