How to Cool Down a Room with No Windows

If you want to know how you can cool down a room with no windows, here are some suggestions that are worth considering.

A windowless room in a hot building can feel like an oven during summer. If it's your room, chances are you don't exactly feel particularly comfortable.

In fact, a room without any windows can be a pretty dismal space for a bedroom and would be better used as a place for storing stuff that's not needed all the time. I'd call it a cupboard or a closet, actually!

What to Do with the Room?

Nevertheless, if it's your bedroom and there's no way you can move to a nicer room, you're going to need to do some work if you want to cool it down as well as to get some fresh air in there, as this type of room can get stuffy if you spend a lot of time there.

The first problem that needs solving is air flow. If you can leave your door open all the time, at least you'll be getting some fresher air circulating into the room. But there would also be times when you want some privacy and that means closing the door (and cutting off the supply of fresh air).

The first task is to create some air flow from outside the room when the door is closed. The first thing I would check would be to discover if an exterior wall is accessible from your room. It could be that one of the room's walls is an external one, just without any opening.

Having a window fitted, if that's possible, would be my first thought. That would solve the air flow problem and allow some fresh air from outside to get in while you have the door closed. Od course if it's really hot outside, that won't help you cool the room down.

Fitting Air Conditioning

There are several configurations of air conditioning equipment that could be installed in your room that would certainly cool it down.

First you would need to ensure that you can install a vent that would carry the AC's exhaust air to the outside of the building. A ductless (mini-split) AC unit would be best for this, as you could have it installed fairly easily without taking up any floor space.

The cooling unit goes high up on the wall and the condenser/extractor unit goes outside, with the two connected by concealed ducting through the wall.

If that's not feasible, the next best option would be a portable AC unit. However, you would still need to vent the AC to the outside, through a purpose-built vent through the wall.

It would be a good idea to buy a self evaporating portable AC to make it virtually maintenance-free.

Swamp Cooler

If air conditioning is not an option, for whatever reason, a second option might be a swamp cooler. These cooling devices don't need any venting to the outside, since they don't produce any hot air.

The only problem with a swamp cooler is they humidify the air as they run. If there is no air circulation (allowing air to get in/out of the room) the atmosphere in the room will get more and more humid, rendering the swamp cooler ineffective above about 50-60% humidity.

That means as the swamp cooler raises the humidity in the room, it actually reduces its own ability to produce cool air. What I'm saying is that swamp coolers don't work in high humidity!

Personal Cooler

There are a lot of small, "personal cooler" devices that are often advertised as mini air conditioners or personal air conditioners. They're NOT!

They are actually just small swamp coolers that use the evaporation of water to send out a puff of cool air. They work OK when the air is getting circulated from outside the room, but they are not much good for dropping the temperature in a room,

These are best for cooling you a little, but will still increase the humidity in a closed room. See above for my explanation of swamp coolers to see why they do that and how that will make them less and less effective the longer you run them for.

Ordinary Fans

A low-tech solution would be a regular fan to provide some air circulation and to cool you directly by having it blow in your direction. However, fans only blow air around the room at whatever temperature that air is.

They don't cool the air!

Unless you keep the door open to allow fresh air into the room, it will get stuffier and no cooler.

This also goes for ceiling fans, which are great for moving air around the room, but they don't actually cool the air either.

Conclusion

The only sure-fire way of really cooling a windowless room down is with an air conditioner. It will extract the hot air from the room and blow lots of nice cool air into it, while circulating that air and drying it in the process.

As long as you can have some form of venting fitted in the room to allow the AC to vent its hot air to the outside (of the building, not just to another room or it will heat it up), this may be your only viable solution.

A Most Effective Portable Vent Free Air Conditioner

When looking for a good quality air conditioner that is both portable and ventless, the most effective model is the one to choose to keep you cool in summer. The only problem many people have is in deciding on which is the best type of cooling solution for their home or office.

While many simply go for a conventional air conditioner on wheels and put up with having to site it near a window or other opening on an outside wall to feed the exhaust vent through, some have discovered the vent free alternative. The swamp cooler is a great choice when the space you need to cool is in a low humidity climate zone.

Which Genre of Portable Aircon Unit is Best for You?

You have do to some homework before choosing the most suitable air conditioner for your needs. There will be some determining factors that your final choice will be based upon, so make sure you know what you're getting before you commit to buying a model.

If your budget is large and you are not limited by price tag and similarly not bothered about the environmental aspects of your choice, then a conventional vented aircon unit is probably your best choice if there are no restrictions on where you can site the unit. While they cost more than swamp coolers, the air chilling factor is generally greater and especially so in areas of higher humidity.

But if your budget is more limited and you do care about the environment, as long as the humidity levels in your area are below around 50%, then a swamp cooler can be a very economical and highly portable vent free air cooling solution. There is no need to vent to the outside and power consumption is a fraction of a conventional room air conditioning unit, meaning running costs are kept very low.

Making Your Decision of Air Conditioner Based on Common Sense

Most will simply go for the easy option of a conventional refrigerant based air con unit and not give a second thought to costs and environmental factors. However, the sensible choice is for the unit that will not only save you the most money in purchase cost and running costs, but is kind to the environment in a number of ways.

First of all, the recycling of refrigerant based unit is more complicated because of the ozone-unfriendly gasses contained in the unit, not to mention many other materials that are not easy to recycle. Then there is the high power consumption which has a secondary negative effect on the environment due to the need to burn more fossil fuels to produce the extra electricity to power your device and thousands more like it.

However, with a low cost swamp cooler that is ventless, highly recyclable and uses far less power, you would be doing your bit for the ecological health of your locality while saving yourself money and still enjoying a cooled room and the portability that can only truly come from a model that does not need to be vented to the outside!

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.

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!

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!