A cool breeze.

• Position: What's New? - Fans - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

* We're the cynical type, so a term like "air circulators" strikes us as just a way of charging more money for a plain old fan. Still, after years of hearing friends and family rave about the wonders of air circulators, we had to give it a whirl, so to speak, and thus sought out Vornado, Andover, Kan.

Unlike conventional box fans that merely blow a single stream of air in a direct forward path that benefits only the person sitting in front of it, Vornado air circulators can take on an entire room, including areas with high and vaulted ceilings. Working in conjunction with air conditioning or window breezes, air first travels into the back of the circulator and is directed to the center of the system's blade via the inlet guide cone. As the cone increases the air's velocity and projects the outgoing air farther into the room, the grill creates a focused beam of air continuously directed to the opposite wall, then flowing back to the circulator. With multiple-speed settings, an adjustable tilt function to change air direction, and a deep-pitched propeller designed to minimize noise, Vornado's air circulators smooth out cool and warm spots, resulting in an even-temperature, comfortable environment for everyone in the room. They also can be used one season after another by complementing a...