As an example, if the air temperature is 30ºC and 50%RH, it will feel like 31ºC, but if the humidity goes up to 80%RH, then it will feel like 38ºC – even though the thermometer still tells you it’s 30ºC. In winter, the condensation point is reached very easily, which is why you get your windows all steamed up and everywhere is often damp, but in hotter weather it is more appropriate to think ‘sauna’ (which is why it gets ‘muggy’). It is this elevation of the humidity of the cooled air which really brings into question whether the Chillmax is worth the investment.

A typical proper air conditioner for a small or medium-sized room will be about the size of bedside cabinet.

m. This air conditioner seamlessly combines style and efficiency, making it suitable for placement in any . The ambient temperature where I ran the test was about 29ºC (this was just before the 2019 heatwave kicked in properly). The secret is Hydro-Chill Technology, which uses an advanced evaporative air-cooling filter and an enhanced cool-mist chamber, to pull in warm, dry air and instantly transform it into cool refreshing air. And with four settings, including the new ‘Turbo’ setting for rapid, boosted cooling, you can have the perfect amount of cool, moist air for whatever the weather throws at you, day or night! If the air is very dry, then a large evaporative cooler might be able to drop inlet air at 30 ºC down by as much as 10 ºC.

gives you the best features of both fans and air conditioning in one, compact unit that’s also a night light.Robert Dyas Holdings Limited T/A Robert Dyas is an appointed representative of Product Partnerships Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 626349).

Chillmax Air Pure Chill turns water, via a special, silver-infused filter and specially designed diffuser, into a fine mist of cool, refreshing air circulated by a fan with three speed settings.The temperature of the air that comes out depends on the temperature (and humidity) of the air going in, and the science of evaporation. sprays a fine mist that is then sent through the special filter and so only uses evaporation and water to operate! If you’re evaporating more water to get better cooling on larger devices, you’re also producing a lot more water vapour, so the cooling effectiveness will decrease as the humidity rises unless you vent it somehow.

If it is already hot, the amount of water vapour the air can hold before reaching 100% RH will be substantial. However, it is possible some people might find the minor cooling effect and increased humidity of the Chillmax/InstaChill (and similar devices) beneficial, so the choice is yours. As I’ve already explained, the Chillmax works by evaporating water on fibrous panels by forcing air across them. The unit consists of a reservoir at the top, which you fill with normal tap water, and this drips down on to a radiator unit which has ten sideways-stacked fibre panels in it through which a fan blows air. Be careful if you read any of the reviews on these things – people may have noticed cooling in already cooler conditions, but trust me – if it’s very warm and humid, you will not notice any effect.

It also contains an element of opinion/perception, which is why there’s no point using numbers above about 60ºC. But if the air temperature is above about 30ºC (and 50%RH) – which isn’t excessively hot or humid to start with, though it is around the point where you would start thinking about cooling things down – it’ll actually make you feel warmer.