Product Recommendation - [Air Cooler]

In this post, we are providing at glance the products we consider to be some of the best offerings in the market in their respective categories. The products mentioned below have been put to rigorous tests, compared against the competing products from multiple brands, and have been analysed on various aspects pertaining to their intended use. For a comprehensive post on Air Coolers, you may read our detailed guide - https://shoppinaire.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-complete-guide-to-buying-air-cooler.html

Personal Air Coolers
Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12, Best Choice 13 and Best Choice 14

Desert/Window Air Coolers
Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12, Best Choice 13, Best Choice 14, Best Choice 15 and Best Choice 16

Tower Air Coolers
Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11 and Best Choice 12

Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.

Recapitulating on the most crucial aspects of buying a air cooler -

FORM FACTOR

• Personal Air Coolers

As the name suggests, personal air coolers are mobile air cooling appliances that can effectively cool areas up to 200 square feet and can be moved to any location within one’s house as per requirement. Due to the relatively smaller area personal air coolers can cater to, they are best suited for bedrooms and/or medium sized living rooms. Castor wheels are attached to the bottom of the frame of the air cooler which help to increase the maneuverability quotient of personal air coolers and thus make them very versatile devices ready for being put to use right out of the box. Due to their compact form factor, personal air coolers are offered in water tank capacities up to 40 litres which can easily provide moisture to the cooling pads for about 8–9 hours.

• Desert/Window Air Coolers

This category of air coolers is very popular among buyers for the fact that its cooling prowess is not limited to just one bedroom or a small living room, but to areas in excess of 550 square feet. Therefore, just one desert air cooler is sufficient enough to adequately cool a major section of one’s home. Their massive storage tank, capable of holding up to 100 litres of water can provide efficient cooling for the entire day. Desert air coolers are also known by the name ‘Window air coolers’ for their place of installation being a window, just like that of window air conditioners. Unlike personal air coolers, desert air coolers need to be installed by a skilled technician filling the gaps and crevices by a suitable material created as a result of removal of glass pane from the window and installation of the air cooler in its place.

• Tower Air Coolers

Tower air coolers are by and large quite similar to personal air coolers both in terms of maneuverability as well as the effective area they can efficiently cool, but with the added benefit of an even smaller and a more aesthetically pleasing form factor as compared to personal air coolers. Since tower air coolers are more tall than wide, they take even lesser space on ground than personal air coolers making them an ideal choice for homes where space is a little constrained. 

 

IMPORTANT POINTS TO CONSIDER

• Power rating. For most homes, an air cooler with power rating between 130 - 230 W would make for an ideal choice. Power rating lesser than 130 W would result in relatively less cooling, and greater than 230 W would ensure excellent cooling, but would entail higher energy consumption which would result in higher than expected electricity bills. Therefore, power rating between the mentioned range would ensure a perfect balance between effective cooling and energy efficiency.

• Types of cooling pads. Primarily, cooling pads of air coolers can be made from two materials - Cellulose or Wood shavings/synthetic fibre. 

• Cellulose cooling pads - The cooling pads that make use of cellulose have an appearance as that of honeycomb and are appropriately named so. Such cooling pads are quite effective in providing the necessary chillness in the room, and also rank quite high in terms of durability, requiring replacement only once in two seasons. A great benefit of honeycomb cooling pads arises from the fact that apart from providing potent cooling, they also tend to dampen vibrations arising out of the air cooler when it is in use, thereby reducing noise. On the flip side, these tend to be slightly pricey and typically cost thrice as the ones made out of wood wool. However, these are costly in nature, typically thrice as costly as the second type of cooling pads called ‘aspen/wood wool cooling pads’.

• Wood wool - Cooling pads made out of wood wool have an appearance as that of dried grass and have a texture as that of wood shavings. These cooling pads are relatively less efficient and durable than the honeycomb ones and generally require replacement every season, but carry a huge plus point of being quite economical. As a result, air coolers that make use of wood wool cooling pads are relatively less pricey as well.

COST CUTTING TECHNIQUES

• Low-grade overheating electric motor. The electric motor rotates at high RPMs to power the blower/fan that throws cool moistened air into the surroundings. This makes the electric motor one of the most crucial components of the air cooler and therefore accounts to almost 30 per cent of the entire cost of the product. Hence, it is one of the favourite areas of some manufacturers to cut costs and increase their profit margins. Some manufacturers resort to using a below-par electric motor that is not powerful enough to keep the fan rotating at high speeds for long periods of time. After only a few minutes of use, these electric motors tend to get extremely hot. As you might be aware that metals expand on heating, which causes the copper windings in the motor to initially distort and then finally melt, thereby leaving the air cooler unit out of operation. Cost of repairing the motor might range from a few hundred bucks to more than a thousand bucks and this process is recurring.

