Have you wanted to enjoy the outdoors in the summer, but don’t want to leave the air conditioned comfort of the indoors? Thanks to outdoor air conditioners, you can do just that! Outdoor AC, otherwise known as evaporative coolers, create a cooling mist to help you enjoy those hot summer days.
There are a surprising number of evaporative coolers on the market, which is great because it means you have lots of options, but it can also be overwhelming. Thankfully, we’ve put together this guide to help you make the right choice and help you find the best outdoor air conditioner for you.
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Our Recommended Outdoor Air Conditioner in 2022
5) iBaste Portable Air Conditioner
With this portable outdoor air conditioner, you have access to three fan speeds, as well as a mist sprayer. All of these functions make it easy to cool an outdoor space, and to customize the cooling process.
For you to use this air conditioner, you will need to fill up the 300ML water tank. By doing so, you can then convert that water into cool air.
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4) OEMTOOLS 23976 3-Speed Evaporative Cooler
Just as the name implies, this is an evaporative cooler. Since this is an evaporative cooler, you will need to connect a hose to the cooler.
Upon doing so, you can turn the cooler on. All of that water will be cooled and evaporated. That way, you can cool an outdoor space as large as 950 square-feet, without needing to spend as much money as you would with a regular air conditioner.
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3) Honeywell CO48PM Evaporative Air Cooler
From Honeywell, we have the CO48PM. You can use this cooler just about anywhere. In your backyard, your basement, your bedroom; and a variety of other spaces.
For you to use this cooler, you can fill up the 10.6-gallon tank. After that, you will be given a plethora of different settings. Each setting makes it easy for you to use this cooler the way you want to use it.
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2) Hessaire MC18M Portable Evaporative Cooler
You can use this cooler to cool spaces as large as 500 square-feet. For backyards and indoor spaces of that size, this cooler is fantastic.
To use this cooler, there are five settings. You have access to two cooling modes, two modes that rely only on the fan, as well as pump on/pump off setting. Each setting lets you cool your space the way you want it cooled.
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1) Hessaire MC37M Portable Evaporative Cooler
The most notable feature this cooler offers is efficiency; you can cool a space as large as 950 square-feet with this cooler.
Since this cooler offers this level of functionality, the overall cooling power is significant. Because of this, if you live in a place that gets hot regularly, this is a wonderful cooler to own.
- Experience Superior Cooling: Embrace the evaporative air cooler capabilities of the Hessaire 3,100 CFM! This...
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Outdoor Air Conditioners, How Do They Work?
It is important to know the differences between models to make sure you find the right model for the space you’re hoping to cool, whether it be a back yard or a large commercial space. The size of the space you’re trying to cool is one of the most important considerations to take into account when you’re looking for any cooling system. Before getting into the differences between outdoor air conditioners though, first you must understand the differences between indoor and outdoor air conditions. So let’s talk about how outdoor air conditioners work.
Evaporative coolers are usually positioned at the back of a house. From there, they can pump the air in the house, through a refrigerant and out into your outdoor space. Once the air passes through the compressor, condenser coil, fan, and refrigerant, it becomes nice and cool.
The hot air that gets pumped into the AC unit gets passed through the compressor. The compressor’s main function is to move the refrigerant through air conditioning unit. This circulation of the refrigerant is what allows you to continue to use the same amount of refrigerant time and again, rather than having to frequently add more refrigerant.
After passing through the compressor, the refrigerant next moves to the condenser. While the air passes through the condenser, the fan blows cool over the condenser, causing the previously warm air to cool. The refrigerant gets recycled back to the beginning and the whole process starts again.
As the name implies, evaporative coolers use the magic of evaporation and water to cool down a space. They are sometimes referred to as swamp coolers. Evaporative coolers suck air in and then pass it over damp and hard edged cooling pads, which looks like honeycombs and are made of corrugated paper.
Once the hot air has been passed through the cooling pads, the evaporative cooler pumps out cool and moisture-laden air into your desired space. One major perk to evaporative coolers is that they can reduce a space’s temperature around 25 degrees Fahrenheit more quickly than other models.
Can Humidity Effect Evaporative Cooling?
A common misconception about outdoor air conditioners is that they do not work in humid climates. The good news is that this is untrue. Evaporative coolers can help you cool down no matter what the climate is outside.
While evaporative coolers can work in any climate, it is true that they are more effective in less humid climates. Specifically, outdoor air conditioners are most effective when humidity is at less than 30 percent. The more humid, the less effective an evaporative cooler will be.
If you’re wondering about whether or not an evaporative cooler is right for you, you can do this simple test to get a ball park idea of it’s effectiveness in your climate. To perform this test, you take a damp cloth, cover the bottom of a thermometer with it, and whisk the cloth covered thermometer through the air. This test is called the wet bulb temperature test.
Whatever temperature your thermometer reads at after performing this test is a good estimate for the maximum possible cooling effect you’ll get from an evaporative cooler.
So Many Choices: The Different Types of Air Conditioners
Not only are there multiple types of air conditioners, but there are also multiple types of specifically outdoor air conditioners. First let’s break down the types of air conditioners generally, and then we can talk more specifically about the kinds of outdoor air conditioners that are out there.
The big, wide world of air conditioners includes:
Window air conditioners – Smaller units that are mounted on windows and are used to cool off individual rooms.
Floor-mounted air conditioners – Units that are made to be operated from the floor, as opposed to a window unit, which is made to be operated from a window.
Ductless mini-split – These are some of the most desirable unity for modern homes. They serve as both indoor and outdoor air conditioners.
Central air conditioners – They are large, immobile systems that regulate temperature through a space using a system of air ducts.
Hybrid/dual fuel air conditioners – These units are great, cost effective models because they combine the use of gas and electric fuels to deliver controlled temperature air quickly and efficiently.
Geothermal air conditioners – These models send water through pipes down into the ground, where the water is cooled off naturally.
Smart air conditioners – They come in different forms, from mini-splits to window units, and use IoT technology.
Portable air conditioners – Essentially the same as a window unit, but they aren’t actually mounted on a window and are instead free standing. This gives you the advantage of being able to move them around.
Now let’s get down into the specifics. Here are the three main types of outdoor air conditioning units:
Direct evaporative coolers – They use evaporating water to add moisture and coolness to the temperature of a space.
Mounted coolers: Much like the name suggests, these coolers have the ability to be mounted on different surfaces.
Indirect evaporative coolers – Unlike direct evaporative coolers, indirect coolers do not add any humidity to the air. They are not the same thing as swamp coolers and can actually allow you to lower the temperature of your space to lower temperatures.