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With temperatures and utility costs continuing to creep up, it’s easy to feel like you have to choose between being uncomfortably hot and seeing your electric bill skyrocket—unless you have an evaporative air cooler. Also known as swamp coolers, these appliances pull warm, dry air across a water-saturated pad, using natural evaporation to cool the outgoing airflow. And because they rely on just a small pump and a fan motor rather than an energy-hogging compressor, they consume a fraction of the electricity of traditional air conditioners.
While these appliances create a cooling sensation on your skin rather than lowering the temperature of the entire room, most models made a noticeable difference in our comfort during testing. One of our favorites—and the unit we’ve had in our bedroom for 2 months now—is the Dreo 712S Evaporative Air Cooler. Below, I’ll cover the pros and cons of this specific model and how it performed in daily use.
Key Takeaways
- Energy-efficient cooling solution. The Dreo 712S uses natural evaporation, consuming less electricity than traditional ACs.
- Compact and powerful design. Resembles a tower fan, delivering 1,327 CFM with minimal noise.
- Easy control and mobility. Features app control, voice commands, and caster wheels for convenience.
- Enhanced user experience. Includes auto-dimming display, child safety lock, and memory function.
Bottom line: The Dreo 712S Evaporative Air Cooler offers an efficient, user-friendly way to stay cool without high energy costs.
Best Air Cooler for Bedrooms
Photo: Amazon
What We Like
- Compact footprint and attractive appearance
- 6-liter water tank is easy to remove for refilling
- Wide 85-degree oscillation
- Detachable back panel simplifies cleaning
What We Don’t Like
- Can be hard to roll on thick carpet
Product Specs
- Type: Portable
- CFM: 1327
- Tank capacity: 6 liters
Size, Power, and Sound
If you’ve ever owned or even seen an evaporative air cooler, chances are the beast you’re picturing in your head looks nothing like the Dreo 712S. Rather than a massive monster that’s borderline bigger than you are, it looks a lot like a standard tower fan—measuring about 12 inches in diameter and just under 4 feet high. Inside, it’s equipped with what the brand calls its “IceWind Cooling System,” a combination of dynamic air ducts, a 35-blade turbine, and a large cooling pad. These features allow it to push out an impressive 1,327 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of cool air across its 85-degree oscillation sweep.
During the day, I mostly use the 712S as a standard fan since I’m rarely in our bedroom. This allows the humidity in that room to drop (these units work best when the air is drier) while still producing a refreshing breeze. At night, I refill the 6-liter water tank if necessary and pop in the cooler’s two reusable ice packs to chill the water. Then I select one of the four modes (Normal, Natural, Auto, or Sleep), one of the four speeds, and enjoy a soothing whoosh of air across our room without any annoying whirring or whining—it produces just 33 decibels on low and only about 50 on high.
Daily Use and Extra Features
Whether you use the touch-sensitive top panel, the included remote, or the app, controlling the Dreo evaporative air cooler is incredibly easy. The app provides additional information like the room’s current temperature and humidity level, and if you connect it to Amazon Alexa or Google Home, you can even make adjustments using voice commands.
Although mine has a permanent home by the side of our bed, moving the 22.5-pound unit is also pretty simple thanks to five built-in caster wheels in the base plate. Refilling it is just as straightforward—when the low water indicator lights up, either slide the 6-liter tank out to fill at the sink or bring a pitcher over to pour water directly in.
For uninterrupted sleep, the auto-brightness display dims automatically based on ambient light, and you can use the programmable shutdown timer or Sleep mode (which decreases the fan speed every 30 minutes) to gradually power the unit down. If you have little ones around, the child safety lock will ensure they don’t change your settings, and if the power goes out, the memory function will restore everything once it’s back on.
Where to Buy
Photo: Amazon