Toggle

Evaporative Coolers

Since, 1990, Portacool has been delivering a quality, portable cooling solution to customers across the US and around the world. Portacool portable evaporative coolers provide economical, effective cooling where air conditioning is not effective or attainable. Portacools are manufactured in Center, Texas and our Kuul evaporative media is also the only evaporative media manufactured in the USA. Portacool is the industry leader in portable evaporative cooling and we can’t wait to tell you more about our evaporative coolers and how we Keep America Cool!

Table of Contents:

See Evaporative Coolers by Series

Jetstream Series

Portacool

Jetstream Series

View Series
Cyclone Series

Portacool

Cyclone Series

View Series
Hazardous Location Series

Portacool

Hazardous Location Series

View Series
Discontinued Evaporative Coolers

Portacool

Discontinued Evaporative Coolers

View Series
Portacool 510

Portacool

Portacool 510

View Series
Apex Series

Portacool

Apex Series

View Series

I'M READY TO BE COOL AND STAY COOL

Find a Retailer

Watch a Video About Portacool and Evaporative Cooling

Quality You Can Count On

Our commitment to quality remains just as strong as ever. All Portacool evaporative coolers are made in the USA at our Center, Texas manufacturing facility. We utilize the highest quality materials in our manufacturing. This includes our innovative Kuul evaporative media, also made in the USA by our subsidiary. This is the only evaporative media made in the USA, and it’s made entirely with materials sourced domestically.

We stand behind our quality, offering best-in-class warranties, customer service, and technical support. When you buy a Portacool evaporative cooler, you can count on years of efficient, effective cooling when and where you need it.

benefits of Portacool evaporative coolers

Benefits of Portable Evaporative Coolers

Portacool evaporative coolers are a flexible cooling solution that makes sense in most places where traditional air conditioning is ineffective or cost-prohibitive. In addition, a Portacool delivers significantly more effective results than fans. Fans do a great job circulating air throughout your space, but they are simply pushing around the hot air without providing any cooling benefits. A Portacool will help you maintain a cool, comfortable temperature even on scorching hot summer days.

Here’s why a Portacool is a great cooling solution:

Shop Portacool Evaporative Coolers

Portacool is the industry leader in evaporative cooling technology. Our evaporative coolers are perfect for a wide range of applications. Whether you need a cooling solution for your business or your home, we have a model that will meet your needs. Our evaporative coolers are portable and can easily be moved around, ensuring you receive cooling benefits in the precise location where it is needed most.

How to Use and Maintain an Evaporative Cooler

Portacool evaporative coolers are very easy to use and maintain. There is no setup required. Your Portacool comes fully assembled. Simply remove it from the box, fill the reservoir with water, plug it in, and turn it on. You’ll have dramatic cooling in a matter of minutes.

While some routine maintenance is required to ensure optimal performance, it is very easy to do. You should drain the water from the reservoir once a week. To do this, move the product to the location where you want the water to drain. Then remove the plug on the drain, which is located on the bottom of the evaporative cooler. Once all the water has drained, you can refill the reservoir and resume use.

When you store your Portacool at the end of the season, you’ll need to remove the evaporative media. This is easy to do – remove the screws from the media flat on the top of your Portacool, and the evaporative media will slide right out. Then, rinse out and dry the reservoir. Finally, reinsert the evaporative media and screw the media flap back into place. We recommend that you purchase a cover to protect your Portacool while it’s in storage during the winter.

Evaporative Cooler Buying Guide

With so many different Portacool models to choose from, it can be overwhelming to determine which is the best evaporative cooler for your patio, home workshop, or business. The following guide will help you navigate the process so that you choose the perfect model for your specific needs.

Sizing Your Evaporative Cooler

The size of the space you’re trying to cool is the most important factor to consider when choosing an evaporative cooler. If you purchase a model that is too powerful for the space being cooled, you may find that it is uncomfortably cold. If your evaporative cooler is underpowered for the size of your space, you may not experience your desired cooling benefits. Make sure you measure the area you’re trying to cool in order to identify the evaporative cooler that will best address your needs.

The following guide will help you determine the proper size evaporative cooler for your space. Cooling power is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM) – the amount of fresh air that gets cycled through your space each minute.

recommended cooling power table

Additional factors which may impact the right size evaporative cooler for your needs include:

  • Ceiling height – The recommendations in the chart above are for rooms that have traditional 8-foot ceilings. If you are trying to cool a space with ceilings that are higher than 8 feet, you’ll need to increase the CFM level of the cooler you choose.
  • Sunlight – If you get a lot of sun in the space you’re trying to cool, increase the CFM level by 20%.
  • Room occupancy – When more than two people are regularly in the space being cooled, increase the CFM level by 20%.
  • Appliances – If heat-generating appliances are being used in the space you’re trying to cool, increase the CFM level by 20%.

Features to Consider

The following features may impact your decision regarding the best evaporative cooler for your needs:

  • Hose hookups – Some evaporative coolers have a hose hookup, while others simply have a water reservoir. If you plan on using your evaporative cooler continuously, choosing a model with a hose hookup will best meet your needs.
  • Oscillating louvers – When you’re trying to cool a wide space, choosing an evaporative cooler with oscillating louvers will help move the air side to side, allowing you to cool the entire area more effectively.
  • Casters – Evaporative coolers with casters will allow you to easily move the cooler around, ensuring you always receive cooling benefits in the precise area you need it.
  • ABS plastic – Evaporative coolers made with ABS plastic are highly durable. These heavy-duty models are ideal for industrial spaces.
  • Reservoir capacity – If you don’t have a hose hookup, the size of the water reservoir will dictate how long you can run the evaporative cooler without the need to refill the water. In these situations, choosing a cooler with a large reservoir will allow you to run it for longer periods of time without monitoring the water levels. To prevent damaging the components, all Portacool evaporative coolers have an automatic shutoff when the water level in the reservoir drops below a certain point.
  • Air filtration – The air filtration system in an evaporative cooler helps eliminate allergens such as pollen or dust particles. For better air quality, choose an evaporative cooler with a good filtration system.

