The 9 best air coolers for chilling out in the heatwave

As another heatwave approaches, more and more of us are wondering: ‘what is an air cooler?’ The simplest description is somewhere between a fan and an air conditioner. A proper air conditioner refrigerates the air by up to 15C. The best air coolers – sometimes called fan coolers – can chill the air by around four degrees by evaporating water from the environment and releasing it as a pleasantly cool mist.

“Air coolers perform better than a standard fan and unlike a portable air conditioner, they do not require any venting outside,” says AirConCentre’s Nick Kandola, an expert buyer with 15 years’ experience. “The market has grown as people look for more energy-efficient and cost-effective ways to keep cool during the summer.”

I’ve tried this year’s best portable air coolers, including Shark and JML, and got some expert answers to frequently asked questions. Here’s a quick look at my top five:

The best air coolers: At a glance

• Best Buy air cooler: Princess Smart
• Best Value air cooler: Tristar
• Best portable air cooler: Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo FA050UK Portable Misting Fan
• Best smart air cooler: Igenix Smart Digital 10L
• Best air cooler for a bedroom: Honeywell 10L TC10PCE Evaporative

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How to choose the best air cooler

“Firstly, consider the size of the room,” says Kandola. “A high-quality air cooler should be able to cool a 12 to 15 sq metre room quickly and efficiently without making too much noise.” Some cheaper air coolers work better at close range, by the side of the bed, for example.

“Additionally, it should be easy to use and maintain, with features like air cleaning filters, automatic shut-off and timers. You’ll also want to make sure it’s energy efficient. The more powerful units use more energy, although all air coolers are much cheaper to run than air conditioners.”

If you’re struggling to sleep in summer heat, consider that your bedding might have as much impact on your comfort levels as the air temperature. Try using some of the best cooling pillows and best cooling mattresses to give your new air cooler a head start.

A note on availability: during warm temperatures, many of the air coolers we recommend sell out. Where possible, we will recommend alternative retailers or similar fans.

How we test air coolers

For this test, I either tried the air coolers at home during a hot spell, looking for a temperature reduction of at least two degrees, or consulted independent retailers with long experience in the market. Reviewer Pete Wise also tried some. I wanted noticeable cooling efficiency at a reasonable price, but also took into account the noise level (most of these will be used at night) and how easy they were to move around and store in cooler months.

In this test, I’ve not given any 10 out of 10 scores because I don’t want to give the impression that any air cooler is perfect. In a heatwave, an air cooler will be just enough to make the difference between sleeping and not.

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The best air coolers of 2025

1. Best Buy Air Cooler: Princess Smart

Score: 9/10

We like: High power, narrow footprint and lightweight

We don’t like: Small water tank

The Princess – a Dutch brand – was the first air cooler I tried, in the middle of 2022’s heatwave when most other conditioners were sold out. It was a revelation, reducing the temperature in my bedroom from an entirely unreasonable 23C (at midnight) to a more bearable 19C.

Having tried other air coolers, I now realise it’s an outlier, with a more efficient motor enabling a greater airflow. With a small footprint, it is considerably lighter than others, too.

The only drawback is the small water tank and equally small ice packs (chilling the water in air coolers makes them more effective). But it lasted all night and a few hours into the morning, which is all I needed before popping the ice packs back in the freezer, ready to start again the following night.

The Princess has a sleep setting, coming on intermittently to maintain a cool temperature. In theory, that means it’s silent most of the time. But on a particularly hot night, the constant on-off may keep light sleepers awake.

The associated HomeWizard app (for iOS or Android) lets you give it voice commands using Siri or Google Assistant. While some will use those, I can’t help feeling it would be cheaper without them.

Key specifications

• Tank size: 3.5 litres (ice packs included)
• Airflow: 1,188 cubic metres/hr
• Noise level: 62dB
• Power use: Draws 70W (approx 2p per hour running cost)
• Height: 76cm tall
• Weight: Four kilograms
• Guarantee: Two years

2. Best Value Air Cooler: Tristar

Score: 8/10

We like: Cheap and relatively quiet

We don’t like: Less powerful than other models

The Tristar is light, stands knee-high and is easy to move around on its castors or with the built-in carry handle, making it a decent air cooler to keep in a cupboard, ready to wheel out when a heatwave strikes.

There’s no remote control to lose or app to download, just simple controls for the oscillation and three speeds. I found it quiet enough to sleep with the air chiller next to the bed and it definitely reduced the night-time temperature by a degree or two.

