Customer Reviews

Air King 20-Inch 2,140 CFM 3-Speed Box Fan #9723

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have just recently bought this fan, based on my experience with my old fan that had propeller blades identical to depicted on all published images associated with this fan model. This shape of the propeller (with blades similar to elephant ears) is contributing to higher airflow, at the same RPM, vs. shape of propeller with blade looking like rabbit ears, and which is lately used on majority of inexpensive box fans sold under brand names Lasko or others.

To my surprise, the fan that arrived per my order, while having on the box a correct model number and image as on this web page, has propeller identical to less expensive Lasko brand box fans.

Lasko 20" Premium Box Fan 3-SPEED

In fact, Air King is subsidiary of Lasko, as I discovered while contacting the Air King.

In short, this fan went through a typical to current times "cost reduction reengineering" by someone who has no clue about air dynamics of propellers. As a result, the fan is noisier than before because it has to rotate faster, due to the new shape of its propeller blades, to produce a similar airflow, and is no different from all other box fans on the market, but is a twice as much expensive.

Do not waste your money. Note that I was told by customer service of the company that, from now on, this fan model will have the same propeller as supplied with Lasko brand fans. The company "didn't have a time" to replace this fan's marketing images. In addition, I found that warranty period on the fan has been reduced from 3 years to just 1 year.

I ordered this fan because the blades looked a little more like the old box fans that you used to be able to get 20 years ago. Back then the blades were wider and had a steeper pitch. When they said 20" they meant the diameter of the blade, not the size of the box.

Well I was partially right. Compared to the Lasko 3733 that I own and some unknown model of a Lakewood box fan with nearly identical blades as the Lasko, it moves a little more air and is a little quieter. Noise is hard to characterize. To me the Air King is quieter because the noise it makes is at lower frequencies and is easier to ignore -- It's more of a "rumble" than the "buzz" you get from the Lasko and Lakewood.

Much of Air King's slight performance advantage is because it is a bigger fan. The Box is 21" and the blades are 20". The Lasko and Lakewood have 20" boxes and the blades are 19" Is it worth twice the price as the Lasko and Lakewood? Probably not, but there isn't much choice anymore. It looks like all these fans come from the same factory.

This fan had only worked for one season then it sparked and I can smell smoke the next summer. I was very disappointed that it broke and almost started a fire. I bought it because it looked like the old fans. I have the Haier box fan that also looks like the old ones. This fan used to work really well but it wasn't worth it.

This item is a real disappointment, at least for my application. I expected much better from the name. It simply does not move any large volume of air with its wimpy plastic blades, although it makes a lot of noise at medium and high speeds. Mine is mounted tightly in a window and is used as a whole-house exhaust fan (a standard window fan will not fit my tall, narrow, crank-open windows). This replaced a 47 year old 20" Toastmaster box fan (which finally died) which would pull the curtains well away from any open windows and created a very definite strong draft throughout my home, and was relatively quiet while doing it. Of course, it had a large-bladed metal fan. This Air King can barely rustle the curtains, creates a minor breeze, and sounds like a turboprop aircraft on a takeoff roll. I live where summers are very brief and uncomfortable heat only lasts two or three weeks so a more elaborate ventilation or cooling system is not justified. I had hoped this fan would be a good replacement for my old one but it has fallen far short and before next summer I will definitely have replaced it with something with metal blades instead of plastic. Perhaps this would be fine for just blowing air around a room but it is a real flop at being a true air mover. I contacted Air King about replacing the plastic fan with a metal one but they stated it definitely was not at all possible. Incidentally, free shipping from Amazon was very timely and I had the item via USPS in a matter of only a few days after ordering. Excellent service from Amazon.

Sure it's heavier duty than run of the mill cheap box fans, but considering the bulkiness of it and the weight which normally accomdates a decent motor **AND THE PRICE** you'd think it would be quieter. See, the smaller the motor the more noise it makes because it's made to work hard, kinda' like a those ear-deafening little motorclyles or bikes that cruise up and down the residential streets using the grass-mower engines; they're trying to do a big work with a little engine, same as this is. The price is too high for what one gets is the bottom line. With shipping it should not cost more than thirty bucks.

Decent residential fan that works very well. I was hoping for something slightly more rugged and heavier but this is a good fan. The on/off 3-way switch and handle are a bit chintzy. The fan is thin and light, easy to pickup, position and move around. It is a fairly light guage steel. It moves alot of air. At its fastest speed it sound and feels like a Pratt and Whitney turbine. The lowest speed is adequate for most indoor uses to cool a bedroom. It is relatively quiet at that speed. The protective cages are stiff and do not rattle or vibrate. The power chord is a heavy gauge and well built. Shipping was free with the amazon order but the fan was more expensive than most of the other box fans out there. I would buy this fan again, but if I could see one on a store shelf and found one a bit more commercial, I would prefer that.

I bought this fan for moving a large volume of air, which it does very well and the cost of the more powerful motor is what makes this fan more expensive.

Don't get this fan if you want to hang it in the bedroom window and go to sleep; it's a little too loud for that.

This fan would have got 5 stars if the slowest speed were slower & quieter.

Apparently UPS handles goods like the gorilla handled baggage in the old "Samsonite" commercial. It arrived slightly damaged but I kept it. I bought it because I needed it and I didn't want the hassel of a return and re-ship. The product is very good. It moves much more air than the cheap box fans that you can buy in the "Big Box" stores. It also has a three wire grounded cord.

Has good air flow when it's blowing towards you. However, it is pretty loud. I have right by my tv and I have to turn up the volume on my tv so I can hear it. I wish it was a hair cheaper than the 45 bucks I paid for it but whatever. I needed a fan for my room so this will have to do.

After Lasco's awful 'Chineese Motor Swap' following a 2nd Product Recall [shorts & earlier Fires] on their 3733, I bit the bullet on the 2X price hike to get their AirKing division's "Commercial Grade Fan" [see Amazon's discription above awa others on the net] with a real 20" blade.

These 2 claims are complete fabrications.

As others note, without ammending their advertising Lasco silently substituted their smaller fan blade designed for much weaker motors for the special shaped full 20" blade shown in all illustrations.

WORSE: This is definately NOT a "Commercial Grade" fan though you'll only learn this from their enclosed Instruction Sheet which also states it's not even to be used at a window. But then, how could it be now that they've reduced their Warranty so drastically?

Doing a quick examination of the motor while setting the unit up for my use, I was glad not to see [contrary to my last 3733] any markings indicating Chineese manufacture. Problem is I found no Country Of Origin info anywhere & fear, with Lasco's apparent receint 'corner cutting' that some cheap foreign parts may have been used.

Lastly: do note that their printed & published specifications as to AirVolume [& Wattage?] seem to be untrue what with the 'Sneak Substitution' of the smaller, less efficient fan blade.

PS: Cudos to Amazon for speedy [summer] delivery & for being one of the few no longer offering the 3733 with all its problems.