The other products on this list are fans (or evaporative coolers), but the compact Ecoflow Wave 2 is a full-on air conditioning unit and heater. They aren’t perfect in a heatwave, so don’t get your hopes too high, but they will certainly make things more bearable. However, they don’t reduce the temperature of a room as air conditioning will and work best when you’re in the cooling line of the fan. If you want to find out what the fuss is about air coolers, here’s a relatively cheap way to find out. As the water on the pad or membrane evaporates it cools the air around it, and this cooler air is then blown outwards into the room by the fan.

air coolers 2023: Evaporative fans tried and tested from Best air coolers 2023: Evaporative fans tried and tested from

What’s more, this is one of the few coolers we’ve seen with a built-in timer, so you can set it to chill your bedroom before you go to bed. As this is a portable model, you lose out on some features that bigger models have: you don’t get a remote, there are only four fan speeds and there’s no oscillation. We’ve set up air coolers right through the home in 30C heat, filling their water tanks with lots of ice and cold water for maximum effectiveness.Thanks to the handy app, the Air Cooler is not only remotely adjustable, but it also offers you the benefits of a timer and setting schedules. Lastly, a panel of testers sit in a room kept at 30 degrees with each fan for half an hour and assess how comfortable it makes them (yes, really).

Princess Smart Air Cooler 3.5L | Toolstation

Some models also feature built-in humidification, putting a little moisture back into a dry room, which can make it feel more comfortable (as long as it’s not hot and humid in there already).

The reason for the design change is that the fan uses Dyson’s Core Flow technology, which lets the convex surface direct a fine stream of air exactly where you want it, making it perfect for personal cooling. Like other evaporative coolers, the Princess Smart Air Cooler sits mid-way between a fan and an air conditioner.