I’d recommend Honeywell’s QuietSet Tower Fan to anyone who asks. Here’s why I think it’s the coolest fan
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I recently tested the Honeywell QuietSet Tower Fan along with 14 other fans for my comprehensive review of the best cooling fans for your home. My test pool included tower fans, pedestal fans and floor fans, and I found several good features in many of the tested models. But I often kept the Honeywell QuietSet tower fan on, using it in my daily life, long after I finished testing.
As those who know me know, I will recommend this fan to anyone looking for a reliable, quiet, sturdy fan at a reasonable price. Read on for why I love the QuietSet and why you should consider buying it now with warm weather approaching.
Honeywell QuietSet Tower Fan HYF290B
Best cooling fan
The Honeywell QuietSet tower fan has a small footprint, sleek design, sturdy base and eight speed settings, plus it's quiet and affordable.
What I liked about it
It’s quiet
As anyone with a pet knows, a loud oscillating fan can spook a nervous dog or cat when it’s on and placed too close to the animal. But this quiet fan never scared Gizmo, my 5-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi (pictured above). Gizmo would even nap near it sometimes and he’d still be comfortable.
The fan’s lowest setting, Sleep, is so quiet, that I sometimes forget it’s on. Even on its highest setting, Power Cool, I can carry on a conversation with someone or watch TV nearby without having its noise interfere.
Small footprint
As a vertical tower fan, its footprint is small and takes up much less space on my floor than a traditional pedestal fan or floor fan. It can easily fit in a corner of a room, between two pieces of furniture, next to a bed or in a student’s dorm room. It’s slim and sleek with a nice black finish that doesn’t detract from a room’s overall decor.
It has a sturdy base
Its base comes in two parts that you can easily snap together. Upon initial unboxing and assembly, I was skeptical that its design would be sturdy enough. But even after many months of use, the base remains solid and the fan has never tipped over.
The base also has an open, airy design that lets me easily thread the end of the power cord through and store it under the fan when I’m using it.
The console is easy to read and operate
The fan’s console is plainly laid out and easy to read. It features a list of eight different speed settings arranged in a gradient of soothing blue shades. The most powerful setting is Power Cool, followed by Cool, Refresh, Relax, and White Noise. Its quieter settings include Calm, Whisper and Sleep.
Although I tested each setting thoroughly for this review, I often use White Noise or Sleep for how soothing and quiet they are.
It oscillates
Not only does the fan let me set its speed across eight different levels, but it also oscillates. This lets me cool off my living room much faster than if the fan stood still. The QuietSet smoothly moves back and forth, sending a soft breeze or a strong wind in whatever direction I want.
There’s a useful built-in timer
These days, a timer is almost a necessity for a fan since you don’t necessarily want it running 24/7, especially if you want to save on your electric bill. By clicking the QuietSet console’s Timer button once (it looks like a clock face), I can set the Honeywell QuietSet to run for 1 hour. If I click the button again, it will set for 2 hours. I can also set it for 4 or 8 hours using the same button. The timer is particularly useful whenever I leave the room, or my house, and want to return to a comfortable room temperature.
Compact, lightweight remote control
The Honeywell QuietSet tower fan’s lightweight remote control fits easily in the palm of my hand, and since it only has three buttons, it’s simple to use. There’s the Power button on the left, a Speed button in the middle and an Oscillation button on the right. The first button turns it on, the second button lets me set the fan according to its eight speed settings and the third turns on the oscillating function.
Convenient remote control storage
I often misplace remote controls, so I love this feature of the QuietSet. There’s a convenient docking spot on the back of the top of the fan where I can store the remote. It slips in easily and sits securely in place until the next time I lift it out.
What I didn’t like about it
Shallow carrying handle
There’s not much to hate with the Honeywell QuietSet, but one nitpick I have is that the indentation for the carrying handle is rather shallow. I imagine it would work fine for people with smaller hands and thus, shorter fingers. But the handle requires two hands to carry it around safely, one on the handle and the other on its body to steady it.
If I ever try to use just one hand, the fan sort of swings around as I move it to another spot. So, I usually need two hands to hold it to prevent it from swaying around. It’s a minor drawback to an otherwise almost-perfect fan.
Not recommended for young children
Like all electric home appliances, I would suggest keeping young children away from this fan when it’s on (and when it’s off). There’s a good chance a small child could figure out a way to get their arm or leg stuck somewhere within its open base. If that happens, it’s likely to fall over next to or on top of them.
Bottom line
The Honeywell QuietSet tower fan is a great fan. It doesn’t take up much space with its small footprint and it just works really well — and does so quietly. Plus, if you are a pet parent of a nervous dog or cat, it won’t scare them.
Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.
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