We measured airflow, placing each fan across a large room and standing on the other side to gauge how easily we could feel each setting, both directly in front of and off to the sides of every fan. And we considered how many settings, modes, features, and timer options each model has, alongside the use of those settings. Though the Lasko Lasko Box Fan Cyclone does have a timer, it only goes up to 4 hours, which may not be enough for some folks. It has a push-pull tab on the motor to control oscillation, rather than including that on the remote like many others. The super-wide, 21-inch circular base takes up a significant amount of room and slides readily across hardwood floors.
And while the operation lights on the front will dim after several seconds, if you’re particularly sensitive to lights in the bedroom, you may end up covering the front of this one. Overall, however, we found this to be a useful fan with a fair range of features and good power for less money than many others, making it a great value option. Despite its limited settings, it still has a powerful airflow that does a great job of cooling you down. The adjustable height and tilting head provide plenty of flexibility so you can use this fan just how you need it.
For a futuristic-looking fan, it still has the old-school oscillation knob on the unit, with no button to control it remotely. It chirps loudly and obnoxiously with every setting change, and though the lights dim, they never turn off. Switching between speeds, the unit we tested also had considerable lasko pedestal fans difficulty finding the right rotation rate, shifting awkwardly between several speeds before settling at a constant pace. At the end of the day, though we find much to like about this quiet, effective fan, we’re not quite sure its shortcomings make it worth the hefty price tag.
Though it can’t point down, it can be angled nearly vertically to bounce air off the ceiling and blow it effectively around an entire room. It’s the only one with the cord coming out of the bottom of the stand, as well, rather than dangling off the base of the motor halfway up the stand. The Double Blade also won’t recall your last settings when turned off and defaults to the lowest speed when powered on, without oscillation. It’s not a quiet fan, either, particularly on the highest settings, which makes it difficult to watch TV over without turning up the volume.
If your home includes excitable pets, clumsy children, or ungraceful adults, it’s important to have a sturdy fan that’s less likely to take a fall when bumped. We evaluated fans on their center of balance, weightiness, sturdiness, and other features that help to hold them in place, like rubber feet. Since many of these come with a tiny remote, we also considered extra features as a bonus in this metric. It has a small footprint with legs that can go around objects and a small head that’s powerful and can be pointed in nearly any direction, pivoting a full 90 degrees, from horizontal to almost vertical. The Lasko S11612 is a fairly average overall size but is much lighter than most and with a thin, wide base that can slide easily under most furniture.