Customer Reviews

HoMedics EnviraScape River Bend Illuminated Relaxation Fountain - Black

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had to write a review on this because no one else did and if you're like me, you rely on a review to give you a clear evaluation of the product. Especially a product like a fountain- where you need a description of the sound of it. I researched hundreds of fountains online, and read as many reviews as I could. I'd always wanted an indoor fountain. I found not a single review on this fountain but I thought I'd try it because it was the only fountain to mention a babbling brook and that's what I was specifically looking for. There's no point in getting a beautiful looking fountain if it doesn't sound beautiful or you hear the motor.

This fountain was designed to mimic the look of the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. I discovered that the fountain had tiny silver specks on it- which made it look less plasticy (is that a word?). It was easy to assemble- as promised. It does look like plastic- but it has a very modern look to it if you are into that sort of thing. The rocks are nice but if you have a stream nearby, you may want to add some larger rocks for more dimension- but it is not necessary. There is absolutely no sound to the motor which I think is amazing. All I hear is beautiful flowing water. I'm undecided about the LED light display. It makes a nice watery reflection on the wall but it seems to look a little too much like mini spotlights. I may disconnect the lights.

So definitely buy this if you want the exact sound of a mountain stream right there in your home. It's a plus if you like the modern look. It was such a great price- only $28.00 plus shipping. And it's so great not hearing the motor!

So many indoor fountains look like kitschy knockoffs of something you'd find in an old outdoor garden, but made of cheap plastic. As the previous reviewer mentioned, though this one is made of black plastic as well, the white flecks keep it from looking cheap. I really like the modern design, and the pump, while not completely silent, is very quiet. The noise is definitely covered by the brook-like trickle.

Minus one star for the lights however. If you are looking at the fountain from above (i.e. if it is on a coffee table) everything looks fine. If you put it on a regular table or shelf however, you can see the white leds clear as day. They sit beneath the stream of water, partially hid by the lip the water trickles over. I'm thinking about finding a small piece of plastic to diffuse the light a bit. Otherwise, the fountain is great, especially for the price.

Tired of fountains where you just hear a pump and you can't even hear the water? You won't get that here! You do not hear the pump over the water at all, you just hear the water sounds. There is a good steady flow of water, and the water flowing over the included stones gives it a lovely "babbling brook" sound effect. The water flow is good, and it has a nice design where the water does not get stuck on the levels but flows continuously through. The flowing water sound is very relaxing and peaceful.
It's made of black plastic with many tiny silvery flecks in it. The silver flecks give it a gentle shimmer, especially noticeable in the dark under the fountain's led lights. I think it looks nice. I'd say the light was a little brighter then a night light, mostly because of the water reflections that play across the walls. The LED lights are also easy to disconnect if you don't like them, you just leave the connector unplugged.
Most importantly, while it is plastic - it's not flimsy. It's taken a fall from a kitchen counter (when I was cleaning it) and held up solid with no cracks or breaks. Super easy to assemble and clean. Well made, so there is almost no water splatter when it runs.

Ours has been going in our house 24/7 for over 3 months, and has worked fine. Overall, it looks good and works good. It's a great fountain for the money.

Note: when you first get the fountain, it's important follow the instructions to wash both the fountain and the stones well before use. Homedics says most noise problems people report are caused by dust and grime from skipping this step are caused by people who do not do this. Once a week, take 5 minutes to give it a good rinse in the kitchen sink and refill it with clean water, and it will last you a long time.

I have bought many bad fountains that either died, have no running sound or spray anywhere but into the fountain. I read a lot of reviews before I invested in this fountain, and I now add my two cents for anybody, like me, who is searching. This is an excellent tabletop fountain, and the fact that it is low-priced is the butter on the bread. No pump sound, lovely trickling water sound. I don't feel it looks cheap at all. It took me all of five minutes to set it up. Another strong point with me - no splashing at all! And, despite the fact that some of the reviews speak disfavorably about the lights, I actually think they're really pretty and don't find them bothersome at all. I will invest in another one soon, for a friend at work who admired mine.

