Old Kmart box fan still runs great, and commenters joke it outlived Kmart itself

A decades-old Kmart box fan has found an appreciative audience on Reddit after a user posted that the inherited appliance is still working.

Many readers were amused less by the fan itself than by the fact that it appears to have outlasted the retailer that once sold it.

What happened?

A user on r/BuyItForLife shared a photo of an old Kmart-branded box fan that had belonged to their friend's late grandmother, writing on Reddit that it "still runs great." 

People in the comments used the post as an opportunity to reminisce about older appliances, saying that many used sturdier components, straightforward switches, and motors that could run for years.

The store's name on the front also became part of the joke, as many commenters noted that the fan remained long after Kmart's decline.

Others chimed in with examples from their own homes, mentioning old Montgomery Wards fans and other box fans that have remained in service for decades. One commenter expressed how newer products can even fail faster in some cases: "I bought some cheap box fan last year and it didn't survive the summer. I miss things that were made right."

Why does it matter?

A product that keeps working for decades can ease the cost of replacing household basics and cut down on what gets tossed out.

Choosing products that don't need to be replaced as frequently means less discarded plastic, less packaging waste, and fewer trips to buy replacements.

That was part of why several commenters contrasted older fans with newer versions; they said they failed too fast. One commenter wrote, "I went through FOUR in one summer," while another claimed modern models are "designed to slow down after a year."

Some people in the thread said the difference comes down to construction, arguing that earlier fans often used simpler motors and switches along with more durable materials.

Users also pointed out that maintenance matters. Cleaning dust from the blades and adding lubricant to the axle or bearings before and after summer can help keep an older fan running longer.

Commenters noted another use for box fans as well. One suggested adding a 20x20 furnace filter to one to create a low-cost DIY air purifier, while another wrote that they assembled a unique contraption from materials they already had: "I made an air purifying filter fan with 4 filters and my Kmart box fan I've had for 50 years."

What are people saying?

Some of the most upvoted responses leaned into the Kmart irony. One commenter joked that it "Outlasted all the Kmarts around me," while another said it had simply "outlived K-Mart." One user made a humorous addition to the thread: "The Kmart in Guam shall remain forever."

Elsewhere, the tone was more affectionate, with users saying older appliances "were made to last" and sharing family stories about fans handed down over time.

A practical streak ran through the thread, too, as commenters advised owners to open older fans, clean them thoroughly, and oil moving parts to keep them working for years to come. Investing in quality products with a long lifespan can save you money and keep things out of the landfill for years to come.

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