• Inefficient cooling pads. Cooling performance of an air cooler is a result of the material used in manufacturing the cooling pads as well as their thickness. As a rule of thumb, cooling pads having thickness greater than 85 mm are most effective in sufficiently cooling the space. Thicker cooling pads also last longer than their thinner counterparts and require less frequent replacement. However, thicker cooling pads are a little costly, so in order to cut production costs and to reduce the overall cost of the product so as to lure innocent customers, some manufacturers resort to using thinner, poorly fabricated cooling pads, the cooling prowess of which is inadequate, which often results in leaving the users feeling uncomfortable and uneasy despite the air cooler being in operation for a long time.

For an extensive buying guide on Air Coolers, head over to our detailed post -https://shoppinaire.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-complete-guide-to-buying-air-cooler.html

The complete guide to buying an Air Cooler

As the chillness of the winter months withers down to give way to a balmy and colourful spring, one often tends to idealize the climate of one’s place. However, this relief is often short lived as the hot and humid summer that follows already has something else in store for us. As summer begins to roar and temperatures start to soar, moving out in the sun seems to be a daunting task. But, there is not much respite in staying inside either. The discomfort and uneasiness caused by the heat often leaves one completely drenched in sweat and averse to summer even when one is within the confines of the four walls. In such scenarios, an external cooling source is required to ward off the high temperatures and to facilitate an environment conducive to proper functioning of the human body.

This is when an air cooler comes to the rescue…

An air cooler serves the sweet spot between the comfort provided by a regular ceiling fan and a heavy duty air conditioner, both in terms of initial cost as well as recurring expenditure in the name of electricity bills. Hence, it is one of the most sought after home appliances.

Now, if you are a frequent visitor to the posts on this blog, you might be probably aware that we take each topic from the grass root level and we will do the same with this post as well. We will begin with the basics first, understand how an air cooler works. Then, we will discuss the different types of air coolers available in the market along with the advantages and disadvantages of each. Following which, we would analyse some important aspects of air coolers that one should keep in mind before buying one. Next, we will proceed onto discussing how some brands try to cut manufacturing costs and manufacture below par products that have a very short shelf life and require frequent service. After which, we will move onto deciding which are some of the best air coolers available in the market that are not only efficient in adequately cooling the space but are also made of high-quality and durable components, thereby offering the most value for one’s money.

You might be glad to know that my father works at a company that manufactures home and kitchen appliances like washing machines, refrigerators, air coolers, vacuum cleaners, etc. So, at home, we frequently have a conversation about these appliances, what goes into making them, how some brands try to cut manufacturing costs to increase their profit margin etc.
Today, I will try my best to pass on the knowledge that I have acquired from my father over the years, to you so as to help you make a good buying decision.

So without further a do, let’s begin…

THE BASICS
An air cooler is an appliance that works on the principle of imparting chill to the air by evaporation of water. Due to this fact, air coolers are also known by the name 'evaporative coolers' in some places. Evaporative cooling is based on the fact that water absorbs a large amount of heat in order to evaporate. The temperature of air drops significantly when phase transition of water from liquid to vapour state takes place.

This method of cooling the air takes much less energy than the principle of refrigeration used in air conditioners. Lesser energy consumption translates into lesser electricity bills, thus higher savings. In dry climates, evaporative cooling also provides an additional advantage of enhancing the moisture content of air, thereby providing added benefits to the consumers.

Hot air from the surroundings is pulled inside the air cooler where it passes through moistened pads. A water tank situated at the bottom of the air cooler provides continuous supply of water to the pads. An electric pump fitted inside the air cooler is responsible for taking streams of water from the water tank up towards the cooling pads and moistening them. The moist pads absorb heat from the air which results in evaporation of moisture from the cooling pads, thereby cooling the air by as much as 8 - 12 degree celcius and enhancing its moisture content. The cool and moistened air is then recirculated by the means of a fan driven by an electric motor into the environment which lowers down the surrounding temperatures and provides comfort to those nearby.

(Image of working of an Air Cooler)

Air coolers are primarily manufactured in three configurations:-

• Personal Air Coolers
• Desert/Window Air Coolers
• Tower Air Coolers

Personal Air Coolers
As the name suggests, personal air coolers are mobile air cooling appliances that can effectively cool areas up to 200 square feet and can be moved to any location within one’s house as per requirement. Due to the relatively smaller area personal air coolers can cater to, they are best suited for bedrooms and/or medium sized living rooms. Castor wheels are attached to the bottom of the frame of the air cooler which help to increase the maneuverability quotient of personal air coolers and thus make them very versatile devices ready for being put to use right out of the box. Due to their compact form factor, personal air coolers are offered in water tank capacities up to 40 litres which can easily provide moisture to the cooling pads for about 8–9 hours.

