Draghi’s appeal seems destined to fall as temperatures rise: thanks to a hot June like few others, the Italians have not given up on the air conditioner at all, quite the contrary. As with all devices that make life at home better, the pandemic has also marked a turning point for air conditioners, fans and purifiers, with growth increasing all over the world. And even now that the nightmare of lockdowns seems to have passed, the pleasure of living in a healthier and more comfortable home environment remains. So we’ve rounded up some of the most recent models of air conditioners, as well as less demanding but equally useful devices for dealing with the heat, from portable air conditioners to pocket fans, and more. Here are our picks:
1. Samsung Wind-Free
The idea is simple but it works: to guarantee an optimal temperature without direct air jets. Thus, Samsung’s Wind-Free air conditioners disperse fresh air gently and evenly through 21,000 micro holes and automatically maintain the desired temperature and optimal humidity level constant. The filter they are given is able to neutralize up to 99% of the most common viruses and bacteria, and 98% of allergens, with maximum silence. The A +++ energy label guarantees low energy consumption. Obviously there is integrated Wi-Fi, to remotely control the air conditioner via smartphone even when you are away from home via the SmartThings app.
2. Mitsubishi Kirigamine Style
It has everything you would expect from a top-of-the-range air conditioner today: well-finished design (in three colors), wi-fi, filter against dust, viruses and bacteria, very low consumption, presence sensor to avoid drafts or for refresh right where you need it. The peculiarity is in the deflector divided in two, which allows you to direct the jet in different directions. Record silence: the indoor unit reaches 19 dB.
3. LG DualCool Deluxe e ArtCool Mirror
Available in mono and multi split configurations (9000 and 12000 Btu), the newly renovated DualCool Deluxe and ArtCool Mirror models by LG boast two proprietary technologies: UVnano, which allows you to remove 99.99% of the bacteria that could lurk on the fan of the indoor unit, and the Plasmaster ionizer, which removes unpleasant odors. In addition, they add the new Allergy Filter for a targeted action against harmful substances that can cause allergies.
4. Hitachi Akebono Pavimento
Akebono is Hitachi’s designer underfloor air conditioner, designed not only to cool but also to heat the environment with a heat pump. The flush-to-floor installation allows the conditioned air to reach every corner of the room, guaranteeing homogeneous and perfectly diffused comfort. The design is studied in detail and combines white in different textures. Very quiet (20 dB), it is compatible with Google Home and Alexa.
5. A clever Penguin
De ‘Longhi’s new Pinguino Care4Me Pac Ex130 CST WIFI has a cooling capacity of 13,000 Btu / h and can be used in large rooms, up to 120 m3. The MyEco Real Feel function adapts the functioning of the Penguin in an intelligent way and, also through the feedback requested by the user via the app, combines temperature and humidity to reach the ideal level of well-being, favoring savings on electricity consumption that can reach up to 30%. The Cool Surround Technology, then, autonomously directs the air flow around the person, wrapping him in a comfort zone thanks to a sensor that communicates the position of the user via Bluetooth technology.
6. Beko Air Cooler
By blowing air through ice and cold water, it lowers the domestic temperature without using any refrigerant gas. Very easy to use, the Beko EFE603W Air Cooler can be easily moved from one room to another thanks to the presence of pivoting wheels. It has an integrated ionizer that generates negative ions capable of reducing dust in the air and helping to restore the electrostatic balance of the environment. Thanks to the biochemical cotton filter, placed at the inlet of the water tank, impurities are removed.
7. Klarstein Skytower
The search for home cooling solutions on ecommerce sites always holds interesting linguistic surprises. To avoid the pitfalls of incorrect product categorization, the German company Klarstein promotes this portable air conditioner as an “eutectic plate evaporative cooler”. Translated it means that it works without the tube to look out the window like the DeLonghi Penguin. This results in greater mobility of the device, but less air cooling capacity. The high-sounding “eutectic plates” are nothing more than two freeze plates to be kept in the freezer and then inserted into the tank, which can alternatively be filled with ice. It works for small rooms, but is relatively noisy (up to 65dB) and consumes quite a bit (80W nominal power).
Cost €220 su Amazon.
