The Honeywell QuietSet HYF290B has eight named speeds, a dimmable display and a 1/2/4/8-hour timer, but the published tests are not kind to it. TechGearLab scored it 42 out of 100, last of the nine tower fans it tested, and said it was underwhelmed by the fan's power and circulation. BestReviews measured a strong 5.1 mph at 3 feet but heard a loud grinding noise whenever the fan oscillated and said it could not recommend buying it. Top Ten Reviews was kinder, calling it the most versatile fan it tested while noting it is not the most powerful.
Full review
TechGearLab ranked it last of nine
TechGearLab bought and lab-tested nine tower fans and gave the Honeywell QuietSet HYF290B an overall score of 42, the lowest in the group. Its bottom line: 'We are underwhelmed by the power and circulation performance of this fan.' Power and circulation carry 45% of TechGearLab's score, which is why the result is so low. The listed positives are dimmable controls and quiet running on its highest mode; the listed negatives are weak power, a remote that falls from its storage easily, and buttons that are loud and hard to push.
TechGearLab also grouped the Honeywell with two Lasko models as the hardest fans to clean, because opening them takes a security Torx driver. On energy use it found the Honeywell edged out the competition, which it attributed to the fan not putting out much power.
BestReviews measured good airflow close up
The BestReviews Testing Lab came to a different view of the airflow. At the highest speed it recorded 5.1 mph at 3 feet from the fan, 3.3 mph at 6 feet and about 1 mph at 9 feet, and could still feel the breeze at 15 feet. It concluded the fan suits rooms of about 10 by 10 feet or smaller. Top Ten Reviews agrees on the limits: it says the fan is not the most powerful it tested, that the breeze drops off around 15 feet, and that it is best in a small to medium room.
The oscillation noise BestReviews could not get past
BestReviews reports 'a loud gear-grinding sound when the oscillation is on, which makes the advertised quiet, low fan speeds pretty pointless', and says the noise is distracting enough that it cannot recommend the fan. Its decibel readings were erratic from speed to speed, where the other fans it tested rose steadily. BestReviews notes it could not test a second unit to confirm the fault is common, but found numerous user reviews reporting the same thing.
Controls and features
Top Ten Reviews calls it one of the most versatile tower fans it tested because of the eight clearly labelled settings, praises the simple remote, and notes it had the longest power cord of the fans in its test. BestReviews found the control panel intuitive and liked the dimmable display and the 1, 2, 4 or 8-hour timer, but points out there are no extra wind modes, the remote feels cheap, does not include batteries, and cannot change the display brightness or the timer.
Strengths
- +Eight speed settings - twice as many as most fans Top Ten Reviews tested
- +BestReviews recorded 5.1 mph at 3 feet on the highest speed and could still feel airflow at 15 feet
- +TechGearLab credits it with dimmable controls and found it quiet on its highest mode
- +Display can be dimmed or switched off, and the timer shuts the fan off after 1, 2, 4 or 8 hours
Watch-outs
- −TechGearLab scored it 42/100, last of nine, citing weak power and circulation
- −BestReviews heard a loud gear-grinding noise during oscillation and could not recommend the fan
- −Needs a security Torx driver to open for cleaning, per TechGearLab
- −No extra wind modes, and the remote cannot change brightness or the timer and ships without batteries, per BestReviews
How it compares
It has eight speed settings against three on the Lasko T42951 Wind Curve and 12 on the Levoit Classic 42-Inch. TechGearLab tested it in the same group as a Lasko Wind Curve and ranked the Honeywell below it (42 against 48). It has no app or voice control, which the Levoit and the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 both offer.
Rating sources
“At its highest speed, testing recorded an excellent 5.1-mile-per-hour wind speed at 3 feet away from the fan”
Counts as 2.59/5 in our score — this publisher's 138 scores on the site average 3.66, so its scores are adjusted up to compare fairly with other publishers.
Our 2.6 score is the average of the 1 scored review above, each adjusted for how strictly its publisher scores; 2 more reviewed it without printing a score and are not in the average. More about methodology.
