The versatile Black and Decker 7 litre air cooler can be used as a cooler, humidifier and fan, perfect for year round use. Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest.

This cooler has a big seven-litre water tank, and comes with a couple of ice packs, which should help it cool harder for longer. The Black+Decker 7-litre portable 2-in-1 air cooler looks like a medium-sized tower fan that’s bulked up for a new role. The bestselling device has rave reviews thanks to its efficient cooling and features like the removable water tank and changeable full spectrum LED lights. What’s more, they’re a whole lot cheaper and more convenient than any air conditioner, using much less energy and with no need to expel air from a tube sticking out of a window. Other good points include an easy-to-fill water tank, which you can fill from the top, and simple one-button controls, where you just tap to cycle through the speeds.What’s more, this is one of the few coolers we’ve seen with a built-in timer, so you can set it to chill your bedroom before you go to bed.

Three Fan Speeds - Three fan speeds give you control over the effectiveness and noise output of the appliance. Display / Controls - The appliance has a digital display and intuitive soft touch controls for ease of use. Let’s be clear: these machines won’t cool your room like a proper air conditioner, but they can give you a colder blast of air than your average fan, especially when used at close range.It’s great to see that you’re already aware of the importance of reviews in aiding your purchase decision, of any product, but especially Heating and cooling. Water Tank - The unit comes with a large 7 litre water tank which can be detached for filling/cleaning. tank won’t last much more than a day, but for sweet relief from overheating it’s as good as coolers get. Their home appliances range includes vacuum cleaners, steam cleaners, window cleaners, fan heaters, oil radiators, tower heaters, and more. Although the Black+Decker air cooler’s basic controls are a shame, I like the ability to pair it with a smart switch.

In practice, like other evaporative coolers, its ability to reduce temperature is heavily dependent on the relative humidity of the room in which it’s placed. While it’s certainly very capable, it doesn’t move as much air as very powerful circulators such as the Vonhaus 18” floor fan. Its effectiveness is enhanced by the use of two ice packs which fit in a detachable 7 litre water tank. With some air coolers, there’s a risk of adding to the room’s humidity, which can be a problem if it already suffers from excess humidity. None of this would matter if it wasn’t an effective cooler, but it’s actually something of a heatwave hero.There’s one button to toggle the cooling on and off, and another to swing the vertical louvres – and hence the airflow – left and right. The three-speed fan gives you options from subtle breeze to full-on gusting, and on the lowest setting it’s quiet enough that it won’t disturb you while you work. The timer also runs up to 24 hours, so you can set it to turn on when you get home and walk into a lovely, cool room. The front is home to a substantial grille, but look closer and it’s apparent that air only exits from an area to the left. You’ll need to fit the supplied casters for easy wheeling around, but this device is light enough for most to lift quite easily.