Types of air coolers you can consider buying

With temperatures consistently rising with each passing year, we often find ourselves at a crossroads. A mere ceiling fan no longer cuts it, while an air conditioner, for some of us, may seem too expensive to purchase and/or maintain. This is where air coolers step in.

What is an air cooler and how is it different from an AC?

Air coolers, as the name suggests, are a kind of cooling system which work to bring down the temperature of an enclosed space. An air cooler uses the principle of evaporative cooling to cool the air in the space it is kept in. Each air cooler has three main components – a water tank, an absorbent sheet, and a fan. The fan pulls in hot, dry air and passes it through a wet pad or filter. As the air passes through the wick, it absorbs all its moisture, while the heat energy from the air is used to evaporate the water. Through this process, cool air is dissipated throughout the room. The cool air that leaves the cooler is then circulated back into the room. For this reason, air coolers are also referred to as evaporative coolers or swamp coolers.

Air coolers are a low-cost alternative to ACs, not just in terms of prices, but also energy consumption, and nearly as effective. However, they are more suited to hot and dry areas, and may not be the best fit for humid climates. However, in the same way as air conditioners, there are a multitude of air cooler models available in the market, and it may get overwhelming at times to choose one. We’ve put together a little primer for you on the types of air coolers available in the market, and the best ones suited to you, on the basis of your requirements.

How many types of air coolers are there?

Air conditioners are available in two main types – split AC and window AC. Similarly, air coolers are also available in three different variants, including personal and desert air coolers.

Desert air coolers

A desert air cooler is the biggest of the three types and has a capacity of anywhere between 40-100 litres of water. They are generally used for large-sized rooms or in an outdoor setting, as they use large water tanks and have large-sized fans which can throw cool air to the farthest corners of the room. Desert air coolers work best in dry regions with low humidity. Normally, one should consider purchasing a desert air cooler when they have a large number of members in the house, and the room it is to be placed in is between 150-500 sq. ft in size.

Personal air coolers

The other category of coolers is personal air coolers. Personal air coolers are further divided into two common types – room and tower air coolers.

Room air coolers

Room air coolers, as the name suggests, are primarily meant for indoor use, as compared to desert air coolers, which can be used both indoors and outdoors. However, a key difference between them and desert air coolers is that the former is much smaller in size, with a water capacity of between 15 and 40 litres. For circulating air in the room, room air coolers use a blower as compared to a fan, which makes slightly more noise compared to a fan. However, the biggest USP of room air coolers is that they are portable, with wheels attached for easy mobility. This allows one to effectively position it in their room as per their comfort and convenience. Room air coolers are best suited to small to medium-sized rooms of between 100 and 150 sq. ft.

Tower air coolers

Tower air coolers are essentially a slimmer and lighter variation of conventional room air coolers. They are best suited for use by single persons such as bachelors and students living alone in smaller spaces. Their water capacity ranges anywhere between 10 and 40 litres depending upon the size and the model. Tower coolers are the most portable of all three kinds of coolers, and also ensure your home doesn’t look cluttered due to their tall, yet sleek form factor.

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