Hunter 90400 12-Inch Portable Table Fan, Brushed Nickel

My office can get stuffy at times. I wanted something to keep the air moving and maintain a professional appearance. I did not want an ugly plastic thing that looked like it came from the local discount store. A decent looking fan seemed like it would be a simple to thing to buy until I actually started looking for one.I first bought another Hunter model from a local store. When I got it to my office, I was surpised to see that it did NOT have the tiltable head. I returned it because it would blow all the papers off my desk!When I received it from Amazon, I was pleased to see that the fan feels heavy and well built (by modern standards). The speed selector switch is very easy to use. The fan arrives completely assembled, so all you need to do is unbox it and plug it in.This Hunter fan fit the bill for looks and had the critical tiltable head. It has the attractive look of a vintage fan, but with the assurance that it would be safe and reliable. The fan is quite effective at moving the air. The head also swivels back and forth if needed, but I don't use the swivel feature.The one potential issue wth this fan is that the air noise from the fan blades is a bit louder than you might expect, even on the lowest of the three speeds. You can definitely hear it running. My fan does not make any perceptible noise due to the motor running, but the blades whipping through the air produces a white noise type sound. This noise can be a good thing if you are looking to cover up the usual office sounds. The sounds gets a bit louder and little higher pitched as you cylce through low - medium - high speeds.I give it 5 stars based on my criteria. I think is is a good purchase as long as you don't expect silent (or near silent), operation.

Bought this fan for my guest room so my guests can be more comfortable if the central AC or heat isn't doing it for them, and also so they can have some white noise.I am an absolute satin nickel-finish junkie, so this fan's appearance and finish gets like 892389 stars out of 5 for me. The timeless electric fan style is totally nailed -- the fan looks expensive and striking as heck sitting on my guest room's white dresser. Really classes up the joint which is important with the prominent position it occupies as the largest item on the dresser.The only disappointment I have is that I actually think it's TOO powerful! Which causes it to also be way too loud. Most of Hunter's marketing bullet-points for this fan are spot on, but "Whisper-quiet" is the most laughable adjective to describe this beast fan. The LOW setting is what I would have expected of the HIGH setting, and the HIGH setting is what I imagine those huge fans they use at fashion shoots to make models' hair blow straight back feels and sounds like.Low is quite loud and windy, medium louder and gustier, and high is like laboratory-emergency-ventilation-fan speed or something! I know I am used to cheaper, non-Hunter table fans, stand fans, and box fans, but the power does seem a little excessive for a smallish fan whose stated function is to sit on a table in what is likely smaller rooms/environments.Overall, I'm a satisfied customer just for having such a nice-looking fan sitting in my guest room, and I have no doubt it can get the job done for my guests. On low I don't think it will be too loud or breezy for visitors to use and adjust to their liking and still relax or sleep in there, and if anyone wants the extra power, they certainly won't be disappointed.If you are looking for a truly whisper-quiet fan, though, I am sorry to disappoint you -- keep looking.

While I expect some noise from a desk fan I chose this one based on the feedback I read. I am truly at a loss to understand why anyone would rate this a quiet fan. I found this fan to be very nice to look at but very loud even on lowest setting.

But there are a few issues.1. I ordered it from Warehouse Deals -- have had good luck with this in the past -- so it was re-taped. The warranty card was not there, and nothing in the way of an info booklet. It was around $10 less.2. It will not turn off; when we first plugged it in, it was on, and it seems that the only way to turn it off is to unplug it.3. We can't get three different speeds, only two.It seems to be a very well made fan, all metal; very retro and cool looking, but I think this was probably defective from the factory, and had been sent back to Amazon for that reason. I had assumed that Amazon would check out returned merchandise before reselling it in Warehouse Deals, but apparently not.I'll probably send it back and exchange for a perfect one.This is an update from Chiacat; sent back the broken one and reordered again from Warehouse Deals. This time the fan is perfect, and the booklet in Spanish has given me a little refresher course in that very useful and eloquent language.I love this table fan. All metal, heavy duty cord, elegant design with good function. It looks good, and has a smooth, soft white noise that helps me sleep so well. Z-z-z-z ...

Looks like a sturdy, retro fan that will last a long time, but it isn't. On my first one, the switch stopped working for the middle speed. Called the manufacturer and got a warranty replacement which ended up having exactly the same problem--the middle speed stopped working. I suspect cost-cutting on either the designer's or manufacturer's part. The fan's now going to Goodwill.

**update June 2019 (6 years later): this fan is still running strong! We use it constantly and it's still strong and not too noisy**Very powerful and aesthetically-pleasing fan. The only slight drawback is that it doesn't tilt down, only up. I wanted to put it on a taller dresser and aim it down at our bed, but it won't do it. Still, it looks very nice and puts out an impressive breeze even on its lowest setting. It is a touch louder than we were expecting (my husband thinks it sounds like rain from another room), but not too bad.