Best Portable Evaporative Coolers of 2022: Buying Guide

It can be really tough to keep your environment cool and fresh when you live in a dry, muggy area, especially during the summer months. It’s an expensive task, to say the least, and can be really frustrating when all you want is a little cool air, without the costly price tag.

We wanted to make it as easy as possible for you to choose the right portable evaporative cooler for you and your needs, so take a look at our top five picks.

Portable Evaporative Cooler | Recommended

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Our Recommended Portable Evaporative Coolers in 2022

5) Frigidaire EC200WF Portable Evaporative Air Fan and Humidifier

The Frigidaire EC200WF Portable Evaporative Humidifier includes a remote control, easy-glide castors and handles for that easy portability that you’re looking for.

This is a 2-in-1 cooler and fan combo, which means it’s perfect for a hot and dry climate. What’s more, wide angled oscillation ensures that this fan and cooler reaches more square footage, a fantastic solution to making sure cool air is evenly distributed around the room.

This swamp cooler includes a removable 1.8-gallon water tank, making refilling simple and quick.

For your comfort, the Frigidaire also includes 4 different fan speeds as well as 3 cooling modes, guaranteeing that you’re in control of just how cool you want your space to be.

4) SPT SF-612R Evaporative Air Cooler with 3D Cooling Pad

The SPT SF-612R Evaporative Air Cooler is a computer controlled system and also includes an LED panel. Furthermore, it is a true energy saving air cooler, using just 65W of power whilst running.

Included with this air cooler is a 3D honeycomb cooling pad, which enhances the cooling performance and ensures that your rooms are ventilated to your desired temperature.

Helping further with this are its 3 fan modes, including ‘normal’, ‘natural’ and ‘sleep’ designs which each give a different air cooling experience.

3) Honeywell 470-659CFM Portable Evaporative Cooler

Our final pick is the Honeywell Portable Evaporative Cooler, which performs best in regions with approx. 60% humidity due to its moist and cooling breeze which mimics that of a waterfall or lake setting.

Its lightweight and easily portable design makes various areas in your home easy to reach, and its powerful airflow makes cooling medium sized spaces such as the bedroom, garage or living fantastically simple.

The Honeywell includes many excellent features including a Carbon Dust Air Filter, remote control and a low water alarm to alert you in good time. Also, its energy saving timer ensures that its 230 Watt energy consumption remains as low as possible at all times, making it super affordable yet efficient.

2) AGILLY CF2008L Evaporative Air Cooler

1) Hessaire Products MC18M Mobile Evaporative Cooler

The Hessaire Mobile Evaporative Cooler is compact and manoeuvrable with its accessible handle and heavy duty wheels, so you can easily move it around your home depending on where you want its powerful blasts of cool air, which can cool an area of up to 500 sq ft.

This versatile and efficient evaporative air cooler holds 4.8 gallons of water, which is fed into the cooler manually. Its easy to read water level display shows you exactly when it needs refilling, too, meaning you’ll never be without its cooling breeze.

The Hessaire boasts 5 different fan speeds, including low to high settings with or without the pump. What’s more, this swamp cooler uses just 82 Watts of electricity, our second lowest pick in terms of power consumption.

Portable Evaporative Coolers Buying Guide

Choosing the right Evaporative Cooler is tricky; there are so many good ones on the market, how are you supposed to choose the right one for you and your family?

Firstly, remember: these coolers are simple to maintain, energy efficient, and of course, inexpensive.

The beauty of these direct evaporative coolers lies in the fact that they’re portable, which means that they don’t need any sort of installation: they simply plug in and deliver that wonderful stream of cool air you’ve been waiting for!

So how do they work?

Evaporation is nature’s way of cooling things down, and that’s also exactly how a swamp cooler works.

Initially, the evaporator cools down the air around us by pulling in the hot air through a fan. The air is then sent through its water soaked filter pads, where it evaporates into cooler air and is blown back out of the cooler. In turn, this successfully brings the temperature of the room down.

You should always remember that although these Swamp Coolers are extremely effective, they should always be used in a well ventilated area. Your cooler will be much more effective when it has access to a stream of fresh air, as this is what they constantly require in order to work most efficiently.

How do I know which sort of cooler is for me?

You should take a number of things into consideration before choosing and purchasing your own Evaporative Cooler, including your location, the size of your home and of course, your budget.

Location, location, location

Swamp coolers work their best in the driest of areas. If you live in a more humid or swampy area, an evaporative cooler wouldn’t be the best choice for you.

Remember to think about the size of your home. Evaporative coolers that are too small or in too large of an area will have to work extra hard in order to keep you feeling fresh and cooled, meaning much less satisfaction with your product. The products listed above, whilst great picks, will only work in area no bigger than a bedroom, dining room, or garage, for example. Any open plan homes or areas would be too large, and then you should consider a different type of cooler.

Finally, keep your budget in mind. The swamp coolers in our list are affordable, as well as much cheaper than your standard air conditioners. Comparatively, they also require much less maintenance, which means much more bang for your buck.

FAQs

Does my Cooler help lower the overall temperature in my house?

Whilst your Cooler won’t help in lowering the ambient temperature in your chosen room, you will feel a difference of between 5 – 15 degrees in the area closest to the Cooler.

You will not feel a significant drop in air temperature, and you will also not be able to control the temperature of the room precisely.

What’s the difference between an Evaporation Cooler and an Air Conditioner?

An air conditioner works by rapidly decreasing the circulating air and in turn the temperature in an area, using a compressor and refrigerants.

In the case of the evaporation cooler, it uses an internal fan, as well as cooling pads and water to increase the humidity within a room, which in turn cools the room.

As you can see, each item uses their own method to cool the room, and whilst there are some similarities between the cooler and the conditioner, they are not the same.

How do I know if I need an Evaporation Cooler rather than an Air Conditioner?

If you live in a harsh, dry, hot climate with little to no humidity, then the evaporating cooler is your best choice.

I live in a humid area. Is an Evaporation Cooler ok for me too?

It would be unwise to use an evaporation cooler in a humid home. This is due to the fact that they would not cool the air, and actually add extra moisture to the air. This would lead to poor air quality inside your house.

How do I clean my Evaporation Cooler?

In order to keep your cooler running smoothly, it should be cleaned approximately every 10 days. This will ensure that no unwanted mold or mildew grows inside the cooler, which would be damaging to the quality of air in your home, as well as your overall health.

Any part of the cooler that comes into contact with water or becomes wet during usage should be cleaned thoroughly with soapy water, and then left to dry completely before being reused. This prevents not only mold and mildew, but also dust particles from building up inside the cooler.

For cleaning the outer casing of the cooler, a simple wipe down with a sanitizing wipe or a damp cloth will do the trick.

Do I need to replace the cooling pads inside the Cooler often?

You should replace your cooling pads regularly in order to properly maintain the cooler. However, if you clean your swamp cooler regularly, the pads will last for longer and need to be changed less.

Check your cooling pads regularly; if they’re cracked or otherwise damaged, they will need replacing immediately.

Best Portable Evaporative Coolers: Conclusion

You’ve read the guide now choose your favourite portable cooler from our top picks above.

Don’t forget, it’s the cheapest and easiest way to ensure that you have a constant stream of clean fresh air in your home on those hot, arid days that can leave you gasping for breath.

Portable Evaporative Cooler | Recommended

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Last update on 2023-03-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API