Broan-Nutone 682 Duct-Free Ventilation Fan, White Square Ceiling or Wall Exhaust Fan with Plastic Grille

Nice exhaust fan

We purchased an older house that had no fan in the bathrooms. I purchased this one after looking at several. It was easy to install & exactly what I was looking for. The fan is about as loud as any other, so no complaints there. Very satisfied & will purchase another when I remodel my other bathroom!

Pros: light, compact. Easy install and hookupCons: Flimsy material. Cheap filter. Some planning needed if install is not in new constructionI purchased this item because it is one of two ductless bathroom fans that I could find on the market (the other is from Broan's NuTone line) and I needed to replace an existing 1960s fan that was never vented out . It seemed to be shipped in good condition. The product is pretty basic - fan, grille,and hardware. it says that a 7 1/4"x7 1/4" rough-in is required for install, but truthfully I needed a much bigger access hole to complete the installation. You will also need about 4" of height. A metal bracket is located and nailed into the ceiling joist. The fan housing is then snapped into the bracket. Position the bracket properly to allow for ceiling drywall thickness and electrical conduit access because the fan housing is not sturdy enough for multiple installs. Electrical access is via one of two punch outs- one in top corner of fan housing and one on side of housing. Take time to think how you will route the electric because I don't recommend knocking out both punch outs as this seemed to weaken the flimsy sheet metal fan housing and allow for distortion. This product doesn't have a light so wiring it up was a breeze (in my case a separate light fixture and this fan are ran from the same switch). I believe this fan works by recirculating air through a filter. The filters are supposed to last 60-90 days and can be ordered from the manufacturer. The filter is very thin on a very flimsy frame and is held in by a clip. The filter fit pretty snug and was in place when the fan was delivered, but after I popped out the punch outs and mounted the fan housing to my ceiling joist, it no longer fit and I had to bend the filter to get it in place (hence my previous comments on flimsiness). This fan is not meant to remove moisture from the air so DO NOT USE in full baths with tub/shower. I think ideal use is in a half bath/powder room in a part of the house with good ventilation. This fan is quieter than other fans I have used in the past, but still loud enough to mask the sounds of nature. Time will tell how long before the filters need to be switched out but since I am expecting low activity and minimal bomb droppage, I am targeting six months or more before changing.Note: the NuTone 682NT looks to be the exact same thing as the 682, but cost almost twice as much. Perhaps it is constructed from better materials or the grille is nicer.

Didn't want to spend alot of effort on this install so my bathroom light happened to be on the wall over the sink and on a stud. I cut a 7.5 inch square in the wall dryrock with one side on the stud higher than the light. Put a wire pigtail on exhaust fan and threaded it through the existing hole for the light. Attached fan box (drilled three holes in it) directly to the stud. Didn't need use that bracket that came with it. I think it would need larger opening in drywall to be able to slide box into bracket. That would be more work for those installing in existing room with finished drywall like I have. Put light back on and good to go! NO PATCHING OR PAINTING REQUIRED. I put a Febreeze car air freshener in it for better odor control.

There aren't many choices for a ductless fan, this thing is cheaply made, and it shows, but the install is simple and easy enough if you're handy. The bracket design is not great, would be much better if it had the style that expands to span between the joists and then secure the fan to that.The filter is small and thin; I can see right through it. I doubt it filters much. The unit I received had a broken grill cover for the wire support right out of the box. I was able to fix it with some super glue.Only go with this if you know you need a ductless fan for a powder room where you don't need to remove the moist air like a normal bathroom, which is where I installed it to replace an old fan from the 80's.At least this was the best price here on Amazon, I got it for almost half of what the local big box store wanted for the same thing online, they didn't carry in the store.

Ventilation without having to make holes and hassle with ductwork