Honeywell CO60PM Indoor/Outdoor Evaporative Air Cooler Is Great for Summer

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This past weekend was rather warm in New Jersey. It was the perfect kind of weather to be outside in our pool. Outside the pool was another story, and I’m not sure which was worse, the heat or the mosquitos. Thankfully, I had the Honeywell CO60PM Indoor/Outdoor Evaporative Air Cooler for review; it gets the job done.

The Honeywell CO60PM Indoor/Outdoor Evaporative Cooler is a large unit. I was surprised when the shipping box arrived. The box was huge but surprisingly light, and the dark grey and white device itself measures 27.6” by 18.3” by 40.04” and weighs 41 pounds. If you are looking for something small and understated, this isn’t it. The Honeywell CO60PM is big and makes quite the statement. Thankfully, it is rather light and is on wheels. That makes it fairly easy to move from one location to another.

The front of the device has a large circular grill covering the equally large fan blades.

To the right, there are two toggles that control flaps that let you have direct the airflow coming from it. The upper toggle controls flaps along the upper side of the fan and lets you direct air, so it either comes straight out or is directed upward. The lower toggle controls flaps along the bottom half of the fan and lets you direct air, so it either goes straight out or points a bit down.

To the left is a small window that indicates how much water is currently in the unit.

The upper left portion of the unit has three dark green nobs. The first controls the device’s cooling functionality. (More on that in a bit.) The middle controls the speed of the fan. There are three settings available: low, medium, and “airplane taking off.” The nob on the right controls the motion of the fan. It can either direct air straight in front of the device, or it can swing from side to side like an oscillating fan.

At the top, there is a door that opens to reveal the input for adding water.

The hole is perfectly sized to a hose to connect for filling.

There is also an option that lets you connect a hose for continuous use.

The sides and back have open slats and filters for air flow and the cooling process.

The device can best be looked at in two parts.

First, there’s the oscillating fan.

The large fan blades inside can move a significant amount of air. At the lowest speed, the blades mode fast enough to deliver a comfortable breeze. At the higher speeds, the air movement is significant although the top speed is a bit too loud for my taste.

I have oscillating fans that I have used previous summers, but they never did much of a job keeping me cool or creating the negative pressure that keeps mosquitos away from me. The design of this unit succeeds where those fans failed me. That’S thanks, in part, to the powerful motor, the three-speed control, the manual controls for directing the vertical flow of the air and the ability to choose whether or not the fan moves side to side. The fan is powerful, and the control you get over where the air goes lets you position it for optimum comfort.

In this regard, the Honeywell CO60PM is a great way to stay comfortable on hot summer days. Moreover, while the company does not market it as such, the powerful fan and wide airflow coming from it, are great for people like me who are mosquito magnets. That noted, however, Honeywell is quite clear:

AN AIR COOLER IS NOT “JUST A FAN”: Air coolers use the natural process of water evaporation to cool incoming hot air and use a powerful fan to expel the newly, cooled air. The temperature of dry air can drop significantly when liquid water transforms to water vapor (through evaporation).

Which brings us to the second part of how this device needs to be understood. The Honeywell CO60PM Indoor/Outdoor Evaporative Air Cooler cools you down thanks to the power of evaporation. As previously noted, there is an input hole at the top of the device into which water is placed. If, however, you plan to have the unit running all the tie there is an included attachment lets you lock a hose into place for constant replenishment of the water supply. Either way, the process works the same way. I’ll let Honeywell explain it:

FAST & EFFICIENT EVAPORATIVE COOLING: Honeywell Evaporative Air Coolers are an environmentally-friendly and cost-friendly cooling option for your home. Much like a breeze flowing across a lake or the refreshing cool air you feel near a waterfall, air coolers produce a comfortable, cool breeze with the natural process of water evaporation. When warm air is drawn into the Honeywell Evaporative Cooler, it is filtered through a wet honeycomb cooling medium, which absorbs heat and naturally cools and humidifies the air. A powerful fan pushes the cool air out of the front of the unit into the surrounding area. This no-compressor system cools naturally, efficiently and inexpensively.

So air, water and a bit of electricity combine to create a cooling effect that makes even the warmest of days a bit more pleasant. How pleasant might you ask? My dog Nava and I are sitting outside with the unit on the lowest setting, and we are both quite comfortable. (I’m in a chair beneath an umbrella and she’s stretched out right in front of the fan. Who says golden doodles aren’t smart?!?!)

3-in-1 Cooling, Humidification and Fan cools like a fresh and powerful breeze flowing across a lake

It is important to note that this isn’t an air conditioner. An air conditioner uses a chemical coolant that works in tandem with a compressor to turn hot air cool. But, in addition to the need for chemical coolants and a substantial amount of energy consumption, there is hot air that results from the heat transfer that needs to be released outside the room. That’s fine in your home but rather impractical outside. As Honeywell puts it, “The more complex composition of Air Conditioners also makes them more expensive to purchase as they consume significantly higher electricity during use.”

