When the temperature starts creeping up, a fan can only do so much. They move the air around, but they don’t actually cool it, which is why rooms can still feel warm and stuffy on hotter days. That’s where the best air coolers come in.
I’ve been testing cooling kits for the best part of a decade, from fans and air purifiers to portable air conditioners and air coolers, and each has its place, depending on what you need.
Portable air conditioners are great if you want to bring the temperature down properly, but they’re not always the most convenient option. They need venting, take up a fair bit of space and can be more expensive to run. Air coolers, on the other hand, are much simpler. There’s no installation involved, they’re typically cheaper to buy and run, and they use water rather than refrigerants, making them a more energy-efficient choice for everyday use.
To see how well they actually perform in UK conditions (rather than the ideal dry heat), I’ve tested a range of air coolers at home, comparing airflow, noise, energy use and real-world cooling performance. Some are better suited to bedrooms or home offices; others to larger living spaces, but all aim to make hot days more comfortable without the cost or complexity of air conditioning.
Read more: Best portable air conditioners, reviewed
The best air coolers for 2026 are:
- Best air cooler overall – Dreo TurboCool misting fan 516S: £99.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget air cooler – Tristar digital air cooler: £69.99, Toolstation.com
- Best quiet air cooler – Dreo TurboCool misting fan 765S: Was £199.99, now £169.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for low energy use – Swan two-in-one Nordic air cooler, 5l: £79.99, Amazon.co.uk
Read more: Best fans, tried and tested
Dreo turbocool misting fan 516S
Rating: 5/5
Best: air cooler overall
Why we love it
- Exceptionally powerful airflow
- Wide, 150-degree oscillation
- Smart features and app control
Take note
- Small 1.3l tank
The Dreo turbocool misting fan 516S impressed in testing, coming out as the best air cooler. It’s compact but surprisingly capable and it punches well above its size. It’s more of a hybrid between a desk fan and an air cooler, but in a smaller bedroom or home office, it makes a noticeable difference to comfort levels.
Airflow is the real standout. I measured speeds of up to 5m/s in turbo mode, which is seriously impressive for something this compact. You’ll instantly feel a cooling breeze, and the misting function adds an extra layer of relief, particularly in dry, stuffy conditions. It’s also one of the few models where you can actually see the fine mist being dispersed, which makes the cooling effect feel more immediate.
Oscillation is also excellent. With a wide 150-degree horizontal sweep, it does a great job of pushing air across the room, while the 30-degree vertical tilt can be adjusted manually to direct airflow exactly where you want it. For a smaller unit, it’s far more effective at distributing air than you might expect.
Smart features are another big plus. It connects quickly to the excellent Dreo app, where you can monitor room temperature and humidity in real time, adjust fan speeds and even customise the lighting. The built-in light also doubles as a humidity indicator (orange for dry air, green for comfortable levels and blue when things get a bit too humid), which is a nice touch.
Despite its smaller 1.3l tank, it can run for up to 12 hours, making it practical for overnight use. In my testing, it reduced the room temperature by around 2C in an hour, which is in line with the brand’s claims and solid for a unit of this size. Noise is well controlled too, topping out at around 40dB in turbo mode. In terms of energy use, it’s the second most energy-efficient fan in this guide, beaten only by the Swan Nordic cool, costing around 1p per hour to run.
The only real drawback is that there’s a lot going on. With multiple airflow modes, misting options, app controls and lighting settings, it can feel slightly overcomplicated at first. But once you get used to it, this is one of the most versatile and effective compact air coolers in the guide.
Key specifications
Buy now £99.99, Amazon.co.uk
Tristar digital air cooler
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: budget air cooler
Why we love it
- Strong airflow for such a compact unit
- Quiet enough for bedrooms
- Excellent value for money
Take note
- Remote doesn’t come with batteries
If you’re after a budget-friendly air cooler that still delivers where it counts, this Tristar model is one of the strongest performers I tested. The design is fairly simple and not especially eye-catching, but it’s compact, sleek enough to blend in, and doesn’t take up too much floor space.
Performance is where it really impresses. Despite its smaller footprint, airflow is good. I measured up to 2.5m/s on the highest setting, and you feel the cooling breeze almost instantly. It was also one of the most effective air coolers in this guide overall, pulling the room temperature down by more than 2C in an hour.