The air flow is low, however, so it needs to be close by. On a hot night, if there are two of you in bed, you’ll need one on each side. But it’s detectably better than a fan and doesn’t cost much more than one. While it’s not a air cooler we’ve tested, but Tristar’s similar, bigger brother, a 7-litre version, is in stock if you’re too hot to wait. The 4-litre version is of incredibly limited stock.

Key specifications

• Tank size: Four litres (ice packs included)
• Airflow: 326 cubic metres/hr
• Noise level: 56dB
• Power use: Draws 65W (approx 2p per hour running cost)
• Height: 57cm tall
• Weight: Four kilograms
• Guarantee: Two years

3. Best Portable Air Cooler: Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo FA050UK Portable Misting Fan

Score: 9/10

We like: Shark’s characterful and capable, portable design

We don’t like: The need for frequent refills if using through the day

Reviewed by Pete Wise

The Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo is among the few products I’ve tested that feels like an instant classic. The innovative, portable design means you can carry this lightweight air cooler around the house, take it for a picnic, car journey or wherever else you might want to lower the temperature. While it’s more similar to a fan than the other products on our list, its misting feature makes it feel fairest to test as an air cooler.

Powered by an in-built battery that operates for up to 12 hours on a single charge, the device has nicely finished components and a fittingly cool design. Recharging couldn’t be simpler: just lift a plastic tab and plug in the supplied mains adaptor (you can also use the cooler as a corded appliance).

Using the cooler was intuitive (and the easily removable stickers near the controls make it foolproof for first-timers). After filling the cooler’s tank, you just flip open the moisture cap at the centre of the fan cover. Activate one of the two misting modes (continuous or interval) and a cooling vapour starts puffing out while the fan blade turns.

I felt powerful cooling up close and the effect was still discernible a few metres away during outdoor testing. Indoors, you can feel it throughout an entire room (unless you live in a palace). The fan tilts vertically, so you can direct cool air and mist wherever you need it most.

The interval misting mode preserves water while maintaining the cooling effect of the FlexBreeze HydroGo’s fan, which will save you some effort topping up the tank, which holds only 150ml of water. That’s enough for half an hour of continuous misting, or one hour in interval mode, which won’t be good for those who need to cool a large space throughout the day with no interruptions.

But for the average home user who needs occasional cooling in a convenient, effective and desirable package, there couldn’t be a better suited air cooler.

Read our full Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo review. 

Key specifications

• Tank capacity: 150ml
• Airflow: Works at distances up to 20m
• Noise level: 57dB
• Power use: Draws 42W (approx 1p per hour running cost)
• Height 29.1cm,
• Weight: 1.77kg
• Guarantee: Two years

4. Best Powerful Air Cooler: Symphony Diet 3D 12i Evaporative

Score: 9/10

We like: Lasts several days without refilling

We don’t like: Costs a bit more to run

The Symphony has the largest water tank we tested, which doesn’t translate into more power – it just means it lasts longer (two days and nights, in this case). But the cooler is powerful, with an airflow of 840 cubic metres per hour that suits rooms up to 12 sq metres. That’s a bigger space than many air coolers – although still not huge. No air cooler can chill a big room. For that, you will need a proper air conditioner.

The higher power means the Symphony costs more to run and it is noticeably noisier than other air coolers, especially at top speed. But there are a few other things in its favour, including a mosquito net to trap inquisitive bugs (remember to clean it) and an alarm to tell you when the tank is empty.

“Symphony was pioneers of air cooling products,” says Kandola, “selling over 25 million air coolers in 60 countries over the last 80 years. This is part of its 3D range, which means it has pop-up touch screens, three-sided high efficiency cooling pads and i-pure multistage filters.”

Currently, this model is out of stock. We’ll continue to monitor this article and update if it comes back in stock.

Key specifications

• Tank size: 12 litres (no ice packs)
• Airflow: 840 cubic metres/hr
• Noise level: Unspecified
• Power use: Draws 170W (approx 4p per hour running cost)
• Height: 85cm
• Weight: 7.7kg
• Guarantee: Unspecified

5. Best Smart Air Cooler: Igenix Smart Digital 10L

Score: 8/10

We like: App lets you turn it on when you’re on the way home

We don’t like: Underpowered given the price

The Igenix is fairly expensive for an air cooler – more expensive than the Symphony, despite being half as powerful. However, it’s considerably better looking and uses the Tuya app, which you may already use for your lights or other smart devices (I do), so this feels more of a lifestyle purchase than a purely practical one. You can turn it on remotely when you’re on the way home, which is a nice feature.

