Reviews Furniture & Decor

We Tried an HGTV Star’s Ceiling Fan—Here’s What We Thought

A celebrated interior designer teamed up with a well-known fan maker. Find out how their stylish, modern, and super-efficient overhead fan fared in real life.
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The Hunter Malden Ceiling Fan ReviewThe Hunter Malden Ceiling Fan Review

Photo: Glenda Taylor for Bob Vila

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Ceiling fans offer cooling breezes, circulate the air to keep it fresh, and save owners on utility costs, but some are downright drab and dowdy looking. What’s a style-conscious homeowner to do? The next time you’re shopping for a ceiling fan, consider one from a celebrated designer’s collection—I installed and tested the Hunter Malden ceiling fan from the Jasmine Roth collection and it blew me away!

Roth, interior designer, host, and star of HGTV’s Hidden Potential and Help! I Wrecked My House, has a special collection of chic fans and lights that go perfectly with many kinds of home décor. Keep reading to discover what happened when I installed and tested the fan, and learn some fan-choosing tips that Jasmine shared exclusively with BobVila.com.

The Hunter Malden Ceiling Fan: At a Glance

The Hunter Malden Ceiling Fan Review
Photo: Glenda Taylor for Bob Vila

Rating: 4.75/5

Product Specs 

  • Blade span: 52 inches
  • Cubic feet per minute (CFM): Maximum 4,791
  • Built-in light: No
  • Dry/wet rating: Dry
  • Controls: Remote control

Pros

  • Part of the sleek and stylish Jasmine Roth collection of lights, fans, and accessories
  • Straightforward installation makes it quick and simple to install
  • Smooth and wobble-free blade operation on all 3 speeds

Cons

  • Reversible blade switch only on fan housing; not available via remote

Get the Hunter Malden ceiling fan from the Jasmine Roth collection at:

What is the Hunter Malden ceiling fan?

The Malden ceiling fan is sleek and sophisticated yet boasts minimalist appeal. Since it doesn’t include a light, it’s well suited for rooms that are already well lit—or rooms where the homeowner doesn’t want the busy visual distraction of a traditional light kit. With a three-speed WhisperWind AC motor, I found the Malden an excellent option for keeping rooms cool without generating so much noise that I had to raise my voice to talk to someone else in the room. It’s very quiet and it’s wobble-free—the blades turn smoothly on all three speeds. The Jasmine Roth Hunter Malden fan comes in matte black, dove gray, and matte white—classic neutral tones that can complement many room styles without distracting from the existing color scheme. “Style and design play a significant role in selecting the perfect ceiling fan. You’ll want to choose a fan that complements your room’s overall aesthetic,” Roth tells us. She also offers some selection advice for those trying to decide which is the best ceiling fan style: “Match other fixtures in the space: wood tones, gold accents, and matte black pieces” to achieve a flattering look.

Straightforward Installation

Installing the Malden ceiling fan was simple and direct—as far as ceiling fan installation goes. It took about 30 minutes after I removed the existing fixture. The instructions were clear and easy to understand, and all I needed to provide was a ladder, some wire strippers, pliers, and a screwdriver. A large in-depth wiring diagram shows exactly how to connect the fan to the existing wires. If you’re not comfortable working with electrical wires, it’s a good idea to hire an electrician to install the fan, but if you’re familiar with household circuits, you likely won’t have any trouble DIY-ing the job. All the components—housing, bracket, wiring, and blades—went together without a problem.

The Hunter Malden Ceiling Fan Review
Photo: Glenda Taylor for Bob Vila

Hunter Ceiling Fan Remote

Having a remote control beats pulling a chain for me. “Look for fans with adjustable speeds and remote controls to customize the airflow and use the fan year-round,” Roth says. The Hunter fan remote pairs seamlessly with a green receiver box that fits in the fan’s housing to control operations. The remote comes with an on/off push button and three speed levels, which are indicated by numbers. What I loved about the remote is its simplicity; I didn’t have to download an app and sync the fan to my home’s wireless network or go through complex pairing steps. However, I didn’t love that I couldn’t reverse the fan blade direction via the remote. I had to manually flip a switch on the fan’s housing to reverse the blade spin. Still, reversing the fan’s blades is only necessary twice a year—in summer to ensure the blades provide a cooling downdraft and in winter so the blades disperse hot air that gathers along the ceiling. It’s not a significant downside. It is just a minor inconvenience and won’t make any difference for those who use ceiling fans only in hot weather.

The Hunter Malden Ceiling Fan Review
Photo: Glenda Taylor for Bob Vila

Eco-Friendly Features

Ceiling fans are far more energy efficient than HVAC systems and window AC units. While ceiling fans don’t produce cold air, they use a process known as “evaporative cooling,” which involves blowing air over the skin’s surface to make you feel cooler. The Hunter ceiling fan produces a lot of airflow—up to 4,791 CFM. As an estimate, a ceiling fan can make a room feel up to 4 degrees Fahrenheit cooler, which allows the user to turn the HVAC thermostat up a bit and save money on cooling costs.  With its energy-efficient design, the Hunter Malden fan has an estimated yearly energy cost of just $13, significantly less than the cost of air conditioning a room. With utility costs climbing nationwide, it’s nice to know that a little energy savings can be had without sacrificing comfort.

The Hunter Malden Ceiling Fan Review
Photo: Glenda Taylor for Bob Vila

Is the Jasmine Roth Hunter Malden ceiling fan right for you?

If you’re looking for a sleek and sophisticated ceiling fan that will complement your room’s contemporary décor while providing high-performance airflow, then this might be the fan for you. It’s very quiet, comes with a remote for easy control, and can help reduce your annual cooling costs. It’s also a good choice for those who prefer a fan without a built-in light kit for already well-lit rooms or where a light kit might be visually distracting. Plus, it offers easy installation if you’re familiar with household wiring concepts. The Hunter Malden ceiling fan from Jasmine Roth’s collection costs just under $270, which is midrange in the ceiling fan market. Overall, the Malden is a stylish option for cooling a living space efficiently, quietly, and with a touch of sophistication. However, those who want a fan/light combo may prefer a different ceiling fan with a light kit.

Where to buy the Hunter Malden fan

Get the Hunter Malden ceiling fan from the Jasmine Roth collection at:

Meet the Tester

Glenda Taylor is a product tester and writer specializing in the construction, remodeling, and real estate industries. She and her husband own a general contracting company, and Taylor is experienced in both residential and commercial building applications. She tests a wide range of power tools as well as other home improvement, household, and lawn-and-garden products.