Its hot! How effective is an air cooler as opposed to an air conditioner?

Has anyone ever bought a portable air cooler? Are they any good, or should we just buy an air conditioner?

Last weekend I was in Currys.
The choice:
£200 for a small portable air-con unit, or
£50 for an air cooler

I figured it was worth risking £50...
it's an evaporative cooler. You put water (8 litres) and optionally frozen cool blocks (3 supplied) into the bottom of the device.
A 3 speed fan with an oscillating (left/right sweep) blows a very pleasant stream of cold air...

But it's not air-con.

On the plus side, that means I don't have to vent it to the outside (to get rid of the heat it would generate) - just as well, because I'd have to have all the doors & windows closed to get any benefit anyway....

On balance: worth the £50. I suspect that the portable air-con wouldn't be worth the £200 - I don't think I could persuade the rest of the family to keep all the doors & windows shut!

#28 - Question/Answer: Best CPU Air Cooler

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