It’s also pleasantly quiet. Even at top speed, it sits around 40dB, and on its lowest setting, it drops to roughly 35dB, making it a genuinely good option for bedrooms. Like many air coolers, sleep mode cycles between fan speeds rather than sticking to the lowest, which feels a bit odd, but you can always manually dial it down to the lowest speed if you prefer a consistent, quieter airflow.
I liked the digital display too, which clearly shows the current room temperature, and you can switch it off if you don’t want the extra light at night. You can also boost the cooling effect by topping up the upper tank with cold water or ice, which helps maximise performance and extend runtime.
Oscillation is fairly effective, similar to the larger Sealey model but slightly narrower in horizontal range, although the adjustable front panels give you a bit more control over airflow direction.
Energy use is on the higher side at 68W, making it one of the more power-hungry models here. It’s still cheap to run overall, but noticeably less efficient than lower-wattage rivals, so that’s worth factoring in if you’re planning to use it for long stretches.
One thing to note is that the remote arrives without batteries. For the price, this is a seriously strong all-rounder.
Key specifications
Buy now £69.99, Toolstation.com
Dreo turbocool misting fan 765S
Rating: 4/5
Best: quiet air cooler
Why we love it
- Very quiet (as low as 20dB)
- Large 6l tank for longer use
- Smart controls with app
Take note
- Higher energy use
If you’ve got the space and want something that properly shifts air, the Dreo turbocool 765S delivers powerful, whole-room cooling with ease. But it also impressed me with how quiet it was. Even on higher settings, it’s impressively controlled (around 40dB), and it drops as low as 20dB on quieter modes, which makes it one of the best options I tested for sleeping through a heatwave.
It’s tall but slim, so while it makes more of a statement, the footprint is still surprisingly manageable. Performance is standout. Airflow feels strong and consistent (up to 4.7m/s in my tests), and the brand’s ultra mist tech works brilliantly, producing a super-fine mist that cools the air without leaving any dampness behind. Stand close, and you’ll feel an instant chill, but leave it running by a sofa or desk, and everything stays dry. It’s not the widest oscillator at 90 degrees, but its height helps push air farther across the room, making it effective in spaces up to about 18 square metres.
You also get plenty of control, with 12 speeds plus turbo, sleep and auto modes, alongside app, voice and remote operation. The 6l tank means you can run it for longer stretches without topping up, and there’s a customisable ambient light if you like a bit of mood lighting.
The only real compromise is energy use. At around 84W on full power with misting, it’s not the cheapest to run compared with smaller units, but the trade-off is noticeably stronger cooling performance. In my testing, it dropped the room temperature by around 2C in an hour, which is solid for an evaporative cooler of this size.
Key specifications
Buy now £169.99, Amazon.co.uk
Drew&Cole smartair speedi chill tower evaporative cooling fan, 3.5l
Rating: 4/5
Best: for powerful airflow
Why we love it
- Exceptionally strong airflow
- Very quiet, even at top speed
- Relatively affordable price and running costs
Take note
- Smaller tank compared with some other models
- Air purification claims didn’t hold up during my tests
If airflow is your top priority, Drew&Cole’s speedi chill fan tower is easily one of the most impressive air coolers I tested. Straight away, I noticed how powerful it is. At up to 4m/s, it delivered some of the strongest airflow (beaten only by the Dreo models and the admittedly huge Symphony sumo), creating an instant cooling breeze that makes a real difference in hot, sticky conditions.
Even at full power, it’s quiet, reaching around 36dB, dropping to roughly 33dB on its lowest setting. In practice, that means you get serious airflow without the usual noise, making it a good, affordable option for daytime use and overnight cooling, even without a dedicated sleep mode.
Rather than relying on internal vents shifting side to side, the whole unit rotates through a 70-degree arc, which does a much better job of pushing cool air across the room. It feels noticeably more effective at distributing airflow evenly compared to smaller, vent-based designs. It’s energy-efficient too, costing just 27p to run for 24 hours, making it one of the more affordable air coolers to run.
The 3.5l tank is on the smaller side, so you’ll need to refill it more often than larger models, especially if you’re running it at higher speeds. And while it does come with an “integrated air-purifying ioniser”, I tested this using my air quality monitor, taking particle readings before and after 30 minutes of use, and didn’t see any measurable improvement.
That said, for sheer airflow, low noise and effective room coverage, the speedi chill tower is one of the standout performers here.
Key specifications
Buy now £99.99, Amazon.co.uk
Swan two-in-one Nordic air cooler, 5l
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: air cooler for low energy use
Why we love it
- Low energy use
- 24 fan speeds
- Stylish, compact design
Take note
- Oscillation isn’t as effective as rotating units
For cheap running costs, this Swan two-in-one Nordic air cooler is a winner. At 27W on full power, it costs less than 1p an hour to run, making it the most energy-efficient option I tested.
