MaxxAir Vs Fantastic Fan
One of the first things I researched when building my own DIY campervan was whether I should install a MaxxAir vs Fantastic Fan.
Fantastic Fans can be a bit more budget friendly than the MaxxAir alternatives, but they lack some key features which make the MaxxAir fan an overall better investment in the long haul.
In this article I’ll go in depth on the differences between MaxxAir vs Fantastic Fan and whether the feature differences will matter for your intended use. After all, there’s no one size fits all for every van lifer, so you should decide for yourself.
Features – MaxxAir Vs Fantastic Fan
There’s a wide variety of models and features across both MaxxAir fans and Fantastic fans. The base models for both are fairly comparable. However, when you get into the higher models MaxxAir fans have more features overall – including the ability to operate in the rain (whereas Fantastic Fans can sense it’s raining and auto-shut off, but not run).
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Comparison Of Model Features
Speed Settings
As you can see from the comparison table above, MaxxAir fans have a base model which is the least expensive option (Model 4301K). This model has 4 speeds, but it only exhausts air without the ability to reverse the fan blades and pull air into your van.
The lowest Fantastic Fan model (Model 1250) only has 3 speed settings, but will allow you to reverse the fans direction. The difference in price is about $70 more than the MaxxAir 4301k model.
Comparing the higher end models, you’ll notice that the MaxxAir 7000k model (this is what I have and love) offers 10 speeds and the Fantastic Fan 7350 offers 14 speeds. In this category, the Fantastic Fan is the winner. However, in my experience 10 speed options is more than enough, so the additional 4 speeds you get with the Fantastic Fan isn’t a monumental benefit.
Rain Performance
The bigger feature difference between the high end models of MaxxAir vs Fantastic Fans is their ability to operate in rain. None of the Fantastic Fan models can run during rain – they do come with a rain sensor, though, which means they’ll automatically close when they sense moisture.
This is the primary benefit, and reason why most people opt for MaxxAir over Fantastic Fans. MaxxAir models 5100K and 7000K come with a built-in rain shield, which blocks rain from entering your van while the fan is operating – meaning it can operate during even the heaviest rainstorms.
Additionally, I like the rain shield on my MaxxFan because it allows me to keep it open while it’s in storage. If my van is parked anywhere for an extended period of time in the heat I pop open the roof vent so the hot air inside has a way to escape.
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Price – MaxxAir Vs Fantastic Fan
Pricing for the MaxxAir and Fantastic Fans is wild. You’ll notice I offer multiple ways to buy these products – that’s because the pricing is ALL over the map. Sometimes Amazon is the better deal, sometimes it’s van outfitters. The price swing can be over $150 across resellers!
Overall, Fantastic Fan tends to be comparable in price but without the features provided by MaxxAir fans. While neither fan is cheap, MaxxAir fans provide more overall value for your investment.
Durability And Manufacturers Warranty – MaxxAir Vs Fantastic Fan
Overall, I think Fantastic Fan wins in this category. The majority of complaints against Fantastic Fans come down to it’s limited features and functionality. Primarily that most people who install Fantastic Fans eventually realize they’d have preferred to invest a little bit more up front in order to have the better features down the road. There are limited reviews which discuss poor quality of Fantastic Fans.
Fantastic Fans come with a 7-year limited warranty.
However, there are complaints against the MaxxAir fan. Specifically that the circuit board can fail – most complaints saying this failure happens between 18 months to 3 years after initial use. In my experience, my MaxxAir fan is almost 4 years old and I haven’t had any issues with the circuit board.
My hunch (although I haven’t been able to prove this) is that the hardware shortages of 2020 play a big role in this and hopefully have since been resolved for newer models.
MaxxAir fans come with a 2-year warranty.
Noise – MaxxAir Vs Fantastic Fan
Overall, MaxxAir fan is quieter than Fantastic Fan, especially at lower speeds. However, in my experience the MaxxAir fan can develop a squeak at lower fan speeds – mine set in after 2 years. Customer service recommends you reverse the fan direction for a while to resolve this, but that hasn’t cured my squeaking issues.
Installation – MaxxAir Vs Fantastic Fan
Both fans are comparable on ease of installation and require similar steps for install. Since both fans require a 14×14 inch hole in your roof it’s easy to replace them or upgrade as needed without making major adjustments to your vehicle roof.
User Reviews – MaxxAir Vs Fantastic Fan
For ease of comparison and to see apples to apples I’m comparing the MaxxAir 7000K to the Fantastic Fan 7350.
MaxxAir has 759 reviews on Amazon with an average score of 4.5 stars.
Fanatastic Fan has only 27 reviews on Amazon with an average score of 4.6 stars.
What I Chose
After a ton of research, I ultimately chose the MaxxAir MaxxFan Deluxe (<- my full review) for a few reasons:
- I like that it can operate in the rain
- The remote is VERY handy, I use it daily and rarely touch the on-unit buttons
- The price savings to buy a cheaper fan wasn’t worth it based on the features I’d lose
- After 4 years it’s still going strong
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I also recommend adding an interior fan to your DIY build. I installed two Sirocco 12 volt fans and have loved them for the last 2+ years!