Overall, I am pleased with the River Bend fountain. *****I am especially fond of the bubbling brook; it sounds so soothing! I plan to purchase another one.

Pros: modern design, *****very soothing sound, low motor noise, plenty of river rocks included, and easy assembly.

Cons: small size, constructed of plastic, and despite the coating of silver specks, it looks plastic, white light illumination (I placed layers of masking tape over them to diffuse the brightness).

The fountain is not perfect in appearance, but it sounds wonderful!

This fountain sounds pretty much like a waterfall. We use it in my kid's room for white noise. The only problem is the lights. There are two LED lights that look like two little dots of light unless you are standing over the fountain. They don't really add to the look of the fountain. But it is what you would expect for what you are paying for it. We have had it for two months and no problems so far. I would buy it again.

Two months after I wrote this the fountain started leaking. Over the next three weeks we tried and tried to figure out what was leaking but couldn't and it just got worse. I would obviously not recommend this fountain anymore. By the way it is about 8in by 10in by 4in.

I have owned a ton of fountains and have taken them all back for one reason or another. Unfortunately this one was no different. Love the modern look and sleek sound; however, if you buy this fountain it MUST sit on a level surface, and even at that it still might leak out under the second bend of the fountain. That's exactly what happened to me, and it was on a level surface. I like to leave it on all the time because of the light, but woke up several time in the night to water everywhere. I might of just had a bad experience and I really liked it.

This item is modern in appearance, kind of Frank Loyd Wright. If sitting by a brook is something you love, this will give an indoors approximation. We got it to add moisture to a small room and it does very well. Keep up with the water addition because it uses a lot.

This is my third fountain, the first was a gift from my wife also from HoMedics but it didn't make any sound (other then the sound of the motor running). The second was battery operated by another brand and battery operated fountains don't have enough power so don't last long. As for this fountain, it makes lots of sound- babbling brook/waterfall type noise depending on the motor speed you choose. It comes with a lot of rocks that you can arrange for the water flow effect of your choice. The three lights are bright so its best not to look directly at them. But in the dark they give off brilliant aqua effects on the walls and make a great night light. I will be up front in saying that the motor can be heard but its nothing worse then the hum of an air pump on a fish aquarium. Overall this is a great product and I would recommend it for anyone looking for a fountain that gives ambient waterfall type sounds. I haven't had any problems with leaking or splashing and I run it at full speed.

I really like this waterfall fountain. Most small tabletop fountains don't sound any better than turning the water on in the bathroom sink. I have owned several fountains in various sizes from 8 inches tall to 3 feet tall. The fountains that have water running down a horizontal texture always sound best. I was skeptical about buying the Envirascape River Bend, but so many reviewers commented on nice babbling brook sound it was worth taking a chance on it. I put the pump on half speed. The little fountain sounds as good as my 3 foot floor fountain. The light is too bright, as others have stated. I fixed that by breaking off pieces of colored light covers that go over landscaped lighting fixtures, and glued a piece over each led light opening with aquarium glass repair clear adhesive. Wire cutters came in handy for cutting and shaping each fragment. I put a blue piece over the top light, a teal piece over the lower front light, and a green piece over the lower side light. The subdued colored lights backlighting the falling water looks awesome. If someone didn't want the lights on at all, I believe you could just unplug the little white thing that you connected when setting it up.

To the reviewer who said he had a leak but couldn't find it, I have an idea about that. I thought I had a leak with my first table top water fountain. My papers and everything else near the fountain got soaked. What was happening was little trickles of water splashing off rocks added up to a pool of water in no time at all. With that fountain, I made a splashguard to place in the front out of a cut up Tupperware lid, and then had to hide the ugliness with fake vines and plants. With the River Bend fountain, all you have to do is move the rock that is causing the splash. I make sure that the rocks directly under the fall of the water are not too flat and have smooth downward angles. Turning the pump flow down will help also.