Air-N-Water Reviews

When used in the right circumstances (high temperatures, low humidity), an evaporative cooler is a great way to stay cool. Also commonly referred to as swamp coolers, evaporative coolers are way less expensive than traditional air conditioners because they use less energy and are simpler pieces of equipment.

Swamp coolers keep you cool by using a very simple process we’ve all experienced but maybe never have thought about. Warm air is passed through water soaked cooling pads, and when the water evaporates, the air is cooled. Think of coming out of a pool on a hot day and feeling the wind hit your skin. That’s the power of evaporation at work!

NewAir recently asked me to review one of their newest portable evaporative coolers for this year: the AF-351. This residential unit covers larger areas up to 300 square feet, and it was more than enough for my large living room. Recent Southern California temperatures have been moderate for this time of year, but there were a few days last week where the temperatures reached well over 90°F, making it prime time to test this unit out.

Overall, the NewAir AF-351 portable evaporative cooler does a great job at what it’s designed to do. Since the area where I live has low relative humidity, I found this product to be an excellent way to stave off the heat on warm days. Since the unit holds a good amount of water (20 liters), I didn’t have to refill the unit often. There’s also a meter that tells you how much water is left in the tank. Here are some additional thoughts on the unit:

Pros:

• Sturdy design – the unit looks like it’s built well and should last several seasons
• Digital display – this shows the different fan speeds and timer (if you have this set)
• Remote – handy for controlling this from different parts of the room
• Powerful – you can definitely feel the cool air and it covers as much as it claims to

Cons:

• Sound level – since this evaporative cooler is more powerful than most compact air coolers you’ll find on the market, you’ll definitely hear it on high speeds, though it’s not louder than an air conditioner.

The NewAir AF-351 portable evaporative cooler is a great buy if you’re looking to stay cool for less this summer and is available for less than $200 at www.air-n-water.com.