What is the Best Ventless Air Conditioner on Sale?

People looking for the best ventless portable air conditioner that's on sale today can read this and discover a secret that will surprise and amaze you! I'm not talking about a revolutionary new kind of portable air cooler, because it hasn't been invented yet (at least not that I or anyone else knows about in this area).

What I am talking about is the best value, highest specification portable model that you can buy for the lowest price in its class and still provide unparalleled comfort on those hot days of summer without eating up a huge chunk of your power supply!

A Portable Air Conditioner that's Vent Free?

First of all, you have to remember that we're talking about a non-vented air conditioning unit here. That narrows it down a lot, because most portable aircon units have to be vented to the outside.

So we're actually talking about a "Swamp Cooler" or to give it the correct name, an evaporative air cooler. This kind of cooling device does not need to be vented to the outside because it doesn't produce any hot exhaust air (as you can read more about this kind of cooler in our article that covers "what is a swamp cooler")

For those of you who live in areas with high summer air humidity, look away now because these coolers are not for you!

Top Rated Portable Vent Free Air Conditioner Facts

Let's look at the evidence to suggest that one particular model is superior to others in its class. What exactly do you expect from a top rated, high spec swamp cooler? Let's take some examples:

1. Superior air cooling capability
2. Ability to cool a room quickly
3. Ability to provide on demand cold air
4. Lightweight, easy to move portability
5. Small footprint for easy placement
6. Low power consumption
7. Good value for money

I think that just about covers the main points that interest folks looking to get a good value unit for their money without spending too much. So which are the contenders and what do we rate as the best unit for the money?

Affordable Swamp Coolers

The following coolers can be bought for less than you might think when you shop online at Amazon. Prices can vary without notice so please check out the following reviews on this site by clicking the title of the model that you are interested in below:

• Sunpentown SF-609 Portable Evaporative Air Cooler
• Sunpentown SF-608R Portable Evaporative Air Cooler
• KuulAire PACKA43 Portable Evaporative Cooling Unit

These are our top three value for money items for the lowest price and best specs. If you want higher specs and greater cooling capability, you need to spend more to get higher grade units. Some of the best of these are below:

Swamp Coolers Under $300

The following units can be bought for between $200 and $300 when you shop online at Amazon. Again, prices can fluctuate, so click the title to read the review before heading over to the sales page to get the most up to the minute price.

• NewAir AF-330 Evaporative HEPA Swamp Cooler

Swamp Coolers Over $300

A Step up in price gets you even higher specs. We have included these units for their high power cooling capabilities and other desirable features.

• KuulAire PACKA53 500 CFM
• Port-A-Cool PAC2KCYC01 Cyclone 3000

The last unit is expensive, priced at over $700. I included it as a high end contender for fastest cooling ability and sheer power for its relatively small size and power consumption.

The choice is yours at the end of the day. If this type of air cooling solution fits with what you're looking for, then go ahead and read our reviews. They will give you a better idea of what is available so you can see for yourself whether the price and features fit your budget and needs.

Where Can You Buy a Portable Air Conditioner Without Exhaust Venting?

Have you ever noticed that some homeowners have neat portable air conditioners that don't appear to have an exhaust venting capability? Yet they seem to work perfectly well in keeping the home cool in those hot months throughout the summer. How can this be?

You are probably already familiar with the portable, ventless evaporative coolers that resemble true air conditioners, yet aren't. That would be a foregone conclusion if you've read other articles on this blog.

Swamp Coolers are Not True Air Conditioners!

Just to recap, these "swamp coolers" are not real aircon units as they don't refrigerate the air that is passed through them. Instead they chill it by evaporation as it is passed through a damp membrane. There is no refrigeration process and no need for a compressor motor to pump the air through any system.

Swamp coolers simply use a basic fan to force air through a membrane that is kept wet by being partially immersed in a water reservoir. These coolers work best in dry atmospheres, as they generate humidity through the evaporative process.

As a result, these coolers don't need to vent any hot exhaust, since they don't produce any! It makes them the perfect portable cooling solution as they can pump out a cold breeze that is capable of reducing the temperature in a room by as much as 30 degrees!

However, their downfall is their effectiveness is reduced in humid atmospheres. So what about the true aircon alternative, especially for those who live in hot, humid conditions?

Refrigerant Based Portable Air Conditioning Units

Working in a completely different way to evaporative coolers, true aircon units use a refrigeration process to chill the air that passes through them. The by-product of that process is a hot exhaust that needs to be vented out of the room being cooled.

So the reality is that these room cooling solutions have to have a means of removing their hot exhaust air from the room. That is the typical corrugated plastic tubing that you see on most of these units.

Do Unvented Portable Air Conditioning Units Exist?

True refrigerant aircons that are portable, standalone units that are not vented do not currently exist because of their very nature. Until a way can be found to refrigerate the air without the use of a heat exchange system, there will always be the resultant hot air produced by the internal chilling process.

