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These tried and tested air coolers are the next best thing to air conditioning
For when a simple fan just won’t cut it
Tested by Masudah KhatunHousehold Product Tester
With our summers getting warmer, the best air coolers are becoming increasingly popular for providing sweet relief from the stuffy British heat.
Unlike fans, which just circulate the air, air coolers draw in warm air, pass it over a cold-water tank or ice packs, and cool the air as the water evaporates. Just like magic. They don’t require ventilation, which you need for a portable air conditioner, so you don’t have to leave a window or door open, either. You simply switch it on and relax as the room around you gets cooler.
As they can vary in price from £40 up to £200, the Good Housekeeping Institute put them to the test– here are our experts’ top picks at a glance but read on for our full reviews.
We tested a whole range of air coolers – but thanks to the recent heatwave, many our best performing models are out of stock. The remaining stock is flying off the shelves, so be quick with buying them while you still can!
The best air coolers to buy in 2025
We test air coolers in our dedicated lab – each model is placed inside a room with the temperature set at 30°C to see how effective they are at cooling the air. We also measure air flow, noise level and energy consumption, as well as getting feedback from three testers about how cool it made them feel.
You’ll find more detail on how we test air coolers under our reviews below, along with our buying guide. If you prefer a plug and play option, check out our experts’ roundup of the best tower fans.
Energy consumption figures have been calculated based on the current energy price cap of 25.73 pence per kWh.
Pros
- Touchscreen panel is very responsive
- Sleep mode lowers the fan speed every hour
- Water tank has a viewing window
Cons
- Doesn’t oscillate as much as it claims (45° vs. 360° claimed online)
- Not a huge difference between the strength of the different fan settings
Score: 87/100
Cooling down our hot room by 5.2°C in just 30 minutes, this was a worthy winner in our tests and a great all-rounder. It comes with two ice packs, a detachable water tank and a clear touchscreen control panel for switching between the different modes (natural, normal and sleep).
There are also 24 fan settings, so you’re sure to find the best intensity for keeping yourself cool on a hot day. Just make sure you don’t click past your favourite fan speed though, as there’s no back button and you’ll need to cycle through all the settings again.
Key specifications
| Modes | 3 |
|---|---|
| Fan settings | 24 |
| Timer | Yes |
| Tank capacity | 5L |
| Energy consumption on highest setting | 0.073kWh = £0.02 an hour |
| Air flow at highest setting from a distance of 75cm | 630FPM |
| Noise level on highest setting | 54.4dB |
Pros
- Water tank is in the top, making it easy to fill and remove
- Small, compact and lightweight design
- Low energy consumption due to size
Cons
- No low water indicator
- No additional modes
- Build feels a little plasticky
Score: 81/100
This mini air cooler is perfect for placing next to your bed or on your desk while you work. Despite its small size, it was powerful in testing, cooling the room by 5.2°C in half an hour and offering a good range of air strengths between the different fan speeds.
Alongside the four fan settings, it also has an LED night light that can cycle through seven colours, helping to lull you to sleep. It’s worth noting though that it reached 71.5dB on its highest setting – about the same as a washing machine or vacuum cleaner – which some will find too noisy for sleeping.
Key specifications
| Modes | 1 |
|---|---|
| Fan settings | 4 |
| Timer | No |
| Tank capacity | 0.7L |
| Energy consumption on highest setting | 0.032kWh = £0.01 an hour |
| Air flow at highest setting from a distance of 75cm | 137.8FPM |
| Noise level on highest setting | 71.5dB |
Pros
- Has a sleep mode that lowers the fan speed over time
- Oscillation was very smooth
- Quiet on its lowest setting (45.8dB)
Cons
- Only has a small 3.5L water tank
- No castor wheels, making it tricky to move
- Plastic material doesn’t feel very robust
Score: 80/100
You can connect this air cooler to an app and operate the controls via your smartphone for ease of use – perfect for when it’s just too hot to get up and turn it on manually.
Our expert was impressed by its strength, which delivered a cooling stream of air at a similar intensity at both 50cm and 75cm distances. Its energy usage was around the same as other models on this list too, so you don’t pay for that extra air strength.
When it came to cooling power, however, it wasn’t the most effective, reducing the temperature by 3.1°C in 30 minutes. Testers also found the effect very localised, struggling to feel the impact unless the cooler was directly facing them.
Key specifications
| Modes | 3 |
|---|---|
| Fan settings | 3 |
| Timer | Yes |
| Tank capacity | 3.5L |
| Energy consumption on highest setting | 0.216kWh = £0.06 an hour |
| Air flow at highest setting from a distance of 75cm | 728.4FPM |
| Noise level on highest setting | 59.5dB |
How we test air coolers
We put a range of the best air coolers to the test in our Good Housekeeping Institute lab where we’re able to create a controlled environment to ensure each model is reviewed under the same conditions.