Desert/Window Air Coolers
This category of air coolers is very popular among buyers for the fact that its cooling prowess is not limited to just one bedroom or a small living room, but to areas in excess of 550 square feet. Therefore, just one desert air cooler is sufficient enough to adequately cool a major section of one’s home. Their massive storage tank, capable of holding up to 100 litres of water can provide efficient cooling for the entire day. Desert air coolers are also known by the name ‘Window air coolers’ for their place of installation being a window, just like that of window air conditioners. Unlike personal air coolers, desert air coolers need to be installed by a skilled technician filling the gaps and crevices by a suitable material created as a result of removal of glass pane from the window and installation of the air cooler in its place. 

(Image of a desert air cooler being used outdoors)

Tower Air Coolers
Tower air coolers are by and large quite similar to personal air coolers both in terms of maneuverability as well as the effective area they can efficiently cool, but with the added benefit of an even smaller and a more aesthetically pleasing form factor as compared to personal air coolers. Since tower air coolers are more tall than wide, they take even lesser space on ground than personal air coolers making them an ideal choice for homes where space is a little constrained.

Now, having learnt about the three types of air coolers along with the effective area each of them can efficiently cool, let us proceed to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of air coolers.

PROS:-

• Low energy consumption. A typical 1.5 ton window air conditioner with 5 star energy rating consumes approximately 1.4 - 1.8 units of electricity per hour. Whereas, a desert cooler consumes a measly 0.2 - 0.5 units of electricity per hour. Assuming both the appliances run for 8 hours a day, one would be able to reduce the energy consumption by about 40 per cent, which would result in significantly lesser electricity bills.

• Little to no maintenance. Apart from annual replacement of cooling pads, which again are relatively inexpensive, air coolers do not require any other kind of maintenance. Hence, unlike air conditioners which require to be thoroughly cleaned each season before they can be brought into operation, air coolers can be brought into use as per one’s wish by only having installed a fresh set of cooling pads.

• Dual purpose. Since air coolers work on the principle of evaporative cooling, the phenomenon entails that apart from cooling the area, moisture and humidity levels of the surrounding air are also enhanced. The results are somewhat comparable to the cool-moisture rich breeze one would feel standing beside a waterfall. Therefore, regions that are predominantly dry, where the surrounding air has little moisture content would benefit significantly from the dual characteristics of air coolers. Even in coastal and other relatively humid regions, air coolers make for a great proposition in the months preceding rainfall.

• No use of refrigerants. Unlike air conditioners that rely on refrigerants like Hydro-Chloro-Fluoro-Carbon (HCFC) or Hydro-Fluoro-Carbon (HFC) to provide necessary cooling, with air coolers it’s just air and water. Those sophisticated odourless refrigerants that find their application in air conditioners, upon accidental leak might prove to be harmful to humans if inhaled. Additionally, refrigerant leaks are a major cause of ozone layer depletion, and global warming in general.

CONS:-

• A little noisy. Since air coolers make use of a fan/blower to throw a cool breeze of air into the room, the functioning of a moving fan is often not pleasing to the ears. Additionally, other components of the air cooler such as the electric motor and the electric pump also contribute their bit to the already noisy environment, however with time, one gets used to the sounds but those who prefer to have an utmost peaceful home environment might not find air coolers to their liking. In such case, air conditioners make for a better alternative since they offer a quieter and often noiseless operation.

• Not very effective in humid conditions. As stated before, air coolers work best when surrounding air is dry. Typically, the humidity level up to which air coolers are most effective is below 65 per cent. If humidity level is higher, the additional moisture created in the home by the air cooler would only add to the uneasiness and overall discomfort in breathing. In such a scenario, using an air conditioner may prove to be the only source of respite.

• Continual monitoring of water level. As the entire operation of air coolers relies on availability of water in the storage tank, one has to periodically replenish the water in the tank. Furthermore, loading water in the tank is itself a chore as one has to unload several buckets of water depending upon the water tank capacity or connect a hose pipe to the inlet port of the water tank, then keep a watch on the water level and disconnect the hose pipe before the tank overflows. In view of the same, if one is more inclined towards a hassle free appliance that does not require recurring monitoring again, an air conditioner makes for a wiser choice.

So, having analysed the Pros and Cons of owning an air cooler, let us proceed to examine some of the important aspects of air coolers that one should keep in consideration before buying one:-

IMPORTANT POINTS TO CONSIDER

• Power rating. For most homes, an air cooler with power rating between 130 - 230 W would make for an ideal choice. Power rating lesser than 130 W would result in relatively less cooling, and greater than 230 W would ensure excellent cooling, but would entail higher energy consumption which would result in higher than expected electricity bills. Therefore, power rating between the mentioned range would ensure a perfect balance between effective cooling and energy efficiency.

• Types of cooling pads. Primarily, cooling pads of air coolers can be made from two materials - Cellulose or Wood shavings/synthetic fibre. 

