HVAC For Beginners

Portable Evaporative Cooler Ratings

With our portable evaporative cooler ratings, you can compare units side by side using our Head To Head tool.

You can compare 40 models from 30 brands in 8 categories such as warranty, coverage area, noise levels, & where they are made.

You can also read the individual reviews of each brand below.

Our simple rating system gives each brand a color code and a star rating. If the card is green, then, that is one of the top picks from HvacRepairGuy. If the card is yellow, then, that would be a budget pick from HvacRepairgGuy. If the card is red, then, the brand is not recommended by HvacRepairGuy. With our evaporative cooler reviews you can cut through the sales hype and find value. It truly is like you were taking a repairman shopping with you!

HvacRepairGuy's 2024 Top Pick

ACHAZEL

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

These coolers are made in China for sale on Amazon. The coolers feature electronic controls with a remote and a three speed fan with oscillating louvers for improved air circulation throughout the room. The units are available in two sizes 1,882 CFM and 4,129 CFM and they include ice boxes for enhanced cooling. The units use honeycomb pads which are more efficient and they are reasonably priced as well as having a decent guarantee.

AIR CHOICE

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China by Cixi JiaHuan Electrical Appliance Company Limited and can be purchased through their Amazon store but their guarantee is only average. The JH-310Y cooler features a three speed fan with vertical and horizontal oscillating louvers for better air circulation throughout the room. They have electronic controls with a remote and the unit has a noise rating of 52 decibels which is much less than the level of adult conversation. The unit has an 1800 CFM max airflow and includes four ice packs for enhanced cooling. The units have only a 5.3 gallon water tank but it is easily filled from the top of the unit and they are relatively inexpensive.

AKIRES

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

These coolers are made in China for sale on Amazon. The AK-66R model features electronic controls with a remote and a three speed fan with oscillating louvers for improved air circulation throughout the room. The unit has a 350 ft2 coverage area with a 1500 CFM delivery rate and includes ice boxes for enhanced cooling. The units are pretty quiet in operation with a noise level of 32 decibels in sleep mode which is about the level of a whisper. The units are reasonably priced and backed by a decent guarantee.

ARCTIC AIR

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

These coolers are made in China for OnTel Products Corp and they can be purchased directly through their website or on Amazon. The Pur Chill 2.0 has four fan speeds and a seven color mood light but only manual louver control which does not do as good of a job of circulating the cool air throughout the room. They have a 350 CFM maximum capacity with a four speed fan but they only have a 0.55 liter water tank which can last for a maximum of 10 hours of cooling. They have electronic touch controls but their warranty is not very good when compared to the other brands.

ARCTIC COVE

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

These coolers are available in three sizes and have three fan speeds as well as automatic swing louvers for improved air distribution. They are backed by a decent guarantee and can be purchased online or at The Home Depot stores. The units have easy access cooling pads and a removable water tank for convenience as well as electronic controls with a remote. The EVC350 model has a 175 ft2 coverage area with a 350 CFM airflow while the EVC500 has a 350 ft2 coverage area with a 500 CFM airflow and the EVC700 model has a 500 ft2 coverage area with a 700 CFM airflow.

ARLIME

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store but their guarantee is only average. The tower unit features a three speed oscillating fan for better air circulation throughout the room. They have electronic controls with a remote and the unit has a noise rating of 40 decibels which is equivalent to the hum from a refrigerator. The unit includes four ice packs for enhanced cooling but they only have a 0.66 gallon water tank which requires refilling it often but they are relatively inexpensive.

BALKO

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store but their guarantee is only average. The 1901R model features a three speed bladeless oscillating fan for better air circulation throughout the room. They have electronic controls with a remote and the unit has a noise rating of 52 decibels which is much less than the noise from adult conversation. The unit includes three ice packs for enhanced cooling but they are rather large and noticeable in a room.

BONAIRE

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

This brand is made in Australia by Climate Technologies Party Limited and can be purchased through their website or Amazon store. The units use honeycomb pads which are more efficient and they have swing louvers for enhanced air circulation throughout the room. The Durango 350 cooler has electronic controls with a remote control and five fan speeds for improved comfort with less noise. It has a 175 ft2 coverage area with a 350 CFM delivery rate while the Durango 1500 model has a 200 ft2 coverage area with a 740 CFM delivery rate. The Durango 1500 has basic mechanical controls but both of the models are backed by a very good guarantee.

COOLECH

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China for sale through their Amazon store. The JDAC90R tower cooler has a three speed oscillating fan for enhanced air distribution. The units have electronic controls with a timer function and a remote control. The units are somewhat noisy compared to some brands as it has a noise rating of 50 decibels which is roughly equivalent to moderate rainfall. The units use high density cooling pads which are more efficient and they come with four ice packs for enhanced cooling.

