I grew up with an oscillating fan in the house and remember that soft oscillating sound and cool breeze on summer afternoons. I got the Vornado Silver Swan in 2004, a primary reason being it is metal not plastic. It gets run ~365 days a year at night. At times it is a little noisy with a metal-on-metal sound. Lately it is having trouble starting up. I am investigating the cause. I've enjoyed this fan for the last 13 years.