Aircon vs. Air Cooler: Which one should you buy first?

Do you live in a tropical country? If the answer is yes, then this article is for you. This article will guide you with regard to choosing between an aircon and an air cooler. With the huge price difference, you will really end up contemplating this purchase more.  You may say, “How hard it is to just choose one?” Well, maybe for those who have experienced both will agree that there is a huge difference.

First of all, what are the differences between an aircon and an air cooler? A lot of people think that these two are basically the same thing with different names. Well, they are definitely different but not entirely right. Air conditioners are more advanced compared to simple air coolers which rely on evaporation alone to cool your surrounding environment. An AC also known as a refrigerant unit works by cooling down the hot compressed gas in coils or evaporator so that it can condense into liquid form again. This process produces cold temperatures where the gas releases its heat outside your house . Most AC units come with a cooling pad called the evaporator. The hot compressed gas will pass through long rows of coils which are set outside your house. It is this coil that makes the cold air inside the room. After which, it will become liquid again and be recycled back to turn into a gas state once more before reaching to your room again.

Air coolers on the other hand function just like an AC unit but instead of using gas as its cooling agent, water is used to create cool temperatures within your surrounding environment. Once it turns into vapor form, you can feel the cold breeze all over your body. Air coolers cooling mechanism is based on Peltier effect or electric pumping where electricity passes through metal plates so that heat can be transferred from one side to another. You need ice or water in order for the heat transfer to take effect since these two are generally good electrical insulators so they do not conduct electricity easily. The cold temperature will lead to a decrease in pressure and then this will result in the increase of volume inside a sealed container. This process is called pumping and that is how an air cooler works, by just using its fan and pads which function as condenser and evaporator respectively.

Now that we know the difference between an AC and an air cooler, let us talk about what you really care about:

Price

People often ask me if it is possible to cool down your room without spending too much on electric bills? My answer is yes, it is possible. You can get an AC or an air cooler depending on your preference but you have to understand the difference first in order to make a smart choice. If you are tight on budget, then I would suggest that getting an air cooler will help save up on some money for you since this device only consumes 25% of your electricity bill compared with an AC unit.

Size

People also ask what size do I need? The bigger the room, the bigger would be the machine needed in order for it to work efficiently. An AC unit that has a cooling capacity of 5 tons is good enough to cool down 100-150 square meters of room while 2 tons can already cool down 50 square meters of room effectively.

Durability/Longevity

Both types of cooling machines are made with the same purpose in mind so durability and longevity definitely depend on manufacturers. But since air cooler’s main component is water, you can expect this device to tire easily without proper care. Moreover, the lifespan of an air cooler is equivalent to that of a water dispenser which is around 2 years maximum. On the other hand, AC units are more durable compared with an air cooler since it does not have parts that wear down easily like pumps or fans.

Which one should you buy first?

For maximum convenience and efficiency, you can never go wrong by investing in an air conditioner.  This device comes with a huge cooling capacity and it is also easy to install. It will not only improve the air quality inside your room but it can also prevent you from falling sick since this machine does not only cool, it humidifies as well which is essential for everybody’s health.

So if you do plan on getting an AC, make sure that you get one with good reviews and of a good brand. It would be best if you do some research beforehand especially on how to buy an aircon. If the budget is really tight then I suggest that you start low and go for cheap models first before upgrading to bigger ones later on. You can always upgrade your existing AC unit once there are newer technology units in the market today or when they have some sort of special promotion going on.

And if you have a little bit of extra cash to spend, then investing in an air cooler is a good choice as well especially for those who live in places where temperatures are generally high most of the time. But take note that this device isn’t made to be used all year round so it would not really matter much if you purchase one or not considering that winter season is just around the corner.

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