One solution is a fixed aircon system whereby the cooling unit is affixed to a wall or ceiling and its vent is channeled through a wall or ceiling to am extracting unit placed outside the house (usually on the other side of the same wall).

So Where Can I By a Portable Evaporative Air Cooler?

True ventless air coolers can be purchased at all major hardware stores as well as many online retailers such as Amazon, WalMart, Lowes etc. The price you pay will differ from store to store, but generally the prices are lower online since online sellers don't have the same overheads as brick and mortar stores.

One of the best places to buy one of these units is actually Amazon, as they have free overland shipping on larger items such as these and that can represent a big saving on the total cost.

You can find more information on our personally recommended unit when you click the link in the right column on this page.

Ductless Multi Zone Air Conditioners Explained

People who have an interest in vent free air cooling solutions can read this and learn all about ductless multi zone air conditioners and how they function. On the surface, they may appear to be similar in functionality to regular ventless units that have been explained at length in previous articles on this site but dig a little deeper and you will discover some fascinating differences.

Whole House Air Cooling Solution

The first thing that you will notice about these setups is that they incorporate several units placed at strategic points around the home, qualifying them with the "multi-zone" label. They are computer controlled to insure the correct level of cooling in each room according to occupation.

That means the system will not waste energy cooling unoccupied spaces in your home, thus reducing power consumption dramatically. This is an important consideration in this day and age when fuel costs continue to rise at an alarming rate.

Not Portable

The next thing that you'll notice is that these systems are not made up of portable units as with individual evaporative cooling units described in previous articles here. In fact, these systems are comprised of true, two part air conditioning units that expel hot air to the outside via fanned condenser units mounted outside.

They use non-ozone depleting refrigerant gas in their system, making them kinder to the environment while still being able to provide highly efficient cooling in all climates including high humidity (where swamp coolers fall down).

Not Evaporative (Swamp) Coolers

While swamp coolers are excellent for cooling spaces in areas of low humidity and extremely cheap to run in comparison with true air conditioning systems, these multi zone systems offer a viable alternative for those living in humid climates. Costs are higher than evaporative solutions, but lower than conventional ducted aircon systems (HVAC).

These ductless split air conditioners and heat pumps offer a heating solution in winter as well as a cooling one in summer, making them highly versatile. However, heating by electricity is still an expensive method and one that should be considered before deciding on one of these systems.

Installation Considerations

Installing a system like this can be far less invasive than conventional HVAC, although it still requires creating exit vents to the outside for the inner and outer units to be connected through exterior walls. There is no unsightly ducting (or extensive remodelling to disguise ducting inside ceiling space or boxed into walls) making these units far more aesthetically suitable in a home.

Vent holes are created behind the internal unit, making it invisible to an occupant. Similarly, the exterior unit is placed over the exit vent making it invisible from the outside. Units run much more quietly than older systems, which is another important consideration.

Dehumidification

Another important aspect of this kind of setup is its ability to dehumidify the indoors air in areas of high humidity. This can become an important consideration where long periods of very high humidity can create problems in the home.

These problems include damp forming in walls and ceilings, mold growing in closets and cupboards and an uncomfortable living atmosphere. By effectively extracting the humidity and expelling to the outside, this type of system becomes so much more than simply an effective cooling and heating solution.

Conclusion

While a ductless multi-zone air cooling (and heating) system will cost considerably more to install and run than a comparable evaporative system, it has several benefits especially for people who live in climates with high humidity where evaporative units are not so effective. This is a consideration that must be explored in this case as costs will still be lower than with a conventional heating, ventilation and air conditioning installation.

While truly ventless air coolers are effective, cheap to run and highly versatile in dry climates, not everyone can enjoy their benefits. That makes a true aircon system that can run at a much lower cost than conventional ducted systems a viable alternative where humidity is a problem. The choice, in the end, is up to the buyer as always.

Swamp Coolers: Sale Facts You Should Know

People who are considering buying a portable swamp cooler can read this and find out about several sales facts that they should know before they buy. This is important to ensure you make the right decision and go home with the right solution to your home's cooling needs.

Advertising is becoming ever more compelling which can lead to you being sold on something whether you want it or not without even realizing. Knowing what you are getting into before you get into it is the secret of common sense consumerism, so this article may be quite useful to you if you are looking to buy a swamp cooler for your home.

Location and Climate

The single most important fact about swamp coolers, as has already been discussed in this blog, is the location and climate that you live in and whether it is conducive to the best operation of this type of air cooling solution. We hear about so many people who have bought an evaporative air cooler, either a portable unit or a larger installation, when they lived in a hot, humid climate that seriously compromised the effectiveness of the cooler.

A salesman may well beat on about the fact that these cooling units will work best in a hot, dry climate and are capable of reducing the room temperature by as much as 30 degrees. But they will likely gloss over the opposing fact that they will not work so well in hot, humid conditions.