• Cellulose cooling pads - The cooling pads that make use of cellulose have an appearance as that of honeycomb and are appropriately named so. Such cooling pads are quite effective in providing the necessary chillness in the room, and also rank quite high in terms of durability, requiring replacement only once in two seasons. A great benefit of honeycomb cooling pads arises from the fact that apart from providing potent cooling, they also tend to dampen vibrations arising out of the air cooler when it is in use, thereby reducing noise. On the flip side, these tend to be slightly pricey and typically cost thrice as the ones made out of wood wool. However, these are costly in nature, typically thrice as costly as the second type of cooling pads called ‘aspen/wood wool cooling pads’.

• Wood wool - Cooling pads made out of wood wool have an appearance as that of dried grass and have a texture as that of wood shavings. These cooling pads are relatively less efficient and durable than the honeycomb ones and generally require replacement every season, but carry a huge plus point of being quite economical. As a result, air coolers that make use of wood wool cooling pads are relatively less pricey as well.

(Image of honeycomb cooling pad)

Now, having examined what one should keep into perspective before buying an air cooler for one’s use, let us proceed to understanding the ways in which some manufacturers (names not taken) try to cut manufacturing costs in order to maximize their own profits and in turn deliver a sub-standard product to the customers, the components of which have a very short shelf life and may require frequent repairs/replacements.

COST CUTTING TECHNIQUES

• Low-grade overheating electric motor. The electric motor rotates at high RPMs to power the blower/fan that throws cool moistened air into the surroundings. This makes the electric motor one of the most crucial components of the air cooler and therefore accounts to almost 30 per cent of the entire cost of the product. Hence, it is one of the favourite areas of some manufacturers to cut costs and increase their profit margins. Some manufacturers resort to using a below-par electric motor that is not powerful enough to keep the fan rotating at high speeds for long periods of time. After only a few minutes of use, these electric motors tend to get extremely hot. As you might be aware that metals expand on heating, which causes the copper windings in the motor to initially distort and then finally melt, thereby leaving the air cooler unit out of operation. Cost of repairing the motor might range from a few hundred bucks to more than a thousand bucks and this process is recurring.

• Inefficient cooling pads. Cooling performance of an air cooler is a result of the material used in manufacturing the cooling pads as well as their thickness. As a rule of thumb, cooling pads having thickness greater than 85 mm are most effective in sufficiently cooling the space. Thicker cooling pads also last longer than their thinner counterparts and require less frequent replacement. However, thicker cooling pads are a little costly, so in order to cut production costs and to reduce the overall cost of the product so as to lure innocent customers, some manufacturers resort to using thinner, poorly fabricated cooling pads, the cooling prowess of which is inadequate, which often results in leaving the users feeling uncomfortable and uneasy despite the air cooler being in operation for a long time.

Now, having learnt how some manufacturers cut costs, let us proceed to zero down on some of the best air coolers available in the market that not only offer efficient cooling capabilities, but are also made of components that offer reliable and long-lasting service, thus providing most value for the money spent.

Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.

Personal Air Coolers
Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12, Best Choice 13 and Best Choice 14

Desert/Window Air Coolers
Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12, Best Choice 13, Best Choice 14, Best Choice 15 and Best Choice 16

Tower Air Coolers
Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11 and Best Choice 12

Product Recommendation - [Air Conditioner]

In this post, we are providing at glance the products we consider to be some of the best offerings in the market in their respective categories. The products mentioned below have been put to rigorous tests, compared against the competing products from multiple brands, and have been analysed on various aspects pertaining to their intended use. For a comprehensive post on Air Conditioners, you may read our detailed guide - https://shoppinaire.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-detailed-guide-to-buying-air.html

Window Air Conditioners
Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12, Best Choice 13, Best Choice 14, Best Choice 15 and Best Choice 16

Split Air Conditioners
Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12, Best Choice 13, Best Choice 14, Best Choice 15, Best Choice 16, Best Choice 17, Best Choice 18 and Best Choice 19

Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.

Recapitulating on the most crucial aspects of buying an air conditioner -

• COOLING CAPACITY

• For a room having area between of 120 to 160 square feet, a 1 ton air conditioner will sufficiently cool the room.

• When a room having area in the range of 160 to 200 square feet is in consideration, one should decide on a 1.5 ton air conditioner to ensure adequate cooling.

• For a room having area between 200 to 260 square feet, a 2 ton air conditioner would meet all one’s cooling needs. If one’s room size demands to have a 2 ton air conditioner, split air conditioner should be one’s preferred choice as window air conditioners are inefficient in cooling a room of such a large size.

• INVERTER TECHNOLOGY IN AIR CONDITIONERS 

Nowadays, most manufacturers of split air conditioners make use of inverter technology (DC) in their high end products. In traditional air conditioners, the compressor runs for as long as the user's desired temperature is not reached and once that temperature is reached, the compressor completely stops until the temperature of the room rises by a few degrees. Once the temperature of the room rises, the compressor once again comes into action.

