The best evaporative air cooler can act as an affordable alternative to an air conditioner, especially in areas with humidity levels of less than 40%. It can be difficult to keep cool, especially when living in a dry region, and standard AC units may not be enough. Evaporative coolers, also called swamp coolers, are air conditioners that employ vaporization. These machines lower the temperatures by pulling in warm air and then moisturizing it. In addition, they consume less energy because they only operate a fan. These air coolers are cheaper to run and eco-friendly, but if you live in a humid air location, these machines are unnecessary as they will make your home muggy.
If you want the best evaporative air cooler in the market, which will also be a money-saving solution for your home, we have listed some of the best options with their pros and cons. Read on to find important considerations on what to look out for when shopping to understand better.
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1. Trustech Evaporative Air Cooler-3-in-1
- 3-In-1 Evaporative Air Cooler- Trustech bladeless air cooling fan...
- Safe to Use and Ultra Quiet- This evaporative air cooler is...
- Large Coverage and Customized Cooling Mode- This portable air...
- 1-8H Timer and Save Up to 30% Electric Bills- Trustech...
- Easy to Clean and Easy to Store- This portable air cooler fan...
The 3-in-1 Trustech evaporative air cooler is a safe and ultra-quiet unit designed for families and is equipped with a bladeless air cooling fan that ensures you get cool air without your babies or pets getting hurt. It is the best evaporative air cooler with a large water tank capacity with a visible water level window that helps you not frequently replace ice cubes.
Trustech evaporative air cooler comes with a customized cooling mode for lower indoor temperatures, and with a three high fan speed setting, you are sure to get cool air for your whole home. It also has a wide oscillating angle, making it not ideal for small rooms, an environmentally friendly timer, energy-efficient, and easy to clean and store.
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2. Handupfree Personal Space Evaporative Air Cooler
- 【MINI AIR CONDITIONER FAN】- Portable design, small size. It...
- 【5 IN 1 MULTIFUNCTIONAL & 3 SPEED WIND MODE】- It is could be...
- 【BIG WATER TANK CAPACITY】- 420ML Large water tank could blows...
- 【7 COLOR-CYCLE LIGHTS】The Mini Air Conditioner Fan built in 7...
- 【ECO-FRIENDLY & ENERGY SAVING】- Personal air cooler with low...
Handupfree Personal Space is a mini air condition fan of small size and therefore won't take up so much space, and it makes a suitable choice to carry around for offices, tents, or outdoor picnics. It is a 5-in-1 multi-functional swamp cooler and features three-speed wind modes for evaporative cooling during the summer. The evaporative air cooler is an energy-saving and eco-friendly cooler with low consumption than the traditional central air conditioners. It does not have harmful refrigerants or compressors protecting your health.
The personal space swamp cooler is among the evaporative coolers that come with a large water tank that easily blows the cool surrounding air for hours t ensure your skin stays cool. The evaporative cooler has been built with seven colors with a color cycle option, and you can use your favorite color. In addition, it can be placed on the bedside table for an ambient temperature to help you fall asleep faster.
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3. Hessaire MC37M Portable Evaporative Cooler
- PORTABLE - 4 heavy duty locking casters for cooling home, patio...
- COMPACT YET POWERFUL – 37x17x24 inches; 3, 100 Cubic Feet per...
- EASY TO OPERATE & SIMPLE TO MAINTAIN – 3 simple rotary controls...
- MANUAL & CONTINUOUS FILL – Utilize the Continuous Fill option...
- SUPERCHARGED, ECONOMICAL COOLING – 3-sided rigid high-density...
Hessaire MC37M is the best portable evaporative cooler if you want a temperature drop in a large area, and with a CFM of 3100, it can deliver an impressive performance for rooms up to 950 sq ft. The portable swamp cooler has three fan speed settings to control the airflow intensity. It also has additional fan settings for fan oscillation and the cooler's water pump. It is one of the best portable evaporative coolers that is UV resistant and features a direct connect hose feature, so you will not need to fill the tank manually.