COSTWAY

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China for sale on their website as well as through their Amazon store. The 10083US-CYES tower cooler has a three speed fan with oscillating louvers for enhanced air distribution and a coverage area of up to 550 ft2. The units have electronic controls with a timer function and a remote control. The units have a visible indication of water tank level but it has a very small water reservoir and it is not removable and rather messy to fill. The units are relatively quiet with a noise rating that is less than the hum from a refrigerator. Their guarantee is for only one year but it includes a 30 day money back guarantee.

DIAL

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store. The PEC-A-1300-1M cooler is a basic unit with a three speed motor and manually adjusted louvers which does not circulate the air as well as brands with swing louvers. The unit has a 500 ft2 coverage area with a 1300 CFM airflow but they are relatively noisy with a noise rating that is louder than a typical washing machine. The units have a large water reservoir with a level indicator window and they use rigid pads for enhanced cooling but their guarantee is not very good when compared to other brands.

DORTALA

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store but their guarantee is not very good when compared to other brands. The DO-EP24829-CA model combines a tower bladeless fan with a three speed fan and touch panel controls with a remote. The unit comes with four ice packs for enhanced cooling and the fan oscillates for enhanced air circulation throughout the room.

DUDIFFY

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store. The CF-626R model is more of a personal cooling device than a cooler for a room as it only has a 350 CFM air flow which is not sufficient for a normal size room. The unit is a good option for camping as it includes a seven color night light and features charging by a USB port. The units are available in five colors and are backed by a pretty good guarantee.

FRIGIDAIRE

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This brand name is licensed to NewAir and the coolers are made in China. They can be purchased through The Home depot but their guarantee is only average. The EC100WF features electronic control with a convenient remote and a three speed fan with oscillating louvers for enhanced air circulation. They have a removable water tank for easy filling and they are relatively quiet with a noise rating that is much less than the level of normal adult conversation. The unit has a 175 ft2 coverage area with a 250 CFM max airflow.

GOFLAME

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store but their guarantee is not very good when compared to other brands. The 10083USES-GL model combines a tower bladeless fan with a three speed fan and touch panel controls with a remote. The unit comes with four ice packs for enhanced cooling and the fan oscillates for enhanced air circulation throughout the room.

HESSAIRE

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased on Amazon but their guarantee is only average. The MC18 model uses high density media for enhanced cooling capacity and they have three pads instead of the typical one. The unit has a two speed fan with manually adjusted louvers which does not do as good of a job of circulating the cool air but they are relatively quiet with a noise rating that is less than adult conversation. The unit has a 500 ft2 coverage area with a 1300 CFM max airflow.

Honeywell

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased online through their website as well as on Amazon but their guarantee is only average. The units feature electronic controls with a remote and auto off timer function. They have an ice compartment for enhanced cooling and a low water alarm to alert you to refill the water reservoir. The coolers have a carbon dust filter to improve the air quality and oscillating louvers to better distribute the air throughout the room. The CS10XE model has a 175 ft2 coverage area with a 300 CFM airflow while the CL30XC model has a 491 ft2 coverage area with a 806 CFM max airflow. The units are somewhat noisy on high speed with a rating above that of normal adult conversation.

HYKOLITY

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their website or through their Amazon store but their guarantee is only average. The ACC-2703 cooler features a three speed fan with oscillating louvers for better air circulation throughout the room. They have electronic controls with a remote and use honeycomb pads which are more efficient at cooling than standard pads. The unit has a 1,076 ft2 coverage area with a 4,129 CFM airflow and includes four ice packs for enhanced cooling. The units have a large 13.21 gallon water tank for up to 12 hours of cooling in between filling the tank.

KEGIAN

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store but their guarantee is only average. The JH-310Y cooler features a three speed fan with oscillating louvers for better air circulation throughout the room. They have electronic controls with a remote and the unit has a noise rating of 50 decibels which is much less than the level of adult conversation. The unit has an 1800 CFM max airflow and includes four ice packs for enhanced cooling. The units have only a 5.3 gallon water tank but they are relatively inexpensive.

KOTEK

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China for sale through their Amazon store. The 41 inch tower cooler has a three speed oscillating fan for enhanced air distribution. The units have electronic controls with a timer function and a remote control. The units are somewhat noisy compared to some brands as it has a noise rating of 45 decibels which is between the hum from a refrigerator and a moderate rainfall. The units come with four ice packs for enhanced cooling but they have a relatively small water tank which requires refilling more often than similar coolers from other brands.

