Fully smart, the Wave 2 can be controlled via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, which makes it exceptionally easy to set up and control; there are onboard controls if you prefer. That’s quite a high low fan speed; a little more variation between minimum and maximum would have been welcome.

We also like the fact that you can clean the filter under the tap or in the dishwasher, and that the illuminated side panels can be set to glow with a choice of seven colours if you fancy a little mood lighting. Given that most of us are looking for air coolers to chill a bedroom, it’s fairly important that they don’t make a racket. We turn the air cooler up to maximum for thirty minutes, and then an hour, to test how effective the airstream is at cooling people down, while also using a digital thermometer, or air quality sensor, to check whether it’s had any impact on the ambient room temperature or humidity.There’s no indicator to show that Natural mode is turned on, although you’ll know because the fan speed becomes variable. You need to be careful of the tubes and cable while inserting the tank, then reach into the water to clip down the pump unit. If you do lose the remote, there’s the smart app to fall back on, which lets you do all the same things as the remote, including setting the fan speed (10 choices), target temperature in heat mode, and the sleep timer.

Put the ice packs in the freezer the night before a hot summer day and place them in the water tank in the morning. The smaller models are cubes designed for desktop or coffee table use, often powered by USB and designed as a personal cooler. But it makes much more sense on a cooler, as it allows you to pre-cool a space before you get there. In typical British fashion, summer has been somewhat of a washout to date but it finally looks as though we’re set for a turnaround with temperatures expected to reach 28C in parts of the country. Thanks to a nifty built-in water tank and accompanying ice packs, this clever gadget from Princess actually does cool the air it circulates.In winter or when you don’t want cold air, you can redirect air out the back of the fan, with the air barrels rotating all the way around. Like Princess’ traditional tower fan below, this connects to a user-friendly app and is compatible with voice control. We also loved the huge 10l water tank, which could be loaded up with ice packs (you get two in the box, but they’re pretty rudimentary) and cold water. Unfortunately, it doesn’t move as much air as its 120W motor would suggest and is a little bit more unwieldy than the other tower models.

It’s well made with thoughtful design details, including the option to tilt the body of the fan, offering extra control over the direction of air. uk) is too far out of your budget, but you still want a personal air cooler that can sit on your desk, JML’s chillmax pure 2. liter water reservoir, the Smart Air Cooler ensures hours of continuous cooling, so you can stay refreshed and comfortable throughout the day. Thanks to the handy app, the Air Cooler is not only remotely adjustable, but it also offers you the benefits of a timer and setting schedules.However, it’s considerably better-looking and uses the Tuya app, which you may already use for your lights or other smart devices (I do), so this feels more of a lifestyle purchase than a purely practical one. What they can do is provide you with an airflow that’s cooler than room temperature, which might be enough to keep you going as the temperature spikes. In this test, I haven’t given any 10 out of 10 scores because I don’t want to give the impression that air coolers are perfect.

Most of the time, we just brought a bucket of water to the tank instead of taking the reservoir to the sink. Its two removable 300ml tanks mean it doesn’t constantly need refilling, and you can freeze them if you want some extra cooling. Nonetheless, it’s a handy little gadget, just be sure to angle it at your face or you won’t feel the effects. If you need a fan where cables won’t reach, say to a garden on a hot day or in a tent when you go camping, the MeacoFan 260C Cordless Air Circulator is the model for you.In fairness, that’s enough to make a hot workstation a bit more bearable and to pleasantly humidify (and slightly cool) the air around your pillow, which rhinitis sufferers and babies will appreciate.