However, in an inverter air conditioner, the compressor does not run at full blast as soon as the air conditioner is turned on, rather it runs at varied speeds to bring down the temperature of the room. The speed of the compressor depends upon the existing temperature of the room and the desired temperature set by the user. Since the compressor runs at varied speeds and runs for the entire time the air conditioner is turned on, it does not use a lot of power at once. Hence, the inverter technology helps to reduce the electricity bills.

On the down side, the air conditioners that come with inverter technology tend to have a higher initial cost than the regular ones. Therefore, if the air conditioner running time is greater than three to four hours per day, then it would be wise to invest in an inverter air conditioner. For lesser running times, the regular air conditioners do the job just fine.  

 

• COST CUTTING TECHNIQUES

It is imperative to be aware of the ways in which some manufacturers resort to cutting production costs in order to maximize profits and in turn deliver a sub-standard product to the customers, the components of which have a very short shelf life and may require frequent repairs/replacements.

• Installing a poor quality condenser. The condenser unit of the air conditioner covers 60% cost of the entire unit and hence is the favorite area where the manufacturers cut costs. Installing a low quality condenser does not adequately cool the pressurized gas and hence the effectiveness of the air conditioner in cooling the room is impacted. The air conditioner needs to run for longer duration to sufficiently cool the room and hence consumes more electricity.

• Installing inefficient filters. Air filters play a pivotal role in maintaining sanitation of the air being circulated by the air conditioner in the room. The sizes of contaminants that exists in our air ranges from 0.01 microns to 100 microns. Therefore, a well fabricated air-filter should be made of several layers so as to trap the various contaminants of varying size and texture. However, to reduce the production costs and to maximize profits, some brands resort to making use of sub-standard and inefficient air filters that are very incompetent in removing dust, pollen grains, animal fur from the air, thereby exposing humans to these allergens which can lead to breathing and health disorders. The issue is further accentuated in homes where members have a history of allergies and/or asthma.

For an extensive buying guide on Air Conditioners, head over to our detailed post - https://shoppinaire.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-detailed-guide-to-buying-air.html

A detailed guide to buying an Air Conditioner

Summer is a season most people find themselves in love-hate relationship with. While some absolutely love the fact that they no longer need to wear layers of clothes to keep themselves warm and they can wear their favorite T-Shirt and shorts to almost every place except their workplace. Others, on the other hand, hate summer with all their being. They can’t stand being constantly drenched in sweat and/or get skin rashes due to it.

No matter on which side of the spectrum a person belongs to, when the temperature rises above 40 degree Celsius, even the most cool headed person finds himself in distress and looks out for ways to keep himself and his home cool and that is when an Air Conditioner comes to the rescue.

Now, if you are a frequent visitor to the posts on this blog, you might be probably aware that we take each topic from the grass root level and we will do the same with this post as well. We will begin with the basics first, understand how the Air Conditioner works, after that we will discuss about the various types of air conditioners available in the market with their pros and cons, then we will move on to discuss how some brands cut costs and manufacture below par products that are very inefficient in keeping the temperatures down and hence you always find yourself soaked in sweat even when the air conditioner is running and then we will proceed onto deciding which type of air conditioner would be the best for you, according to your needs.

You might be glad to know that my father works at a company that manufactures home appliances like refrigerators, air conditioners, kitchen chimneys, washing machines etc. So at home, we frequently have a conversation about commercial appliances, what goes into making them, how brands try to do cost cutting etc.

Today, I'll try my best to pass on the knowledge that I have acquired from my father over the years, to you so as to help you make a good buying decision.

So without further a do, let’s begin…

The Basics
An Air conditioner works on a law of physics, which states that when a liquid converts into a gas, it absorbs heat. This process is also known by the term Phase Conversion. The air conditioner uses chemicals known as refrigerant that converts from liquid state to gaseous state quickly. The refrigerant is responsible for transferring the inside heat of the house to outside.
The air conditioner unit comprises of three parts, namely,

1. The Compressor
2. The Condenser
3. The Evaporator

While the evaporator of the air conditioner unit is inside your room, the compressor and the condenser lie in the outer part of the unit and hence outside the room.
The evaporator contains the refrigerant that absorbs the heat from the surroundings and turn into vapor state. The vaporized refrigerant then passes from the evaporator to the compressor which compresses the vapor to a state of higher temperature and pressure. From the compressor, the pressurized gas flows into the condenser which rapidly cools off the pressurized gas back into liquid state that flows back into the evaporator. A blower pushes air past the cold evaporator to chill the air and blow it back into the room.

This process is repeated over and over until the desired set temperature is reached after which the thermostat turns off the process of air conditioning until the room temperature rises beyond the desired temperature and the thermostat starts the air conditioning process once again.

(Image of Working of an Air Conditioner)

Having learnt how an air conditioner unit works, let’s proceed to learn the different types of air conditioners that are available in the market along with the Pros and Cons of each type.

1. Window Air Conditioner
2. Split Air Conditioner
3. Central Air Conditioner

Out of these three, the Window and the Split air conditioners are the most widely used air conditioners for home and small offices.

