I purchased this fan to move air in a large family room and to eliminate the stratification of air near the ceiling. This fan has exceeded my expectations for doing just that....and at low speed even! It efficiently helps the comfort level in the room so much that we've been able to raise the thermostat there during these hot summer days and still feel comfortable...which relieves the air conditioner of some of its burden. The fan is quiet at any of its 3 speeds and on low is near silent. The multi-position feature of the base means that we can effectively alter the amount of air movement we wish to feel while in the room. I love this fan. My folks love the one I got for them as a present also!!!