Panasonic WhisperFit Retrofit Ceiling Mount Bathroom Exhaust Fan, 50-80-110 CFM, FV-0511VF1

The Panasonic FV-0511VFL1 WhisperFit DC Retrofit Ventilation Fan with Light stands as a beacon of excellence in the realm of home ventilation solutions. Our extensive experience with installing these units—too numerous to count—solidifies our opinion that this product is unparalleled in its class. Panasonic's WhisperFit series has become the gold standard for us, offering superior performance that eclipses other well-established brands in the market. Labeling a product as a "game changer" is often done lightly, but in the case of the WhisperFit, it's a title richly deserved. The fan's operation is exceptionally quiet, a feature that is as impressive as it is appreciated. Moreover, the simplicity and ingenuity of its retrofit installation process are unmatched. We've honed the installation down to a mere 35 minutes, a testament to the fan's design, although first-time installers may require a bit a lot longer. The fan's bracket system is a stroke of genius, designed for easy handling and installation by a single individual without the struggle of supporting its weight during attachment. This design thoughtfully allows for the separate installation of the vent and electrical components, minimizing the physical strain and simplifying the process. Beyond its installation convenience, the WhisperFit offers three selectable ventilation speeds, easily adjustable to meet diverse needs. Pairing this fan with an optional humidistat—Panasonic offers compatible models—addresses the common challenge of mold and mildew in residential bathrooms especially. This combination proves particularly effective in environments where user behavior or inadequate existing fans contribute to excessive moisture, automatically activating the fan when humidity levels rise. The combination is perfection. Our endorsement of the Panasonic WhisperFit extends beyond a mere five-star rating. Its consistent performance, ease of installation, and quiet operation have made it a staple in our business, with frequent reorders facilitated by the swift delivery services of Amazon. This synergy between Panasonic's innovation, Amazon's logistics, and our implementation expertise creates an efficient and effective solution for ventilation Please keep in mind that footprint changes for ventilation fans will likely require minor drywall repairs or touch-up painting, highlighting the typical considerations when replacing or upgrading fans. Additionally, our video showcases the fan's discreet ramp-up feature, illustrating how it quietly progresses to its full capacity—a subtle yet significant detail that underscores the fan's sophisticated design. In conclusion, our allegiance to the Panasonic WhisperFit DC Retrofit Ventilation Fan is unwavering. Its impact on improving indoor air quality, coupled with the ease of retrofit installation and operational silence, makes it an indispensable asset for any property. Panasonic's commitment to quality and innovation continues to impress, ensuring our continued patronage for years to come.

I have done seven ventilation fan replacements between my previous house and current house using the Panasonic fans. Builder-grade ventilation fans just did not cut it - they were loud and useless. Of the seven Panasonic fans used five are previous model FV-08-11VF5 (other than using AC motor and having just 80/110 CFM selections, it is identical to the FV-0511VF1 under review). Two are FV-0511VF1. They are all excellent ventilation fans, probably the best retrofit option for the home owners due to their easy and innovative installation method. Especially if the access to the space above ceiling is limited. FV-0511VF1 uses DC motor and it takes about a minute to reach its full speed, unlike the previous AC motor model which reaches full speed in less than 10 seconds. Once reaches the full speed I can feel the air flowing and it is pretty quiet (especially compared to the builder-grade fans I replaced). One thing to keep in mind, even though this fan comes with a 4"-to-3" duct adapter, I recommend using 4" duct whenever possible to get the best performance and the lowest noise level out of the fan. Of the seven replacements I have done, I was able to replace six original 3" ducts with 4" ducts through attic space. I was not able to replace the downstairs bathroom one as its duct goes through floor and ceiling space that I have no access to. And this one definitely has less performance and higher noise level than the other six.

Love this exhaust fan! Purchased it based on recommendations from social media influencers and it is worth the money. It is super quiet and powerful. Has an adjustment for room size and was easy to install. Would highly recommend and will be purchasing another for our other bathroom!

The best made exhaust fan that I have seen. The fan uses a very quiet DC motor housed in a nicely designed injection molded fan housing. The assembly is shock mounted to the frame to decouple vibration from the ceiling. The fan speed is controlled by a built in controller that allows the maximum operating speed to suit the size of the room. It also uses the speed control to increase the speed slowly to the maximum speed. It goes from completely silent to through barely audible to its impressively low noise maximum speed. It is not silent but the term whisper quiet is not too far from fact. It is not inexpensive but given the high quality it does represent good value for money. It should last a long time without any of the vibration and rattling of cheap metal alternatives. Highly recommended.

