Vintage Consumer Reports: Ceiling Fans

With ceiling fans, “you can go from breeze to bluster to benign zephyr,” we wrote in our July 1982 report on summer cooling. “Even the most profligate model,” we noted, “would cost only pennies a day to run.”

Ceiling fans haven’t changed much over the past 26 years. (The top fan shown is from 1982; the bottom one, from our July 2008 story on ceiling fans.) Although they cost slightly more to run today than they did during the early part of the Reagan era, ceiling fans can decrease energy consumption and save you money, but only if you use your air conditioner less or set it to a warmer temperature and rely on the cooling breeze from the fan. (See our latest report on and review of air conditioners, and learn more ways to keep cool this summer.)

“A ceiling fan can conjure up an exotic feeling even in a raised ranch in the suburbs,” we wrote in the 1982 article. If a virtual experience isn’t enough, you can put the money you’ve saved toward a real getaway. Read our Ratings-based reports on airlines and hotels.

Comments

[deepak kumar]

I came to consumer report looking for ratings for table fan/pedestal fan.I was dissappointed to find no ratings for them.Given the high cost of electricity bills ,we would appreciate that you rate these products too aprt from ceiling fans.

[Leonard Weiss]

Why not test tower fans which are relatively inexpensive and require no installation by a contractor?

[Linda Vornheder]

We want to buy a fan for my husband's small non-air-conditioned home workshop. We want something in the < $65 that is energy efficient and has a small "footprint". We don't know whether an old-fashioned circular oscillating fan or a tower fan will be our best choice. Please address. Thanks.

[Sandi Redman]

Consumer reports did rate ceiling fans, but, it was a number of years ago. I would like a more recent rating.

[Sue Ridgeway]

I was also looking for reviews of fans other than ceiling fans, and found this to be very helpful: http://www.consumersearch.com/www/house_and_home/fans/review.html
It also includes a link to the Consumer Reports article 'How to Keep Your Cool'.

[Lynne Juzefyk]

I want to buy a floor fan and i'm not sure which is better a tower fan or a pedestal fan. Please help !!!!

[Tania T]

Just came back from Lowe's. Too many floor/pedestal/ fans to chose from. I came back home to check on your ratings and buy a CR best buy, but you have no reviews on the subject. How come??

[Hope C]

I am attempting to buy ceiling fans for my home. I have found the Hunter Fans seem to be of better quality than other fans typically seen at stores such as Home Depot. Despite this, I would really like a CR best buy. Please test ceiling fans.

[nancy glenn]

CR ratings for ceiling fans?????:(((((

[Garry Poliakon]

As the others have commented I would like to see pedestal and floor fans rated. Also, are high velocity fans really efficient or worth buying? I was under the assumption that they move are in the house to allow it to feel cooler. Is this true?

[Dot Vernon]

During a recent storm and blackout - came to find my remote with new batteries, will not activiate my ceiling fan remotely. Will work manually. My thing is - do I go out and buy a whole new fan -
or have the motor sensor checked out? - Have never heard of this happening to anyone - one electrician told me that is why they have less remotes now - (haven't seen that) The fan is one year old - - is this an exception or the rule for remotes??

[Jacob Montana]

Too many car reviews. Consumers need help in energy savings products for house and home. Ratings including fans heaters, lights washers blah, blah blah. I find it disgusting to advertise a book for over 15 dollars for energy tips you should have given for free. Be careful not to become an aging old company. We are having an energy crisis, high fuel bills high food prices etc. Sit down with your staff and figure out what to do to instant help your consumer, like cost per kilowatts for all electric, gas, appliances, electronics, home and garden appliances etc. Get with the program>

[Mark]

Take a look at this website:
http://www.ceiling-fan-wizard.com

They provide you with Ceiling fan reviews, ratings, news and other articles.

This website helped me choosing the right ceiling fan for my needs.

You can also subscribe to their blog as i did:
http://www.ceiling-fan-wizard.com/ceiling-fan-reviews-blog.html

[John]

How about some ceiling fan ratings guys... measuring rpms, blade pitch, cfm's... get it together CR...

[Jack]

No need to rate ceiling fans. Casablanca is by far, the best. You pay a bit more, but the blades are perfectly balanced, and the motor is noiseless. I've put four in my house (in different rooms) over the past 17 years, and they still operate the same now as day one.

[Mark]

Take a look at this website:
http://www.ceiling-fan-wizard.com

This website helped me choosing the right ceiling fan for my needs.

[Linda]

We have problems heating our kitchen as it is the farthest room from our furnace. Reiker has produced a ceiling fan with a heater in it Has CR done any research on this product?

