Are Bladeless Fans Better Than Regular Fans? (pros & cons)

Bladeless fans have become a huge talking point lately. It seems there’s always someone asking our team here at Check Appliance whether it’s worth buying a bladeless fan.

So this article is for all of those people who are undecided on whether to buy a bladeless fan or not.

How Does A Bladeless Fan Work?

In very basic terms, a bladeless fan uses a small brushless motor to run a small fan with mismatched blades. That fan draws air in through the base and sends it upwards towards narrow slits in the ring at the top.

The air is then passed over the edge of an aeroplane wing shaped ledge which is angled at 16-degrees. This sends the air out from the circle where it picks up more air that is located just outside the ring.

This is known as air multiplying as it uses principles of fluid dynamics to collect and use air that’s not part of the original air intake. It basically works like a jet engine or car turbocharger.

What Are The Advantages Of A Bladeless Fan?

There are eight main benefits to owning a bladeless fan which are;

• They’re safer than regular fans (especially if you have children)
  Bladeless fans are designed in such a way that there are no visible moving parts. This means even if you have an inquisitive toddler roaming around the room, there is nothing on a bladeless fan to hurt them. Even if the bladeless fan were to be knocked over, there are no blades to get damaged or to damage anything else.
• They have a more pleasing design
  Most regular fans look quite ugly, in comparison bladeless fans are aesthetically pleasing. They look more like pieces of art than functional cooling devices.
• They produce less noise
  Due to the fact that all the working parts are enclosed in the base, bladeless fans are far quieter than standard regular fans. In fact, they are claimed to be around 60% quieter than regular fans.
• They’re more energy efficient
  Compared with standard conventional fans, bladeless fans are far more energy efficient. They cool the room faster using less power.
• They have a lightweight design
  Because of the design of a bladeless fan, there is no need for a heavy base to prevent the fan from toppling over when the large blades are spinning. This makes a bladeless fan far lighter than a conventional fan.
• They’re more portable
  As bladeless fans are so lightweight and small compared to a conventional fan, they are easy to move from room to room.
• They do not harbour dust
  Conventional fans always seem to collect lots of dust on the blades. Not only does this look unsightly, it can be dangerous for asthma sufferers. Not so with a bladeless fan, all that is needed is a quick wipe with a damp cloth to keep the bladeless fan looking at its best.
• Some can heat and cool the air
  Many bladeless fans can be used as heaters as well as coolers. This makes them super versatile and able to transport hot or cool air to any room in your home.

What Are The Disadvantages Of A Bladeless Fan?

There is really only one real disadvantage when it comes to bladeless fans, that’s the price. A bladeless fan could cost up to 15 times as much as a conventional fan depending on the make and model.

How Does A Regular Fan Work?

A regular fan consists of an electric motor that turns a set of large fan blades which creates air circulation. The air is directed by pointing the fan towards the area you want cooled.

Regular fans are limited to the amount of air they can actually force past the blades. This means to get a greater air flow, you need a larger fan with bigger blades. 

Plus due to the number of blades on a regular fan, the air flow can feel like it’s stuttering or buffeting. This can create a less than perfect cooling effect.

What Are The Advantages Of A Regular Fan?

The main advantage of a regular fan is it forces air in the direction you desire. As with all fans, the air it pushes is at the same temperature as the room, it just feels cool because of the evaporation of sweat on our skin.

Plus, as we mentioned earlier, there’s also the lower price point.

What Are The Disadvantages Of A Regular Fan?

There are several disadvantages to a regular fan, these include;

• They’re noisy
  Compared to a bladeless fan, a regular fan is far noisier. 
• They’re big
  Due to the design regular fans need large bases to support the spinning blades.
• They’re difficult to move
  Due to their size and weight, regular fans are difficult to move from room to room.
• They’re heavy
  Due to the design, regular fans need to have a heavy weight attached to the base to prevent the fan from falling over.
• They’re dust magnets
  The blades of a regular fan always seem to be covered in dust.
• They look uglier
  A regular fan could never be mistaken for a piece of art like a bladeless fan could.
• They’re more dangerous
  If a child were to put their finger in the metal cage where the blades spin, it could be seriously hurt. Also if the fan was to fall over, it is likely to break whatever it falls onto.
• The airflow is not constant
  Due to the design of a regular fan, the blades literally chop through the air. This can cause a stuttering or buffeting effect which creates gaps in the airflow.

So, Are Bladeless Electric Fans A Lot Better Than Normal Fans?

We’ve just given you 8 reasons why bladeless fans are better than regular fans, they’re;

• Better Looking
• Safer
• Quieter
• More Energy Efficient
• Easier To Move From Room To Room
• Lighter To Carry
• Easy To Clean 
• Can Be Used As Heaters As Well As Cooling Fans

But there’s another super-important one we missed, which is…

Bladeless fans produce far more cool air than they draw in

This is done through the principles of fluid dynamics and can produce upwards of 15 times more air than is drawn through the base unit. Or Air Multiplying which is why Dyson, the leading research and development company in the bladeless fan market now call their bladeless fans Air Multipliers.

This all means you get a far greater blast of air from a bladeless fan than you can ever get from a regular fan.

Comparing The Price Of Normal Fans & Bladeless Fans

This is where a regular fan wins hands down. You can spend as much as 15 times more on a bladeless fan than you can on a regular fan.

But as the technology develops and more companies design their own versions, bladeless fans will become less expensive. However, cheaper is not always better.

You’ll need to read as many reviews as you can to get a better idea on quality etc. A good place to start is our best bladeless fans article.

Frequently Asked Questions