Hessaire MC37M evaporative cooling unit features a 10.3-gallon tank that runs for about four hours, and it is quite easy to use with the dial for the speeds and oscillation, power, and pump buttons. This is one of the portable swamp coolers that the level of cooling power comes at the cost of energy efficiency, and it is also not suitable for enclosed spaces but is perfect for outdoors.
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4. Honeywell 525-790CFM Portable Evaporative Cooler
- Indoor evaporative air cooler or swamp cooler ideal for use in...
- Super low power consumption 288W & powerful 525-729CFM airflow...
- Carbon Dust Air Filter, Remote Control, Low water alarm, energy...
- Moist, cool breeze can cool you down & be used as humidification...
- NOT an Air Conditioner & NOT just a Fan – Environmentally...
Honeywell's evaporative cooler is the best choice for a mid-size room or if you are looking fr an air conditioner experience with a CFM(cubic feet) of 525 and can cool rooms up to 320 square feet(sq. ft). It is the best evaporative air cooler featuring oscillation settings, four fan speed settings, and water-pump controls to control moist air. In addition, the portable evaporative air cooler has an audible low water alarm that alerts you when water is low and a washable carbon filter.
Honeywell portable swamp cooler includes a remote control that allows you to change settings and a tank capacity of 7.9 gallons which is enough for around 7 hours of continuous use. It is a unique portable swamp cooler because it comes with an ice water compartment to give a further cooling effect and makes the best choice if the cooling performance is more important than how energy-efficient a unit is.
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5. Breezewell 2-in-1 Evaporative Air Cooler
- ❆【Convenient and Portable Design】 8-Hour Timer feature and...
Breezewell is a swamp cooler that combines eco-friendly and an air conditioner in one unit, and it is the best evaporative air cooler for the warm months. This swamp cooler is an energy-efficient unit, and by adding ice, you can easily enjoy cold air without an extra cost. It comes with a removable one-gallon water tank capacity that is easy to clean and fill.
Breezewell personal cooler is unique as it uses a bladeless design and a powerful motor with an amplifier technology that gives an air constant supply. The 2-in-1 cooler comes with wireless remote control, three wind speeds, and four adjustable humidifying and cooling settings, and it is an ideal choice for environment-conscious individuals.
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6. ComfyHome Evaporative Air Cooler
- 【Ample Cooling & Dual Control】At 32" tall, the stylish...
- 【Humidifier & Fan in one】Equipped with 1 Gallon large...
- 【Save your Wallet, Save the Earth】Save your wallet today by...
- 【Asthetic, Space-friendly & Bladeless】Designed for any rooms...
- 【Ultra-quiet, Oscillation & 15 Hour Timer】ComfyHome cares...
Comfyhome has over 40 years of experience in the cooling industry; hence is considered a trusted cooler brand. Their Comfyhome Evaporative Air Cooler comes in second and is quite popular. It is a 2 in 1 cooler that works as an air cooler and humidifier. The air cooler is affordable and can be used in your kitchen, office, bedroom, living room, etc.
The cooling system features 3 wind modes and 3-speed settings that can be customized based on your preferences. It comes with a remote control that allows you to customize and adjust the wind mode and speed settings. The air cooler is fitted with a 1-gallon water tank which can be refilled from your kitchen or bathroom. It also has an auto shut-off system that raises the alarm once the water runs out; thereafter, it will automatically stop working. Comfyhome air cooler comes 40°angle oscillating cooler that distributes air flows evenly to your space in a left-right direction that ensures that your whole space is covered. The cooler has up to a maximum 15-hour timing control function; hence you can have an uninterrupted sleep as it keeps running. The air cooler is 32 inches tall and weighs about 15 pounds. It comes with a built-in handle that makes it easy to carry and move around. The air cooler also comes with 7-year warranty.
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7. COSTWAY Evaporative Cooler
- 🌬️【3-in-1 Air Conditioner Fan】This portable air...