The bottom line is that if your climate is humid, do NOT expect a swamp cooler to be effective!

Cost Comparisons

Another compelling sales pitch much loved by advertisers is to highlight the cost comparison between the two main air cooling systems. It is quite true that evaporative coolers cost a lot less to buy as well as being much cheaper to run than air conditioners, but watch out for sales talk that highlights the gap in cost as being so huge.

It's enough to know that there is a considerable saving especially on power consumption when you choose a swamp cooling unit or system, but remember that any electrical appliance still uses power no matter how much or how little. You will still get an elevated power bill in at the end of the month when you use any kind of air cooling device, so don't be sold on empty promises of huge electricity bill savings.

You will pay far less than you would for a comparable air conditioning setup, for sure. But you will still have to pay for the power used by the swamp cooler!

Portable, Vent Free, Vented or Fixed System?

Don't get confused by the different kinds of system that are available. There is an easy way to remember which is which.

Air conditioners use a heat exchange system which does produce hot exhaust air that must be vented to the outdoors and that includes all kinds of portable unit.

Swamp (evaporative) coolers do not need to be vented as they do not produce hot exhaust air as do air conditioners.

Simple? It may sound so, but you would be surprised at how many people don't know the difference.

Worse still is that there are some people who believe they can run a regular portable air conditioning unit in a room with the vent not connected to the outdoors. These are the ones who sit there complaining their aircon units aren't working because the room is not getting any cooler.

In fact, if you don't vent a portable aircon unit to the outside, the room temperature will actually increase as the hot air creates a net heating effect over the cold air put out by the unit!

This is not a problem for swampies, so they are the only truly ventless portable air coolers. So now you know what you are getting into when you consider choosing your air cooling solution. Make your decisions a good one!

Portable Swamp Coolers for Low Humidity Heat

If you happen to live in a hot climate that has low humidity levels, or what is commonly described as dry heat, then one of the best and most economical ways to keep cool is to have a swamp cooler to chill the air. These low power alternatives to regular portable air conditioners are perfect for cooling individual rooms in your home or office when the temperature rises during the hottest days of the year.

Of course, how you keep cool is completely up to you. Most people still choose a regular room aircon unit over the cheaper to buy and run swamp cooler. This is not because they are any better but because they don't know about this alternative. It's an expensive omission!

But for those who know, owning an evaporative air cooling unit is a highly satisfying thing. Just knowing that you can keep just as cool as the guy next door for a fraction of the cost is one thing. But seeing the evidence in black and white when you receive your power bill for the month is the sweetest part of it.

However, I just want to stress that swamp coolers are really only for cooling a room if you have low humidity. If you have high humidity, their effectiveness at chilling the air is reduced and gets lower as the percentage humidity rises.

So don't make the mistake of rushing out to buy an evaporative cooling unit if you have hot, humid air as you'll be returning it right away, grumbling that it doesn't work! Just a heads up, there.

Knowing how to stay cool in the heat of summer in the most economical way available to you depending on your "kind" of heat is important. So make sure you get it right and if you do enjoy dry heat, then grab yourself a swamp cooler and watch your room temperature drop by as much as thirty degrees as these innovative units do their thing!  

Sensible Air Conditioning Practices

Enjoying the blissful cooling capability of your own air cooling solution whatever it may be, provides a thankful respite from teh relentless heat of summer for many people. However, while it may be a natural reaction to the hot weather to want to crank up the aircon to the max in an attempt to stay cool anc comfortable during summer, it should also be remembered that at the end of the month, someone has got to pay for all the power.

Make no mistake, an air conditioner can use a scary amount of power to keep yoru home cool, so you may be interested in what you can do to keep things sensible in that area. This article will take a look at some helpful tips you might want to follow to help keep your energy consumption in check while still enjoying a cool atmosphere in your home.

Practice Economical Thinking

The first thing that should always be lodged in you mind is sensible economy when it comes to your home's power consumption during summer. If you're running a large HVAC system, your first point of call should be the thermostat. You can actually reduce you system's power consumption quite dramatically simply by turning the temperature dial a few notches.

A comfortable room temperature is around 72 degrees (F), so if your temperature control is set to anything lower than that, you are wasting electricity. How many of you have it set to 70 or even as low as 68? I know plenty of my friends do just that without realizing how much harder their system has to work to maintain that indoor temperature.

It's actually quite normal to err on the cool side when setting your aircon's thermostat during very hot weather, but this is a mistake that can prove very costly when your monthly power bill drops through your door! Make opening that bill a more bearable experience by turning down the dial!

Do You Need HVAC?

In many homes, having a big HVAC is not even necessary, especially when there are not enough people actually living in the house to warrant keeping every room super cool. Some homes are occupied by only one or two people at any given time, so it makes a lot better sense to have one or two portable air conditioning units to keep only the rooms that are actually occupied cool!

