Cold as ice (Challenge Air Cooler)

Member Name: Tracy_1127

Product:	Challenge Air Cooler
Date:	28/07/08 (657 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Works well with ice

Disadvantages: Doesn't work so well without ice

I bought one of these over the weekend, far too hot for me and my cats so I thought we'd try one as they're currently on offer at Argos for £44.99. The unit has an 8 litre water tank, oscillating function, humidifier, purifier, 3 speed fan, 2 ice packs and weighs about 10kg.

I immediately tried it on returning home but with just water in the tank so the cloth in the back rotates through the water and the air blows through that to create the effect of a breeze across water.

This wasn't very effective unless you stand right near the front and the temperature here was 32 degrees at the time so the water just got warmer. I had put the 2 ice packs in the freezer when I got home but the instructions advise leaving them there for 24 hours before use. I couldn't see how these 2 packs would be much help though, they are little square blocks about a centimetre thick and I could guess what would happen, the water would warm these packs up pretty quickly. I tried adding ice cubes directly to the water but these melted so fast the cooling effect didn't last long.

I thought about buying spare ice packs then had a flash of inspiration! We had some empty plastic bottles kicking about so I filled these with water and froze them.

The next day I half-filled the water tank with water, placed several of my homemade ice packs in the water and turned the unit on. Much more effective! So be warned you'll need plenty of ice unless you just want a fan effect.

Overall it does what it claims to, it's not an air conditioner so it never claimed to cool the room dramatically anyway. It works well in our rooms, some are quite large, as long as I keep the ice supply fresh.

Summary: Helpful for hot days as long as you add ice packs aplenty!