Maxx Air Fan vs Fantastic Fan Review After A Year On Our RV

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Why Are Maxx Air and Fantastic Fans So Popular for RVs?

Upgrading to a Maxx Air or Fantastic Fan is one of the best RV mods you can make.

Factory-installed roof vent fans are small, noisy, and inefficient, barely moving air while draining more power than they should.

Related Product: Power an RV AC with a smaller generator by using a SoftStartRV Easy Start Kit (click to view on Amazon)

Modern RV fans are quieter, more powerful, and far more energy-efficient, making them a must-have upgrade.

Newer RVs come with better roof vent fans, but they’re still limited in power and features. That’s where Maxx Air and Fantastic Fans stand out—they’re quieter, more powerful, and more efficient than even upgraded factory-installed fans.

Both brands offer a range of options, from basic models to fully automated fans with thermostats and rain sensors. Because of their high performance and versatility, they’re being used to replace old RV fans, swap out air conditioners, or upgrade non-powered roof vents.

A Maxx Air or Fantastic Fan moves air fast, making it easier to cool down your camper on hot nights. Since they run on the RV battery, they’re also boondocker-friendly.

simple 12 volt RV roof vent fan inside a travel trailer bathroom
Old style 12 volt RV roof vent fan with a tiny fan on one side of the vent.

Our RV Roof Fan Setup

When we bought our first RV, a 2013 travel trailer, the first upgrade we made was replacing the factory bathroom fan with Maxx Air Fan—and it was one of the best decisions we made while living full-time on the road. After a year of travel, it was still running like new.

When we switched to a 24-foot Class C motorhome, it had a slightly better factory fan, but it still wasn’t as good as the Maxx Air we had before.

Since both Maxx Air and Fantastic Fans are well-known brands, we decided to try both—a Fantastic Fan in the bathroom and a Maxx Air to replace the non-powered roof vent above the bed.

Both fans are installed side by side in the back of the RV. The Fantastic Fan gets more use since it’s in the bathroom, but the Maxx Air runs 24/7 during warm months.

Since we picked comparable models, we quickly noticed the similarities and differences between the two.

Maxx Air fan and Fantastic fan side by side on the roof of an RV
Maxx Air fan on the left and Fantastic Fan on the right

Maxx Air & Fantastic Fan Comparison

Click a feature to sort. On phones/small screens, scroll or swipe sideways to view the full table.
ModelSpeed OptionsVent Cover TypeMotorized CoverAir In/OutAuto Temperature ControlRain SensorRemote ControlLink
MAXXAIR Maxxfan Deluxe Vent, Fan and Vent Cover All in One - Powerful...Maxx Air 00-07500K MaxxFan Deluxe10RainYesYesYesN/AYesAmazon
Fantastic Vent Model 735110StandardYesYesYesYesYes
Maxxair 503.1555 00-06200K MaxxFan Ventillation Fan with Smoke Lid and...Maxx Air 00-06200 MaxxFan Manual3RainNoYesYesN/ANoAmazon
Fan-Tastic Vent RV Roof Vent with Thermostat, Automatic or Manual 3...Fan-tastic Vent 33503StandardYesYesYesYesNoAmazon
Fan-Tastic Vent RV Roof Vent, Manual 3 Speed 12 Volt RV Vent Fan,...Fan-tastic Vent 14503StandardYesYesYesYesYesAmazon
Fan-Tastic Vent RV Roof Vent with Thermostat, Automatic or Manual 3...Fan-Tastic Fan Model 22503StandardNoYesYesYesNoAmazon

In the table above I’ve added the most advanced and the simplest versions of the Maxx Air fans and Fantastic fans.

There are also a few models in between that can be good options as well.

I’m going to talk about the most advanced ones since those were what we installed in our motorhome.

Maxx Air 00-07500K MaxxFan Deluxe Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Built In Rain Cover
  • Good In Windy Conditions
  • 10 Speeds
  • Quiet
  • Remote Control
  • Temperature Control
  • Motorized Cover

Cons

  • Beeps sometimes when humidity is high
  • Rain cover can reduce airflow

Fantastic Vent Model 7351 Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Standard Cover Opens All the Way (moves the most air)
  • 10 Speeds
  • Remote Control
  • Temperature Control
  • Rain Sensor
  • Motorized Cover

Cons

  • Must Be Closed When Windy
  • Many Have Problems With Fan Squeaking

My Review of Maxx Air & Fantastic Fans After 1 Year of Use

After a year of full-time RV living, I was most impressed with the Maxx Air fan—not just for quality, but because its design proved better in real-world use.

While the Maxx Air MaxxFan Deluxe and Fantastic Fan 7351 have similar features like motorized covers, remote controls, temperature settings, and 10 fan speeds, there are key differences that matter when choosing one for your RV.

Rain Resistance

The Maxx Air fan’s cover acts as a built-in rain shield, allowing it to stay open even in bad weather.

The Fantastic Fan, on the other hand, uses a standard pop-up cover that exposes the motor, making it vulnerable to water damage.

rain cover on a Maxx Air fan installed on an rv roof next to a Fantastic fan
Maxx Air fan cover with a rectangular shape.

It has a rain sensor that automatically closes when wet, but that also means losing ventilation when it rains.

You can buy a rain cover for the Fantastic Fan, but they’re bulky and less aerodynamic.

open fantastic fan on the roof of a class c motorhome
Open Fantastic fan on the roof of our RV.

Wind Resistance

The Fantastic Fan’s cover is more affected by wind, even when partially open.

The Maxx Air fan stays usable even when nearly closed, and its design handles wind better, as long as it’s not hitting directly from behind.

Sound

At first, both were quiet, but after five months, the Fantastic Fan started squeaking, which only got worse over time—a common issue reported by other users.

Some have gotten replacements, but it’s not guaranteed, and swapping it out means redoing the installation and resealing the roof.

The Maxx Air fan has remained quiet, except for one humid day when it made a chirping sound at random, likely due to moisture in the electronics.

That issue never returned, and it’s been working flawlessly since.

Final Verdict

The Maxx Air fan wins for reliability, weather resistance, and durability, while the Fantastic Fan moves more air but has long-term noise issues and needs extra rain protection.

If you want a worry-free, all-weather fan, go with Maxx Air.

by Jenni
Jenni grew up in a small town in Idaho. With a family that loves camping, she has been towing trailers from a very young age.

3 thoughts on “Maxx Air Fan vs Fantastic Fan Review After A Year On Our RV”

  1. Good article on the cleaners. You are correct the Starbright is really a great cleaner. Only thing I dislike is you pushing buying from Amazon. I understand you make money from this “advertising” but it sucks.

    Reply
    • Hi,
      Thanks for your comment, I understand that you don’t like that. We decided to go with Amazon Associates and do affiliate links instead of displaying regular ads on the site. We do, however, only recommend products that we have done extended research about and have bought/would buy ourselves.

      Reply
    • I really don’t understand people like you… They did a wonderful comparison and you have to make your issue with Amazon their fault?Then don’t buy it from Amazon. Just because you don’t want to purchase it from them, doesn’t mean everyone else feels the same. Plus this gives people the option to see full specs on both without having to scour the Internet for information when it can be seen at one location.

      Reply

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