You don’t have to use the app. The functions are fairly simple: two speeds, three timer settings and a fan-only function, making it fairly idiot-proof. It has a wider oscillation than many air coolers, rotating 120 degrees, but I found it more effective in fixed mode, blowing the chilled air directly towards the bed in a steady stream. It also has a longer cable than others, giving you more choice as to where to place it.

Key specifications

• Tank size: 10 litres (ice packs included)
• Airflow: Unspecified
• Noise level: Unspecified
• Power use: Draws 60W (approx 2p per hour running cost)
• Height: 78cm
• Weight: Eight kilograms
• Guarantee: Two years

6. Best Air Cooler for a Bedroom: Honeywell 10L TC10PCE Evaporative

Score: 8/10

We like: By far the quietest we tested

We don’t like: Surprisingly low-powered from this industrial brand

Given that most of us are looking for air coolers to chill a bedroom, it’s fairly important that they don’t make a racket. This Honeywell cooler only emits a mouse-like 37 decibels at its lowest fan setting, making it the least obtrusive of the models we tried.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t move as much air as its 120W motor would suggest and is a little bit more unwieldy than the other tower models. But it’s solidly constructed, has a big water tank and should last a long time.

“Honeywell is an internationally renowned brand with the highest standards in quality, which they back with a two-year warranty,” says Kandola. “The TC10PCE comes with a carbon dust filter and an ice compartment for faster cooling.”

Key specifications

• Tank size: 10 litres (no ice packs)
• Airflow: 330 cubic metres/hr
• Noise level: 37-47dB
• Power use: Draws 120W (approx 3p per hour running cost)
• Height: 75cm
• Weight: 6.6kg
• Guarantee: Two years

7. Best Budget Air Cooler: Five-Litre DG1903

Score: 8/10

We like: Excellent price

We don’t like: Will only chill a small room

It was a toss-up between this and the Tristar for the title of Best Value. They’re almost identical in terms of power and airflow and both have a two-year warranty. In the end, despite being a few pounds more expensive, I thought the Tristar just about edged it for being lighter and easier to move around. On the plus side, the DG1903 (there’s no brand name) does have a bigger water tank and the power cable is a tad longer.

Currently, this model is out of stock. We’ll continue to monitor this article and update if it comes back in stock.

Key specifications

• Tank size: Five litres (no ice packs)
• Airflow: 329 cubic metres/hr
• Noise level: Unspecified
• Power use: Draws 65W (approx 2p per hour running cost)
• Height: 70cm
• Weight: Six kilograms
• Guarantee: Two years

8. Best Desktop Air Cooler: JML Chillmax Air Pure Chill Mist

Score: 7/10

We like: Teeny tiny proportions

We don’t like: Only works at extremely close range

The Chillmax is one of the most searched-for air coolers, but that may have more to do with JML’s hard-sell TV advertising than its cooling ability, which is fairly minimal. At a mere 7.5W, it’s less than one twentieth as powerful as the Symphony air cooler and could more accurately be described as a vaporiser, projecting a cloud of somewhat cool mist for about a metre.

That’s enough to make a hot workstation a bit more bearable and to pleasantly humidify (and slightly cool) the air around your pillow, which rhinitis sufferers and babies will appreciate. The washable filter from which the water evaporates is impregnated with silver to kill mould and bacteria. One nice feature is the soft-glow LED light in seven colours, similar to a nightlight – another indication that it’s destined for kids’ bedrooms.

If you’re going to go this small, you may as well investigate the Chillmax Air Go, an even smaller, cordless and rechargeable model for £19.99 that you can attach to exercise bike handlebars or the car dashboard. But at that level, the placebo effect may be more relevant than the laws of thermodynamics.

