April 29th, 2021 by Sarah Miles

If you are looking for a cooling solution this summer that’s more affordable than air conditioning but more effective than a fan, air coolers are a perfect option. They’re particularly great for workplace environments but can equally be used at home. If you’re not sure which air cooler would be best for you, here are some key questions to ask yourself:

How much space do I have?

Air coolers are most appropriate for medium to larger rooms, due to their size but also due to their ability to cool generous spaces. It’s what makes them great for workplaces. If you have a smaller space, a fan may be a better choice to give you more flexibility. Even if your room is quite large, you still need to consider the practical consideration of being able to accommodate the unit. Air coolers are floor standing so require space with access to power and ideally close to a window or door (this is because they make use of the room’s natural airflow). Generally speaking, the bigger the unit, the more cooling power it will bring so make sure you check the width, depth, and height of the units to ensure that you have enough room. Our smallest air cooler is 25cm (W), 28cm (D), 61cm (H) (see here) while our largest unit is 34cm (W), 41cm (D), 83cm (H) (see here).

MYLEK Large Remote Control Portable Air Cooler with Timer 10L

Price: £139.99

Buy Now

What is my budget?

An important piece of information for any purchase! Air coolers fall between fans and air conditioning systems in terms of price. While still really affordable, air coolers offer better cooling than fans. You can expect to pay anything from around £50 right through to £300 while many great units sit around the £70 mark: balancing affordability with features and performance.

Do I want extra cooling?

It almost seems greedy to want even more cooling power, given that air coolers are already really effective, but you can get more with the addition of ice packs. All air coolers use evaporative cooling through the use of a water tank. An absorbent pad draws water from the tank and air is passed over it and dispersed into the room. For an extra boost, some models also come with ice packs that can be inserted into the unit and give it an extra blast of cooling power. Great for cooling large areas or for rooms being used by several people.

Would it be useful to control it remotely?

Many models come with a remote control. This allows you to control all the functions as well as adjust the controls until you have created the perfect temperature, without having to leave your seat. This is particularly useful in workplace environments where you don’t want to break off from whatever you’re doing to go turn the air cooler up. Remote control can also be easier than bending down to controls on the unit itself, though many come with clear, LED displays, making them very user friendly.

MYLEK Push Button Manual Use Air Cooler 4L

Price: £89.99

Buy Now

Do I want to set it to convenient times?

A timer can be really useful, just as it is for your heating system. In an office, it means that you can time it to come on before the first person gets in so that the temperature is already cool for their arrival and you can set it to turn off when office hours finish so no worries about leaving it on by mistake to cool an empty office all night (though they are very low cost to run)! Equally, at home, this can be useful for bedrooms where you can set it to turn on an hour or so before you go up to bed and then off again later once you’re asleep.

Do I want to minimise how often I need to fill the tank?

As we’ve already established, air coolers have a water tank, which you fill manually. The larger the tank, the less often you will need to fill it up. For example, this MYLEK unit has a 4-litre tank, this one has a 10-litre tank, and you can even get models with 37-litre tanks! As a general rule of thumb, the larger the unit, the larger the tank.

How many people will be using the space?

If a number of people will be using the space that you’re cooling, an oscillation function is useful. This allows the fan inside the air cooler to swing, and thereby distribute more air around the whole room. You also have the option to keep it in one position for when there’s only one person and they want all the cooling power directed at them!