Clean your fan! We cannot stress this enough. Even if you run it constantly, it will still collect dust and dander over time. This can eventually become a potential health risk—especially if you’re someone like me, with sensitive lungs and allergies.
Cleaning will also help ensure that your fan continues working as efficiently as possible. If too much gunk builds up, it could slow the gears or create more friction, weighing down the blades so they can’t cut through the air as well. This could make it harder for the fan to build up the air-circulating vacuum that makes the Vornado fan so good in the first place. If anything goes wrong, the five-year warranty should cover it—though we’ve seen plenty of Vornados that last even longer.
Luckily, the Vornado 630 Air Circulator is easier to clean than other fans we’ve tested. It also comes with its own set of cleaning instructions (though we have our own advice to offer, too). It doesn’t require any screws or painful panel separation, either. All you have to do is press down on the grille clips to remove the grille face, and then get in there and wipe the blades with a towel and soapy water. Let it dry, pop the grille back on, and you’re done!
At least until next month, when you should probably clean it again.
The original version of this post was part of our 2021 “52 Things We Love” series, an ode to Wirecutter picks that have withstood the test of time. Read the entire series. The current version was edited by Rachelle Bergstein and Catherine Kast.
