Arctic Air Personal Cooler (As seen on TV)
The commercial begins showing a person sweltering in the summer heat while the A/C unit is trying desperately to cool down the room.
The next image is that same person grinning from ear-to-ear because the Arctic Air unit is blowing wonderful, cool air into the room.
This product is the biggest ripoff for the majority of this country, unless you live in the desert with humidity less than 15-20%.
How? The design of this product is nothing new. I remember friends in college in the 1970s who lived in New Mexico or Arizona who had units similar to these (and even whole-house units) which made the home very comfortable in the summer.
They work by wicking water into a mesh and blowing air over it. Have you ever noticed how cool your skin feels in the summer after you've come out of the shower? The principle is the same - evaporating water helps cool the surface, thus making it feel cooler than the ambient air. This is also how our bodies work to maintain that 98.6 degree temperature. When we start getting hot, we sweat. This moisture on our skin helps cool down our bodies.
The problem with evaporative air coolers is that they ONLY work in dry climates. Try to do this in a warm room in 80% humidity, and you feel nothing more than lukewarm, clammy air blowing at you. Of course, the commercial doesn't give you this little tidbit of information.
Does it work? The answer is a "qualified" yes. If you live in a super dry climate such as in the desert, this little box WILL make you feel cooler by blowing evaporated, moist air around you. If you live in 80% of the rest of the United States, save your $19.95. Chances are it will end up in a garage sale for some other unsuspecting customer to buy.