[Tammy]

Yup, ratings would be awesome. I mean we're talking anywhere from $200 - $600 to find what we want, so we'd like to make a good investment. We've installed two and had to take both back due to way too much noise. Also, while everyone else can't get cool enough on high, we usually freeze on low, so need a very low cfm. I thought I could find the info here to save time, but no luck.

[Carolyn]

I, too, am interested in CR's opinion on Reiker heater fans. I live in the mountains of New York in a condo complex with electric radiant heat in the ceiling. My feet are always cold, and the heating costs are astronomical. Would love to see this before winter sets in.

[saken1]

I too would like to see some real comparisons for ceiling fans instead of generalized comments. For the price range and popularity of this commonly used appliance I'd think CR would get off their duffs and get the job done. Aren't we paying for it with our subscriptions?

[Amanda]

There seems to be more than ample interest in ceiling fan ratings. When can we look forward to that??!

[Gayle Leichen]

As I understand it, there are MANY factors that can help a consumer with a ceiling fan selection, such as "pitch" and "RPM"s just to name a few; Consumer Reports makes absolutely no mention of any of these factors. It's really too bad that the industry has no rating system for overall "blow-ability" and efficiency. It would be nice if Consumer Reports were as thorough and exhaustive as it used to be. They might've been able to provide us with some guidelines, ratings and/or pressured the industry to make it clearer. It would be nice to compare apples to apples. Oh well.

[William Simons]

And we, too, would be very appreciative of descriptions and ratings of ceiling fan heating systems and particularly the Reiker. The season is nearly upon us so sooner rather than later if possible...sincere thanks for what you do.

[Diana Adams]

I would also appreciate a review of the Reiker Heater Ceiling Fans. It sounds like a great idea for those rooms that are hard to heat; but I have some concerns.

[george]

It's disappointing you have not offered ratings on ceiling fans. It seems from the comments that other members feel the same way. I have bought several fans over the years and there is a clear difference in the quality of the fans motors. It appears to me that you get what you pay for but I'm sure there are some good buys available and I'm sure there are some expensive fans that don't perform as well as other less expensive fans. Do you have any plan to rate ceiling fans in the future?

[Vickie Plasterer]

We NEED a review on Reiker Room Conditioners (Heating ceiling Fans) Can anyone help us? CR does not apear to be on the ball with this product. Our home was built in 1923, tall ceilings, large rooms and difficult to heat cost effectively. NEED to KNOW about Reiker Room Conditioner ceiling heaters/fans? Are they efficient, do they truly heat a 400 sq. ft area? What are the parameters we should look for. Cost is around $349 a unit. Says operates at about 5 cents an hour for the heater unit. Is it safe? DOES IT WORK as the Company says it will? Please help need info.

[Frankenstein Monster]

Arrrrgh! Need ceiling fan ratings. Keep buying and chewing on wrong fans. Please make ceiling fan ratings. Thanks. Arrrrrgh!

[Ketrina Jerome]

Me too! Need reviews of celing fans of all types particularly heating fans. LOVE Consumer Reports and look forward to seeing some news in this area. Thank you!!

[Daren]

I'm trying to replace an old ceiling fan and have been pounding the Web for the kind of information I usually find in Consumer Reports. For example, I've discovered that there are new wattage limits on ceiling fan light kits (190 W) that will prevent me from duplicating the light our old fan produced. CR needs to get back on the ball here!

[Ketrina Jerome]

Me too! Need reviews of celing fans of all types particularly heating fans. LOVE Consumer Reports and look forward to seeing some news in this area. Thank you!!

[Lorton, VA]

I have a friend with a Reiker ceiling fan heater in the 3 season enclosed patio. I works very well and is quiet. I hate fan noise and this one doesn't bother me. The remote thermostat is very nice to have and you set the temperature you want by degrees; not lo-med-hi.

You cannot get it without the light feature. I assume the ceramic heaters are in there. It stacks the air filter on top, fan blades, and the ceramic heater below. I assume the ceramic heaters are inside the light fixture and that is why you can't get it without a light. I see reconditioned Reikers on ebay, but there is no return or warranty info. I assume the seller is Reiker but cannot be sure.

I see Hunter makes one also, but do not have any experience with it. It only comes in dark colors and I want a white one.

[Washington DC]

I have a friend with the Reiker in a 3 season porch. It works well. I do not like fan noise and I am satisfied with this fan. The remote allows you to set the temperature by degrees-not lo, med, hi. This is very nice. You can flush mount or drop mount. It comes in white, which the one made by Hunter does not. The Reiker website says they sell one model under the Hampton Bay name.

