Fan Comparison: Vornado 280B and Patton Jet Power Air Circulator Turbine Fan

Описание: Comparing the Patton Jet Power Air Circulator fan to the Vornado 280B fan. The Patton is a knockoff of Vornado.

I do not have the original retail price for the Vornado unit, but I do believe it was considerably more expensive than the Patton. The Vornado is also a few years newer, but Vornado was still holding on to quality at this time; a Vornado sold the same year as the Patton would be of comparable quality.

The performance of the two is surprisingly similar. In close proximity, the Vornado appears to have a very light edge over the Patton, but not by much. Up close, the Patton's air stream is smoother while the Vornado is most gusty. From a few feet back, both maintain very concentrated air streams that feel about the same. A test in a larger area would be of interest to see how far the air travels.

The noise level is also similar between the two, though they make completely different sounds. The Vornado has a more gentle higher-frequency whir while the Patton produces more of a deep rumble. Which would be less obtrusive is a matter of personal preference.

The Vornado's low speed is a little quieter and slower, but this isn't a particularly fair item to compare as the Vornado is 3 speed and the Patton is only 2. Both units have a good variance in the speeds.

The Patton uses a shaded pole motor instead of the PSC motor used by the Vornado. The Vornado consequently uses considerably less power and current than the Patton. Some might argue that the Patton's shaded pole motor is more reliable than the PSC, but I don't consider this a particularly valid argument as the capacitors often last 40+ years with no trouble and are easy and inexpensive to replace.

Both units, despite being comprised almost entirely of plastic, have a solid quality feel. The plastic is thick and sturdy.

If you're on a budget and want a fan of this style, the Patton is not a bad offering. It costs a fair bit more to operate in electricity usage, but the performance and build quality is comparable to the Vornado at what I suspect was a fraction of the price.