Air King 9212 Industrial Grade High Velocity Pivoting Floor Fan, 12-Inch
Review by K. Ghosh : much better value than box store fans

I bought this because I don't mind paying more for a product that will not just take up landfill space after a couple seasons' use. What's the point of buying semi-disposable products? It doesn't save money in the long run, not to mention it's a stupid expenditure of effort and environmentally incorrect. This fan is made of solid metal (judging from its weight, but it's not TOO heavy as it is pretty small) and I already knocked it once off of the radiator I had it balanced on, and it still seems fine (i.e., nothing seems to have come loose). It has three speeds which are fairly distinctive, and on all but the hottest summer nights I've had it pointed toward me on the low setting which has been sufficient. I have not had to go up to high, as I'm not using it as a whole-apartment air-circulator. On low and medium, it is noticeably quieter than crappy fans that can be found at Kmart etc., and more importantly, the sound it makes is not an annoying, treble-y sound like those crappy fans but a more calming, mid-range, almost off-in-the-distance type of sound. Its mounted stand (no assembly required) can be used to easily adjust the angle, and it stays put. Also, it is pretty cute and kinda retro, but not in a self-conscious kind of way. In fact, it may have been unintentional. If more fans were better quality and hassle-free like this, perhaps people would be reminded of that ancient concept of ventilation and not resort to overuse of the A/C.

Air King 9212 Industrial Grade High Velocity Pivoting Floor Fan, 12-Inch
Review by Jack in SE IL : the 12" fan blows as much air as my Lasko WindMachine.

Very pricey fan, well built and you won't break it!

Others say no vibration, but I am getting 1 or two pulses every second, it is quiet, and the blades are true you can see zero wobbling of the blades when the fan is on!

Air King 9212 Industrial Grade High Velocity Pivoting Floor Fan, 12-Inch
Review by A. Deflon : Power and Craftmanship-excellent product

I bought this fan to replace a ca. 1989 14" Patton (which incidentally was still working fine, but got lost in a move). The Air King 12" actually moves at least as much air if not more than the larger Patton. It has steeply angled blades, almost like a ship's propeller, which seems to assist in scooping the large quantities of air. The frame is heavy and solid, and there is hardly any vibration even at high speed. The housing and the blades are coated in black paint, which makes the fan look smart and unobtrusive. It is therefore quite suitable for home use compared to the more functional shiny metal fans, and indeed I am using it in my bedroom where it occupies a spot on my desk. On high speed, it is fairly loud, mostly from the sound of air whooshing through the front grille. On low speed, it is dramatically quieter, actually quieter than a standard 9" table fan by Holmes that I had been using in the interim. The drone of the diminutive Holmes had resulted in frequent complaints from my girlfriend. The low speed sound of this Air King makes for a very pleasant background tone, and even my fussy girlfriend forgets it's there and is fine to sleep with this fan on. Lastly, the switch on the back is large and easy to grab even in the dark. Overall, this fan packs as much power as I think anyone would need for home use, and is more compact and quieter than cheaper fans of larger size. No, it does not have an oscillating feature that will inevitably wear out and no, it lacks a remote control, but it does what a fan is supposed to do - move air.

Air King 9212 Industrial Grade High Velocity Pivoting Floor Fan, 12-Inch
Review by Ben J. Beach "benjamin_380xd" : American made quality, this overbuilt fan delivers the goods

Length:: 5:03 MinsI needed another fan for my upstairs condo and when I went shopping, I was sorely disappointed at the decline of Lakewood and Patton. Seems making something cheap with underpaid slave labor is more of a priority than making a quality product. I tried to find the Lakso model and after discussion with them, I learned it was discontinued. Oddly, it is listed on their website.
Thanks to google, I found Air King, basically a Lasko company and I ordered this fan from Amazon.
It arrived in fine shape and upon opening the box, I was impressed at the quality and fine American craftsmanship. The motor is a totally enclosed PSC ball bearing unit. It is quiet, ie no bearing noise but very powerful for its size. The blades are statically balanced all metal that move air quite smartly. Electrical consumption is a meager 77 watts on high.
The 9 foot cord is a 3 prong ground type connected to the motor which has 3 speeds. Each speed is distinctive with low being quiet enough for a nice breeze w/o drowning out the tube. The switch is on the back of the fan and easy to turn and see.
The head assembly will pivot 90 degrees and this fan can be configured as a hassock fan picking up cool air from the floor and moving it throughout the room.
The grill can be removed by taking out 8 screws with a Phillips screwdriver. My only complaint is the air king logo plate is rather large and can block some air flow but the blade design offsets this.
If you want something that will last, this is the fan to have. It certainly is not cheap. But good quality never is. For those old enough to remember when Patton and Lakewood (RIP) made good fans, this one will more than fill the bill.