Photo: TY Lim (Shutterstock)
Ceiling fans are powerful appliances that make your home more comfortable (when properly calibrated, anyway). In warmer weather, they circulate the air and produce a “wind chill” effect that makes your home feel cooler and fresher. In the colder months, you can reverse the direction of the fan to balance out the heat and prevent cold “pockets” from developing.
But there are downsides to the traditional ceiling fan. They get absolutely filthy, and cleaning them is no fun. And they can be dangerous—it’s not unheard of for an old or poorly-installed ceiling fan to drop down onto unsuspecting folks as the unbalanced blades can cause a wobble that eventually undermines its attachment to the ceiling, or sends those blades hurtling through the air like missiles.
But there’s an alternative to the maintenance and safety issues of the traditional ceiling fan: The bladeless ceiling fan.
Self-contained
If you’ve ever seen one of those Dyson bladeless fans you’re familiar with basic technology at work. A bladeless fan uses motors to pull air into a base, feeds it into a tube, and then expels it outward. Instead of the breeze-like air flow of a traditional fan, the flow of a bladeless fan is typically steadier and less obtrusive, but it still offers the same temperature-modifying effects. There are no visible moving parts, however; the fan typically looks more like a light fixture (and usually has a built-in LED lighting element as well).
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These fans come in a huge variety of styles, and while they tend to be slightly more expensive than traditional fans, the price differential isn’t huge. A bladeless ceiling fan offers several advantages over a bladed fan:
Quieter. Bladeless fans are very quiet when compared to the click-clack din a lot of ceiling fans make. Generally speaking most bladeless fans emit just a low hum that quickly fades into the background. More efficient. Bladeless ceiling fans are more energy efficient because of the way they operate: Instead of simply pushing air up or down, they draw air into themselves and then push that air out. This results in a steadier, more even airflow that can cool down a room much faster than a regular fan. Their compact designs also use less energy than traditional fans. Safer. Since there are no moving parts outside the base, there’s almost zero risk of injury with a bladeless fan. They certainly aren’t going to be yeeting a blade through the air, and you would have to jam fingers into the casing to expose yourself to a moving part. They also produce much less vibration, which reduces the risks of shaking themselves loose and crashing down on top of you. More options. Since they don’t have moving blades, you can also consider installing a bladeless ceiling fan in more locations than traditional fans. Rooms with low ceilings can still accommodate a bladeless fan without cramping your ability to use the room comfortably. Less maintenance. Because they don’t have blades that get gunked up with dust and grease and other gross stuff, keeping a bladeless ceiling fan clean is a lot easier than with a traditional ceiling fan. Models will vary, but for the most part all you’ll need to do is wipe down the unit once in a while. Improved air quality. Some bladeless ceiling fan models come with High Energy Particulate Air (HEPA) filters built in, which trap particulates in your air, resulting in cleaner air in your home. That’s something a regular bladed fan can’t do.
