Though Flex is a relatively new brand in power and line tool manufacturing, the enterprise recently turned some heads with its product offerings. Flex is known for robust power tools, but today we are going to discuss comfort and convenience, specifically as it pertains to fans. Stale air will undo any comfortable environment; the featured Flex Fan comes into play to resolve that issue.
Flex Fan Overview
Comfort isn’t just a recreational consideration. Sometimes a job site is hot or has poor air circulation or both. As someone based in the Midwest, I understand the draining, swimming-through-molasses effect of stale hot air. This Flex Fan can be a valuable companion and easily keep things breezy.
Aside from work and home, tailgating, camping, and other environments – both indoor and outdoor – will benefit from a burst of circulating fresh air. Don’t let an otherwise good and productive day get bogged down with stale air, dust, and fumes. Consider the Flex Fan, it will blow you away.
Flex Fan Features
A 5.0Ah, 24V Li-ion battery or power cord can power the 8.5-inch wide fan. A fully charged battery will give over 40 hours of performance on the “low” setting. Though, of course, higher-speed fan settings will decrease battery longevity before it has to be recharged, even the “low” is nothing to scoff at. But let’s say you want to kick it up a notch – and who doesn’t, right? With the capability to deliver 1100 cubic feet/minute (19 MPH) of power to your site, you can rest assured that the Flex Fan will knock out fumes and dust, and keep you cool without any trouble.
After blowing things around for a while, any piece of equipment is bound to absorb its share of wear and tear. An associated limited lifetime warranty is offered when you buy the Flex Fan. Consider it if you want to ensure your investment goes the distance without much extra hassle or expenditure.
Perhaps my favorite feature is that the Flex Fan offers a “hybrid” power solution. It can operate off its compatible 24V rechargeable battery or indefinitely with a power cord. Some job sites or other remote locations will make running a cord inconvenient or even dangerous. For instance, a tailgate party is not inherently dangerous, but when lots of people are in a “festive” state of mind, the tripping hazard posed by cords running back and forth is real. On the other hand, a prolonged job or a drive to eliminate moisture or fumes from a site may call for higher performance for longer than the battery can deliver. In those situations, the cord-powered versatility offered by Flex Fan is a big plus.
Gone are the days of “low”, “medium”, and “high”. This Flex Fan offers ten speed selections to adjust to any fan speed and air velocity you need. I have wrestled with a fan that either generated what felt like over-the-top hurricane gusts or such a tepid whimper that it wasn’t worth turning on. You won’t have this annoyance with the Flex Fan. The 10-speed feature covers everything from a gentle airflow to the aforementioned 1100 CFM.
In another nod to customer convenience; there is no need to look at the back of the fan for battery status. The Flex Fan offers an intuitive and simple-to-read display showing battery life on the front of the fan.
This isn’t about the fan’s performance as such, but a handy little extra that Flex gave to customers: the fan has a built-in USB-C port that lets you charge a phone or other electronics, from the fan’s power source. Given the nearly complete reliance on electronics for work and communication, this kind of charging versatility is appreciated.
Three blades powered by a quiet brushless motor (Noise Rating = 51) form the heart of the Flex Fan. For a relatively small fan, these three blades can pack quite a punch at the higher speed settings.
A convenient plastic handle on top of the fan lets you easily move and position.
One criticism worth making here: the handle underside offers very little traction or grip. A ridged surface or similar anti-slip material would go a long way. Working hands are often dirty, greasy, slippery, or sweaty. In the course of lugging around equipment, it could be pretty easy to let this 8.8 lb (with battery) Flex Fan get away from you.
Of course, you can position the fan on the ground, but the Flex Fan comes with other mounting/stabilizing options that I think you will appreciate. Some job sites or entertainment venues would benefit greatly if the air came from some height up. The Flex Fan can do that – it has tripod-compatible connections and keyholes that allow you to direct airflow from virtually any position in a room. If you’re trying to dry something a bit off the ground, pointing the fan up won’t cut it. This kind of vertical-friendly setup is valuable for a variety of tasks where airflow needs to be strong and consistent in a location that may be hard to adequately “stir up” without the tripod option. Lastly, the fan can be mounted on 2×4 retractable hooks. Considering that this piece of equipment clocks in at less than 9 lb even with the associated battery, there aren’t many places that can’t handle the load.
The fan and associated hardware are encased in a thick plastic frame. At work, accidents happen and things fall. When they do, you don’t want a fan with flimsy, nonsense mechanical protection. Though we didn’t rigorously test how much physical abuse the fan could take, the wide, thick plastic exoskeleton makes me confident that this Flex hardware can take decent punishment and keep on going.
Flex Fan Performance
There was no performance difference between plugged-in or battery-powered modes. This model isn’t shy about moving air and definitely delivers, even in battery-powered mode on the highest setting, for well over three hours.
Flex Fan Value
You can pick it up at Lowes for $119. Given how much air the Flex Fan can move, combined with the fan’s low noise rating and warranty, it’s a good deal. And the USB-C charge port is a big plus.
Flex Fan Wrap Up
The fan does its job, in line with the quality you would expect from Flex. It is quiet, powerful, and moves a lot of air. Again, I think you will enjoy the hybrid power cord and battery-based functionality that lets you use the fan on the job or when you are away from a power source.
Thanks for your honest review Eric. You’ve helped me decide on the flex vacuum and now the fan. When you consider that those two tools also have brushless motors. At those prices, they’re a bargain! Thanks again.