Not much point in keeping a whole room cool just so the cat can enjoy curling up in a thick pile of blankets! And do you really need a super cooled kitchen or bathroom? Probably not.

Swamp Cooler Option

Aside from turning down the dial a few notches so you don't waste so much power, there is another option that is more power-sensible as long as you live in an area with a dry heat (low humidity) and that's a swamp cooler. These units, as explained in earlier posts, only use a fraction of the power to blast out cold air into a room and are much more environmentally friendly to run too.

So there's a few things to think about next time you're sitting in your home huddled in a blanket in the moiddle of summer while you aircon system icres up under the strain of trying to turn your home into a walk-in freezer!

Be sensible with temperature and you can save money as well as be kinder to the power company!

 

Portable Air Conditioners: Vent Free and Portable

One of the great things about a portable air conditioner without exhaust hose pipe venting (vent free) is its amazing portability, versatility and usability in keeping you cool when the weather gets hot. It's a huge advantage over other kinds of portable unit that by their very nature need to be vented to the outside. That's even in a room that doesn't have an accessible window.

When you read this article, you'll discover the common sense benefits of choosing a truly vent free space cooling option that really will keep you feeling nice and cool in the hot summer months.

Why Normal Portable Air Conditioning Units are Not so Portable

With regular mobile, room air conditioners, their portability is actually pretty limited to places where there is an easily accessible external wall outlet to the outside. That's because they produce a hot air exhaust which is a by-product of the heat exchange system that allows them to create chilled or refrigerated air to keep you cool.

In most cases, there won't be a customized outlet for fitting the hot air exhaust venting pipe to. So it will usually end up being poked out of an open window or door, meaning some of its benefit is lost thanks to there being some hot air from outside that's allowed to get in!

Some users have places they habitually use and block up the openings with cushions, strips of thick foam rubber or other insulating material, but it never looks very good. However you do it, you will have to find a means of getting that hot exhaust air out of the house, because if you don't it will simply blow into the room creating a net heating effect!

Which is exactly what you do not want!

When Vent Free Means Vent Free!

Truly ventless air coolers are of course the types of device called evaporative coolers, commonly known as "swamp coolers". These units cool the air by evaporating moisture through some loose knit, porous material that is kept wet thanks to being partially immersed in a reservoir tank of water.

A regular fan blows air through the material, evaporating the moisture and creating a cooling breeze that can effectively reduce the air temperature in a room by as much as thirty degrees or more. Because there is no compressor to run or refrigeration process to exchange hot air for cold, there is no hot exhaust air produced, meaning there is nothing that requires a venting hose or exhaust pipe.

Swamp coolers literally take room temperature air and blast it through a wet membrane to produce cold, humidified air. With no other mechanical workings inside them, they use very little power, making them far cheaper to run than regular room air conditioning units.

So that's how they work and what gives them true portability in every sense of the word.

Which Windowless Vent Free Air Cooler Models Are Best?

Update for 2016: There are some really awesome evaporative air coolers available to buy this year. They are already proving hugely popular with customers at Amazon, so let's take a look at my personal "Top 3" of the best selling units currently and compare them:

Honeywell CL30XC Portable
Evaporative Air Cooler


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The Honeywell came up tops for me personally as it's a great looking, compact model that packs a pretty impressive output rating for the price. It can cool a space anywhere up to 320 sq ft by an amazing 25 degrees Fahrenheit or greater depending on the room's humidity level.

A generous 7.9 gallon water reservoir means the necessity of refills are few and far between. For me that's important as it can provide a long period of constant cooling. Easy glide wheels make it a cinch to move around to where I need it and it's very cheap to run. Great value from a great mobile cooler!

NewAir AF-1000W



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You're going to love this powerful unit from NewAir that can cool any room up to 300 sq ft by as much as 25 degrees F. It has a big 5.3 gallon water tank to give you several hours of cooling before it becomes necessary to refill with water. The cooling pad incorporates a filter for clean and cool air.

The unit is on durable, easy roll casters so moving between rooms is easy. There's a 10 hour timer and easy to use remote for convenience. This model is really great value for money and running costs are super cheap too. Remember, evap coolers work best in climates with 40% humidity or less.

Hessaire MC37A 2200 CFM

I included this Hessaire MC37A 2200 CFM 3 speed evaporative cooler to my top three trio for 2016. It's relatively new to Amazon and other online stores and is already getting a lot of very good (five star) reviews from purchasers.

So what can this baby do? Well, it can cool up to 750 sq ft by 15-20 degrees in dry climates. According to the manufacturer, it has a patented axial prop that is claimed as more energy efficient and able to push cool air further. It has an oscillating fan feature for better air circulation, a timer and an auto shutoff if it runs out of water.

Note: Hessaire MC37A is currently unavailable with no projected return to the store. I've kept the review text below but I removed the link to the online store out of courtesy to my readers:



I chose these three models based on their build quality, cooling effectiveness and price. They are all on sale this year at affordable, entry-level prices with discounts you can take advantage of when you click any one of the special links situated below each image (or click the image itself).