Straight out of the box, it feels thoughtfully designed with a slim footprint that doesn’t dominate a room and a surprisingly premium look for the price.
With 24 speed settings, it’s one of the most adjustable air coolers I’ve tried. There’s also a natural wind mode, although this limits you to seven speeds, so I found myself sticking with the standard settings for finer tweaks. When on the highest setting, airflow reached 2.2m/s, which translated to a noticeable breeze without feeling overly harsh or icy.
In terms of cooling, it won’t transform a room in the same way a portable air conditioner would, but it did take the stickiness out of the humidity. I measured around a 1C drop after an hour, which is fairly typical for this type of cooler, but it felt more comfortable thanks to the airflow and light evaporative effect.
Noise levels are well judged. At around 40dB on its highest setting, it’s fairly quiet, and while sleep mode only drops to around 37dB, I found you’re better off manually lowering the fan speed, where it can reach a much more bedroom-friendly 28dB.
There are a couple of compromises. The oscillation is a little unusual; rather than the whole unit rotating, the front vents rotate clockwise or anticlockwise, which I didn’t find quite as effective for circulating air around the room. The remote is also fairly basic, with a limited range of around 5m and no magnetic holder or storage slot, so it’s easy to misplace.
Key specifications
Buy now £79.99, Amazon.co.uk
Sealey air cooler, purifier, humidifier, 4l
Rating: 4/5
Best: easy-to-use air cooler
Why we love it
- Punchy airflow for a compact unit
- Simple, no-fuss controls
- Lightweight and easy to move around
Take note
- No remote or smart features
- Noisy for sleeping, even on lower settings
If you prefer something simple and unfussy, this Sealey air cooler leans into a more old-school approach. There’s no app, no remote and no digital display, just straightforward push-button controls that do exactly what you expect. It feels a bit retro, but in a way that’s quite refreshing if you don’t want to faff with settings or connectivity.
Despite its fairly compact size and smaller 4l tank, it delivers surprisingly punchy airflow. In my testing, wind speeds reached up to 3m/s on the highest setting, making it one of the more powerful units here when it comes to sheer breeze. That translated into a noticeable cooling effect too, with the room temperature dropping by around 2C after an hour – one of the better results I recorded from an air cooler. The included ice packs also help boost the cooling effect when you need it most.
Like the Swan, oscillation comes from moving front vents rather than the whole unit rotating, and it feels fairly limited in range, so it’s not the best at circulating air evenly across a larger space. That said, it’s light enough to move around easily, either on its wheels or by carrying it, and its compact shape means it tucks neatly into a corner when not in use.
Noise is where it falls short. With only around a 3dB difference between its lowest and highest settings, it doesn’t get quiet enough for comfortable overnight use, particularly if you’re a light sleeper.
Running costs are still reasonable at 56W (around 1p an hour), though it’s worth noting that this is more than double the energy use of quieter, more efficient models such as the Swan cooler included in this guide.
Key specifications
Buy now £88.74, Amazon.co.uk
Morphy Richards flexi freeze 7l air cooler
Rating: 4/5
Best: stylish air cooler
Why we love it
- Premium, stylish design
- Removable water tank makes emptying easy
- Quiet enough for bedrooms on lower settings
Take note
- Cooling setup is a bit fiddly
If you’re looking for something that looks premium, I’d recommend this Morphy Richards model. The deep charcoal finish and matte plastic give it a more polished, design-led feel than most, and its compact shape means it doesn’t dominate a room. The front vent and LED control panel are neatly integrated, too, so it feels a step up from more basic models.
What really stood out in day-to-day use was how easy it is to deal with the water tank. You can technically fill it from the top, but the real win is the fully removable tank at the base. I found it far simpler to take it to the sink, fill it properly and clip it back into place, rather than wrestling with hoses or trying to empty leftover water as you have to with some rivals.
Performance is solid rather than outstanding. Airflow is punchy when you’re right next to it, but it tops out at around 1.5m/s a metre away, so it’s not the most powerful here. But it delivers a steady, comfortable breeze, pulling the room temperature down by a degree in the first hour of use. Oscillation is also good, with the front grille rotating clockwise or anticlockwise, which you can adjust to suit your room setup. You’ve got a good mix of modes too, including natural and sleep, although I did find natural mode a bit clunky in its abrupt way of cycling through different speeds.
