Battery life is good so far and the backlight is a fun feature but not a must unless you need it. I see this as a safety measure when pushing a stroller at night. I didn't buy it for a stroller so light is not a desirable feature for me. The real downside, however, is that this fan is too bulky and large to be a "portable personal fan". It may be the right size for a large stroller, but not for taking it to work every day. I wonder if the lighting feature is the reason for the extra volume? Either way, the tripod is fine and holds the fan in place. Best of all, the fan is silent. There are three fan speeds, and the fan is surprisingly quiet at high speed. If you don't want to use lights, the good news is that there are separate buttons for that. Finally, this fan is too bulky to take with me every day, which is why I bought it, but I can use it anywhere. at home when i need a cordless fan so i keep it and not sending it back. Buying isn't a waste, it's just not what I was looking for. Too bulky to carry around.