KuulAire PACKA43 350 CFM

I've kept my review paragraphs and image of this model on the page as a comparison and in the hope that availability returns, as right now it's getting harder to find one.

Here is a good workhorse cooler that can chill a room anywhere up to 175 sq ft by up to 25 degrees Fahrenheit while staying frugal with the minuscule amount of power it consumes. A large capacity, easy fill 4 gall water reservoir means this baby can run happily for several hours before it needs refilling.

Big on features and big on convenience, this model has a remote control so you don't have to get up out of your seat to change the settings. Fully portable on easy glide wheels, it's a pleasure to move from room to room.

Please note: I have taken down the link because the product is no longer available on sale at the recommended vendor (Amazon) or other similar online stores.

Major Disadvantage

The only downside is swamp coolers are not effective in areas that already have high humidity in hot weather. In that case the evaporating cooling effect is diluted by the amount of moisture already present in the air and the net cooling effect is greatly reduced depending on the level of humidity.

It is really important that you understand, these portable vent free air coolers are NOT air conditioners without venting exhaust hose pipes and will not make cold air in a humid room. If you are not sure what the humidity level of your air is locally, you can usually find out online via Google or check with local weather stations.

Please do NOT buy one of these units if you're unsure if your air is dry enough for them to work well. You'll only end up returning it when it doesn't live up to your expectations!

Getting Maximum Efficiency from Your Evaporative Cooler

Here is a great tip: One thing you can do to ensure your evaporative air cooler keeps working at its most efficient in keeping you cool indoors is to make sure the air in the room stays dry. Here's what you need to do:

Crack a window open a little and place your cooling unit close to it. Also, crack the door open a little and you'll set up a cross draft that will take the moist air produced by the unit out of the room.

I know it defies the logic of keeping the hot air out and the cold air in as with air conditioning. But doing this will ensure the air does not get too artificially humid in the room you're cooling because of the way these machines work.

Don't worry, you'll still have a nice cool room and the air blasted out of your cooler will stay colder as long as the cross-draft is there to take away the moisture. Try it and see for yourself!

Economical Air Cooling System

This is an excellent way to fend off the heat of summer without spending a whole load of money on electricity running a power hungry AC solution. Without the need to run a refrigeration setup, evaporative cooling units are very economical to run in terms of extremely low power usage.

They are kind to the environment and are a real no-brainer for folks living in dry climates that don't like to throw money away on AC if it is not really necessary. You can read more about this money-saving aspect of these devices in other articles published here.

At the end of the day, if you live in an area of low summer humidity and need a cheap cooling solution that is really portable and can go with you from room to room without needing to be vented to the outside, you might want to take a closer look at a swamp cooler as your solution. It can make a really effective low cost way to stay cool and comfortable during the hot weather.

Comparing the Best Portable Air Conditioners

If you have read this article this far and feel a little downhearted because you happen to live in an area of high humidity, all is not lost. You still have the option of regular AC in a portable unit, you just don't get to share on the highly desirable savings in running costs.

There are some models that, while not as spectacularly inexpensive to run as swamp coolers, can still be economical when compared to running a larger fixed, central system in your home or office. Just so you don't feel left out of the equation, I have included two of what I consider the best and most economical to run room AC models for you to take a look at if you want:

Honeywell MN10CESWW



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This is a great 10,000 BTU portable AC that comes with a remote control, three fan speeds and an automatic timer. One of the main features of this model is its dehumidification capability that can remove as much as 79 pints from the air per day by evaporation without needing to be emptied, which is a real time and hassle saver.

What I like about this model is that it is very affordable to purchase (it's currently offered with a big discount but you'll need to grab one at the low price before they remove the deal). Running costs are average for an AC of this size but it is eco-friendly with no CFC gases and it can cool a room up to 350 sq ft bringing the temperature down to a comfortable level surprisingly fast.

It comes in pure white, black and silver or plain black to suit your tastes and has its own window venting kit that's pretty easy to install yourself. It runs fairly quietly on the low setting and only draws 9.5 amps in power.

If you want to find out more and read some of the hundreds of customer/purchaser reviews, click on the image or link below it to visit the relevant page at Amazon.com where all is revealed (including the latest discount price offer).

Whynter ARC-14S



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This is a more powerful machine and naturally costs more than the model above, but if you need greater cooling power for larger spaces, this is probably the best model in its class in terms of overall costs (including running costs). It is CFC free, so more eco-friendly than other units yet it still manages to cool rooms up to 500 sq ft with its 14,000 BTU rating.

What helps make this unit more efficient is its dual hose setup with separate intake and exhaust pipes that connect to the outside for better airflow. It also has a dehumidifying function capable or removing up to 101 pints per day that is evaporated and expelled to the outside via the exhaust hose along with the unwanted hot air.

