Makita Cordless Fan Model DCF300Z

Makita has one of the largest lines of 18V power tools available for the professionals.  Lately, we have been testing and using more and more Makita tools.  The more I use them, the more I see why the professionals are buying them up.  They are quality tools that are made to take the abuse of the job site.  The tools are smooth and make any job easier.  Over the last year we have tested and shown off a ton of fans.  Time and time again, we received emails and shout outs about testing the Makita cordless fan.  The people we heard from all wanted to know what we thought of the DCF300Z.  Well, we got our hands on one and here is what we found.

As you know, I take pictures of products so you can get a visual of the item.  While I was taking pictures of this in the back of my truck, a buddy of mine stopped by.  He is a union painter in Chicago.  The first thing he said to me was, “I want that.”  After showing him the fan and everything it can do, he quickly snapped a picture, sent it to his boss and told him we have to buy some of these.  For tradesmen like him, this is a handy tool to have around.  As he noted it is great for guys who mud, paint and he proceeded to list a whole bunch of people who would love this fan.

Makita designs tools for the professional tradesmen and this fan isn’t any different.  Just looking at the fan you can see this thing is designed to move some air and is different from the other portable fans on the market.  You can power the fan off a Makita 14.4V or 18V battery.  Don’t worry, if you are not part of the Makita line, it comes with a power adapter where you can plug it directly into the wall.  Now you wouldn’t think run time on a fan of this size would be all that great, but you can get 5.7 hours of run time with a 5Ah battery.  Makita has a 6Ah battery, so obviously that will give you more run time.  Okay so they have a fan, big deal, other manufacturers also have a fan.

Yes, it’s true there are other portable fans on the market, but not like the Makita.  First thing that separates this fan is the size.  Most of the other fans on the market are much smaller.  The Makita cordless fan is a 13″ fan, so it’s bigger than most.  While the fan is bigger, this fan doesn’t take up much room since it’s very slim.  On the front of the fan, you can notice a nice control panel.  All the buttons are push buttons.  From this control panel, you can turn the fan on/off and set the speed from low, med and high.  Okay so here are the two cool things about this fan.  First, it has a timer with an automatic turn off after 1, 2 and 4 hours.  This is a nice feature if you have the fan plugged directly into the wall and don’t want it running all the time.  The second cool feature to this fan is it can oscillate.  Right above the power button, is the oscillation button.  Once you press this button, the fan will oscillate left and right 90°.

The head of the fan is movable.  You can adjust it left and right 180° and also up and down to adjust where the fan is aiming.  On the back of the fan, towards the top is a carrying handle that will allow you to carry it around from location to location.  The base of the fan is metal, so durability isn’t an issue.  One thing Makita didn’t forget were feet.  The feet are rubberized to not only help protect the area where the fan sits, but also stop vibrations or walking.  Like any other fan, the front of the fan is covered for safety reasons.  However, we all know the blades get dirty especially in work environments.  You can loosen four screws and take the cover off to clean the blades.

There are a whole list of highlights with this fan.  Now I see why we received so many emails telling us that we have to try the Makita cordless fan.  I love the front panel and how it’s a simple layout with a push button panel.  I love the timer options, but what I love most is the oscillating feature.  I also love how portable the fan is and not to mention the air movement you get from it.  When Makita designed this fan, they pretty much thought of everything from the carrying handle to the padded feet to stop vibrations and protect the surface.  Now Makita didn’t pay us to talk great about this fan, it’s just a product I think is awesome.  It’s well built, loaded with features, moves a ton of air and portable.

While I love this fan and think it’s the best job site fan on the market, I would like to see a couple of things changed in future models.  Now the two items I mention aren’t a big deal and I am more nitpicking.  First, is the power supply cord.  With the fan, it comes with an adapter that you can plug into the wall.  While it’s great because you don’t have to be invested in the Makita line to run this fan, I would have rather seen a different set up.  I would love to see an option where I can ditch the cord and just plug an extension cord directly into the fan.  Again not a huge deal, but it’s much easier to find an extension cord than the power adapter I tend to lose.  The second item is noise level.  On speed two and three, the fan is quiet, well except for the air movement.  When the fan is on speed one or low, there is a slight hum to the motor.  Again, not a big deal since this will be used on a job site and not in a library.  Not that the hum is loud, but it’s noticeable.  Again, I am just nitpicking at these two items and it would not affect me from buying the Makita cordless fan.  For me, it’s still the best portable fan on the market for the job site

Makita Cordless Fan Specifications

• Voltage : 14.4V or 18V
• AC Adaptor : Yes
• Run Time (max. in hours) : 5.7
• Dimensions (LxWxH) : 12-1/2″ x 18-9/10″ x 23-7/10″
• Speed Settings : 3
• Auto turn off: 1,2,4 hours
• Net Weight (with battery) : 10.4 lbs.
• Power Type : Corded and Cordless Operation

Bottom line, this fan is in a league of it’s own.  I don’t care if you are a painter, drywaller or someone who needs to move some air around, this fan is awesome.  I love the front control panel and the timer function.  I also love how this can oscillate.  Considering all the angles you can adjust this fan, you can pretty much move air in any direction you want.  Even if you aren’t part of the Makita line up, you can still use this fan without a battery, which is a huge plus.  If you are in the market for a fan, check out the Makita DCF300Z, you won’t be disappointed.