The air coolers were placed in a room with the temperature set at 30°C to see how effectively they cooled the space. We measured the temperature of the room after 30 minutes, and then again after an hour and a half, before taking a final reading after two hours.
Our experts check how powerful each model is, using an anemometer to measure the strength in feet per minute (FPM) from 50cm and 75cm away, noting the difference between the highest and lowest fan settings.
Testers also look at the oscillation range, and whether it reaches the angle claimed by the manufacturer. Along with air flow, they measure how noisy each model is on its highest and lowest settings, as well as recording energy consumption – this way, we can see which is the cheapest to run.
We combine all this data with a subjective ‘comfort’ test. This involves three testers sitting in the 30°C room and noting down how well the air cooler helped improve the environment for them (for our testers’ sakes, we always hope it’s a lot!). Finally, we consider the design, ease of use and accompanying product information before awarding a final score.
Why you should trust the Good Housekeeping Institute
We’ve been reviewing products at the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 100 years, which means we’ve fine-tuned our testing processes to find the very best buys at every budget.
Our quality assurance and protocols manager, Blossom Boothroyd, has five years’ experience testing homes products in our lab and is an expert at setting protocols that replicate how you would use them at home. For our air cooler tests, she ensure we collected both lab data and user feedback to create a well-rounded overview of each product.
Once testing has been completed by our in-house team, the results are then passed to our senior homes and lifestyle writer, Megan Geall. She’s written hundreds of product reviews and knows exactly how to analyse the results to pull out the most useful information for shoppers.
Megan also looks after all our air-cooling content, including our tower fan reviews, so knows exactly what features to look for when it comes to staying cool as a cucumber in the heat.
More Tried & Tested cooling buys
- Best tower fans for creating a cooling breeze in your home
- Best portable fans for keeping you cool on the go
- How to sleep in a heatwave (and the products that help)
How to choose the best air cooler
With so many models on the market, it can be difficult to choose the best option for your home. Here are some factors to consider before adding one of our tested picks to your basket.
Room size: If you’re primarily using an air cooler in a larger room, you’ll want one with good air strength so you can feel the breeze from the fan on the opposite side of the room. Our winning air cooler, the Swan Nordic Air Cooler, is a great option for a family room, whereas the JML Chillmax Air Pure Chill 2.0, would be a better pick for a study or small bedroom.
Features: Some of the more premium air coolers have extras such as programmable timers, castor wheels for better portability, and remote controls. These aren’t necessary but can make a difference day-to-day, so it’s worth considering whether you’ll find them useful or not.
Energy consumption: All the air coolers in this list are fairly energy efficient, with the most expensive costing just five pence an hour to run. The model that used the least energy in the lab is JML’s Chillmax Air Pure Chill 2.0, but this is due to its small size. For a larger model with low energy consumption, opt for Swan’s Nordic Air Cooler.
Noise level: If you’re planning to use an air cooler to help you sleep in a heatwave or while you work, you’ll need one that makes minimal noise, while still being effective at reducing the temperature of your room. The quietest air cooler when used on its highest setting in the lab was Swan’s Nordic Air Cooler.
The verdict: What is the best air cooler?
Our winner is Swan’s Nordic Air Cooler, which impressed with its all-round performance across air flow, design and cooling abilities.
For the most effective at reducing the temperature of the room, though, opt for the Russell Hobbs Tower Air Cooler (currently out of stock) which cooled the room quickly but lacked oomph in its fan strength.
Other standout buys include:
- Our best budget air cooler and the most portable model – JML’s Chillmax Air Pure Chill 2.0
- The best air cooler for energy efficiency and our pick of the best air cooler for bedrooms thanks to its low noise level – Swan’s Nordic Air Cooler
Megan is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s senior homes and lifestyle writer. She loves diving into the latest product releases to find the very best buys on the market and has written hundreds of product reviews on everything from the best vacuum cleaners and coffee machines to the best ice cream makers and robot window cleaners.
When she’s not writing about the newest gadgets and gizmos for your home and garden, you’ll find her running every distance from 5km to 100km or relaxing at home with her cat – there really is no in between.
Megan has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously written for Stylist, Glamour, Women's Health, TimeOut, SquareMeal, and YOU magazine. You can find Megan on Instagram @meganlouisegeall.
Masudah has a master's degree in clinical drug development and combines this scientific background with a love for all things homes – from cooking appliances to smart home tech. She enjoys collecting and analysing quantitative data, ensuring that her product evaluations go beyond mere opinions. She particularly loves using the Digi Eye machine in the GHI lab to assess the colour and texture of products as part of our duvet cover and detergent tests. In her spare time, Masudah enjoys learning about new tech, baking delicious treats, and keeping her home spotless. With a passion for creativity and an eye for detail, she brings a unique perspective to every product she tests.
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