Window Air Conditioner

These are the most common and popular air conditioners for cooling single rooms. In this type of air conditioners, all the three components i.e the evaporator, the compressor and the condenser are enclosed in a single box and the entire unit is installed in a window.

PROS:-

• Lesser cost. As compared to the split and central air conditioning units, the window air conditioning unit costs less and thus is the preferred choice for majority of buyers who require to cool single rooms.

• Lesser energy consumption. Since these air conditioners are designed to cool single rooms, only the room that needs to be cooled needs to have the air conditioner turned on, thus saving electricity and hence lesser electricity bills.

• Ease of installation and portability. These air conditioners are manufactured as a single unit and hence are easy to install and remove. When changing homes, all the window air conditioners of the home can be transported to the new place just in a mini-loading vehicle.

CONS:-

• Uneven cooling. Window air conditioners don’t circulate the air inside the room with as much efficiency as the split or central air conditioners do. What this results in is, some areas of the room get freezing cold, some remain warm and some are just appropriately cool.

• Gap between the air conditioner and the window. There are always some minute gaps that remain uncovered after installation of the unit in the window which lead to the inlet of the outside heat thus impacting the cooling efficiency of the air conditioner.

• Operating noise. The compressor and the condenser unit generates noise when in operation. Since the entire air conditioning unit comes in a single box, the noise generated is imparted to the room in which the unit is installed.

(Image of Window Air Conditioner)

Split Air Conditioner

Unlike the window air conditioners that are manufactured as a single unit, the split air conditioners comprise of two units, the outdoor unit and the indoor unit.
The outdoor unit, fitted outside the home comprises of the compressor and the condenser while the indoor unit comprises of the evaporator.

PROS:-

• No restriction on place of installation. This is probably the biggest selling point of split air conditioners. Unlike the window air conditioners, split air conditioners do not require a window or a hole in the wall to be installed. The outdoor unit can be placed a long way from the indoor unit and require just a small hole in the wall to connect the outdoor and the indoor unit through a tube.

• Low operating noise. Since the compressor and the condenser unit that generate noise while operating are installed away from the indoor unit, the noise levels inside the room are extremely low and hence one can have a sound sleep.

• Energy efficient. Split air conditioners are more energy efficient than window air conditioners as there are no gaps or crevices that occur during the installation through which the outside hot air can seep inside the room and hence they cool the room faster and the coolness is maintained for longer.

CONS:-

• Higher initial cost. The upfront cost of split air conditioners is higher than that of window air conditioners, though the running cost and cost over the long run of split air conditioners is lesser than window air conditioners as they are more energy efficient than the window air conditioners.

• Requires professionals for installation. Unlike the window air conditioners, split air conditioners need to be installed by the HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) professionals for validation of warranty and ensuring safe installation.

(Image of Split Air Conditioner)

Inverter technology in Air Conditioners

Nowadays, most manufacturers of split air conditioners make use of inverter technology (DC) in their high end products. In traditional air conditioners, the compressor runs for as long as the user's desired temperature is not reached and once that temperature is reached, the compressor completely stops until the temperature of the room rises by a few degrees. Once the temperature of the room rises, the compressor once again comes into action.

However, in an inverter air conditioner, the compressor does not run at full blast as soon as the air conditioner is turned on, rather it runs at varied speeds to bring down the temperature of the room. The speed of the compressor depends upon the existing temperature of the room and the desired temperature set by the user. Since the compressor runs at varied speeds and runs for the entire time the air conditioner is turned on, it does not use a lot of power at once. Hence, the inverter technology helps to reduce the electricity bills.

On the down side, the air conditioners that come with inverter technology tend to have a higher initial cost than the regular ones. Therefore, if the air conditioner running time is greater than three to four hours per day, then it would be wise to invest in an inverter air conditioner. For lesser running times, the regular air conditioners do the job just fine.

Central Air Conditioner

These type of air conditioners find their use in cooling large places, to name them :- movie halls, large office buildings, hotels etc.
Central air conditioners are the preferred choice in these places as installing individual units in each room would be extremely expensive and even the cooling would be uneven. Central air conditioners comprise of a high capacity compressor that has the capacity to cool several rooms at once.

PROS:-

• Temperature is maintained all year long. This is the biggest positive aspect of centralized cooling. These air conditioners can be used both in summer for cooling and in winter for heating the space.

• Purified air. Central air conditioning also ensures that the air that is circulated inside the building is filtered and free of any allergens and harmful gases, though for purification to efficiently take place, filters need to be changes regularly and the ducts need to be cleaned at least twice a year.

CONS:-

• Very high installation and maintenance cost . Central air conditioners are costly to own and use. Also, they require frequent maintenance and cleaning to ensure that mold and fungus do not form inside the ducts and lead to health issues and allergies.

• Higher electricity bills. Central air conditioners are heavy on electricity consumption and thus their running cost is higher than the window and split air conditioners.