Overall, I'm happy with the fan. It does exactly what I wanted. That said, it is not a slam dunk installation. Let's go through the good the bad and the ugly. GOOD: It is as quiet as they say it is. I have a small bathroom with a shower in it. 85 ft². The old New Tone fan was driving me crazy with the noise. In theory, I should set the new Panasonic fan to 85 CFM, the middle setting, but I decided to go for broke and set it for 110 CFM. I am able to hear it when it's on, but it is very quiet and not intrusive. It's comforting to know that if I get cranky I can slow it down and it should do a good job. It does come with instructions which will get you through the project. I would give them a "C" . It came with a 4-in to 3 in adapter which was nice since my rain hood that goes through the wall of the house is a 3-in. I ran 4-in aluminum flexible ducting and it is very quiet. The Fex-Z-Fast mounting bracket is a good addition. I initially thought I wouldn't bother with it, but it makes things much easier. They have a template for marking where to saw the drywall to make the mounting hole. That also is simple but very effective. THE BAD Not much in this category. It's a pricey bathroom ventilation fan. Amortized over 20 years, who cares? THE UGLY The instructions were written by somebody in a hurry. I was spoiled recently by buying a wheelbarrow online. It came with A+ instructions: the parts came on a blister card; each blister numbered with a step from the diagram. Each step in the diagram contained only one step. It was well illustrated. Expect the opposite here. There are screws in little packs or taped in various places with only minimal explanation about what they're for. I'm either very smart or very lucky, but it all went together eventually with nothing left over. It was a challenge! The first problem with the instructions is you are apparently supposed to mount the control unit and the main fan body by using self-drilling screws that go through the sliding rails of the bracket. I've never seen anything like this before. I finally gave up looking for mounting holes or attached nuts and decided to just go through the drywall and the rails of the mounting bracket. That seemed to be what you're supposed to do. It would help if they told you that. There are two sets of instructions. One is an overall set of instructions; the other is primarily for the Flex-Z-Fast mounting bracket, but it also includes abbreviated instructions for mounting the fan. It took me a while to figure out that these were more or less parallel instructions. They are not labeled as such, so you have to read through each several times in order to figure out what domain they cover. Of course, they could have written one set of instructions that included everything. Maybe the instructions were written by a committee? OVERALL The fan is great once installed. It is quiet, really! The kit is complete. All you need is tools, tape, and ducting to an outside wall. It is possible to install from below, but you would still have to deal with what you do with the other end of the duct! Still, it's nice to be able to work in a warm well-lit environment at the top of a step ladder, rather than balancing on rafters in the attic. The instructions are somewhat disorganized and slap dash. If you have experience with DIY projects, you'll probably get through it. I wish they would ask me to rewrite their directions. The writing skill required is to look at the project from the point of view of the consumer, preferably a medium-skill consumer. There's a whole field of engineering that studies how to make machines and projects easy to use. It's called Human Engineering. In essence, it involves giving a project to a newbie and watching where they stumble. Then revise, repeat, revise. When it's finished, it is quiet and effective, and a big improvement over economy fans. 4/4/24: revised review: the speed setting makes no difference. You would think that between 55 CFM and 110 CFM there would be a detectable difference in sound level. I realize it takes a minute, literally, to spin up to speed. Nonetheless, a meter shows no difference in dB. I don't have an air flow meter, but placing a damp hand near the intake doesn't suggest any difference in air flow. Panasonic customer support is zero, nada, indifferent, eliminated to generate more profits? I have tried four different phone numbers. They all either go to voicemail or are disconnected. I got a return text from one, which sent me to a different department, which didn't respond. Emails, four of them so far, have gone unanswered. Evidently, my question about malfunctioning of the speed switch is not important enough to bother with, or they have cannibalized the customer service department in order to keep stockholders happier. Capitalism at its finest!

Panasonic Bath Exhaust Fan – Quiet, Powerful, and Amazingly Easy to Install I've installed over a dozen Panasonic bath exhaust fans, and every single time, the reaction from my customers is the same: pure amazement. These fans are incredibly quiet and impressively effective — a true upgrade from the typical noisy, underperforming units. Panasonic has clearly put a lot of thought into making these ideal for replacement installs. Even for the average DIYer or handyman, the process is straightforward. Yes, you’ll likely need to adjust the electrical setup and cut a slightly larger opening in the drywall, but Panasonic makes it easy. They include a cutting template, all the necessary screws, and clear instructions. Each install has taken me about an hour — and just this month, I’ve done three! Now, let’s talk about the noise — or rather, the lack of it. On the lowest setting, you might not even realize it’s running. Medium speed gives off a soft, pleasant hum. And even on high, it’s just a gentle white noise in the background. No rattling, no whining — just smooth, quiet airflow. These fans clear out moisture and odors in no time. I honestly can’t emphasize enough how effective they are. If you're looking for a reliable, whisper-quiet, and easy-to-install bath fan, Panasonic is the way to go.

The fan is exactly as advertised. The installation was pretty straightforward and it operated as expected. I was a little confused initially when I turned the fan on after hooking it up because I didn't think the fan came on when I hit the wall switch that I had installed. I was troubleshooting when I realized that the fan did start to run. It just takes longer to start up than you would normally expect. Not an issue, just confused me for a short time. The fan is very quiet. So far I am happy with it!

Bright led light, powerful fan but is also quiet. I have it set on the 110cfm because I was having problems with my old one not sucking out the moist air, and the walls were literally dripping. This fixed all of that, and we don’t even have to wipe the mirror. It’s that good. The blower is like a slow start obviously by design, seems like an inverter type motor, but even at full speed it’s very quiet yet very powerful. Install bracket is quality for varying needs. The only thing I wish was different is the spring loaded retainers for the face plate seem a bit weak but I have not had an issue with it dropping down. Would absolutely order again.