The best fans are durable, easy to use, energy-efficient, and have a wide range of speed options to suit all potential situations and preferences.
The Vornado 6303DC is an excellent fan for the money. It has a remote, 99 fan speeds, low vibrations, uses up to 80% less energy than normal fans, and moves air up to 85 feet away. The only downsides are that it can get noisy at high speeds and you need to manually adjust the height.
If you’re looking for a durable, high-quality fan that will stand the test of time, the Vornado 6303DC is a terrific bet. Read on to learn about the pros (and cons) of this high-tech Vornado fan.
Pro-tip: To get the complete picture, you should compare my review with the official Vornado 6303DC Amazon listing. Open the Vornado 6303DC product page on Amazon.com now to compare features and customer ratings.
| Overall Rating | 95/100 |
|---|---|
| Ease of Use | 97/100 |
| Ease of Assembly | 98/100 |
| Affordability | 89/100 |
| Energy Efficiency | 90/100 |
Pros of the Vornado 6303DC
- 99 fan speeds make it easy to get the exact amount of airflow you want.
- Quality manufacturing makes for zero vibrations, even at the highest speeds.
- The compact size (14.4″ x 12.1″ x 8.4″) means you can stay cool without your fan taking up a ton of space.
- Brushless DC motor uses up to 80% less energy than normal fans.
- Remote control makes it easy to turn the fan on/off and change speeds without getting up.
- Deep-pitched blades move air up to 85 feet away, so you can easily cool down even if you place the fan on the other side of the room.
- 10-year warranty protects you from manufacturing defects.
Cons of the Vornado 6303DC
- The fan doesn’t rotate horizontally, so you’ll have to turn it manually to blow the air where you want to.
- It gets a bit noisy at the highest speeds. However, it’s still much quieter than other fans that operate at high speed.
- It’s not a tower fan, so you can’t adjust the height.
Should you get this?
Before you go off buying an expensive high-end fan, you should first consider whether buying a fan is the right option for you in the first place.
If you find yourself frequently in need of a cooling draft of air — but don’t want to pay for the increased energy costs of an air conditioner — you should consider getting a fan. Fans cool your body by causing sweat to evaporate quicker, which will cool your body faster than if you didn’t have a steady stream of air flowing over your skin.
There is one caveat, though: if you live in an incredibly hot area where the temperature consistently reaches over 99°F, a fan alone won’t cut it. If the air temperature is hotter than your body temperature (which is typically 98.6°F), a fan will actually make you hotter instead of cooling you off.
For a fan to cool you down, the air needs to be colder than your body temperature. You can accomplish this using an air conditioner, or by using a bowl of ice if you’re on a budget.
Okay, so now that we’ve covered whether you need a fan or not, let’s discuss whether you should get the Vornado 6303DC.
If you’re not a big fan of “smart” technology and don’t care about having precise control over your fan’s airflow, you probably won’t need the high-tech advantages this fan has over its simpler counterparts. And if you already have a fan that you’re happy with, there’s really no need to replace it.
However, if you’re in need of a fan that offers precise control over speed and volume, want the convenience of controlling your fan via remote, and want something that provides amazingly powerful airflow without running up your electric bill or producing noises so loud that it sounds like a jet engine is in your house, the Vornado 6303DC is an excellent upgrade to make.
Why the Vornado 6303DC is worth it.
It Gives You Enhanced Control Over Fan Speed
One of the most annoying issues with cheaper fans is that they usually only come with three speed settings: low, medium, and high.
If you constantly find the lower speeds on these fans don’t provide enough airflow, but the higher speeds are too intense, the enhanced control that the 6303DC offers will be perfect for you. The 99 speed settings make it easy to find your “Goldilocks” fan speed, so you’ll never have to settle for an annoyingly weak or strong airflow again.
You’ll Save Money on Energy Usage in the Long Run
The 6303DC isn’t just a high-quality fan — it’s also an investment in long-term savings.