- 🌬️【Adjustable Wind Speed and Mode】This evaporative...
- 🌬️【7.5-hour Timer & 8L Water Tank】Considering that you...
- 🌬️【Bladeless & Energy-saving Design】Designed to protect...
- 🌬️【Smooth Rolling Casters & Compact Size】This air...
COSTWAY Evaporative Cooler is a 3 in cooler that works as an air cooler, fan, and humidifier. The air cooler features 3 wind modes and 3-speed settings that can be easily set based on your preferences. The air cooler can be used in your kitchen, bedroom, living room, office, etc. The air cooler features an 8-liter water tank, so once filled, it will give you about six hours of cooling before the next refill. The air cooler features 70-degree oscillation and has a timer that is programmable for up to 7.5 hours. It comes with a built-in handle at the top and sits on 4 castor wheels, making it easily portable. The air cooler weighs 13.5 pounds and height of 29 inches.
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8. SHSTFD Evaporative Air Cooler
- ???? MULTIFUNCTION - You can use it as a normal little fan, or...
- ???? ENERGY SAVING - This evaporative air cooler and Humidifier...
- ???? AIR HUMIDIFICATION - Water tank after adding water and ice,...
- ???? EASY & PORTABLE DESIGN - This air conditioner fan size is...
- ???? PRODUCTS - Package includes 1 x Air Conditioner Fan, 1 x DC...
The SHSTFD MINI evaporative air cooler is a small personal cooler that can be found on your office desk, your bedside table, study table, or even when you’re camping. The air cooler also doubles up as a humidifier. It is fitted with a 420 ml tank and can continuously spray cooling mist for 4-6 hours. You can add ice cubes or ice water to accelerate the cooling speed.
The evaporative cooler offers 3-speed options, and you can choose based on your preference. It weighs 1.95 pounds and has a height of 9.5inches hence making it an extremely portable evaporative air cooler. The air cooler’s wind outlet blade is flexible and can be adjusted 120°adjusted up and down like air conditioning.
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Factors to Consider Before Purchasing the Best Evaporative Air Cooler
1. Cooling Area (CFM)
The cooling area is an important factor to consider because this lets you know whether the evaporative air cooler will be effective in cooling your room or not. To check the cooling area, you will need to check the cooler CFM rating sized in Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM), which usually describes how much air volume a specific cooler can process.
If you need an evaporative cooler for your outdoors, then opt for a powerful CFM rating of at least 1000 CFM, and this will be able to cool a large space. Notably, keep in mind that opting for the big evaporative cooler will make you have humid and uncomfortable air. Also, it would be ideal if you opted for water and UV-resistant choice as this will help your evaporative cooler withstand any temperature or element.
2. Water Tank Capacity
Evaporative coolers work by pulling the hot and dry air through a wet media pad. The hot air will cause the top moisture layer on the pad to evaporate, lowering the air temperature in the cooler by up to 20 degrees. Therefore, a water source is important because it will keep the media pad wet. The water for these portable swamp coolers is held in internal tanks that can be as small as a gallon for the portable evaporative coolers and up to 10 gallons for the whole-house model.
The larger the tank capacity, the longer the best evaporative cooler can operate, so opt for a swamp cooler of at least 5 gallons to run the cooler through the night. The evaporative coolers usually utilize the water from the tank based on the CFM. Some outdoor models usually have a garden hose hookup that refills themselves instead of manually doing it.
3. Power Consumption
Purchasing the best swamp coolers should be a one-time investment and if you come across two models, always pick the one that consumes the less power despite the price. Also, how large the area you want to cool is should determine the power consumption you should opt for, and there is a general rule that there will be an increase in power consumption if there's an increase in the cooling area.
4. Air Swing Delivery System
This system is the oscillation feature in some evaporative air coolers where oscillating louvers in the cooler will control how far the evaporative cooler can oscillate, ranging from a 0 degree fixed position to an arc of up to 120 degrees. Determining the right air swing delivery system will need a user to consider the size of their room, and the larger space, the higher the needed degree of oscillation.
