What do I think of the DREO Smart Ceiling Fan?

My bedroom ceiling fan had broken down a couple of weeks ago and I was on the hunt for a new fan that not only fit the aesthetic of my room, but was also powerful. I started searching at local hardware stores, but none of the fans seemed to really fit my needs. They were either very stylish, but lacked the functionality I was looking for or had the functionality, but looked industrial. That’s why I was so pleased to find the DREO Ceiling Fan CLF712S. It combined the trendy aesthetic with the functionality I was looking for all in one compact, but powerful product. 

First thing to talk about is the packaging and installation. It was packaged very well-all the parts were secure and well protected. Nothing arrived broken or damaged. Everything had its place in the box and it came with both a quick start guide and a more detailed instruction booklet. I also loved that there was a QR code that took me to an installation video. Now, I’m no professional electrician, but I do a lot of DIY in my home. For the installation, unless you’re comfortable with installing yourself, I would recommend an electrician. I was comfortable enough to do it without one. However, please keep in mind this is a 2 person job given the weight of the fan motor and having to lift it up to secure it in place so having another adult to help is definitely a must. I should also mention, if you have an older ceiling fan currently, there are some adjustments that need to be made in terms of connecting wires that will be different with a smart fan (one with a remote/wireless capabilities like this one). This was NOT mentioned in the instructions so that is something I think DREO could improve on. I didn’t have to buy anything extra, but if you have an older model fan previously that worked with a switch on the wall, please note, once you’ve properly connected the wires, one of the switches will no longer work. Everything is controlled with the included remote. 

The instructions in both the video and booklet had not mentioned the transition from an old fashioned fan to smart fan so if this is the case in your situation, it would probably be best to consult an electrician. 

Once the fan was installed though, everything was smooth sailing. Installation took me about 2 hours, mostly because I had to figure out the old to new situation. The fan itself is wonderful. It has a very minimalistic, simple design that will fit pretty much any decor. I got the fan in white, but there is also a black version. The fan blades are reversible so you can have plain white or white combined with a light wood veneer. The blades are 52” so plenty big to provide adequate breeze to the entire room. It looks very chic and stylish. 

Having had a regular on/off fan with pulling a chain to adjust the 3 speeds, the DREO fan was refreshing. There are so many innovative features. There are 6 speeds to the fan with the last one being the most powerful. It’s currently 90+ degrees in the South and I actually turned off the A/C one day while I was in the bedroom with just the fan one because it was so cool. My old fan just circulated the air-this one seems to cool the room down too. I love that there is a reversible feature that will reverse the direction of the fan blades-so in the winter it will circulate warmer air. 

Now to talk about the lights-wow! There are so many different options. The main ceiling light had several different settings including daylight, incandescent, fluorescent and more-which all have different levels of brightness. Then there’s the fun light-the RBG. It’s a rim around the main light that had a variety of different colors-red/green/blue/yellow/pink etc. This can be turned on separately or together with the main light. It comes with the remote (batteries included!) so no need to walk over to the switch to turn on/off. And even better, it has wireless connectivity so I was able to connect it to Alexa and can simply command it to turn/on off, change settings etc. The DREO app is also an option to use as a remote on your smartphone. 

This is my first smart fan and I’m switching all my fans over to the dark side. The functionality, features, ease of use and convenience make the DREO ceiling fan an absolute winner in my book. 

***Thank you to Dreo for gifting me a DREO ceiling fan CLF712S in exchange for an honest review.***

Customer Service Spotlight: Olay

Every once in a while, I will come across a company with either terrible or wonderful customer service. This time it seems Oil of Olay is in the spotlight.

A few days ago, I called Olay's customer service to inquire about a prize that I had won from Allure Magazine's August giveaway. To my consternation, they had no idea what I was talking about and I was transferred from department to department with no sign of ever figuring out what was going on. I took it all in stride and explained my situation repeatedly. Finally, I got to a customer service rep who told me there was no such giveaway and I was wrong. I'll admit I grew frustrated and told her I was a long time customer and that I wasn't going to buy Olay any longer if this was the kind of treatment I would get. She, in a very casual manner said, "Okay, that's fine". I was livid! In my mind, she could have at least checked or asked me to send her the link to the giveaway or the winner's list as proof. Either of these would have been fine. I would have even been okay with a "I'm sorry, but we can't fulfill it", so that I'd at least have an explanation. However, being transferred from person to person and finally being told I had no idea what I was talking about and saying I don't really matter as a customer was the last straw. I hung up the phone by angrily pressing end call, wishing that I had an older model phone so that I could angrily slam the receiver down.

I then wrote to Olay on their Facebook page and told them about my experience. I received a message a couple of days later with a promise to make things right. They assured me that my experience would not be taken lightly and that the views of one rep did not represent the views of their company. Today, I received a package from Olay with 2 of my favorite full size Olay products and another full size Olay product that I had wanted to try. They also included a handwritten note(!!!) expressing how much they appreciate having me as a customer. This, ladies and gentlemen, is exemplary customer service! I would never have expected that a company as large as Olay would take my comments personally and make sure that I as an individual was happy with their service. I was wrong-Olay absolutely went above and beyond what I felt was necessary. Having been a 10+ year customer of Olay's, I feel like my loyalty is appreciated by them and that they will do whatever they can to keep me as a customer and to keep me happy. I'm absolutely blown away by their commitment to their customers! 

I am now an Olay customer for life and can honestly recommend them to everyone. There aren't a whole lot of companies who will listen to you and ensure that they make things right. With both high quality products and an exemplary customer service team, Olay really is the whole package. 

*Note: Olay neither expected nor requested this review. It was done wholly based on my own inclination to promote their superb customer service and products.