Power consumption is surprisingly low for an AC of this power, drawing only 1250 watts (10.8 amps) max. There is a remote control and timer with auto-shutoff and auto-restart features and the stylish platinum and black finish looks good in any setting.

Remember, these last two featured units on this page are true AC models and as such must be vented to the outside via their flexible exhaust ducts. That's to allow the hot air they produce to escape to the outside and not compromise their cooling capacity inside the room.

If you happened to skip to this part of the page by mistake and missed the info about the type of free standing, portable air conditioner without exhaust hose pipe venting that you came here to see, all you need to do is scroll back up the page (or click the "TOP of PAGE" link below to read all about them!

(TOP of PAGE)

What is a Swamp Cooler?

People interested in staying cool in the hot weather can read this and learn about swamp coolers (evaporative coolers), the portable air conditioner alternative. This article looks at the differences between the two main types of air cooling devices and explains the benefits and downsides to the innovative yet simply designed swamp cooler.

There are several different types of air cooling device ranging from air conditioners to basic fans and swamp coolers come somewhere in between. Where a portable aircon unit uses a gas refrigerant and heat exchanger to produce cold air, a swamp cooler only uses plain water which it cools by evaporation. 

Economical

This makes the swamp cooler much more economical to buy and to run than its power hungry alternative, although using evaporation does have its limitations. But first, lets look at the benefits.

As long as you live in a climate that has predominantly dry heat, or a low humidity level, then a swamp cooler can effectively reduce the temperature in a room by as much as thirty degrees Fahrenheit. It does it by passing air through a damp membrane that is simply an absorbent, loose knit material that has been stretched over an open frame.

The material is kept damp thanks to the lower part being immersed in a small reservoir of plain water. This water can be chilled by adding ice cubes to help lower the air temperature further. A simple fan forces the air through the material and into the room.

There are no other moving parts to the swamp cooler (except for models that include a timer mechanism) which means that power consumption is kept very low. It also means there are fewer things that can go wrong with the device, making for better longevity and useful service.

Disadvantages

However, if you live in a damp climate, or one with high average humidity, the swamp cooler is far less effective at cooling the air. This is because for evaporative cooling to work, the air must not contain too much moisture already.

In dry climates, this is not a problem, because the swamp cooler performs two important functions. They are:

1. Cooling the air to make it more comfortable, and
2. Humidifying it, helping you to breathe easier

But when the ambient humidity is high, the air is already heavy with moisture and adding more to it will not lower its temperature by much. In fact the effectiveness of the swamp cooler in cooling the air goes down the high the humidity level is.

For people who live in hot climates with high humidity, using an air conditioning unit is really the only viable way to chill the air effectively. Please read our articles and reviews on portable air conditioners to find one that suits your needs.

Are You Lucky?

If you do happen to live in a hot, dry climate then you are one of the lucky ones who will benefit greatly from using a swamp cooler to keep you cool in preference to an air conditioner.

You will get a high level of cooling for far less cost in terms of power usage. Also, the purchase price of evaporative coolers is far lower than comparable portable aircon units, so you win in both departments!

How to Keep Cool Cheaply When Its Hot

There is nothing quite like being able to sit indoors on a blisteringly hot day and enjoy a cool blast of air from a portable air cooling unit while relaxing with a book or in front of the TV. This small pleasure can become an absolute necessity if you work from home and spend several hours each day at a desk working on a computer or laptop.

Having a means to keep cool indoors when it's getting crazy hot outside is something that many people take for granted. But not everyone has the means or the budget to be able to afford the cost of buying and running a big portable air conditioning unit in their home office or in their sitting room or bedroom.

Let's face it, the power hungry aircon units will eat up your electricity supply in order to blast out that beautifully cold air and you will end up paying dearly for the privilege at the end of the month. However, there is a much cheaper air cooling solution that can be every bit as effective, as long as you live in the right kind of place.

Swamp Coolers

Instead of the power hogging portable air conditioner, why not look into buying a swamp cooler, or evaporative air cooler to give it the right name? As long as you live in a hot dry climate, then these units can cool the air as effectively as their electricity hogging cousins while using only a fraction of the power to do it.

The only caveat is that you have low humidity for these things to work at their best. If you have high humidity, then you're out of luck. That's because a swamp cooler cools by evaporation and it needs dry air to create a cooling effect.

Real Life

I have a friend who lives in Denver, Colorado and his home office is kept beautifully cool by a single swamp cooler that he paid less than a hundred bucks for, brand new. It uses only slightly more power than a regular fan, which is almost nothing and there is no need to vent it to the outside because swamp coolers don't produce any hot exhaust air.

That means you can take one of these units and move it from room to room in your as you need it without the hassle of feeding a flexible exhaust pipe out a nearby window, as you would have to with a regular but not vent free portable air conditioner. How incredibly convenient is that!

