There are some more or less clever tricks how to stay cool in a sun-heated office or bedroom. It’s not elegant at all. Fan? Air conditioning? Oh no. It’s much easier. We reveal how.
The last record summer was not too long ago. And the next one will probably be coming soon. Then the time begins again when creative solutions are required to create a tolerable climate in the office – whether at home or in the company. Opening the window only helps to a limited extent when the outside temperature exceeds 25 degrees. Throwing on a damp t-shirt is an option. Not the smartest idea for video conferencing either. The trick with your bare feet in a bowl of water also only makes the heat bearable for a short time. A wet t-shirt hanging up in a room gets you closer. Because the idea with the water is basically the right one.
In the following article you will find out how you can at least cool down the hot air in your own four walls in an elegant and environmentally friendly way. We explain the simple principle behind an air cooler and introduce devices that do more on the desk, next to the bed or in the living room than just swirl the warm air around.
Cooling the air with water: That’s the principle
The functioning of an air cooler is based on the physical principle of evaporative cooling or cold evaporation. And it works like this: The mobile water cooler sucks in the warm air in the room and directs it past a container filled with water. The water gradually evaporates, cooling the airflow in the process. The air flow enriched with water vapor is led back into the room via a fan. The humidity inevitably increases as a result. Important: An air cooler is not an air conditioner. It only creates a cool air flow. On the other hand, it is light, usually portable, usually quiet, energy-saving and does not require any chemical additives. Air coolers are available from the practical desk format to the mobile version on wheels that can hold several liters of water.
In the following we present some models – from small to large.
Product tip 1: TedGem evaporative coolers
This model is less than 30 centimeters high and has a diameter of about 16 centimeters. This means that there should be a good place for the mini-format air conditioner on every desk or bedside table. The water tank only holds around 400 milliliters of water or alternatively a handful of ice cubes. According to the manufacturer, this should be enough to provide a cool breeze in the bedroom or study for up to five hours without a break. As a little extra, the developers have given the mini cooler an LED with seven colors. Here you can buy the TedGem air cooler
Product tip 2: Pro Breeze air cooler
With a 1.4 liter tank, this air cooler comes on four wheels, the performance of which can be further increased with two included cooling packs. The device weighs almost 20 kilograms and is about 65 centimeters high. The warm air oscillates through the slats via a honeycomb filter. They can be adjusted by hand to direct the cooled airflow accordingly. All fan settings, including a timer and three fan speeds, can be selected and adjusted via a remote control or the LED display. Like most of its colleagues, this air cooler is also suitable for adding some moisture to the dry heating air in winter. The ProBreeze evaporative cooler is available here.
Product tip 3: oneConcept CTR-1 air cooler
With only seven kilograms when the water tank is empty, the air cooler is one of the lightweights among mobile air coolers. In addition, fans of bright colors should be happy about the lava red design of the device (it is also available in black and white). Otherwise, the CTR -1 with its air cooler function should bring a breath of fresh air into overheated rooms. The tank holds eight liters of water and can thus enrich several hundred cubic meters of warm air with moisture and cool it down. Alternatively, the CTR-1 can be operated with two ice packs (included) or a shovel of ice cubes. For this purpose, particles released via a built-in ionizer should fish dust particles, pollen and unpleasant odors out of the air. The built-in slats swivel automatically in order to distribute the cool airflow as efficiently and extensively as possible in the room. The oneConcept CTR-1 is available here. The slightly smaller and cheaper 3-in-1 version can be found here. It still holds six liters of water.
Product tip 4: Klarstein “Coldplayer”
The “Coldplayer” from Klarstein in Berlin is one size bigger and correspondingly more enduring. It swallows a maximum of ten liters of water and its removable water tank can also be equipped with two ice packs. The water evaporates via an integrated honeycomb filter. In contrast to the desk version, with the “Coldplayer” the cooled air flow can be blown out of the device alternately vertically and horizontally using the radio remote control. The cooler, which weighs almost nine kilograms with an empty tank, comes on four small rollers and can therefore be easily moved from one room to another. The “Coldplayer” is said to be able to reduce the temperature of the airflow that is passed through by up to 3 degrees Celsius, while at the same time cleaning the air and enriching it with moisture. This device should also not be confused with an air conditioner. The Klarstein “Coldplayer” is available here.
Click here for the Mobile Air Conditioning Test 2021.
Home remedies: Wet cloths and buckets of water
Instead of an air cooler, home remedies can also help to make working in a hot office or sleeping on tropical nights more bearable. They all use the effect of evaporative cooling. In this way, the moisture from a cotton towel that is hung out cold and wet evaporates, spreads throughout the room and provides a cooling effect. A bucket of cold water can also help. Here, too, the liquid gradually evaporates, cools down, spreads out and lowers the room temperature accordingly.
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