Sure, an evaporative system like this isn’t going to give you the same “turn summer into winter” cooling you’ll get with an actual air conditioner, but that isn’t the goal of a unit like this. This is about getting enough of a cool breeze to remain comfortable on hot days. And if you need to be even cooler… you can always go into your house.

It is worth noting that this isn’t the device for everyone Honeywell makes it clear that evaporative air coolers work best in earless with low humidity. As they explain:

Evaporative Air Coolers are more effective in areas with maximum relative humidity of 60% or less. Warm, dry air is important for more effective evaporative cooling and the temperature decrease will be greater in drier environments because higher evaporation occurs when the humidity is low. Evaporative Air Coolers produce moisture and can be used to increase humidification in a room. They are ideal for maintaining a cool breeze and increase comfort in homes located in drier regions.

Features and Specifications Include:

  • Evaporative cooler for indoor/outdoor cooling
  • Ideal for large open rooms such as patios/ BBQ areas, garages, decks, backyards and warehouses
  • UV and weather resistant for outdoor use
  • Honeycomb cooling media for optimum cooling performance
  • Powerful 1540 CFM air flow
  • Sound level at high speed: 65dB
  • Four durable caster wheels allow easy mobility from room to room
  • Non-compressor system cools naturally, efficiently, and inexpensively.
  • Wide fan blades for powerful airflow and fast air circulation
  • Easy-to-use, mechanical control panel
  • Low Power Consumption: 220 Watts
  • Water Capacity: 15.9 G (60 L)
  • Cools Up To 850 Sq. Ft. (80 sq. m.)
  • Powerful Air Flow: 1540 CFM
  • 3 Speeds: High / Medium / Low
  • 3 Side Honeycomb Cooling Media
  • Continuous Water Supply Connection
  • Wide Fan Blades provide faster & wider air flow
  • Ideal for large open rooms, patio/ BBQ areas, garages, decks, backyards, warehouses
  • Best used in typically hot and dry climates where humidity levels are <60%
  • Low power consumption, continuous water supply connection – operate all day long
  • Sound Level at high speed: 65dB
  • Weather resistant – for outdoor use
  • Large 60 Liter/ 15.9 Gallon water capacity
  • Non-compressor system cools naturally, efficiently and inexpensively (1540 CFM air flow)
  • 3 Side Honeycomb cooling media for optimum cooling
  • Continuous water supply connection for longer unattended cooling
  • Portable with strong casters –easy to roll from room to room
  • Recommended for areas up to 850 sq. Ft. (80 Sq. m)

When the Honeywell CO60PM arrived for review, I was somewhat taken aback. The box was huge, and I had no idea what it would look like. After unboxing it, I was still a bit surprised. It’s huge! Then I started using it. Now I’m a believer. The Evaporative Air Cooler works well as an oscillating fan. The blades are large, and the ability to control the flow of the air means you can direct it for maximum comfort. But it is when you turn on the “cooling” aspect of the device that it shines.

Not just a fan – air cooler reduces temperature through water evaporation. Moist, cool breeze can cool you down without spraying floor & furniture with water.

The air that flows out of it isn’t COLD, but it is cooler than the summer heat on its own. It takes a warm, still day and creates a calm, cool breeze. Sure, the fan makes some sound, but any fan is going to create a bit of noise, and the tradeoff is, in my humble opinion, worth it. I used it during the day yesterday, and both my dog Nava and I appreciated the cool breeze. Then, last night, friends came over for dinner. The unit not only created a nice breeze but as it hit peak mosquito hour, the blowing air coming from the fan kept them away from me. How do I know it worked? Simple, I got bitten countless times when I went outside a bit later, and the CO60PM wasn’t on. It works. I’m on a stay-cation this summer and plan to be in my backyard much of the time. The Honeywell CO60PM is the perfect device at the perfect time. It cools me down, keeps mosquitos way (again, that’s my claim, not Honeywell’s) and is simple to use. I’m rather sold on this product. And while I’ll have to find the right place to store it over the winter, for the next few months I have a feeling it is going to be used every day. The Honeywell CO60PM Indoor/Outdoor Evaporative Air Cooler has an MSRP of $699.95 but is currently listed on its product page for $499.95. Check it out here.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Like: Easy to set up and use; Three speeds: Easily control the direction of the airflow; Evaporative process sends comfortable cold air in the direction you want; Relatively quiet; Can be filled with water and used or can be connected to a hose for continuous cooling

What Needs Improvement: Unit is quite large; the Cooling effect is impactful but subtle; Pricey

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.