So if you live in an area with low average humidity when it gets hot, you really should consider one of these amazing swamp coolers for your home. You'd be throwing a lot of money away otherwise!

A Portable Air Conditioner for Economy and Coolness

The intense heat that we experience during the hot summer months may seem like a long way away right now but they will soon be upon us and then having a ventless portable air conditioner in the home will suddenly make a lot of sense.

So maybe now is the time to start thinking about adding one of these useful and versatile units to your shopping list for the coming summer.

If you need some ideas, here is a look at them and their benefits.

I've seen all the kinds of portable air conditioners I've been interested in for the last few years. It is usual enough to be unaware of how to prevent rooms getting too hot. I'll try to let you down easy, but I wanted to write a post that is focused on how to cope with really hot weather.

Cost Effective Cooling

The recipe for a cost effective way to keep cool successfully is to use a device that uses the minimum amount of electricity for the maximum output of cold air under the right atmospheric circumstances.

It's worth seeking out the best highly portable and easy to move around units that come with great deals. Every little matter from cost, to power consumption must be covered.

Here are some of many advantages of portable coolers over whole house air conditioning types. In this article, I'm going to give you a few tips to help you with cooling individual rooms using the best portable evaporative coolers that are available these days.

I am quite happy to mention economical and portable climate control in that context. Cooling only those individual rooms that are occupied has many advantages over whole house air conditioning.

Through this medium, people notice quality over economy with no need for permanent installation. Many still think that there is a reason to demonstrate those advantages, when really its all about how well they are at cooling individual rooms.

Aside from the ecomomy factor, there are also atmospheric conditions that are not suitable for evaporative cooling devices, mainly high humidity. In these conditions, you would really need a traditional cooling solution. One such solutio0n is a fully self evaporating portable air conditioner that combines powerful cooling with added efficiency to reduce running costs.

Getting over the concept of coping with really hot weather, at the very least its something you might want to jump into it as soon as you possibly can. So, what do I mean by a really hot and humid day?

Hot Outside, Cool Inside

It won't be too fancy, but it's a good place to start with wanting the simple pleasures of staying cool inside when its gotten really hot outside. Cooling individual rooms can work out a more economical solution to using a big HVAC system in your home.

Of course it all depends on your individual circumstances and you may want to know how to cool a room with no windows, for example. It may be the other detail you shouldn't notice if it was anything like a serious problem. yet, in reality, it is simple and most folks already know this. When achieved, your use of portable units for cooling individual rooms is a definite benefit.

Prevent rooms getting too hot in the first place by taking a look outside at ways in which you can shade the house from the direct rays of the sun.

Before you take another step in the direction of going to purchase a new room air conditioning unit, you need to know all the salient points in regard to their advantages and disadvantages

Okay, you might think that you've bitten off more than you can chew when buying a big expensive unit. But its worth it to know all there is to know about these things before you jump in and buy one!

Different Kinds of Air Conditioning

If there is one thing that is a necessity these days in the hot summer temperatures is a way of keeping cool indoors, especially at night when you are trying to sleep. If you live in a hot climate of have very hot summers, you will know how hard it can be trying to get to sleep when you are sweating in excessive heat. The solution for many is an air conditioning system of some kind. In this article, we'll take a look at some of the more usual options for keeping cool inside when its hot outside.

Whole House Coolers

Whole house systems are large and expensive both to purchase and install as well as to run. The running costs of large systems has reached such heights as to deter many from co0nsidering this option.

Smaller individual room fixed air conditioning units are more popular because you only need to fit as many units as you really need. Bedrooms and the living room are the main recipients of these units which fix to an external wall in the room and connect to a venting unit on the outside wall. These units still cost money to run and if you have several units running at the same time, the power consumption can be considerable.

Portable Coolers

You can also buy individual portable air conditioners which as mobile units that you can move from room to room as you go. These represent a lower fuel usage because you only run one or two units at any one time depending upon how many people live in your home and how many rooms are occupied at the same time.

Here is an excellent article that is well worth reading up on how to save money on air conditioning. The article details the many benefits, uses and provides a wealth of resources if this type of air cooler interests you.

Evaporation Coolers

You can also get evaporating cooling units which extract moisture from the air in a room and reuse it to cool the air that it blows out. These are cheaper still to run and they do not have any harmful CFC refrigerant gasses to worry about.

Whichever kind of system you end up choosing to go with, you need to evaluate the overall costs of buying, installing and running your system from year to year, You will have to factor in the regular increase in the cost of power as prices are never going to go down!

Sunpentown SF-609 Evaporative Air Cooler Review

If you're looking for a powerful portable air cooling solution that won't cost you the earth, this is it. Swamp coolers are perfect for people living in areas with low humidity as they provide you with a cool air solution that uses far less power than its equivalent air conditioning unit at a price that will pleasantly surprise you.

