The best evaporative air cooler can be used as a cheap substitute for an air conditioner in areas that are not very humid with less than 40 percent humidity. Keeping cool can be challenging, particularly if one lives in a dry area, and relying solely on standard air conditioning is not sufficient. Air conditioners that use vaporization are commonly known as evaporative coolers or swamp coolers. These machines reduce the temperatures by drawing in warm air and then humidifying it. Furthermore, they consume less energy because they only have a fan. These machines are much cheaper to run and are environmentally friendly; however, these machines are not required if you live in a humid air location since 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.
1. 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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2. 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 for 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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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 enable the customer to preset the time the evaporative cooler will run without interruption and once that set time is reached the evaporative cooler will shut off automatically. The best evaporative coolers normally have the maximum timer function of 15 hours with the switch buttons of one to four hours. However, they may be costly if they have the option for this.
6. Cooling Pads
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
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 enables you to program your swamp cooler so that it runs continuously until the time is set. Swamp coolers have a maximum timer of 7. 5 hours or 15 hours. It is up to you to choose what works for you.
Wheels at Base: Wheels enhance mobility. Evaporative coolers are designed with four caster wheels for easy mobility in your indoor or outdoor space.
Remote Control: This can be considered as an additional option but also useful. It enables you to operate your evaporative cooler from a distance using 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.
