What is Evaporative Cooling

Arctic Air Pure Chill Review

Arctic Air Ultra Review

Arctic Air Ultra Pro Review

Chill Box Review

Here is a comparison and review of Arctic Air Pure Chill with Arctic Pure Ultra, Ultra PRO, Chill Box and Arctos

Compare Type of Coolers – “Evaporative Coolers”

All the five [5] coolers belong to the type “Evaporative Coolers”. Evaporative Cooling is the oldest and most widely used cooling method especially for large scale cooling. As the name suggests the method cools the air evaporation of water. Water in the these portable coolers [Arctic Air Pure Chill, Ultra, Ultra PRO, Chill Box, Arctos] absorbs surrounding heat and evaporates, in the process the temperature of the air around the coolers drops.

Advantages of Evaporative Cooling

• Environmental-Friendly Cooling Solution
• Energy Efficient Cooling Solution
• Works with Doors and Windows Open
• Simple and Cost-Effective Mechanism
• Easy to Maintain
• Adds Moisture to Air in Dry Conditions

Disadvantages of Evaporative Cooling

• Drop in Temperature is not Substantial
• Performance wise cannot be compared with a TRUE Air Conditioner
• The performance of small sized portable coolers is even less
• Evaporative Coolers don’t perform well in humid climate
• Air filters can be a breeding ground for microbes
• Air filters can give off bad odour

Verdict

Though Evaporative Cooling has many “theoretical” benefits, the cooling method practically works more efficiently for bigger coolers which can cool the temperature by 15°- to 40°F. As far as the the portable coolers like the Arctic Air, Ultra, Chill Box and Arctos are concerned, the cooling effect is miniscule. the reasons being small motor, fan and the water tank. These portable coolers won’t be able to comfort you if the ambient temperature is too hot [above 90 Degree F]. Don’t expect too much from these portable coolers, not much difference between having a portable fan and these portable coolers [Arctic Air, Ultra, Chill Box or Arctos]. Portable Coolers like the Arctic Air, Chill Box and Arctos are a better alternative to bulky fans because they don’t just move air around but actually reduce the temperature of the air.

 

 

What are they used for?

These portable coolers are meant for personal use only. They can be used as a personal space cooler in a small space. Portable Air Coolers are well suited for:

• Home / Office
• While Sleeping
• Watching TV or Reading
• Grooming
• Cooking
• Garage
• Leisure Time
• Garage
• Camping

 

Arctic Air Pure Chill Review

The Pure Chill model of the Arc Air Coolers humidifies and cools personal spaces. Pure Chill claims to cool down the ambient temperature by 20 Degree F, but actual user reviews tell a different story. The Pure Chill uses the same supposed “Hydro Chill” technology. Features “True Shield” replaceable sponge filter which claims to remove cigarette odour too. The Pure Chill has six [6] different light effects. The official website [ArcticAirPureChill.com] offers 2 Pure Chill coolers for $60, the portable air cooler is also available at Amazon.com for $35.

Arctic Air Pure Chill Advantages

• Replaceable Sponge filter, lasts 3 to 6 months.
• Wet the removable sponge filter to get cool breeze from the Pure Chill.
• Kind of works for a small area like a office cubicle. Has to be very close though.
• Official website claims to have a a runtime of 10 hours
• Simple to use, just add water. No chemicals
• Can be useful in a small space and if the ambient temperature is not too high
• Lower consumption of electricity
• Works as a good night light
• 3 speed settings

 

 

Arctic Air Pure Chill Disadvantages

• No cool air – Even after wetting the removable filter. People have even frozen the filter and have used crushed ice but still the air that comes out is no different from the air that you would get from a $10 fan.
• No Blast of Cool Air – The Pure Chill does not throw a blast of cool air as claimed in the ad, the cooler is small in size and the air barely gets out of the cooler even on highest settings.
• Water Leaks – If you keep the Pure Chill cooler running all night, the water leaks and pools around the unit. Messy to use all night. The water leaks from the wet sponge filter
• Spillage – The water spillage occurs if the water tank is filled to the brim.
• Loud – According to the reviews, the Pure Chill is loud even on the lowest settings too loud to disturb you. Will disturb you if you do all lot of calling.
• Not USB Powered – The Pure Chill model is not compatible with USB.
• Poor Quality – The Pure Chill is made from low quality ABS material and the repeated opening of the filter /water tank hatch eventually breaks.
• Sponge Filters – Wet and damp sponge filters are prone to bacterial growth and can also give out foul odour.
• No Removable Water Tank – Unlike Arctic Air Ultra Pro, the Pure Chill does not have compact removable water tank which is less messy.

Pure Chill Verdict

As per the reviews, the Pure Chill does not work [does not cool] as claimed. 1-Star and 2-Star ratings contribute to 40% of the total rating Arctic Pure Chill has on Amazon.com, that sums up the review of the Pure Chill cooler. Almost all the users who bought the Arctic Air Pire Chill are disillusioned with purchase. The feel cheated by the tall claims made by the company. Certainly not an option for Air Conditioner. The Pure Chill does clean the air as claimed, it is a lie. There is no “Air Cleaner / Purifier” feature in the Pure Chill. The official website’s claim that there is a drop of 20 Degree F in the ambient temperature is overrated. As per the reviews there is hardly any difference, may be a few degree to be more optimistic.

