I have to be honest here, I was not entirely sure of what exactly a tiny squirrel cage fan was (other than the obvious implication from the name) but once I did my research I discovered that it is a pretty handy tool to have without a doubt.

For those who may be as clueless as I was, a mini squirrel cage fan (also known as a centrifugal fan) is simply a device that is made to move air or various other gases.

Typically they are used in air conditioners, drying units, and a host of other devices. Those are just a few ways that a broad squirrel cage fan can be used, however, there are a ton of others, and depending on what your need is and what you would need to use it for.

Let’s take a look at some of the 12-volt squirrel cage blower fans that are on the market currently and hopefully assist you in finding the best blower fan for your needs.

12 Volt Squirrel Cage Blower Reviewed 2023

Dayton 1TDR9 Rectangular Permanent Split Capacitor OEM Specialty Blower

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The Dayton 1TDR9 is a little over $100.00 on Amazon (even though you can purchase this one used for around 90 bucks if you don’t mind buying used, depending on your budget);

This particular blower weighs around 11 pounds and, currently, can only be shipped within the United States.

All Dayton blowers provide a significant level of economical air delivery for general heating, cooling, ventilating, or component cooling, depending on your exact needs.

Other typical applications can include cooling greenhouses, blowers for wood and corn stoves, ventilating small buildings, cooling electrical enclosures, and removing heat from machinery (once again, depending on your exact needs).

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  • If you are using this as an air cleaner, this is an ideal choice, especially because you are able to circulate the air within both sides; you’ll be able to remove dust and/or sawdust within minutes!
What We Don’t Like
  • There is a slight issue with how it is assembled; only meaning that the concentricity run out is relatively high.

Dayton 1TDP7 OEM Specialty Blower

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We have another Dayton air blower on the review list, this particular one costing a bit less than the previous one, coming in at less than $70.00 on Amazon, and being incredibly similar to the squirrel cage reviewed above.

With the Dayton 1TDP7, you can expect an open motor that has cast-aluminum end shields for greater heat dissipation, resulting in less downtime and longer service life.

There are also ball bearings that are included, however, please note that this blower is not to be used with a speed controller.

Additional features include a discharging mounting flange, which is an added bonus, especially for the price.

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  • This Dayton is very powerful for its size; the price is also good as well, costing well under $100.00.
What We Don’t Like
  • Although the motor is powerful for its size, unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to last that long which is a huge bummer.

Max Storm 1/2 HP Durable Lightweight Air Mover

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The Max Storm is one of the pricier air blowers on the market;

His particular air blower has an extremely efficient motor construction to allow for low amp draws while being on both speed settings, as well as two separate speed settings to move large volumes of air for customizable drying jobs.

There is a 25-foot power cord that easily winds around the cord wrap located on the top of the carpet air blower for convenient handling, while also allowing for three operating angles that give you the ability to blow air across the ground at 0, 45, and 90-degree angles.

If you happen to run a janitorial or carpet cleaning business this can certainly be a plus since you will undoubtedly need multiple fans that can be left behind at a job and picked up later if necessary.

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  • Many individuals use box fans, thinking that they will be a simple remedy; however, the Max Storm certainly puts all box fans to shame!
  • Although not necessarily as powerful as major commercial fans, it DOES have a significant amount of power, especially for its size, in addition to being amazingly quiet.
What We Don’t Like
  • There have been some issues with some loose screws falling out upon arrival of the fan, which is a slight cause for concern, in addition to some rattling noise that comes from the machine for no apparent reason it seems.

Lasko Hv Utility Fan Cooling 4905

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The Lasko HV is less than $100.00 on Amazon and is designed to deliver both scalability and a high level of availability for a maximum level of performance and price.

The Lasko is perfect for cleaning out your garage, various work sites, and especially the drying of carpet; additional features include a ten-foot cord, as well as accessory outlets on both sides in order to allow units to be used in a chain (with a circuit breaker).

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  • This can definitely be a fan recommended for a space that just simply needs air to be cleaned, especially for how much it costs.
What We Don’t Like
  • Although powerful, it is NOT as powerful as some other air blowers, unfortunately; there are some comparable air blowers out there that could be more beneficial to what you are looking for.

Lasko Stanley 655704 High-Velocity Blower Fan, Yellow

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For the last review, we’re going to take a look at another Lasko squirrel cage fan, this particular one being version 655704, which is a high-velocity blower fan. The Lasko 655704 is definitely on the “affordable” list, costing only $62.00 on Amazon (and possibly cheaper if you look into buying used).

Features include three speeds that can be changed as necessary, with an efficient circuit breaker that includes a reset button. In addition to this, there are also two 120-volt outlets that are grounded for additional use.

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  • This fan is pretty impressive, having the ability to blow out a great amount of air at a fairly distant area, meaning that for all of those “tough” jobs, you’ll be able to handle with ease, especially with the spring/summer season upon us (when we know there is more dust and just plain stiff air).
What We Don’t Like
  • It has stopped working only after a short period of time (in as little as 6 months) even though it does create enough air circulation for its size.

12 Volt Squirrel Cage Blower Fan – FAQs

Do you have to oil all blowers?

Not, necessarily; some blowers require a certain level of service but then there is somewhere they do not require any oil at all.

Do these particular blowers only have one air intake?

No! this also depends on the type of blower that you purchase; some of them only pull air from one side, but there are some that pull the air on both sides of the blower, it just depends on the particular blower so you may just want to check out this aspect prior to purchasing.

Conclusion

Overall, I would say go with a Dayton brand of squirrel cage fan; no matter what kind of product we purchase, there will obviously be downsides but out of the squirrel cage fans reviewed above, the Dayton brand seems to be the best choice, and don’t forget Father’s Day is right around the corner!

Happy shopping!