Why? Well, the secret lies in the type of motor the 6303DC uses. This fan uses a brushless DC motor, whereas many lower-quality alternatives use a brushed motor.
The technical differences between brushed motors and brushless motors are pretty complex, so I won’t get too deep into them here. But basically, brushed motors create a lot of friction when they operate, which causes significant power loss, wear, and energy inefficiency. Brushless motors don’t have these friction issues, so they’re more powerful, last longer, and are ultimately more efficient.
However, some other fans use AC motors, which are very similar in design to brushless DC motors. How do these compare?
Well, Vornado claims that this fan “uses up to 80% less energy than you would with a comparable AC motor product.” I spent about an hour trying to find evidence backing up this claim, but my exhaustive search came up empty.
As Vornado is a trusted company in the HVAC industry, I’m going to take them at their word and accept that this is true. However, I wish they would offer some kind of side-by-side energy usage comparison of their brushless motor vs. comparable AC motors instead of asking us to simply trust their marketing claims.
It Will Help You Sleep at Night
While fans are primarily used for cooling purposes, the white noise they generate can also be an excellent sleep aid.
The main problem that many people who use fans as white noise generators have is that the lack of control over speed means the fan is either too loud or too quiet. As most fans only have three speeds, it can be hard to find a middle ground that produces white noise at just the right volume to ease you into sleep.
The 99-speed Vornado 6303DC solves this problem. The fan’s volume increases incrementally with each speed increase, so you can fine-tune it to get to the exact volume that you need it to be.
And sure, you could use a white noise generator app on your phone or computer— but then you wouldn’t get the cooling effect of a fan gently blowing air onto your resting body, which is also something that helps with sleep.
It Comes With a 10-Year Warranty
If you live in the United States, the 6303DC comes with a 10-year warranty. This covers any mechanical breakdowns or design flaws you might encounter over the course of owning your fan.
Flaws but not dealbreakers.
No product is perfect, and the 6303DC is no exception. Here are a few issues that you should be aware of:
It’s Pricey
While the energy efficiency might save you money in the long run, the high upfront cost of purchasing the Vornado 6303DC might be too much for some potential buyers.
If you’re looking for a simple fan to get you through the summer heat on a budget, this isn’t the fan for you. I’d recommend the Honeywell HT-900 as a budget option instead.
Honeywell HT-900 TurboForce Air Circulator Fan Black,SmallTougher to Use if You Don’t Have Table Space
You should also consider another option if you’re sorely lacking in table space. While the 6303DC is quite compact, it’s not a standing fan, which means you’ll need to place it on a table or another piece of taller furniture.
However, it is marketed as a floor fan, so you still might be able to use it if you don’t have space on a table. It does swivel vertically, which means you can still get airflow at face height even if you don’t place it at face level. You’ll just need to place it strategically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does it swivel vertically?
Yes, this fan can swivel vertically. The fan rotates at the base and will allow you to point the airflow at the ceiling if you wish.
Q: Can you remove the grill and clean the fan blades?
Yes, you can remove the grill to clean the fan blades. There are five screws attaching the grill to the fan body; if you have a screwdriver, you can remove them to access the blades. The fan’s product manual (available online) contains step-by-step instructions on how to do this.
Q: Does the remote need a direct line of sight to work?
Yes, the remote does need a direct line of sight to affect the fan’s operation. However, the range is quite long, so you can use the remote from across the room as long as there is nothing between you and the fan.
Final thoughts
If you need a high-quality fan that goes above and beyond what a normal fan can do, the Vornado 6303DC is an excellent choice. The quality and convenience does come with a higher price tag than more basic fans, but the cost is well worth it if you’re serious about staying cool.
Steve Rajeckas is an HVAC hobbyist with an avid interest in learning innovative ways to keep rooms, buildings, and everything else at the optimal temperature. When he’s not working on new posts for Temperature Master, he can be found reading books or exploring the outdoors.