 

Arctic Air Ultra Review

Claims to have two times the cooling power compared to Pure Chill but do not reveal how, could be just a marketing ploy. Claims to have purify the air but there is no such feature in the Arctic Air Ultra. The “Ultra” model is basically the Pure Chill with the USB option. And it has the same advantages [if any] and disadvantages as that of the Pure Chill. The Arctic Air Ultra is also available in Canada, India, Mexico and other third world countries. The Arctic Air Ultra model is available at the official website ArcticAirUltra.ca for $60.

 

 

Advantages of Arctic Air Ultra

• Claims to have twice more power
• Cools better than Pure Chill
• Compact and Portable
• Eco-Friendly
• USB and AC Powered
• More convenient to use than the AC ONLY Pure Chill
• Freon Free
• You can add crushed Ice or Cold water

Disadvantages of Arctic Air Ultra

• Does not Purify Air
• Arctic Air Ultra is very loud
• The output of the air is not powerful as claimed
• The cooling effect lasts only for about half an hour
• The Arctic Air Ultra cooler has to be exactly near and in front of the cooler to feel the cooing effect
• Not an alternative TRUE Air Conditioner
• Lacks the Condenser
• Leaks water if the tank is filled completely
• Need to be placed in a planter base
• Makes the climate more humid
• Arctic Air Ultra is not sturdy enough and may stop working after a few months
• Flimsy Fan breaks easily
• Arctic Air Ultra is not an alternative to even conventional fan
• Has the same messy sponge filters like the Pure Chill

Arctic Air Ultra Verdict

The Arctic Air Ultra is no different from the Pure Chill except for the addition of the USB port. This means that you can use the power of your computer to run the Arctic Air Ultra in your home or office. The manufacturer falsely claims that the Arctic Air Ultra can be used as an “Air Purifier” – this is a blatant lie. None of the Arctic Air coolers are Purifiers. The just don’t have the IONIC mechanism of a portable air purifier.

 

 

Arctic Air Ultra PRO Review

The Arctic Air Ultra PRO model differs from Pure Chill and ULTRA in many ways. The Ultra Pro has a Hexagonal shape while the other two [Pure Chill and Ultra] have “cuboid” shape. The biggest difference is that the Arctic Air Ultra Pro does not have the messy Sponge filter. Instead the Arctic Air Ultra Pro has a removable water tank which you can freeze in a refrigerator. User reviews have conformed that given the removable water tank, the Ultra Pro has a slight advantage over Pure Chill and Arctic Air ULTRA. The replacement of the sponge filter by a removable grid water tank facilitates air flow, improving the performance. But since the capacity of the removable water tank is less compared to those of Pure Chill and ULTRA, the runtime of the ULTRA PRO model is 8 hours, compared to 10 hours of Pure Chill and ULTRA. The Ultra PRO is available at the official website TryArcticAir.ca/ for $60.

Arctic Air Ultra Pro Advantages

• New and improved design
• Removable Water Tank
• Gets rid of the smelly sponge filter
• Less Leakage and Spillage
• Built in Humidifier
• Better output of cool air
• USB/AC Powered

 

 

Arctic Air Ultra Pro Disadvantages

• Misleading Advertising. It is not an Air Purifier
• Over-Exaggerated Features
• Reduced Runtime
• Expensive Air Cooler
• Not Available on Amazon.com

Arctic Air Ultra Pro Verdict

The Ultra Pro is a definite improvement over the Pure Chill and ULTRA model. But it is not an “Air Purifier”. But these added features does not make Ultra Pro a great cooler. Again it claims to be an Air Purifier, which it is not. Also the improvements are just marginal and users still feel cheated. The ULTRA PRO too is useless if the ambient temperature is too high above 90 Degree F.

 

ChillBox Review

Forget the Arctic Air Coolers, the ChillBox is the true portable air cooler [not an conditioner] because it is truly cordless. Yes, the ChillBox AC [Air Cooler] is battery operated. The ChillBox Air Cooler uses Lithium-Ion Polymer battery which takes about 5 to 6 hours to charge completely. Like the Arctic Air Cooler, the ChillBox too has 3 speed settings and one sleep setting [Total 4]. The biggest advantage of the ChillBox AC is it is IPX4 Waterproof, this makes it ideal to use on camping trips and outdoor too. The ChillBox uses the Type-C USB charger and is BATTERY POWERED ONLY. It claims to have a multi-layered filtration system but we are sure it is not different from the “Sponge” filter used in Arctic Air Pure Chill and Ultra.

Advantages of ChillBox Air Cooler

• Truly Portable Air Cooler
• Well suited for Outdoor / Camping Use
• 8 Hours of Operation
• Works relatively well in enclosed areas

 

 

Disadvantages of ChillBox

• The water tank leaks when the tank if full
• Not much difference in performance compared to Pure Chill and Arctic Air Ultra
• Long Charging Time
• Windthrow is not great
• The ChillBox has to be very close for it to be any effective
• No very helpful in too hot environment
• Much expensive compared to Arctic Air Coolers
• No USB Port

Verdict on ChillBox

The performance of the ChillBox comparable to Arctic Air Pure Chill and Arctic Air Ultra but the Lithium Ion Polymer battery is a game changer. The ChillBox AC might have good features but the basic question “Is it better than Arctic Air” has a negative answer. The ChillBox does not work any better than the Arctic Air air cooler.