8. Haier I-Drop e I-Dry
From the giant Haier two models of dehumidifiers (I-Drop and I-Dry), portable and powerful, designed to reach and maintain ideal humidity levels in all domestic environments but also in offices and commercial spaces. Thanks to the Auto Swing function, portable dehumidifiers automatically set the most suitable ventilation for the room and the percentage of humidity. And, with self-diagnosis, they are able to detect any anomaly or malfunction in real time. Of course they do not cool, but they manage to make summer temperatures more bearable by reducing the humidity in the air: it will be hot all the same but less sultry.
9. Dyson Pure Cool Formaldehyde
The TP-09 is one of the famous bladeless fans of the British company, which adds to the filtering function the ability to capture and dispose of formaldehyde. The absence of rotating elements makes it particularly suitable for those with small children or pets. The fan purifier uses Air Multiplier technology to cool, while projecting purified air to every corner of the room. The entire device complies with the HEPA 13 standard and therefore effectively captures 99.95% of particles smaller than 0.1 microns such as allergens, bacteria, pollen and mold spores. It can be fully controlled via the Dyson Link App and activated via voice control. It is also 20% quieter than the previous model, and is therefore suitable for use even at night. The price is not for all budgets: the official price list is € 699.
10. Xiaomi Mi Fan 2
Among the myriad of electronic products that Xiaomi distributes in Europe there is also a smart fan. The Chinese company called it without too much imagination “Mi Fan”, which incidentally is also the name of the fans who participate in the forums and rallies of the brand. Language bickering aside, the Mi Fan (the fan, not the passion flower Xiaomi) is available in three versions similar to those of smartphones: the Fan 2 Lite model (70 €) consumes 38W and has no oscillation angles other than the standard one. The standard Mi Fan 2 version (€ 99) is the one that consumes the least, with 15W of nominal power. It has double blades that can be swiveled from 30 to 140 ° and is quite quiet (58dB). Finally, the Mi Fan Pro model consumes 24W (it does not have double blades, costs € 140) but can also be used without wires. All three can be connected to the Xiaomi app for home automation in order to digitally set (or with voice control) the speed and the switching on and off time program.
11. The pure air of Daikin
In the rich catalog of the Japanese company there are some of the best air conditioners on the market, but also a purifier with unique characteristics. Small and discreet, it helps to breathe clean air by eliminating 99.98% of viruses, fine dust and allergens, and can be useful for preventing allergies. Thanks to the advanced filtration system, it captures pollutants such as formaldehyde, odors, dust and even (says Daikin) viruses, reducing indoor pollution and improving the quality of the home air. It does not cool, but the movement of air it produces helps it withstand the heat better.
12. Black+Decker Bxet49E
Tower fan with touch display: three speeds available and as many automatic operating modes (normal, breeze and night), it boasts a good 45W power for a medium-large room. It is 109cm tall, has a 12 hour timer, an integrated carrying handle and a non-slip base. Acoustically it remains at acceptable levels, around 56 dB. The price is excellent, 85 euros but can be found on Amazon for less than 70.
13. Hanging around the neck
Among the infinite varieties of fans that can be found on Amazon.it, there is a wide selection of “neck” fans for those who suffer from the heat especially in the head. With brands with names like Lipontan, DIKI and JISULIFE offering more or less the same whitelabel products with few variations, it’s not easy to choose the best. This one from “Mixtric” costs € 17.79 and is a “Bladeless Mini USB Rechargeable Neck Fan”. The absence of blades is functional to avoiding Marie Antoinette-style beheading and more prosaically to prevent long hair from being sucked into the fan. You can buy it in white, black or pink and the battery lasts between two and three hours depending on the operating power. The only drawback, as suggested by the verified reviewer Alberto who “has bought several neck fans over the years”, is the presence of an “antiquated micro USB” as the only option for charging.
14. A hi-tech fan
The hi-tech equivalent of the fan is a walking fan. This, obviously of Chinese production, has a removable battery that guarantees up to 53 hours of autonomy, albeit at the minimum speed, suitable – according to the description of Amazon – “for indoor lunch breaks”. It can also be used in tabletop mode, using the battery as a base. It is recharged via USB and in turn can recharge other devices such as smartphones. Available in three colors, it’s cheap and looks pretty sturdy.
15. Honeywell col turbo
From a historical name in electronics, a small economic fan with a design inspired by an airplane turbine. Honeywell TurboForce has three speed settings and an oscillating head up to 90 degrees. It is powerful (covers a range of 7 meters away), but its quiet and quiet operation makes it great for use on the desk in the office, on the floor in the living room or even next to the bed.
(Andrea Nepori and Simone Cosimi collaborated)