HVAC For Beginners

Portable Evaporative Cooler Ratings

A Repairman Reviews The Brands

With our portable evaporative cooler ratings, you can compare units side by side using our Head To Head tool. You can compare sixteen models from twelve brands in eight 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 2023 Top Pick

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.

COSTWAY

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

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. 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. The units can be purchased through their website or on Amazon.

DIAL

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

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. The units can be purchased through their Amazon store.

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.

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.

LUMA COMFORT

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This brand is made in China by NewAir and the coolers can be purchased on Amazon but their guarantee is only average. The EC45S is a tower model with a three speed fan and swing louvers for improved air circulation throughout the room. They have a washable dust filter to keep the pads clean and rigid pads for improved cooling capacity. The units have electronic controls with a remote and a 100 ft2 coverage area with a 250 CFM max airflow.

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.

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.

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.

SYMPHONY

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This brand is made in Mexico and is sold through a very limited dealer network in the USA. The coolers feature three speed fans with oscillating louvers for improved air circulation. They have efficient honeycomb pads with a dust filter to keep them clean and operating at peak performance. The Ninja cooler has a 150 ft2 coverage with a 650 CFM airflow while the Hi Cool model has a 200 ft2 coverage area with a 720 CFM max airflow. The Hi Cool has a remote control for convenience and an ice chamber for enhanced cooling.

WHYNTER

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This brand is made in China and can be purchased at various discount and home improvement stores. The HAC-100S is a five in one appliance as it is a cooler, heater, fan, air purifier, and humidifier all in one. The unit has an activated carbon filter, four fan speeds, oscillating function, and an ultrasonic humidifier. They also have an ice compartment and honeycomb pads for added cooling. It is backed by a good warranty but cannot be purchased directly from their website.

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