Customer Reviews

Vornado Compact 530 Air Circulator, 3 Speeds, Black, CR1-0073-06

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Is the new model 530 as good as older Vornados that established the company as a quality innovator? In this review, I compare the new 530 to two older compact models that I own. These are the excellent model 180 compact fan(infinite speed, no longer available) and the very good 510 compact (3-speed and in very short supply - watch out for merchants who substitute the current model 530 for the 510). These (and the larger, venerable model 280) have great features, quietness, quality, and durability. My comments should apply to the model 530 regardless of the color of the plastic case, since color has no bearing on performance in this product.

FEATURES
The 3-speed compact design is similar to that of the older models (note that some slightly more expensive Vornado models have infinite speed control instead of 3-speed but are otherwise the same). But the 530 has one major disadvantage that you're likely to miss in the promo copy. The fan head doesn't tilt as much as those in the older models. This model tilts only about 50 degrees, while the older fans tilt about 80 degrees. The older design is much better at getting air from the floor to the ceiling.

QUIETNESS
The whirring fan blades make as little noise as the older models (whisper quiet on low, moderate amount on medium, a lot of "whoosh" on high), but the 530 has an irritating low-pitched motor noise the older models don't have. Because it's low frequency sound, it will even go through walls.

QUALITY
Personally, I think the motor, because of the noise, must not be up to the quality of previous models. One of the fan blades on my 530 still had plastic from the molding process that hadn't been removed. Definitely a quality-control problem. My older models were all manufactured in the US; this one in China (judging from a recent visit to a store that had a number of Vornado models, the company's moved manufacturing of most, if not all, of their consumer market fans offshore).

DURABILITY
We'll have to see. Comes with a limited 5 year warranty (you must get an RMA and ship to Vornado in Kansas and other reviewers have complained about shipping and handling costs nearly equaling the cost of a new fan).

BOTTOM LINE
In my view, this fan departs from the Vornado tradition of quality and quietness. I don't recommend using the model 530 in a bedroom or other place where you need quiet due to the low-pitched motor noise. Note that the user manual pictures both the model 530 and the R2D2 looking model 630.

I own two other Vornados- a "mid-sized" model (6xx), and large (7xx). The small continues in the Vornado tradition of excellence, and I'm very pleased with it. It moves air like no other fan of it's size, and appears to be very well made. It's perfect for a small room.

Vornados are not particularly comfortable to have pointed directly at you due to the speed and concentration of the air stream... it's more like an air gun. You are supposed to point them across the room, and they project a beam of air to the opposite end, creating a mild breeze throughout the entire room.

However, this small fan does have a "low" speed setting that is tolerable for direct use, and is very quiet on low. The noise it makes is pleasant... it's worth noting that fan collectors prize each fan's distinctive sound above almost anything else, and Vornado's HQ is home to a museum of vintage fans. They clearly design their fans to create an attractive sound.

However, I will say that the high speed setting is somewhat loud, and a bit more intrusive than the sound of the larger models. The fan blades are spinning quite a bit faster in order to achieve such a massive air movement for such a small unit. However, I don't run mine on highvery often- it works best in a small room on medium or low. It's perfect for our young daughter's bedroom.

About price: in addition to the quality of the construction and design, it's worth mentioning that Vornado actually manufactures in the US... you can be sure these things aren't being built by children in a sweat shop. This certainly makes the more expensive, but I certainly feel better about buying them.

-R

The quality on this Vornado product is not as good as in the past. The product is no longer made in the USA but is instead made in China. Whether or not this is the reason for lower quality I don't know. Like a couple of other reviewers this unit is not not near silent on low speed and unless aimed directly upright has an irritating rhythmic "burmpt, burmpt" to it. On higher speeds this noise goes away but the air noise increases significantly as reported by others. $40 is a high price for a less than perfectly executed small "air circulator."

This is the third Vornado fan I have purchased. I also own a 783B "whole house" fan that I use to push cool air upstairs during the summer and a 733B "whole room" fan that I use to circulate air in our living/dining room areas. I have been very pleased with these fans since purchasing them two years ago. I don't know whether they have had a discernible impact on our energy consumption, but they certainly make the house more comfortable by evening out the hot and cool spots, just as they are designed to do.

