Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Alright folks, I'm going to give you the straight dope on this Lasko high velocity tower fan. I bought this fan because my landlord replaced one of my broken-down window A/C units with a new unit that was one-third the size of the old one, promising it would be good enough to cool my living room. It doesn't even come close to doing so, especially in Houston where we're already facing temperatures in the high 90s and we're not even into the worst of the summer yet. The cold air seems to disappear a foot or two away from the A/C unit, and it's definitely not cooling the room. Not a good situation. Enter the Lasko high velocity tower fan, model 4930. This fan has FIREPOWER. Or I suppose I should say airpower. I can feel it blowing from across the room, even on the two lower settings. This thing pushes out air like you wouldn't believe. It's a beast! Aesthetically speaking, it's a bit bulky (there are certainly fans that look more sleek and streamlined, including some made by Lasko), but I imagine slimming it down would make it lose some of its power. My other aesthetic gripe is with the remote, which seems way larger and bulkier than it needs to be. And batteries for the remote are not included--what's up with that? Some of you dumb-dumbs out there are asking if this fan blows cold air. The answer is yes and no--it's working with the air around the unit (it draws cooler air from the bottom), but it's not an air-conditioner and it won't turn hot air into cold air. What it can do is boost your A/C. I placed my fan next to my window unit and it pushes the cold air from the A/C much further out into the room. The oscillation also helps distribute the cold air to a wider area. Having the fan has also made me rely on the A/C less for cooling, which is good because my A/C isn't great to begin with. Most reviews of this product are upfront about the amount of noise that this workhorse makes, and I can testify that this is the case. On its lowest setting, I actually find the white noise it generates to be quite nice since I live in an area with a lot of traffic and construction. On its loudest setting you will absolutely need to turn up the volume on your television because it will sound like you're standing next to an airplane. But hey, you'll feel like you're standing next to an airplane too because this fan has powers beyond anything I've witnessed before. If you are looking for a fan that packs a punch, this is your fan, full stop. I took points off because the fan had a weird plastic chemical smell when I first started using it. This smell has largely gone away on its own with continued use. I also took points off for what is the weirdest and most awkward looking remote that I've ever owned for any device. The most important thing, though, is that this fan delivers in a major way. I am very happy with this fan overall, especially for what it costs relative to other units.