Important: Before you buy this unit, you need to be aware that if you live in a high humidity climate, the effectiveness of this cooler is greatly reduced.

If you don't know what an evaporative air cooler is or how it works, then please read our article: What is a Swamp Cooler? which covers the basics and highlights where they work best and where they don't. In short, they do not work well and even not at all in humid conditions.

So if the place that you live has humidity levels above 50% or so, I would advise you to choose an air conditioner instead of an evaporative cooler.

Benefits:

This great air cooler is extremely powerful for its size and for the cost when compared to portable air conditioners. It has three running speeds, remote control operation, an ionizer for helping to purify the air with a nylon and photocatalystic filter and comes with a large 2.5 gallon (10 liter) water reservoir.

It is highly portable and lightweight to make it easy to move from room to room and there is no need to vent to the outside. This unit does not produce hot exhaust air, unlike equivalent air conditioners.

That means you can put it wherever you need it, switch it on and enjoy a blast of cold air that is capable of reducing the air temperature by as much as 30 degrees!

 The Sunpentown SF-609 is quiet when running and has settings for direct cooling and a "swing" setting to move cold air out in multiple directions for a wider spray. The large water holder means you don't have to refill it more than once a day.

Cleaning and Maintenance

As long as you read the instructions before you get started, you will have no problems keeping things running smoothly and keeping the unit clean. It's important to remember that when cleaning the wick that you do not use water and that you do it in direct sunlight.

If you follow the maker's instructions you will have no problems with bad odors as some people complain about because they didn't follow the instructions!

Want to Buy the Sunpentown SF-609 Evaporative Air Cooler?

After checking around several online stores, it became pretty obvious that the best place to buy this unit from in terms of price, after sales service and free shipping is Amazon. Please Note: THis model is currently unavailable and as a courtesy to my readers I have removed the live link to the product page.

This unit does what it says it will do, which is to cool the air in dry, hot climates. It comes ready assembled so you don't have any hassle--just add water, plug it in and enjoy!

PS: I know that button above says "Buy Now", but you can click it just to take a look to find out more. Naturally, you do not have to buy it if you don't want to!

Ventless Portable Air Conditioner Reviews

Everyone enjoys the hot days of summer when you can spend your time around the pool or on a beach, but when you are at home or trying to work in a hot office it's not so enjoyable. That's why we have air conditioning to keep us cool indoors when the temperature is soaring outside.

The only problem with a huge AC system or even having several portable aircon units with one in each room is that it can be very expensive to run. These days when costs need to be watched more carefully than ever, it makes sense to look for cheaper running alternatives to keep cool.

This is where the vent free, portable air cooler, better known as the evaporative air cooler or swamp cooler comes into its own.

Wetting Dry Heat to Keep You Cool

As long as you live in a relatively dry heat area, these swamp coolers are amazingly effective at cooling a room at a fraction of the cost of comparable air conditioning systems or individual units. They are so cheap to run because they don't have the complex mechanics of an aircon unit, no refrigerant gas to keep cool and circulate internally and no heat exchanger to power.

In fact swamp coolers use little more energy than a regular fan, because their main internal working part is just a fan! In these pages, I'll explain how these amazingly effective cooling units work and how they can be used to keep you feeling cooler when the temperatures are high.

How They Work

Here is a brief overview to how these machines work (more will be said on this subject as I expand on this in later articles here on this blog). If you think about how your body keeps itself from getting too hot through perspiring, you have the basis of the way in which these devices work.

They simply draw hot, dry air from the room into the unit, force it through a damp membrane with a powerful fan and what comes out the other side is chilled air! As long as the air inside the room stays relatively dry, with a humidity level below around 40-50%, you will experience the chilling effect of this process.

As with many things these days, there advantages and disadvantages to them and these coolers are no different. Here is a quick break-down:

Advantages:

The costs of purchasing and more importantly running these units is very low when compared to portable AC units with similar outputs. They are eco-friendly in that they contain no mechanical parts aside from the internal fan and there are no ozone-unfriendly refrigerant gases in there.

The other major upside is the fact that there is no vent hose. Since these units do not work on a heat exchange system like true AC, there is no hot exhaust air. So there is absolutely no need to vent anything to the outside.

That means no ugly vent hose trailing out the unit and no need to site it right next to a window or other external opening in the house. This makes them truly portable because they can be put anywhere and they will make cold air for your comfort!

Disadvantages

The main problem with this type of cooling device is that it will not work when the air humidity level is high. That's because the chilling effect of the evaporation of moisture becomes nullified when there is already a lot of moisture in the air.

Putting more moisture into already saturated moist air results in less (or no) cooling effect. You can get around this to a certain extent by keeping a window open a crack to allow the humid air to pass outside, but if the outside air is also humid, there will not be much of a difference.

But this is just an introduction post on the best vent free air cooler around. So please take some time to read through the other topic focused and detailed articles published here that explain the several aspects of these devices more thoroughly.