The short answer is don't focus too much on the number of blades. Yes, blades are an important part of your ceiling fan and the number of blades does impact ceiling fan performance. However, there are many factors that influence ceiling fan performance - blade pitch, blade aerodynamics, motor performance - which all need to be considered in order to determine overall performance. So the number of blades, on its own, is not a reliable indicator of performance. A three blade ceiling fan may be better or worse than a four-blade fan, a four-blade fan may be better or worse than a five-blade fan, and so on. We have published our Fan Performance Indicator (FPI) on all our Data Sheets and also on every product page. The FPI should be used to help identify models that will offer you the right type of cooling based on your personal preference and requirements. Refer to our Ceiling Fan Performance Guide for more information on choosing the right airflow for your space.