Choosing the Best Evaporative Cooler for Your Space

Jetstream Series

Portacool Jetstream 220The Portacool Jetstream series provides the most powerful cooling benefits. These evaporative coolers can cool areas up to 5,625 sq. feet, making them an ideal solution for industrial applications and larger commercial or open spaces. With six different Jetstream models, you can easily find the precise size evaporative cooler for your space.

Cyclone Series

Portacool Cyclone 140 Evaporative CoolerWhile smaller than the Jetstream series, our Cyclone series still provides effective cooling for a variety of spaces. The Cyclone is a great choice for outdoor patios, auto garages, and home workshops. There are four different Cyclone models, giving you plenty of options to choose from.

Portacool 510

Portacool 510 Evaporative CoolerThe newest edition to our product line, the Portacool 510 is a compact evaporative cooler that is easy to move around and takes up a small amount of space. This versatile model can be used in a variety of applications, including outdoor patios, home workshops, auto garages, retail shops, gyms, and other small commercial spaces.

Hazardous Location Series

Portacool Hazardous Location 260 Evaporative CoolerEnvironments that contain combustible materials create unique cooling challenges and require specific solutions. The Portacool Hazardous Location series addresses these challenges to ensure your cooling solution remains safe in these dangerous areas. These evaporative coolers are ETL Certified for use in Class I, Division 2, Groups C & D hazardous locations. They are an ideal solution for oil rigs, petrochemical refineries, fuel depots, chemical production plants, aviation hangars, or anywhere combustible materials are present.

Continue Reading

Evaporative Cooler Frequently Asked Questions

Do swamp coolers actually work?

You may have heard evaporative coolers referred to as swamp coolers. While this term is commonly used, it doesn’t accurately describe what these devices do. Evaporative coolers provide an affordable, energy-efficient cooling solution for just about any space where there is access to an outdoor air source. While dry climates offer the best environment to maximize the benefits of a swamp cooler, you can still achieve very effective cooling in more humid environments.

How do evaporative swamp coolers work?

Evaporative coolers leverage the scientific process of evaporation to achieve dramatic cooling effects. When water evaporates and becomes a gas, the highest energy particles are released, causing a drop in temperature. This is the general principle driving the effectiveness of your evaporative cooler.

Your evaporative cooler contains a pad, called evaporative media, that creates a large surface area for the evaporation process. Water flows from the reservoir of the evaporative cooler and saturates the media. A fan draws hot outside air into the cooler. As this hot air flows through the evaporative media, the water molecules on the surface of the media turn into gas form, causing a dramatic drop in the air temperature. The fan will then blow the newly cooled air throughout the room, allowing you to maintain a comfortable temperature.

How effective are evaporative coolers?

You can achieve dramatic cooling results with an evaporative cooler. In dry climates, a Portacool can drop the air temperature by as much as 30 degrees Fahrenheit. While you won’t be able to achieve the same level of cooling in a humid climate, your Portacool will still deliver significant benefits in these environments. All of our Portacool models are made at our manufacturing plant in Center, Texas. We use Portacools in our plant to keep our employees safe and comfortable, and our evaporative coolers still achieve effective results in this hot, humid environment.

Do evaporative coolers cool a room?

Evaporative coolers can be very effective at cooling a room, delivering comparable results to air conditioning. In order to achieve proper cooling, it’s crucial that you purchase the correct size evaporative cooler for the space you are trying to cool. In addition, you must have access to an outdoor air source to run your evaporative cooler.

Portacool offers a wide range of evaporative cooler models to ensure you’re able to cool just about any sized space. Our newest model, the Portacool 510, is very compact and provides a perfect solution for residential applications and other small areas. For industrial applications and other large commercial spaces, you may achieve better results from one of our Jetstream or Cyclone models.

You can use our tool to find the right Portacool for your specific needs.

What is the difference between an air conditioner and an evaporative cooler?

air conditioning systemAir conditioners use chemical refrigerants to reduce the air temperature and remove moisture from the space being cooled. A fan distributes this cooled, conditioned air throughout the room in order to achieve your desired temperature. The heat and moisture removed from the air is then expelled outdoors. In order for air conditioning to work effectively, it must be used in an enclosed indoor space.

Evaporative coolers don’t use any refrigerants or other chemicals that can be harmful to the environment. Instead, the cooling effects are achieved by evaporating water contained on the surface of the media inside the cooler. As a result, they are a much more environmentally sustainable solution than air conditioning. While water is used to cool the air, evaporative coolers don’t produce mist or damage equipment in the room being cooled.

How cold do evaporative coolers get?

The cooling effects you’ll receive from your evaporative cooler depends on your climate conditions. Evaporative coolers are most effective in hot, dry climates. In these conditions, your evaporative cooler can drop the air temperature by up to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. While you will still achieve significant cooling effects in more humid climates, it is likely that you won’t be able to experience as substantial of a temperature drop. In humid conditions, a more realistic temperature drop would be approximately 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit.

Keep Cool with a Portacool

With over a dozen diverse evaporative cooler models, there is always a Portacool that will address your specific needs. You can also mix and match different models in order to more effectively provide the cooling you need in large spaces. Whether you’re trying to cool an industrial space, a large commercial environment, smaller retail spaces, outdoor spaces, or residential patios and home workshops, Portacool has a solution for you.

Find a local or online retailer today to shop for a Portacool.