I hesitated before purchasing this fan for my 3 y/o daughter's room based on some of the critical reviews. However I have been very happy with this fan. Despite its compact size, it circulates air very effectively throughout a large bedroom with very little noise on its medium setting. The High setting sounds like a typical fan's high setting, meaning you could have a phone conversation sitting next to one but might find it distracting. Medium, however, is barely audible (soft white noise), and low is truly whisper quiet.

Perhaps I could find flaws with the 530B if I put it under a microscope like some of the more harsh reviewers have, but it fits my needs perfectly and exceeded my high expectations.

No offense, but the previous review is a bit shortsighted. I had a similar, skeptical initial reaction when I saw a Vornado. At first glance, it looked very similar to other low-cost, plastic department store fans. Upon closer inspection, there is no comparison.

The 530B, due to its unique blade and housing design, and superior motor (see their site for details), blows WAY more air for its size than any other fan. Take a close look at how shallow the average fan blade is. Then look at Vornado's deep, sculpted blades. It blows as much or more air on the low, quiet setting than competing fans do on their high setting. It's pretty amazing, actually.

The 530B blows enough air for my bedroom, whereas competing fans this size I have to aim directly at me. As advertised, the fan is well used as a room circulator, in that you feel the gentle breeze throughout the room, rather than sticking it on a table and pointing at you.

People often gripe about "paying for the name" when it comes to consumer products. This is usually an unfair assertion with most products. You are not paying for the name, like you are in designer jeans, where only the name counts. Instead, you are paying for the superior quality and design of the manufacturer whose name is stamped on the housing. Simple market princples here -- if there was nothing to back up the name, the name wouldn't be valuable. They sell at the higher price because you get what you pay for.

I purchased this fan because it was suppose to have strong circulation and it has
lived up to my expectations. I am using it to move hot air @ 20 feet through a vent and it works great. It is still relatively quiet and strong on medium speed and is really powerful on high. It has been running for almost a month straight now with no problems.

Bought my first Vornado years ago, and is the best fan I've ever seen. Decided to get a second one... purchased this model. First unit had bad vibration, returned it. Second unit less vibration, but very noisy. Also returned. When I compare this unit to my original Vornado, the quality of construction is noticeably much inferior. I don't know if this applies to the rest of the Vornado lineup or not.

I have owned Vornado fans for many years, and they always have moved the air in a vortex, as advertised. This compact 3 speed air circulator effectively creates a current of air that not only propels a focused wind that sets the air in motion around the room but also provides some very pleasant white noise -- a soothing whirring sound. Mind you, I do not always get the full benefit of this fan because my dog, Dundee, plunks himself in front of it and lets the fan ruffle his fur big time, as he is doing right now...

I previously owned the Vornado 510W compact air circulating fan, and I was very happy with the low noise level and the air exchange capabilities. Unfortunately after several knocks to the floor over 4 years it stopped working.

Then I order this model (530B) as a replacement. In the lowest speed it rattled like an old pick up truck with a payload of aluminum cans. In the two higher speeds the unit rattled less but was as loud as those huge metal "industrial" fans that are used in gyms or dance clubs to move vast amounts of stale air. Usually the hum of a fan helps me sleep at night, but this Vornado was WAY too disruptive. The fan's noise dominated the room such that I couldn't watch TV at a decent volume. I'm returning this fan. This is a disappointing product from Vornado brand.

This fan seemed great at first--it was quiet and powerful. After about 2 weeks of use, it started making a rattling sound on the higher speeds. After 2 years of occasional use, it stopped working altogether yesterday. Even though it is technically under warranty still, the warranty is not worth anything. To get it repaired, you have to not only pay to ship it back to Vornado, but they make you include a check for $20 for return shipping & handling. Plus, they say it will take 3-5 weeks to repair. Considering we got the fan for $31, it is not at all worth it to act on the warranty. Maybe ours was just defective...