The ceramic heater is located above the fan blades. However, for some reason, you cannot get it without a light, which bothers me.

I see them on ebay, but they are reconditioned models. I can't tell if there is any warranty or return policy. I cannot tell who is doing the reconditioning.

[Paul]

Would like to see some ceiling fan ratings...reliability, airflow, quitness, efficiencey, cost, etc

[R]

Our old ceiling fan just died & we are looking for a new one.

Why doesn't CR have more information?

[Brooks]

I have a review...dont buy hunter.

I brought a hunter fan because i thought they were better fans but the fan ticks and makes other noises so I cant sleep with the fan on. Matter of fact I cant stand the sounds it makes so i never run it.Its not a loud sounfd just aggravating.

[Delano D. Finch]

Looking for a report on ceiling fans from Consumer Reports and find the last testing was done in 1982! it's my understanding that a particular fan motor is more efficient than they were 27 years ago. Given the emphasis on using less energy and the green revolution it's time for a new report? I have been a subscriber to Consumer Reports for over 30 years.

[Brian]

It would be helpful if your company rated ceiling fans with a fraction of the thoroughness that you apply to cars and trucks...generally the work you do is very valuable, but this is one time where I found your efforts less than helpful. Keep up the good work, but our current energy situation seems to warrant attention to these products.

[Bob LaMuro]

Look guys, this is not rocket science. People have been commenting on this for about a year now, and you need to at least look responsive. Post something that at a minimum says you're working on it. Get a cheap annemometer, sound meter, and amp meter and take the measurements. It's not that tough.

[Diane Johnson]

I couldn't agree more....I really expected to be able to find a review of the different kinds of household fans. I'm getting conflicting information regarding tower vs standard floor or table fans. I need the information about which one works best in order to make an informed purchase.

[Lynn Jones]

I am disappointed to find that there are no ratings on ceiling fans. When this is done, could you be sure to rate the noise level please? We are buying two fans for our bedroom and we need them to be silent when we have them on at night.
Thanks
Lynn

[Carolyn]

I agree, updated ceiling fan ratings and other information would be very welcome. Come on y'all, 27 years?? I'm going to have to look at user reviews instead of turning to you. We need to replace the ceiling fan by next month.

[Ed Homer]

Yes, yes, yes please rate ceiling fans. I need to buy five of them and no help available.

[Joan Taylor]

I, too, was really in need of ratings for ceiling fans. I was so surprised that you only had the brief comments. Please do a full report with ratings on ceiling fans. Thanks.

[CG]

I just signed up to find info on pedestal fans vs. tower fans - and there is nothing here!!What gives? I see lots of comments asking for same since last summer - do they ever add things to the list of rated items - or did I just spend $26 on a subscription for old news?

[Susan Ruddy]

Ohmigosh -- there still are no ceiling fan ratings! Please.....

[mukesh bhat]

I agree with most of the comments noted by other readers. CR has just too many car ratings. This, when most Americans are not looking to buy a new car. I too came to your website looking for ceiling fan ratings only to find slim pickings. There appears to be a disconnect between the new normal out there and the perception of normal at CR.

[mikecsack]

I agree with the previous post. Why aren't you rating ceiling fans...all fans. Get with it.

[Laura Stice]

Hello - anyone there reading comments about your lack of information on ceiling fans? It's hot................ Hello ------Hello?

[John Torre]

I, too, am looking for ceiling fan ratings. I see by the comments that although a number of subscribers have inquired about it, there's no reply forthcoming from CR. That's an impressive way to cater to your paying customers! If people started dropping their accounts I'm sure we'd hear from you real quick though. I guess we'll just figure you don't give a damn. What else can we think, right?

[G Donahue]

I'd agree with many of the above posters - CR really needs to thoroughly evaluate ceiling fans. I actually requested this a few years ago when we bought our first fan, but nothing in CR but general comments since. Instead of reviewing TVs and digital cameras every three months, how about something useful that could save money and energy over time?

[trudi]

was disappointed to pay for consumer report reviews and not be able to receive what I need.... ceiling fan reviews. We have purchased several brands and they all go out within a few years.

[Allen Shulman]

Let me add my voice to those requesting an updated review and rating of ceiling fans. This is one product that is very difficult for consumers to evaluate on their own, and I'm always skeptical of ratings based on anonymous web postings.

[Patrick Hickey]

I'm in the process of builing a new house and living in southeast Texas, plan to purchase ceiling fans for every room and porch area. CR, we need your help! When will you publish these important evaluations?