First impression of the Balmuda GreenFan
Update 2019
With the start of the summer 2019, the Balmuda GreenFan battery is now available. In battery operation, the fan can be used flexibly. Battery and charging dock are available in the set from 109 €.
Details on battery operation can be found at the end of the article.
Scope of delivery and assembly
With an RRP of €359, “The GreenFan” fan is anything but cheap. My expectations for the scope of delivery, the quality of workmanship and the assembly were correspondingly high. Well and safely packaged, the fan is delivered in 8 individual parts. The assembly is designed to be user-friendly and can be carried out in just a few steps. No tools are required to assemble the fan. A German-language operating manual guides you clearly through the individual assembly steps.
In addition to the 8 individual parts of the fan, the scope of delivery also includes a power supply (12V - 3A) with a modular plug connection, a remote control including the included button cell, as well as the aforementioned operating instructions and warranty information. Unfortunately, the battery required for battery operation is not included. As things stand, this can only be purchased directly from Japan and costs the equivalent of €85.
Design and workmanship
The Balmuda GreenFan, designed and produced in Japan, sees itself as a "design fan". Visually, the fan impresses with its modern, downright minimalist exterior. With its classic round rotor head, the straight central rod and the final round base, the GreenFan is suitable for a wide variety of furnishing styles.
Depending on whether you use the GreenFan as a standing or table fan, the dimensions are 330 x 320 x 871 mm or 497 mm. The weight of the fan, which is mostly made of plastic, is approx. 4.1 kg. The GreenFan is available either in classic white or in subtle dark gray.
The build quality is good, even if the choice of materials is a bit disappointing. The large amount of plastic by no means looks cheap, a higher quality choice of material, such as a central rod made of aluminum, would have done justice to the rather high price.
All parts of the fan can be put together without any effort and close without unsightly gaps. The stability in the brewed state is not objectionable.
field test
Service
The fan can be operated using the control buttons on the motor or the supplied remote control. There is no smart app control!
Both the control buttons on the fan and the control buttons on the remote control have an identical structure. In addition to a power button, there is a button for speed control, a button for adjusting the oscillation angle and a timer button. The operating status (ventilation speed and timer) can be read from pairs of 4 LEDs arranged one above the other. Unfortunately it is not possible to switch off the LEDs for night operation.
The remote control works with infrared. The receiver is located in the upper part of the center pole. The reception range is a good 8 meters when facing frontally. The reception angle is around 80° both horizontally and vertically. An automatic switch-off function (12 hours) is available. A timer can be switched on in 4 stages (1 - 4 hours).
Ventilation
The Balmuda GreenFan uses a specially developed rotor blade technology to generate the air flow. Two-ply rotor blades generate a fast and a slow air flow (maximum speed 775 rpm). By bundling both air flows, unpleasant vortex components are eliminated. This means that the GreenFan can be used as a standing or table fan on the one hand, but also as a year-round air circulator.
At level 1, a wide, gentle breeze is generated that can still be felt from a distance of several meters. The ventilation is so quiet that it is drowned out in the everyday noise level. Even at night, a gentle whirring can only be discerned with a lot of concentration, but it does not disturb sleep in any way.
At level 2, the fan generates an airflow that is roughly twice as strong, which can be felt against the skin from a short distance. The ventilation volume is still pleasantly quiet, which is why the gentle whirring of the fan is drowned out in the everyday noise level.
At level 3, the air flow and its widespread distribution increase again significantly. The ventilation is so strong that it is less suitable for short distances. Level 3 is particularly suitable for ventilating a smaller area of the room. The fan now works audibly, although the volume is still low, so that you can work undisturbed.
At level 4, the GreenFan generates an extremely strong air flow that puts conventional fans in the shade. Level 4 is particularly suitable for ventilating a large area of the room. The volume increases significantly compared to the previous levels and is comparable to a conventional pedestal fan from the supermarket.
Pendulum and tilt angle
The fan can be manually tilted 19 ° upwards and 11 ° downwards. The horizontal pendulum angle is 75 ° to the left and 75 ° to the right. The end points of the automatic pendulum angle can be set as desired. Vibrations or grinding noises do not occur in pendulum operation.
power consumption
The measured power consumption in standby is around 6 watts. At level 1, the consumption is 8.7 watts. The consumption at level 2 is 10.8 watts, at level 3 it is 12.8 watts and at level 4 a power consumption of 23.8 watts is achieved. The added pendulum operation increases the power consumption by 1-2 watts.
Battery
Operating the Balmuda GreenFan completely wirelessly is no longer a problem. The optionally available set of battery and charging dock can be purchased for approx. € 109. Outlets are among others Amazon.
The installation of the battery is easy. Remove the bottom flap, insert the battery and close the lock with a coin or a screwdriver. Instead of a permanently connected cable, the fan is now operated or charged via the charging dock. The connection between the loading dock and the fan is made via two contact points. If you want to charge the battery, you simply place the fan on the charging dock. The charging process starts automatically and takes up to 8 hours, depending on the remaining capacity.
The operating time in battery mode depends strongly on the ventilation level.
- At level 1 the running time is about 19 hours.
- At level 2 the running time is reduced to 15 hours.
- At level 3, which is the highest in battery mode, the runtime is only 5 hours.
Unfortunately, the maximum level 4 cannot be used in battery mode. If you place the fan on the loading dock, it can also be operated at level 4 while charging. For more safety, the battery is protected against overvoltage and overheating. It should be noted that the set of battery and charging dock is only compatible with "The GreenFan" (model: EGF-1600).