(Image of the outdoor unit of Central Air Conditioner)

In general, if one is looking for cooling homes and individual rooms, window and split air conditioners offer the most value for money. Central air conditioners, on the other hand are best for large spaces.

Having analyzed the various types of air conditioners, let’s proceed to decide what cooling capacity should you look for in an air conditioner depending upon the room size in which the air conditioner needs to be installed.

• For a room having area between of 120 to 160 square feet, a 1 ton air conditioner will sufficiently cool the room.

• When a room having area in the range of 160 to 200 square feet is in consideration, one should decide on a 1.5 ton air conditioner to ensure adequate cooling.

• For a room having area between 200 to 260 square feet, a 2 ton air conditioner would meet all one’s cooling needs. If one’s room size demands to have a 2 ton air conditioner, split air conditioner should be one’s preferred choice as window air conditioners are inefficient in cooling a room of such a large size.

In the above context, it is imperative to note that if the air conditioner is set in an environment where direct sunlight falls on it or in the room in which the air conditioner is to be installed, its cooling efficiency reduces. In such scenarios, we have determined that it is best to decide on an air conditioner with slightly higher capacity. For instance, if a room which would have been cooled well by a 1 ton air conditioner, a slightly higher 1.2 ton air conditioner would impart the best service if the air conditioner and room faces direct sunlight.

Now let’s proceed to discuss the ways by which some manufacturers cut manufacturing costs to maximize their profits and in turn deliver a sub-standard product to the customers which are inefficient in cooling and have a short shelf life.

• Installing a poor quality condenser. The condenser unit of the air conditioner covers 60% cost of the entire unit and hence is the favorite area where the manufacturers cut costs. Installing a low quality condenser does not adequately cool the pressurized gas and hence the effectiveness of the air conditioner in cooling the room is impacted. The air conditioner needs to run for longer duration to sufficiently cool the room and hence consumes more electricity.

• Installing inefficient filters. Air filters play a pivotal role in maintaining sanitation of the air being circulated by the air conditioner in the room. The sizes of contaminants that exists in our air ranges from 0.01 microns to 100 microns. Therefore, a well fabricated air-filter should be made of several layers so as to trap the various contaminants of varying size and texture. However, to reduce the production costs and to maximize profits, some brands resort to making use of sub-standard and inefficient air filters that are very incompetent in removing dust, pollen grains, animal fur from the air, thereby exposing humans to these allergens which can lead to breathing and health disorders. The issue is further accentuated in homes where members have a history of allergies and/or asthma.

Now, having learnt how some air conditioner manufacturers cut costs, let’s proceed to zero down on some of the best built air conditioners available in the market that are not only the best in cooling but are also energy efficient in their working and offer the most value for money.

Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.

Window Air Conditioners
Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12, Best Choice 13, Best Choice 14, Best Choice 15 and Best Choice 16

Split Air Conditioners
Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12, Best Choice 13, Best Choice 14, Best Choice 15, Best Choice 16, Best Choice 17, Best Choice 18 and Best Choice 19

The complete guide to buying a Dishwasher

Author- Vibhor Shergill 

After a long and tiring day at work, one wants to come home, have freshly prepared meal and after spending some time with family, one wishes to retire in bed for a peaceful and sound sleep. However, this serene idea of a perfect post-work scenario can easily turn into a nightmare when one finds uncleaned utensils of the previous day lying in the kitchen sink to be cleaned before any of those serene thoughts can be transformed into reality. This is when a dishwasher comes to the rescue.
Dishwashers are often considered as one of the five pillars that make a complete kitchen. On the foundation of these five pillars, an ideal kitchen is made. Those five pillars are:-

• A gas stove
• A refrigerator
• A dishwasher
• A kitchen chimney
• A microwave oven

Though, one might tend to believe that house maids reduce the need of having a dishwasher, I would like to state two profound reasons as to why dishwashers still do not have a replacement:-

• Flexibility. Most house maids tend to come for work once in the morning and once in the evening. However, the work timings of most of us do not allow us to accommodate such a provision, rendering the need of finding alternatives, absolutely necessary. One can load all the dirty utensils of the previous day in the dishwasher once in the morning before leaving for work and can peacefully enjoy the dinner after returning, without having to worry about manually cleaning the utensils.

• Reduced cost. The money that one pays to a house maid for cleaning the utensils per year in one of the urban cities roughly translates to one-third of the price of a typical dishwasher. Doing the math further, in just three years one would be able to even out the entire cost of the dishwasher. Following which, one only needs to spend on the maintenance of the dishwasher which roughly translates to Rs 200 per month.

(Image of utensils being loaded in the dishwasher)

So, keeping the improved quality of life a dishwasher imparts into consideration, in this post, we will talk about everything related to dishwashers.