There are a few quirks. To use the cooling function, you need to manually release and reposition the internal pump into the water tank, which feels a bit overcomplicated at first, but this is fine once you know how to do it. There’s also no clear visual feedback on the front of the unit when you change settings remotely, so you often have to double-check what mode you’re in.
Noise levels are well judged, though. At around 40dB on high and dropping to roughly 33dB on low, it’s a good option for bedrooms, especially compared to louder models in this guide. The handy timer and generous water tank mean you can set it anywhere from 1 to 24 hours for effective cooling.
Key specifications
Buy now £124.99, Amazon.co.uk
Sealey air cooler, purifier and humidifier with remote control, 13l
Rating: 4/5
Best: air cooler for larger spaces
Why we love it
- Large tank means longer runtime
- Strong, punchy airflow
Take note
- Bulky and not the most stylish
- Higher energy use than smaller models
If you’ve got a bigger space to cool and want something that can run for longer without constant refilling, this larger Sealey model is a proper workhorse. It’s not going to win any design awards (it’s big and a bit utilitarian), but it’s surprisingly lightweight for its size and easy to move around on its castors.
The standout feature here is the generous 13l water tank. In testing, that translated to much longer runtimes than smaller units, making it a good option if you want consistent cooling throughout the day without topping up every few hours. Filling is straightforward, with the option to either pour water directly into the base via the filter housing or top it up using a side chute. There’s a drain at the bottom, too, so you can just tip any unused water away at the end of use.
The Sealey kicked out a lovely cooling breeze during testing, but I also found it carried well across the room, maintaining a steady, comfortable waft that didn’t have me reaching for my cardigan. The oscillation is more effective than some of the smaller models in this guide, too. The internal vents sweep across a wide horizontal range, while the front panels can be adjusted manually to direct airflow exactly where you want it. It was one of the most effective air coolers in this guide, pulling overall room temperature down by over 2C in an hour.
Noise levels are fairly reasonable for a unit of this size, reaching around 46dB on its highest setting and dropping to roughly 37dB on low, so it’s usable in living spaces without being too intrusive.
Energy use is on the higher side at 64W, making it one of the more power-hungry models I tested. It’s still relatively cheap to run overall (roughly 38p for 24 hours of continuous use), but noticeably less efficient than smaller units like the Swan or even the Morphy Richards, so it’s something to factor in if you’ll be running it regularly.
The main drawback is its size. It’s overkill for smaller rooms and you’ll need to think about where to store it outside of summer, especially as it doesn’t double as a heater for year-round use. I’m not convinced by the claim to be an air purifier – it doesn’t have a HEPA filter and the activated carbon filter didn’t do a great job of dispelling the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) I released with a couple of squirts of hair spray (levels were still in the red zone on my air particle meter 30 minutes later).
Key specifications
Buy now £150.14, Bigdug.co.uk
Symphony duet i-s air cooler
Rating: 3.5/5
Best: for strong airflow on a budget
Why we love it
- Very powerful airflow for the price
- Decent-sized tank for longer cooling sessions
- Fun extras such as mood lighting
Take note
- High energy use compared with some rivals
- No remote
- Build feels a bit basic
If you’re after something powerful on a tighter budget, the Symphony duet i-s makes a strong first impression – even if it does look a bit like a Dalek.
It’s a fairly chunky unit with a slightly cheap and plasticky build, but it’s lightweight enough to move around easily, and the integrated carry handle is genuinely useful. There’s even a built-in mood light, which feels like a bit of a bonus for a kids’ bedroom or games room.
The setup is slightly different from most air coolers I tested. Instead of a removable tank or top-fill design, you pull out a drawer to add water. There are no ice packs included, but you can add ice directly into the tank once it’s filled, which helps boost the cooling effect.
Performance is where it shines. Airflow is excellent, reaching up to 3.5m/s, making it one of the more powerful models in this guide. You feel the cooling breeze straight away, although it’s more about airflow than overall temperature reduction. In my testing, the room temperature dropped by around 1C after an hour.
Oscillation is another plus. The unit sweeps across a 45-degree arc, helping distribute that strong airflow more evenly across the room rather than creating a single, fixed stream. Combined with the optional pedestal stand, which lifts the unit higher off the floor, it does a better job of pushing cool air to different heights, which can make a noticeable difference when you’re sitting or lying down.
