Daniela Gorny is an editor covering all things home and decor. She has also written about furniture, area rugs, and organization.
I really don’t like being hot.
I dread the arrival of hot weather and fantasize about ways to escape it. As soon as the heat threatens, I panic-load the freezer with Popsicles and pull out the fans from the closet.
Thankfully, this powerful fan with a vintage vibe helps keep me cool all summer long.
My house has ductless mini-splits, so I’ve found it especially helpful to have fans to spread that cool, delicious conditioned air to areas it can’t quite reach on its own.
For almost a decade, Wirecutter has been recommending some version of the Vornado 630 Medium Air Circulator. The first time I tried it, I couldn’t believe how that small fan could make my home’s AC feel that much more powerful than it was—I could feel hints of cool air in hard-to-reach spots around the house where there had never been any before.
But there was one problem: I didn’t particularly like looking at it every day.
I would style plants around the fan to obscure it as much as I could without hindering its function. And as soon as the heat loosened its sweaty grip, I’d stuff the fan back in the closet for winter.
So when I saw that Vornado also made a pretty, vintage-looking version, the Vornado Silver Swan Alchemy (Wirecutter’s upgrade pick), and that it performed just as well as our almost decade-old top pick, I couldn’t order one fast enough.
Having objects around the house that bring me joy every time I look at them is my version of ASMR. And if they’re also functional, well, that just makes my heart skip a beat.
Upgrade pick
This handsome metal fan creates a pleasant but powerful oscillating breeze. Besides looking great, it comes with a generous five-year-warranty and is easy to clean.
This is the same great, retro-looking fan in a brushed-nickel finish.
It’s powerful, but still pretty quiet
I’ve had my share of mediocre fans in the past. Many felt like they were working only when I was either standing directly in front of them or running them at a deafening full blast.
The Vornado Silver Swan Alchemy is the exact opposite of all those mediocre fans.
It’s plenty powerful even on the lowest setting, which is the only one I ever need to use. I can feel a gentle breeze around the room, but it’s still quiet enough to fade into the background.
And unlike our top pick, it can also oscillate—so I really can feel that breeze everywhere.
Not only does it look great, it’s also beautifully made
The Silver Swan Alchemy is sturdily built and doesn’t seem to have a single part that it doesn’t need.
It’s made almost entirely of metal except for a few plastic components, such as the knob that turns it on and a ring that holds the metal grilles together.
It even has a built-in carrying handle.
My house was built in the 1950s, so the propeller-like Silver Swan Alchemy, with its vintage looks, fits in perfectly.
I got the brushed-nickel version because it reminded me of the vintage steel and chrome fans I love, but it also comes in gunmetal dark gray (from Vornado’s “alchemy” line).
And unlike past fans I’ve owned, this model has earned pride of place in the living room year-round. I’ve even used it in the winter to help spread the heat around from the wood stove.
It’s easy to clean
One of my main gripes about other fans I’ve owned, including the Vornado 630, our top pick, is that a lot of them are hard to clean.
I had resigned myself to thinking this was just the way it was for all fans, but the Silver Swan Alchemy is surprisingly easy to wipe down.
Because the front grille comes off with a single screw, the metal blades and back grille are readily accessible for cleaning. Aligning everything and putting the fan back together can be a little tricky, but laying it down blades-up on a soft surface helps, which the owner manual (PDF) also notes.
Also, judging from my experience, dust doesn’t stick to the polished-metal grille as easily as it does to plastic. After two summers I’ve taken the fan apart only one time, because I find it pretty easy to maintain from the outside.
However, the first one I ordered was a lemon
After a day or two using my first Silver Swan Alchemy, I noticed that it would randomly turn on at full blast—which startled me a few times, to say the least. The dial on the base seemed to toggle to the on position too easily.
After confirming that my house wasn’t haunted, I submitted a claim via Vornado’s self-serve warranty website and heard back within a day. The company asked me for a photo of the fan with the cord cut off and then, within days of my sending that in, dispatched a new fan.
The fan comes with a generous five-year warranty. Based on my experience, at least, there’s a chance you may need to use it.
Still, the process was as easy as it gets; I didn’t need to call anyone or jump through any hoops. And the one I received after that has been working perfectly for almost two years.
It’s not cheap, but it’s worth the investment
At around $180, the Silver Swan Alchemy is not an inexpensive fan. But its long warranty and buy-it-for-life quality made it a worthwhile investment for me.
I also like to tell myself that it keeps my cooling costs down because I don’t run my air conditioning as much as I would without it.
But mostly, I just like looking at it while it quietly hums in the background, and I daydream of ways to escape the summer heat.
This article was edited by Ben Frumin and Maxine Builder.
Meet your guide
Daniela Gorny is the supervising editor for the home section at Wirecutter, covering home decor, textiles, and furniture. She previously studied and worked as an architect and received a master’s degree in urban planning. You can usually find her exploring the hilly trails of Los Angeles or adventuring in the Mojave Desert.