Key specifications

• Tank size: 0.5 litres (no ice packs)
• Airflow: Unspecified
• Noise level: Unspecified (but very quiet)
• Power use: Draws 7.5W (less than a quarter of a penny per hour running cost)
• Height: 16cm tall
• Weight: 1.26kg
• Guarantee: Unspecified

9. Best Air Cooler With Humidification: Pro Breeze OmniAir 7L Evaporative

Score: 7/10

We like: Incredible air cooling capabilities

We don’t like: The design might be too big for many homes

I felt this air cooler’s impact as soon as I turned on the tower fan-style appliance, and its cooling effect became increasingly pronounced as I cycled up the speed settings. It was tangible through a layer of clothing, as well as on my skin. Within a few minutes of use, my modestly sized house was perceptibly cooler, so it’s best positioned in a corner rather than right next to you; activating the oscillation mode helps ensure the air is cooled throughout your space.

At its top power, it produces quite a roar, measuring 68dB on my sound meter. Thankfully, the lowest fan speed is tolerably quiet in a mid-sized room, and there’s a night mode that reduces the speed (and therefore the noise) after 30 minutes.

While setup is simple, the cooler is hefty to handle, so I’d recommend getting two people on the job. But the design is practical. I had no difficulties opening the water tank and air filter compartments, and the casters make it easy enough to glide the weighty appliance around on hard floors. It’s also easy to choose between the functions available via the remote control and on-unit buttons.

Refilling the water tank at the kitchen tap is straightforward, and it holds enough water for over eight hours of use. Placing the two ice packs supplied inside the tank increases the cooling effect.

This cooler gives immense cooling power for your money, with a practical if unlovely design. You’re getting tremendous capability relative to the price of the unit and its low running costs (which can come in at well under ten pence per 24 hours). However, the one-year limited warranty gives little long-term assurance.

Key specifications

• Tank capacity: Seven litres
• Airflow: 500 cubic metres/hr
• Noise level: 68dB
• Power use: Draws 6.5W (less than a quarter of a penny per hour running cost)
• Height: 105cm tall
• Weight: 11.3 kg
• Guarantee: One year

Air cooler FAQs

Are air coolers effective?

Yes. Air coolers are more effective for chilling a room than fans, but less than air conditioners.

How does an air cooler work?

“An absorbent pad or filter draws up water from an internal reservoir. As warm air from the room passes through, it causes the water to evaporate. This reaction cools the air, which is blown into the room and can reduce the temperature by two to three degrees, as well as providing a ‘sea breeze’ cooling effect as the moist air passes over you,” says expert Nick.

What’s the difference between an air cooler and an air conditioner?

“An air conditioner will always outperform an air cooler when it comes to cooling ability,” Nick says. “They are more effective at cooling large rooms and can maintain a lower and more consistent temperature. However, air coolers are much less expensive to purchase and considerably less expensive to run.

“In addition, air coolers don’t require a window or wall vent to function. Air coolers are likewise much lighter to move around, allowing them to be easily positioned where needed.

“Finally, air coolers can help to humidify the air in dry climates. This makes them a great choice for those who want to stay cool while also reducing their impact on the environment.”

Is an air cooler better than air conditioner?

While both air conditioning units and air coolers are made to cool indoor air, they’re very different products. It’s more a question of which option suits your needs best, rather than which is better.

Air coolers are simpler, with a water tank (that you’ll need to keep topped up) which feeds into an evaporation-based air cooling system. Meanwhile, an AC unit is equipped with a refrigerant (much like those used in fridges) which cools and dries out air as it passes through the system. As such, air conditioning sometimes needs to be paired with one of the best humidifiers.

AC tends to cool more powerfully than an air cooler, so an air conditioner is typically better for spaces that need to be kept cold. However, air coolers tend to be far less expensive, and their relatively simple design is an accessible choice for occasional users. Let’s face it, we don’t often need to cool our buildings in the UK.

AirCon Direct’s Victor Stoica, another longstanding aircon expert, adds that they’re more environmentally friendly than refrigerant units because they don’t use harmful chemicals. “They’re also suitable for outdoor spaces like garages, workshops and patios,” he says.

How much do air coolers cost to run?

The Government’s Energy Price Guarantee caps the per-unit costs at 26p per kiloWatt/hour for electricity, so that a 100W appliance costs roughly 2.6p per hour to run. We’ve used this as our guide to air cooler running costs, although they may be lower depending on your tariff.

Air coolers are much cheaper to run than portable air conditioners, averaging two to four pence compared to 20 to 40p per hour. Prices for the products also range from nearly £30 to over £130. They’re also lighter, averaging around 6kg to 7kg rather than 20kg to 30kg and require no complicated set-up – although it’s wise to leave a door or window open to avoid too much humidity building up in the room, which might reduce their effectiveness.