I recently had the opportunity use the 42” Inch Wind Curve Ionizer Lasko Tower Fan. While using it I have come to love its design, features, and its usability.
A Tower of Efficiency
I’ve found this fan would be useful in a smaller to medium sized room. It works well but it does have its limits. It wouldn’t be useless in a larger living room, you just wouldn’t feel the breeze as well.
I’ve found the only way to describe this fan is modernly handsome. It comes in two different designs, I happened to have the wood front paneled option.
It is tall and sleek and looks apart of the decor rather than another appliance in the house. It has several features to customize airflow. It is just lightweight enough that it is easy to move. It is tall and sleek so it will fit just about anywhere.
The fan is almost right-out-of-the-box ready. In just under 5 minutes you’ll have the base ready to attach to the fan and then it’s a plug-in-and-go situation. The base comes in two pieces, line them up, screw them together, and you have yourself a base.
The box advertises the majority of its features, to include:
- High reaching design for max air delivery
- Sophisticated wind curve profile
- Remote control, with hidden storage
- Speeds, timing, oscillation
- And of course the ionizer option
Size and Stature
The fan measures 13x13x42 inches in total. It weighs a solid thirteen pounds. It isn’t too heavy, bulky, or awkward to move around.
It is made from a combination of plastic and metal. It seems well made and sturdy, doesn’t seem to be cheaply designed.
The base is wide and sturdy and also slightly weighted. It seems to be weighted well enough that tipping is less of a worry than some other fans.
The cage surrounding the blades is made with plastic and extremely durable. The cage is tightly built, so little fingers won’t easily fit through too easily. The blades are also not visible either… for those curious little eyes that must investigate what they cannot immediately obtain.
This fan also has the option to manually change the direction of the wind up or down with a small wheel at the top of the cage area. It tilts the fan blades either up or down.
At the top of the fan, on the backside, there is a carrying handle.
The Remote
From your desk, the couch, or even your bed you’ll be able to manipulate all the settings from across the room with just a touch of a button or two. You’ll need to grab two Triple A batteries as they aren’t included. There’s also a not-so-secret hiding home for the remote to rest while it’s not in use (hint: it’s right under the carrying handle).
Movement
With just a touch of a button on the remote or the fan, the fan will stand still or oscillate side to side for you. The oscillation moves in almost a 180* pattern.
Settings
Settings can be changed on the fan or the remote and include five easy buttons that turn the Fan on and off, Ion option on and off, and the oscillation on and off.
The other two buttons change the speed of the wind, and then we have the timer option.
By continuously pressing the timer button you can have the fan run from a half an hour to seven hours.
The wind speed was the most confusing of the settings, as I didn’t notice much difference between the settings. There was too small of a difference to hear or see. I took some video with the fan blowing into a curtain so you can see what I saw and felt as I used the fan.
The timer, Ion indicator, and the wind speed were all indicated right under the settings panel.
Ionizer
The short of the long is that ionizer fans help clean the air by attracting indoor pollutants and removing them from the air you’re breathing.
Indoor air is pretty awful by way of quality. Allergens constantly circulate and cause consistent issues. Ionizers can assist in helping rid the air of some of those pollutants.
So how does it work? Ionizing fans have a charged wire that sends out charged molecules which in turn attract themselves to pollutant particles. These little clusters will now stick themselves to walls, floors, or other objects to remove them from the air you’re breathing. There may even be a collection plate near the ionizer where the particles will collect.
You can also purchase an ionizing machine without the fan.
Some say ionizer fans do come in handy for cleaning the air and freeing the area of allergens, pollutants, and other particles. However, they clean only physical pieces – the machines are not effective against gasses and odors.
One last mention, when looking for an ionizer machine or fan, make certain not to get one that creates ozone. This is extremely harmful to your health and actually may cause healthy people to obtain breathing problems.
Cleaning and Maintenance
A big component for me is how easily the fan is cleaned. Build up is going to occur, no home is free from dust bunnies under the couch, doubly so if you own pets (I own three).
It doesn’t seem like this fan is going to be easy to clean. Reaching out to the manufacturer’s website, Lasko says to clean your tower fan by using the brush on your vacuum. But that will certainly not reach deep inside your vacuum where you can visually see a build up.
There are many user videos available that show how to take the fan completely apart to clean it thoroughly. It looks like an operating room, and time consuming, but seems to do the trick. While this is super helpful, this isn’t what the manufacturer recommends, so make sure you won’t void your warranty, or won’t be using your warranty, before you proceed.
Warranty Info
This company offers a one year limited warranty.
What Users Have to Say
I’ve searched for what others have had to say and in the final countdown – most everyone seems to love it.
The majority of the negative reviews were regarding the fact that it didn’t have a very powerful air movement. Most were able to look past that in favor of its many other attractive qualities.
Other negative comments mentioned how the packaging came damaged, some parts were missing, or the product was faulty. While I did notice my fan was shipped to me in its own packaging and the box was damaged, the fan seems to be working well and there doesn’t seem to be any damage.
I also can’t imagine that as well known as this company is that it wouldn’t replace a damaged-upon-arrival product without question. These reviews didn’t mention if they tried to send it back or have it replaced.
This fan seems to have been in production for quite some time, the reviews are dating back to the 2008 time frame. A quick scan and it doesn’t appear that longevity is an issue, though I did find one where the fan quit after a week – this was probably due to a faulty product, which would fall under their warranty.
Conclusion
It’s a hearty design that doesn’t seem to fail too easily. It is well built and won’t tip too easily.
Though it doesn’t have strong wind power, it does work for smaller rooms. I have mine in my bedroom for sleeping; it’s quiet, the lights aren’t bright, and it does its job.
It is easy to use, unfortunately not so easy to clean.
Overall, this fan, while it does have its downs, definitely has its ups. From its design to its efficiency it really does what I need it do in the end. I wouldn’t rate it as a favorite, but I would rate it higher than some other fan’s I’ve owned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it oscillate?
Yes.
Is there an ionizer option?
Yes.
Is there a carrying handle?
Yes.
What kind of batteries does the remote require?
Two triple A batteries, not included.
Is it easy to clean?
No, you have to take it apart.