Broan Model 659 Heater/Fan/Light, 50 CFM 2.5 Sones, White Grille

This is virtually the identical unit for a 25+ year old unit I replaced. Bearings were going in the old one and since it wasn't cleaned regularly was pretty crudded up. Hence it was increasingly inefficient and noisy. I replaced as part an attic insulation project the new unit is IC rated and worked with my existing 15 Amp circuit somewhat rare for a vent/light/heater combo. Instructions were clear. At 50 CFM the vent is appropriate for a small bath. Reasonably quiet (of course we're comparing it to the old one that sounded like a model plane taking off). Heater will knock back some chill but isn't a real powerhouse nor is it directional like in more expensive models. Light will accept up to 100 watt bulb but we found 75 watt more than adequate. Grille and light diffuser are attractive and seem to promote better airflow than the old. Internal components (light, vent fan, and heater) are easily removable for annual cleaning.

If you need some extra light and a fan (who doesn't!) in your bathroom, the Broan 659 is a good choice. Sure, it's not whisper quiet but 2.5 sones is a perfect compromise. It's just the right amount of noise for, uh, some privacy while you're on the throne, but not enough to wake up the person sleeping in the adjacent wing of your castle. The heater takes away a bit of morning chill but it's not going to dry you off if you've forgotten to buy towels or anything. But don't worry. With the amount you'll save purchasing this fan you'll be able to afford one of those really big plush towels. At 50 CFM this model is good for smaller bathrooms, but it is on the wide side. If your bath is tiny, a smaller size(and less cfm)might suffice. I take quite hot showers and the mirrors have not fogged while this fan is on.

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I checked out a lot of reviews on heater/fan combos for my bathroom. I finally chose this one because of the features and good price. I've had it for about 2 months and the fan and heater work great. I wasn't sure what to expect with the noise level, but I find it to be very very quiet. When my husband turned on the fan for the first time, I couldn't even detect the noise. I thought he was messing with me. Then I listened carefully and could hear the white noise sound. The heater is a bit louder than the fan, but still very quiet.

Regarding the light feature, we already had lighting in our bathroom so we decided to put a small 7 watt nightlight bulb in the fixture. It works great for late night bathroom runs. No need to blind yourself with a bright light. The nightlight does the trick!

One suggestion if you are installing one of these in your bathroom, buy a timer switch for the fan function. We bought one with 10, 20, 30 minute options so I can hit the timer button and the fan will run for that amount of time, keeping the moisture down, and I don't have to try to remember to turn it off. I highly recommend considering this. I've read that it's good to have your bathroom fan run for 20+ minutes following a shower...so having the timer allows you to have it run for that amount of time and you don't have to worry about remembering to come back to the bathroom to turn it off.

Overall, we really like this fixture. The fan and heater do the job well. Also, we love the quietness and the option to use it as a nightlight.

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I initially selected this model because: 1) It had a heating feature to resolve the cold air on wet body issue particularly uncomfortable in winter. 2) It can run on a 15amp circuit and that's what I already had running to the master bath.

Alas, I found, upon reading other articles I found, this unit requires a dedicated circuit. So, there went the idea of sharing a line already run. I then contacted my favorite licensed electrician and he and his partner came out and in a day ran a dedicated line from the lower level through the 12 foot living room wall, into the attic and over to the area above the master bath where this was to be installed. I was fortunate they were able to fish the line up without drilling holes into the drywall.

As others have indicated, the position of the vent to this unit dictated how it had to be installed between the rafters so, it ended up blowing the heated air against the narrower sides of the bath whereas, lengthwise would have been my preference. Having said that, it is important to note that it does an admirable job of heating our bath, which measures 650 cubic feet (13'X5'X8'). I feel since others have complained that it was not doing well to heat their baths, I should mention that it does very well for the space I have and any such device should be matched according to model recommendations.

Overall, I am very pleased with this combo fan/heater/light and would have rated it 5 stars if it could have been installed lengthwise to maximize the efficiency of the unit by allowing it to blow the heated air directly toward the shower. Just turn the heater on a few minutes before you shower, if you encounter the same install results to give it time to warm the room air and you are good to go.

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The unit looks nice and white on the ceiling; however, we have had the electrician back once as it is very noisy when on exhaust. He has adjusted the "pipe" but thinks he may have to cut it to reduce the vibrations. We replaced an earlier version Broan with this unit but it was not an easy installation, had to replace the entire unit, not just the lower level parts. The heater portion is wonderful and it is much brighter than the older version.

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