The best air coolers of 2023 for chilling out in a heatwave without shelling out on air conditioning

We tried and tested this year's best air coolers at home – can they really compete with air conditioners for a fraction of the price?

What is an air cooler? The simplest way to describe it is halfway between a fan and an air conditioner. A proper air conditioner refrigerates the air by up to 15 degrees. The best air coolers – sometimes called fan coolers – can chill the air by around three degrees, by evaporating water and releasing it as a pleasantly cool mist.

It's the same kind of cooling that you feel on your skin when you step out of the shower: water draws heat from the environment as it evaporates, chilling the air. For centuries people have hung wet blankets in their doorways to take advantage of the effect. Modern evaporative air coolers simply do it more efficiently.

There's some confusion, understandably. The popular Dyson cooler, for example, is not actually an air cooler, nor an air conditioner, but a fan. Big names like Mylek and ProBreeze all make air cons, fans and air coolers. So it's important to know what you’re getting - and why.

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

Air coolers are much cheaper to run* than portable air conditioners, averaging 2-4p compared to 20-40p per hour. They’re also much lighter, averaging around 6-7kg rather than 20-30kg, 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. The question is, can they compete when a heatwave strikes?

I’ve tried this year's best portable air coolers and you can read my full reviews below, followed by expert answers to some frequently asked questions. But if you’re in a hurry, here's a quick look at my top five:

"Firstly, you’ll want to consider the size of the room," says the AirConCentre's Kandola. "A high-quality air cooler should be able to cool a 12-15m2 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 shutoff 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."

For this test, I either tried the air coolers at home on a hot night, looking for a temperature reduction of at least two degrees, or consulted independent retailers with long experience in the market. 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 this test, I haven't given any 10 out of 10 scores because I don't want to give the impression that air coolers are perfect. In a heatwave, an air cooler will be just enough to make the difference between sleeping and not.

£129.99, Amazon

Best overall, 9/10

We like: high power, narrow footprint and light weight

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 all the big-beast proper air conditioners were sold out. It was a bit of a revelation, reducing the temperature in my bedroom from an entirely unreasonable 23 degrees (at midnight!) to a more bearable 19.

Having tried other air coolers I now realise it's a bit of an outlier, with a more efficient motor enabling a greater airflow. It is considerably lighter than other air coolers, too, with a small footprint that makes it better for smaller spaces.

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, which means it comes on only intermittently to maintain a cool temperature. In theory, that means it's silent most of the time. But on a very hot night the constant on-off may keep light sleepers awake. (See our guide to the best earplugs for help there.)

The associated HomeWizard app (for iOS or Android) allows you to give it voice commands using Siri or Google Assistant. I will never use those. Some will, but I can't help feeling it would be cheaper without them.

I’m putting the Princess at number one because it gives the best bang for your buck and won't take up much space when you’re not using it. Mine is currently sitting horizontally on a high shelf. It will come down whenever the night-time temperature gets ridiculous again.

£87, B&Q

Best value air cooler, 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 casters 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 very 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. If you want to find out what the fuss is about air coolers, here's a relatively cheap way to find out.

Currently £98.95, AirConCentre

Best powerful air cooler, 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 as it happens, the Symphony is powerful, too, with an airflow of 840 cubic metres per hour that allows it to cool rooms up to 12m2. That's a bigger space than many air coolers – although still not huge. No air cooler can chill a big living room. For that you will need a proper air conditioner.

The higher power does mean 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 were pioneers of air cooling products," says AirConCentre's Ryan Kandola. "They’ve sold over 25 million air coolers in 60 countries over the last 80 years. This is part of their 3D range, which means it has pop-up touch screens, three-sided high efficiency cooling pads and i-pure multistage filters."

£159, Dunelm

Best smart air cooler, 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 below, 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 idiotproof. 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.

Currently £119.95, AirConCentre

Best quiet air cooler, 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. That's certainly not the case for the Symphony, above – but 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 are an internationally renowned brand with the highest standards in quality, which they back with a 2 year warranty," says AirConCentre's Ryan Kandola. "The TC10PCE comes with a carbon dust filter and an ice compartment for faster cooling."

£79.99, ScrewFix

Best budget air cooler

We like: excellent price

We don't like: will only chill a small room

It was really a toss-up between this and the Tristar (see above) 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. So if you chose this over the Tristar to save a few quid, you need not feel too much of a miser.

£40, Dunelm

Best desktop air cooler, 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, to be honest, is fairly minimal. At a mere 7.5 Watts, it's less than one twentieth as powerful as the Symphony air cooler above and could more accurately be described as a vaporiser, projecting a cloud of somewhat cool mist for about a metre.

In fairness, 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 £15 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.

"The air cooler as we know it today was patented in 1902 by Willis Carrier", says expert Nick Kandola of the AirConCentre. "How it works is simple. 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 2-3 degrees, as well as providing a ‘sea breeze’ cooling effect as the moist air passes over you."

"An air conditioner will always outperform an air cooler when it comes to cooling ability," Kandola 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. This could be a major consideration point in your purchase decision. 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. Ultimately, the choice between an air cooler and an air conditioner will depend on your room size, budget, and setup needs.

As of July 1 2023, the government's Energy Price Guarantee caps the per unit costs at 30p per kiloWatt-hour for electricity, so that a 100W appliance costs roughly 3p 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.