Westinghouse 7814565 Turbo Swirl 30-Inch 6-Blade Ceiling Fan, White with Opal Globe

Nice looker, poor performer

1/8/2010

I purchased this fan for a small bedroom- maybe 9X13 in size? Installation was actually very easy. The fan weighs more than it looks but was still lighter than most larger ones. The installation kit was pretty much identical to any other fan and the install process was also the same except that the "light kit" comes preinstalled. Like several other reviewers I was momentarily puzzled about how the blades fasten to the motor, but happened to see the screwdriver slot on the underside of the light area. I wasn't sure at first if I was supposed to use it for fastening the blades, but I decided it would be easier than taking the thing apart. Ends up that's exactly what the slot was designed for. The only twist is that you must install the blades on the bracket before attaching the bracket to the motor unless you have access to the top of the blade after install. This is not possible in a low profile or direct to ceiling application.

My experience in real life with this fan was slightly disappointing. This thing looks like it would put out a nice amount of air, in reality it barely has any downdraft. I notice more air moving SIDEWAYS from the blades. (Not up against the ceiling and out- SIDEWAYS from the plane of the blades. Very strange) The up/down switch on the unit does not change this. I was also disappointed to see the candelabra base bulb socket. Those candelabra bulbs don't last long. The first time I changed the bulb I accidentally dropped the bulb on the globe and broke the globe. The glass that the globe is made of is barely thicker than that of a lightbulb- very fragile. One other reviewer mentioned he has been unable to find a replacement globe. I also have been unable to find one.

I'll try to upload some pictures to the main product description.

Pros:
-Sharp looks
-Price
-Ease of installation

Cons:
-Vague instructions (although easy to figure out)
-not much downdraft air movement
-brittle glass globe
-Candelabra bulbs burn out quickly
-globe too small for CFL bulb
-No replacement globe easily found
-Really ugly without a globe

I'd Suggest Staying Away From This Fan

12/3/2009

First.... I can't agree with others here in regards to ease of assembly. I am mechanically inclined, but I still think that it shouldn't be too tough for an average Joe as long as they know the difference between a regular and a phillips head screwdriver. But I'd suggest that it's a moot point. I'm very disappointed in this fan. I may have just gotten a bad one, but it's noisy and not balanced particularly well, to the point of it being practically unusable at night even on a low speed. And the fact that it's relatively pricey adds insult to injury in my opinion (similar size fans are available at Lowe's or Home Depot for much less money, though I'll admit that they're not quite as modern looking). I should have returned it, but I knew that I wouldn't use the fan that much, and the thought of disassembling it, re-packing it, and paying to ship it back was enough to keep me from doing just that. I'd suggest looking at a different fan.

nice looking but...

8/23/2009

Nice looking fan. Easy to install. However, I have been using it now for 1.5 years and noticed that the wind velocity produced has weakened somewhat from when I first purchased it. I was told that its capacitor (i.e. electronic spare part) needs replacement -- not something that is available where I purchased the fan. Had to go to a hardware store for it. I was under the impression that ceiling fans did not need this much maintenance.

Back to Amazon to order a second one

7/16/2009

I was a little skeptical about this fan at first because of its small size, but I ended up loving it. I have no idea why other reviewers had such a hard time putting it together--it's certainly no worse than any other fan I've ever assembled and installed myself. 30 minutes and it was all done. Only problem is, I put it up in a room that has two fans and now I need another one to match it. Buy it--can't beat the price and the lifetime warranty!

be aware

11/7/2008

Nice fan quiet and modern looking..... BUT, if you break the glass globe you won't be able to find a replacement!!!!!