5. Timer
A timer function will allow a customer to program the cooler for an uninterrupted working period, and once the set time is reached, the evaporative cooler will switch off automatically. The best evaporative coolers usually have a maximum timer function of around 15 hours with switch buttons of one to four hours. Still, they might come at an expensive price if they have this option available.
6. Cooling Pads
Cooling pads also referred to as media pads, are usually responsible for adding moisture to the mix. They work by getting wet in cold water, absorbing the heat easily from the air, and delivering a cool breeze. A large cooling pad is usually nice because it is made from materials with cellulose or wood. Still, you also have to consider how often you will need to replace them as the exotic options are quite pricey to replace, making the maintenance of evaporative coolers cost higher.
7. Decibel Level
The decibel level is not important if you run your evaporative cooler outdoors, but it's very important to choose a portable air cooler. Notably, it can be difficult to find the DBA rating on some evaporative coolers but always check because this rating tells you how loud your evaporative cooler will be for indoor and outdoor use.
8. Portability
The best swamp coolers would be the ones that are easy to move around, and these usually come with a lightweight but sturdy body and also wheels. This is an important consideration because most evaporative coolers usually handle a single room simultaneously, and the wheels minimize the tank spilling or shifting.
9. Air Filtration
This usually prevents allergens like dust and pollen from being pulled into your home. These evaporative coolers usually pull air through a filter before they hit the cooling pads and removes any airborne irritants. Some of the best evaporative coolers usually feature odor-blocking or activated carbon filters.
10. Types of Evaporative Coolers
There are different evaporative air cooler types, and they differ in terms of mounting location, size, and the angle at which cool air is released. They include:
a). Portable evaporative air coolers
These are the most popular options, and they stand on a wheelset and come with top and side handles to move the portable evaporative cooler around.
b). Window evaporative air coolers
These coolers are designed to be placed in a pen window, and they pull hot and dry air from outside directly and cool your home inside. They are more effective than portable coolers, but they come at a high price and are not popular.
c). Down discharge evaporative air coolers
These units are usually mounted on the roof, and they blow air and cool the whole house, but they can be prone to leaks if they are not installed and sealed properly.
d). Side discharge evaporative air cooler
Side discharge coolers are the most common types because they are both window coolers and portable and push air horizontally. They are not that effective, but they are easy to access, maintain and prevent water damage from unnoticed leaks like in down discharge models.
e). Swamp cooler
This term is used interchangeably with an evaporative air cooler. Some manufacturers usually refer to the whole home units as swamp coolers while calling the small units evaporative air coolers. Despite the term used, ensure you check the product information to guarantee you are getting the type of product you want.
11. Speed Control
This feature allows you to control the flow of air you want by increasing or decreasing the fan's speed. There are three speeds offered: Low, Medium, and High.
12. Extra Features:
Timer Function: A timer function allows you to program your swamp cooler for uninterrupted running, and once it reaches the set time, it will automatically go off. Swamp coolers come with a maximum timer function of 7.5 hours or 15 hours. Depending on your needs, you can select what works for you.
Wheels at Base: Wheels allow ease of movement. Most evaporative coolers have 4 caster wheels making them easy to move around your indoor or outdoor space.
Remote Control: This can be considered an extra feature but convenient. It allows you to control your evaporative cooler from a distance with the help of a remote.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Best Evaporative Air Coolers
1. Are evaporative coolers hard to maintain?
No, evaporative coolers have low maintenance unless you have a whole-house evaporative air cooler. Then, the only maintenance needed is changing the media pads, draining the tank, and regularly cleaning the reservoir to prevent the growth of bacteria.
2. What is the difference between evaporative air coolers and air conditioners?
The main difference between the two is that evaporative air coolers usually add humidity to your air. In contrast, an air conditioner will dry it out or remove it not to be used simultaneously.