That power does come at a cost, though. At 76W on its highest setting, it’s one of the more energy-hungry air coolers I tested, costing roughly 45p for 24 hours of use. That’s noticeably higher than more efficient models here, so it’s something to keep in mind if you’re planning to run it regularly.
Noise levels are fairly middle-of-the-road. At around 44dB on high and 40dB on low, it’s not the loudest, but it’s also not especially quiet, so light sleepers might struggle to use it overnight.
There’s no remote control either, which feels like a bit of a miss, and overall build quality doesn’t feel quite as refined as some of the sleeker models in this guide. Still, if you prioritise strong airflow over premium design or low running costs, it gets the job done.
Key specifications
Buy now £79.99, Symphony-coolers.co.uk
Your questions about air coolers answered
What is the best air cooler?
The Dreo TurboCool misting fan 516S is the best air cooler, thanks to a brilliant balance of compact size, powerful airflow, wide oscillation and genuinely useful smart controls. It made a noticeable difference in a smaller room, while staying quiet and cheap to run. The Swan 5l Nordic air cooler was another standout, especially as low running costs matter more now than ever, using just 26.9W on its highest setting. For large spaces, the Sealey 13l air cooler, purifier and humidifier is one to beat. If you’re on a tighter budget, the Tristar digital air cooler offers strong airflow for such a compact unit.
How I tested and selected the best air coolers
I tested each air cooler at home during warm spells. Like all my cooling tests, this wasn’t done in a lab, so while I controlled what I could, factors like outdoor temperature and humidity naturally varied slightly between sessions. That said, using repeatable methods and the same equipment each time meant I could make fair, real-world comparisons.
How much do air coolers cost to run?
Air coolers are generally very cheap to run, especially compared to portable air conditioners. Based on my testing, the models in this guide use between 27W and 84W on their highest settings, which keeps running costs low even during longer use. At current UK energy prices and using the Sust-it energy calculator, that works out at roughly under 1p to just over 2p per hour for most units.
The most energy-efficient model I tested was the Swan Nordic air cooler, which used just 26.9W and cost well under a penny per hour to run. More powerful models, like the Dreo TurboCool 765S (84W) or Symphony Sumo (97W), operate at higher wattages on their most powerful settings, but even these typically come in under 50p for 24 hours of continuous use.
In real terms, that means you can comfortably run an air cooler throughout the day or overnight without worrying about a big spike in your energy bill. While they won’t cool a room as aggressively as an air conditioner, they offer a far more energy-efficient way to stay comfortable in warm weather, making them a practical and affordable choice for everyday use.
What’s the difference between a fan, an air cooler and a portable air conditioner?
It comes down to how much cooling you want and how each device works.
A fan simply moves air around the room, wherever the temperature that air is. It can feel refreshing, especially if you’re sitting directly in front of it, but it doesn’t lower the temperature.
A portable air conditioner actively removes heat from the air and vents it outside, which is why it needs a hose positioned at a window. This is the most effective way to cool a room to a set temperature, but it usually comes with higher upfront costs, more energy use and a bit more setup.
An air cooler sits somewhere in between. It won’t chill a room in the same way as an AC, but it can make a noticeable difference by lowering the temperature by a few degrees and creating a steady flow of cooler, more refreshing air. As Sean O’Brien, Head of Sales at Symphony Air Coolers explained to me, they offer “a cost-effective, energy-efficient way to stay cool, especially for everyday home use”.
Air coolers work using evaporative cooling. Inside the unit, water passes through a cooling pad, and as it evaporates, it cools the air that’s pushed back out into the room. It’s a simple, plug-and-play setup - just fill the tank, choose your fan speed and you’re good to go.You can chill the air further by adding ice or ice packs, and most of the air coolers in this guide come with at least one or two ice packs included that you can pop in the freezer.
Air coolers also have a few practical advantages. There’s no installation required, they’re easy to move from room to room as they’re so light (less than 6kg in most cases), and they’re typically much cheaper to run than an air conditioner. In fact, air coolers can use “up to 14 times less energy” than traditional air conditioning, according to O’Brien, making them a more energy-efficient option for keeping comfortable in warm weather.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Joanne Lewsley is a writer and product tester, with particular expertise in cooling and air treatment products, having found the best dehumidifiers, best air purifiers and best fans for IndyBest. Alongside this, she has put other household essentials to the test including the best Dyson vacuums, best cordless vacuum cleaners, best wet and dry vacuum cleaners and more, so Joanne knows what to look for when buying an appliance for your home.
Read more: Best air purifiers, tested