LIFEPLUS

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store but their guarantee is only average. The JH-310Y cooler features a three speed fan with oscillating louvers for better air circulation throughout the room. They have electronic controls with a remote and the unit has a noise rating of 50 decibels which is much less than the level of adult conversation. The unit has an 1800 CFM max airflow and includes four ice packs for enhanced cooling. The units have only a 5.3 gallon water tank while the JH-370Y model has an 11 gallon tank and a 3500 CFM cooling capacity but is noisier with a 56 decibel noise rating but the brand is relatively inexpensive.

NEWAIR

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

These coolers are made in China and feature auto swing louvers for improved air distribution. The NEC500WH00 models have electronic controls with a remote as well as a removable tank for easy filling. They are pretty quiet in operation with a noise level that is less than half of the level of a normal adult conversation. They have a 250 ft2 coverage area with a 470 CFM max airflow and are backed by an average warranty. The coolers can be purchased on Amazon or through the Newair website.

PETSITE

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store but their guarantee is only average. The PE0446X cooler features a three speed fan with oscillating louvers for better air circulation throughout the room. They have electronic controls with a remote and the unit has a noise rating of 45 decibels which is much less than the level from a moderate rainfall. The units include ice packs for enhanced cooling but they have only a 1.7 gallon water tank. The PE0430X bladeless tower model has four speeds with oscillating louvers.

PORTACOOL

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

These coolers are made in the USA and feature a two speed fan with oscillating louvers for improved air distribution. The 510 Model features their high efficient kuul media and a large eight gallon reservoir. They have a 300 ft2 coverage area with a 757 CFM max airflow and are quiet even when operating on high speed. The coolers can be purchased on Amazon or through their website as well as at various hardware and home improvement stores. The units are backed by a good warranty that includes a lifetime guarantee on the cooler body and 1 year on the parts.

ROVSUN

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

These coolers are made in China and can be purchased on Amazon or through their website. The RS-Eva Cooler-0207-2 coolers feature a three speed fan with auto swing louvers for improved air distribution. They have electronic controls with a remote as well as a timer function for convenience. They come with four ice packs that can be used for enhanced cooling and water is easily added from the top of the unit. The brand is backed by a good guarantee and is very reasonably priced.

SHARPER IMAGE

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

These coolers are made in China for Camelot Venture Group and can be purchased on Amazon or through their website. The WY-33A21 coolers feature a three speed oscillating fan for improved air distribution. They have electronic controls with a remote as well as a timer function for convenience. They have a convenient LED water level indicator as well as modern styling and the brand is backed by a good guarantee.

SPT

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

These coolers are made in China and have three air speeds with oscillating louvers for enhanced air distribution throughout the room. They have honeycomb style pads for added efficiency and a dust filter to keep the pads clean. The SF-614P model has electronic controls with a remote and timer function for convenience. They have a 100 ft2 coverage area with a max airflow of 428 CFM and can be purchased through their website or on Amazon.

TAKYWEP

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store but their guarantee is not very good when compared to other brands. They offer two sizes of units (1800 CFM & 3500 CFM) with ice packs for enhanced cooling and swing louvers for enhanced air circulation throughout the room. The units have electronic controls with a timer as well as a remote control.

TEMEIKE

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store but their guarantee is not very good when compared to other brands. The DL2 model has a 1440 CFM capacity with ice packs for enhanced cooling and horizontal swing louvers for enhanced air circulation throughout the room while the DL3 model has a 1620 CFM capacity with a 300 ft2 coverage area. The units have electronic controls with timer and sleep modes as well as a remote control. The TF06 is a smaller cooler that includes a seven color LED night light and has a noise rating that is equivalent to the hum from a refrigerator.

UTHFY

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased on Amazon but their guarantee is only average. The brand features three speed fans and oscillating louvers for enhanced air circulation throughout the room. They have a 45 decibel noise level which is roughly equivalent to a gentle rain shower. The HY-66R model has a 450 CFM max airflow but it is boxy looking while the 01R model has a much more modern look and feel to it. They use high density cooling pads and include ice packs for enhanced cooling. The water tanks are removable for easy filling and they feature electronic controls with a remote for convenience.

Winado

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon store but their guarantee is not very good when compared to other brands. The 2059 CFM model has a three speed fan and swing louvers for enhanced air circulation throughout the room. It has a 215 ft2 coverage area while the 2353 CFM model has a 323 ft2 coverage area with mechanical controls and the 4118 CFM model has a 430 ft2 coverage area. The units are an inexpensive no frills option for home cooling.

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