Lasko B20725 Metal Box Fan, 20-Inch

This is a high quality, powerful fan. I point the fan out the window to draw in the cool air from the west and it works perfectly. It is louder than plastic fans (of course) because it is moving a ton of air. I highly recommend if you like white noise while you're sleeping, it will put you to sleep.

I bought this fan because it appeared to be better build then all the others; TRUE. I bought this fan because from what I could tell was more powerful (had a higher CFM); TRUE. That said this is not a fan to be used inside a home or any room if you need to hear as it is extremely loud. I was going to return it and as a second thought decided it will have its place on my farm. Perhaps to dry out a room, dry paint or clear smoke or just quickly ventilate a room or area. Otherwise it is so loud I couldn't tolerate it - not even at its lowest setting. As for its operation and build quality I would give it 5 stars.

I was wondering how this fan would compare to a 20 year old Lasko metal box fan (not the flimsy $20 ones from the drug store). This fan is extremely solid and quite heavy. The back end of the motor is sealed which keeps the fan from sucking dust into the bearing which ultimately destroys most Lasko fans. The heavy cord is very long. The fan draws only 100 watts on high compared to 300 watts for the old fan. This fan also blows WAY more air while consuming 1/3 the power. It may seem odd, but this fan also has a real nice paint job - black gold tone, not the standard sky blue for cheap fans. The downside - and it's a big one - the low speed isn't low enough. It's still like a jet engine and really unusable in a bedroom. I use one outside to keep mosquitoes away from and another one in my attic where the noise isn't an issue.

It's hard for me to rate this fan because it is a very well made fan. I bought a Lakewood Aluminum 20 inch box fan about 7 years ago when I was just looking for a regular 20 inch box fan (plastic) and saw for sale on amazon the Aluminum one. One of the reviews said, "you should buy this aluminum fan because they are well made, last forever and they not going to make them anymore". So I bought it one on a whim and it sat in its box for about 5 years. I finally started to use it and wish I had bought a few more at the time. Unlike the plastic fans, the Aluminum one I bought has never started to rattle. I have it going 24 hours a day to circulate the air where I live, and have no problem sleeping with it on in the next room because it runs so smoothly. But I figure considering how much I use it, eventually it is going to die someday, so I started to look for a replacement. I was very happy to actually find a metal fan for sale (this one) and bought it immediately. Before turning it on a was really impressed with how was made - actually better than my Lakewood one (which has plastic grills). Anyway, I turned it on and was blown away... but not in a good way... at least not for me. It is VERY POWERFUL AND LOUD. When I say LOUD, I don't mean it rattles or anything like that. It is smooth... but very loud. Like an airplane. The lowest setting on this fan I would say it about the same as my Lakewood at level 3... maybe even stronger. Forget watching TV or talking on the phone with this fan - even if it's in the next room. If you need a fan to really move air... this is an incredibly good fan. But if you want a fan to move air around and create a little white noise... this fan is too much. I really wish they had set the level 1 setting much lower. I will keep it in case I'm ever making a movie and I need the actors to look like they are in a tornado, or maybe if I ever want to build an ultralight aircraft..... or just clear a room of paint fumes or something... maybe I'll find a use for it. I had the Lakewood in a box for 5 years, so who knows... but you should be aware before you buy it what it is intended for.

I am really disappointed in this fan. I purchased it because it was metal and I thought that would make it a superior fan that would last a long long time. I had read that it was a bit loud, but that didn't bother me at all. What I am terribly disappointed with is that it hardly blows any air! I have another fan that I purchased for $19 as Walmart that outperforms this fan with the amount of air it pushes. Even on the highest setting, and having the fan in front of my open window as I sit less than 10 feet away, I can barely feel any breeze at all. By its size and price, I should be blown away sitting that close to it. I wish now that I had returned it right after purchasing it, but we had a death in the family and I wasn't focusing on fans. I just got it out to try to use for the upcoming summer season, and I was reminded why I hate it. Don't waste your money if you expect a fan to actually push air!

Not worth the money. I got this thinking that it would pull more air through a 20" X 20" filter. With the cheaper 10 dollar box fan, it makes a nice air filter. This fan sounds like it is going to blow your house down, but it is kinda like the guys who run the motorcycles without the mufflers. All roar and no bite. So, it you want a fan to turn on at night just for the noise, this is the fan for you. If you want a cheap air filter, get the 10 fan and a 20" by 20" air filter. I good filter with run more than the fan, so they aren't cheap in that respect. They are cheaper than the "air filters" you buy, and in more cases there is more filter material to trap the stuff in the air.