Evaporative Air Coolers

Evaporative air coolers are a great alternative to refrigerated cooling. They use very little energy and are environmentally friendly.

These cooling systems are popular in drier climates and require regular cleaning and maintenance. If not properly maintained, a swamp-like smell can develop.

A fan sucks in the ambient air and passes it through damp Evaporative air cooler pads that evaporate the water, cooling the air. It also helps reduce humidity.

Cools Spaces Up to 900 Square Feet

Evaporative air coolers, or swamp coolers, use water evaporation to cool spaces without consuming large amounts of energy. They lower temperatures by up to 33 degrees and are ideal for indoor or outdoor use in areas where traditional air conditioning is impractical or cost prohibitive.

Generally, these cooling machines include a fan, a tank to hold water, and a pad that gets wet from the evaporative process as it moves through the machine. A fan pulls warm air over the wet pad, which absorbs the moisture and lowers the temperature of the air that it circulates.

If you’re looking for a compact model that can fit in a small space, check out the Honeywell TC10PEU portable evaporative swamp cooler. It offers a smaller water tank and a continuous fill option, allowing you to hook it up to your garden hose so it constantly replenishes itself as you cool the room. It also has three fan speeds and can be rolled from place to place on straight and swivel caster wheels. The cooling power is limited, however, to a maximum of 194 cubic feet per minute.

Hessaire MC61V

This portable Hessaire evaporative cooler can cool garages and workshops at rates up to 5,300 CFM. It’s a tower-style model that saves floor space and moves air using left to right louvers. Its 6.6-gallon water tank means it won’t need to be filled as often as indoor models that have smaller tanks. It also includes a multifunctional top tray. A convenient water level display next to the door lets you know when it’s time to add more water.

The Spruce, a home magazine that evaluates products for reliability and functionality, gave this Hessaire MC61V high marks. They cited its affordable price and the ability to cool spaces up to 1,600 square feet. They also pointed out that it has a GFCI plug for safety and an easy-to-fill water tank plus continuous fill option. In addition, it can be rolled on its wheels to move around the workspace. A drain plug on the bottom lets you quickly remove excess water. It’s suitable for outdoor use, but needs winterizing if used in freezing temperatures. This is a great choice for garages, workshops, and backyards.

Champion Cooler RWC35

A 3-in-1 model, this evaporative cooler functions as a fan and a humidifier. It also has a washable carbon dust filter and a remote control that offers convenient adjustment within 20 feet. It’s ideal for rooms up to 900 square feet and circulates air at high and low fan speeds. This window-mounted evaporative cooler comes with a 1/3 hp motor, installation kit and leveling leg for simple operation.

Like all evaporative coolers, this one works best in dry climates and relies on a damper to draw in hot air and cool it through water saturation pads. It doesn’t Evaporative air cooler use ozone-damaging refrigerants and costs significantly less to operate than an electric air conditioner.

The evaporative cooler’s water tank holds up to 11 gallons and has a continuous-fill option that lets you keep it at full capacity without having to empty and refill it. It has a handle for easy mobility and can be used indoors or outdoors. It’s also equipped with a GFCI plug for safety and a water level indicator that warns you when the pads need to be replaced.

Cool Space 300 Swamp Cooler

Powerful cooling in a compact, portable package, this evaporative cooler from Big Ass Fans provides an instant cool down in workshops, garages and patios up to 1,200 square feet. The unit can drop temperatures up to 33 degrees F and is easy to use with just a garden hose and the ability to turn the airflow on and off. The large water reservoir, 8-inch thick cooling media and virtually silent direct-drive motor provide consistent comfort without consuming energy.

The water tank holds a total of 16 gallons and can run for up to 4 hours before needing a refill, even with continuous fill enabled when you connect a standard garden hose. However, a few customers report that the opening to manually add water is small and makes it hard to keep the tank full.

Like the Hessaire MC61V, this model includes three high-density XeL50 media panels that offer more surface area for the water to evaporate against than single-panel swamp coolers. It also boasts a variable fan speed control instead of the pre-set settings on other models in this category, giving you more precise cooling.

Zacsync ZAC-200

This Zacsync evaporative air cooler uses an energy-efficient swamp cooling technique that works great in hot, dry climates. It cools and humidifies the room without using chemicals or Freon-like gases, saving money and reducing your carbon footprint. The fan’s contemporary design complements any living space, and the remote control lets you easily adjust settings from anywhere in the room. Its bladeless design ensures safety, while the wide-angle oscillation delivers powerful long-distance airflow.

As the fan pulls air over the fibrous pad surface, water evaporates and provides a cool breeze, naturally moisturizing the air as it goes. The removable, 1.45-gallon water tank makes refills easy.