Now, if you are a frequent visitor to the posts on this blog, you might be probably aware that we take each topic from the grass root level and we will do the same with this post as well. We will begin with the basics first, understand how a dishwasher works, after that we will discuss about the different types of dishwashers that are available in the market, then we will move on to discuss how some brands cut costs and manufacture below par products that are very inefficient in cleaning the utensils and put you at risk of the diseases that are caused by bacteria that feed on dirty utensils and then we will proceed onto deciding which type of dishwasher would be the best for you, according to your needs.

You might be glad to know that my father works at a company that manufactures home appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers, kitchen chimneys, washing machines etc. So at home, we frequently have a conversation about commercial appliances, what goes into making them, how brands try to do cost cutting etc.

Today, I'll try my best to pass on the knowledge that I have acquired from my father over the years, to you so as to help you make a good buying decision.

So without further a do, let’s begin…

THE BASICS
A dishwasher begins the wash cycle by taking in water from the hose connected to the machine. Once an appropriate level of water is collected at the bottom of the dishwasher, the heating element present inside the dishwasher begins to warm the water. The need to warm the water arises as warm water is more effective than cold water in removing grease and grime from the utensils.

At the same time, appropriate amount of detergent is poured into the warm water from the detergent dispenser. An electric pump takes the solution of detergent and water and forces it through the pipes present at the top and the bottom of the dishwasher. The solution of detergent and water surges through the pipes and emerges in the form of a jet stream from the tiny holes present on the other end of the pipes.

(Image of dishes being washed inside the dishwasher)

The solution of detergent and water gets sprayed on the dirty utensils and it removes the food remains, grease, grime and stains from the utensils. A sieve is present at the bottom of the dishwasher which catches large bits of debris to prevent the dishwasher from jamming, while smaller bits and food remains simply flush down the drain. The solution of detergent and water eventually drips back into the pool below, where it is reheated, filtered and is then sent back to the pipes to emerge again from the tiny holes. At the end of the wash cycle, all of the water is drained out.

The quantity of water collected at the bottom of the dishwasher from the hose, the amount of detergent mixed with the water and the number of times the solution of detergent and water moves through the pipes and gets sprayed on the utensils depends upon the load of utensils present in the dishwasher and the corresponding wash program selected.

Now, having learnt about the basics, let us proceed to discuss which capacity/number of place settings of dishwasher should you go for depending upon your family requirements.

YOUR NEED

• For a family consisting one-two individuals, deciding on a dishwasher with 8 place settings would make for a decent choice.

• On the other hand, If there are three-four individuals in one's family and the food is cooked at home on majority of the days, a 12-13 place settings dishwasher would be sufficient to cater to the utensil wash requirements.

• For a family having more than six individuals, a 14-16 place settings dishwasher would make for an ideal choice to cater to the utensil wash requirements.

Now having understood about the different capacities of dishwashers and which capacity of the dishwasher should find a place in your kitchen, let us proceed to discuss the ways in which some manufacturers try to cut manufacturing costs and maximize their own profits and in turn deliver a sub-standard product to the customers which are inefficient in cleaning the utensils and have a short shelf life.

COST CUTTING TECHNIQUES

• Installing an inefficient electric pump. The electric pump is one of the most essential components of a dishwasher as it is responsible for spraying the jet of detergent solution along with water over the unclean utensils stacked in numerous compartments of the dishwasher. For its significance, the electric pump assembly accounts for almost 30% of the cost of the entire appliance. Hence it is one of the favourite areas of some brands to cut production costs and maximize profits. Those brands resort to installing a low-grade, inferior electric pump in the dishwasher that is very inefficient in gushing soapy water over the utensils with the necessary force and in adequate quantity. As a result, the utensils remain largely unclean with most of the grime remaining intact on their surface. This grime becomes a breeding ground for viruses and bacteria which may cause multiple food borne diseases.

• Inner body of the Dishwasher. Inner body of the dishwasher is where all the cleansing processes take place. Thus, it should be made of high tensile strength stainless steel or galvanized iron to take up the beating of detergent solution and water. A sturdy inner body adds immensely to the production costs of the dishwasher. Therefore, in order to reduce costs and lure customers, some brands resort to making the outer body of the dishwasher attractive in appearance and constructing it using high-grade materials. However, the inner body, where the consumer does not pay much attention to becomes their area of cutting costs. Such brands tend to use low-grade, inferior quality materials in the fabrication of the interiors of a dishwasher. Hence, only in a few years time, the inner body begins to rust and corrode, thereby making it necessary for the consumer to get the dishwasher repaired or buy a new one.

Having learnt about how some dishwasher manufacturers cut costs, let us proceed to zero down on some of the best built dishwashers available in the market that are not only the best in cleaning the utensils but are also energy efficient in their working and offer the most value for money.

Eight place settings Dishwasher
Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2 and Best Choice 3

Twelve-Thirteen place settings Dishwasher
Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5 and Best Choice 6

Fourteen-Sixteen place settings Dishwasher
Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9 and Best Choice 10