We mostly review room air conditioners that can cool a room between 100 and 500 square feet.
Most portable ACs this size work great for most rooms in a home, but are not ideal when you need to cool your personal space, i.e. just a part of one room.
You can't, for example, take one of these beasts to the office to use at your desk. They are too big and noisy.
They are also heavy and require venting outside a window, something that is not possible in an office.
That’s where the innovative Evapolar evaSMART portable AC comes in. This is a small personal air conditioner that is perfect for use at your work desk at the office or at home. You can also use it to keep cool at night, in your bed.
The evaSMART is surprisingly powerful despite its size and includes a humidifying function.
It also does not require venting, so you can use it anywhere.
Continue reading this page for my full review of the EV-3000 Personal Air Cooler.
If you are looking for something more powerful for your entire bedroom, office or living room, then see my whole-room recommendations in my portable AC buying guide.
Pros
- Compact and lightweight yet powerful.
- Includes humidifier and air purifier.
- USB-powered – makes it highly portable and versatile.
- Low-energy consumption.
- Mood-setting LED lights.
Cons
- Not ideal for very humid environments – it will not cool as well.
- No timer.
Best Features
Small But Powerful
The evaSMART AC is a small cube measuring just over 6 inches by 6 inches. Unlike most room ACs that you place on the floor, this one goes on your desk or your bedside table.
But despite the compact size, it can cool air down by as much as 15 degrees, especially in hot and dry weather.
Of course, this depends on the size of the area you are using it in. It’s designed to cover an area of just 45 square feet – a desk or bed. Don’t use it to cool the entire living room or bedroom.
Easy to Setup – No venting necessary
Portable ACs are great, and all but the setup process can be a bit of a pain. You have to position it near a window and then set up the vents and window slider. Anytime you move it to a new room you have to repeat the setup process.
The EV-3000 doesn’t require any venting. Just add water to the reservoir, plug it into a computer or power bank and enjoy your bubble of cool, purified air.
And if you want to enjoy that bubble wherever you go, there is no complicated setup process to repeat.
One full reservoir lasts around 6 hours. So you can use it through the night on your bedside. Unfortunately, there is no sleep timer so you’ll have to leave it on until the water dries up.
3-in-1 Operation
The evaSmart air cooler does three things:
- It cools the air within the immediate area
- it is a humidifier, and
- it is an air purifier.
The cooling mode uses evaporative technology. An evaporative cartridge (which requires refilling) evaporates water, which causes warm dry air passing over it to cool. That’s why it doesn’t need any venting - it doesn’t exhaust any warm air into the room. It only produces cool, moistened air.
An integrated purifying mechanism ensures that the air coming out is clean and safe to breathe. It is safe for kids and pets, so it is appropriate for the nursery or your kid’s bedroom.
You can adjust the temperature using the stylish touch-sensitive display or by turning the scroll wheel .
You can also adjust the fan speed when you need to reduce the noise level or maximize cooling power.
USB-powered
You can use this portable AC virtually anywhere as long as you have somewhere to plug in the USB cable.
Instead of looking for a power outlet, you can plug this cooler into a computer, power bank or even a solar generator. This makes it extremely portable and useful on camping/outdoor trips.
This versatility comes in handy it in case of a power outage, too.
And you won’t have to worry that it will drain your power bank. It only draws 10W of electricity. This is about the same as a tablet computer or a desk fan.
LED Night Light
The EV-3000 can also be used as a nightlight.
One entire face of the cube generates a cool LED light whose color you can change to suit your mood or the environment.
Limitations
This is kinda expensive for a personal air conditioner.
Granted, it does much more than a $20 USB desk fan - but ~$150 is still pretty steep. And that doesn't include the evaporative cartridge that needs to be replaced every six months. Each cartridge costs $40.
But considering it is a cooler, a humidifier and an air purifier all in one, it’s a great investment if you work or live in a hot & dry area. It’s also great if you have asthma or a respiratory problem that is aggravated by dry air.
For that price, though, they should have included a timer. This would be handy at night when you don’t want to leave the cooler on till morning.
Another limitation is the kind of environment you can use it in. The evaSMART 3000 works best in hot and dry areas. If the air is too humid, it will not cool properly due to its reliance on evaporation.
Several customers have complained that this unit leaks water, but this is likely not a problem with the unit but with owner error. If you put too much water or refill the reservoir before the ‘empty’ indicator comes on, the water will leak.
So make sure you read the instructions before using the evaSMART cooler.
Specs
Cooling area: 45 square feet.
Dimensions: 6.7 x 6.69 x 6.87 inches
Weight: 3.9lbs
Price: 
Summary
The evaSMART EV-3000 is a powerful and flexible portable air cooler for those who need to cool their personal space but not the entire room.
If you have kids or allergies, you will really appreciate the humidifier and air purifier.
Finally, thee evaSMART EV-3000 is extremely portable - as long as you have fresh water and a place to plug in its USB power cable, it is ready to keep you cool wherever you are - in an office, in your bedroom, in an RV or in a camping tent.
