I picked up one of these aldi fans a little over a month ago for 40 bucks.
Since I regularly see requests for advice on fans, and I've enjoyed this one compared to the other ones I've had, I figured a review was in order.
Plus they're back on at ALDI this saturday coinciding with the caravan show in Newcastle.
I thought if anyone was curious about them a video review might just help.
They're also seen under other brands like coleman for a few more bob. I.e 80 bucks
If you can spot 30 bucks difference in it, feel free to share
Outside of the obvious spec, it blows air.,
It will accept 12/204v input and has a small battery on board which will give you approx 2-2.5 hrs usage. LED lights on the front. Bright enough to be workable but not overly bright
I can confirm it will charge the battery and run at the same time when plugged in.
Current draw is excellent
Low - 0.7A
High - 1.1A
LED - 0.1A
Charging - 0.2A
and this was a major reason I grabbed one. I dislike requiring hook ups so anything for me must be 12v and power efficient.
I know others are different but that's where I'm at right now.
Of course is oscillates and has a small vibration that can be heard. it's not at all bad but I notice it.
I'm quite picky with noise from a fan to be used when sleeping. It's something that can stop me from nodding off and ****s me pretty quick.
The van is full of ear plugs just in case
Perhaps the reason I'm so impressed with it, is the fan(s) I'm coming from .
I tried the cool breeze and breezeway fans. These 2 are identical and are pretty common on +camping and van sites selling fans.
After using them , I'm shocked they sell at all.
Noisey is an understatement. You'll have to watch the review to get an idea.
Plus they suck power like nothing else
granted, that's on high but it's no where near acceptable for the average set up.
Leaving this running over night with other items or heading out for the day and forgetting about it, could lead to a flat battery pretty quick.
I used to only use it when solar was operating.
With all that said, I'm heading back down to aldi to pick me up another and one for the mate in the video who was so impressed by it.
Of course, your mileage may vary but I hope it doesn't since I like it so much.
any questions, let me know.
Here's the vid
cheers Brett
-- Edited by denmonkey on Tuesday 5th of February 2019 09:19:57 PM
I have two good quality (ie expensive but quiet .. edit .. Caframo brand) fixed 12v fans over the bed .... head end (with infinite speed control) & a fixed 240v one at the foot end. A 12v portable one would be handy. Can't have too many fans LOL.
edit .. Added brand of current fans.
-- Edited by Cupie on Wednesday 6th of February 2019 01:27:57 PM
I really enjoyed the video. The fan sounds a good buy.
At the last caravan show in Brisbane there was a stall selling lots of various outdoor gear along with the white S----- fan and along side those he had a black coloured twin fan, comparing them together noise wise the black one was the quieter one. I was intending to purchase one but it was very early in the day and did not want carry it and then walked out the exit the other side of the show. Our remark was we can get it next time to each other, we still have the 10 year old $12 box fan in the caravan which is reasonably quite and have fitted a good size 240 volt inverter in the caravan to power it up.
Hi denmonkey, i have a question. It can run on 12 volt and has a battery. In winter, when not using it would the battery go flat n then it will not recharge. Had this happen to me with another brand And the battery would not recharge, even on electricity. Got told at the shop that the battery must never run flat.
Rocket, I can't tell you specifically about the unit but I can imagine letting the battery run flat too many times or not giving it the occasional top up when not in use would likely reduce the batteries usefulness and life.
So, I would probably say yes, this could happen here but I wouldn't say any more or less than any other the others using an onboard battery .
Thanks Kaid, good to know I should get a few years out of it.
Not much to them really I guess to go wrong.
Hey Guru,
if I didn't want to go 12v I would have been more than happy with the cheap box fan.
Oddly as soon as you say 12v, it seems to up the price.
go to bunnings or kmart and there is an abundance of sub 20buck fans to be had for 240v.
thanks Dougie, see you there .
Cupie, I will sooner or later invest in one of 'those' fans theyre a nice bit of kit but I'm trying to spread the green stuff across a few projects.
One in each corner should just about do it, I reckon :)
Some reviews I agree have been useful but forgive me if I'm wrong are you being paid for these reviews by youtube or any of the suppliers of the equipment?
hey OB.
The one my mate has is the 8inch I think. He used it in his swag, albeit that he has seen the light and moved to a van now :)
He originally didn't think it would run on 12v but only off battery. he does get a bit confused about these things though.
Can you confirm for me it will run and charge the battery when plugged in to 12v ?
I reckon they're all coming from the same factory ether way.
I think the oscillation on the 8 is similar to my box fan ? does it get a wobble up and make some noise.
Ok then, so I went out and did something I did once before and said would never do again. Bugga. I stood in an Aldi cue, well Crowd really waiting for doors to open with a camping gear sale on a nice Saturday morning.
8.30am on the dot and the doors opened, the desperate crowd was like a shark feeding frenzy, very rude people pushing in front of you, running trolleys over ya feet, and generally being nasty idiots really.
I managed to keep my cool and wiped off the blood and bandaged the bruises. In I went and headed for the centre isles as I heard a staff member telling someone else where the camping things were.
Struth! What a crowd. I waited back patiently then moved forward to find the 12v fans mentioned by Brett. Bingo! There they were on the rack. Bugga me, how quick these things went. The large opening on the rack only had one left so I made my move when, an arm brushed me aside, no way, no ya don't, I made the grab and got the last one much to the disgusted look on the nasty looking face next to me. Bad luck mate, next time.
If he hadn't have been so rude and brushed my arm away I might have let him have it but bugga him.
Now, how is it? Well big, yep I wasn't expecting it to be so big but OK. It's everything Brett said but a little noisier than I expected also but I don't think much if any noisier than the 240v one I have been using overnight. I also have a Caframo Fan but have both going on the very warm nights as don't really like the aircon on at night.
Time will tell now how it performs and if any good IMO. All I know is for sure, I will not stand in a Aldi cue/crowd again, not me, no way known to man kind. Or should that read person kind
One thing I did notice was they had heaps, at least 100 big boxes with caravan covers and not one left within 15 minutes. Nearly every trolley going out the door had one. As well as Privacy Screens.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there (Including Adli Cues)
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TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
I haven't been down yet and am meant to be picking up one for a mate.
Might be SOL I think.
Just got back from an overnight camp. Poured down all night but I didn't mind. we need the rain.
I'm heading to the newy caravan and camping show soon, so was saving my pennies in case I spotted something else I wanted to spend it on.
I did ask everyone in the video to wait until I got mine :)
Like you Doug, I refuse to wait in line for food, grog or the toilet and won't be doing the line up thing at Aldi either. I think I'd prefer to miss out.
Guess I'll just role the dice after the show and duck in for a look.
Hope you're as happy with it as I am mine.
Really appreciate you sharing your opinion on it. I try and be honest and think of everything that I can when doing a review but of course it's still only an opinion.
To that end the more of these you can get the better.
and got 2 of the fans. 
