Humidity can be your best friend or worst enemy. Uncontrolled humidity typically means dealing living in sweat-inducing conditions which are extremely uncomfortable to say the least. However, with the right device, you can harness to power of airborne moisture and turn it into a way to cool and your loved ones down during the upcoming spring and summer seasons.
Today, we’re going to take a look at none other than the Honeywell CS10XE—an evaporative cooler that has received a considerable number of inconsiderate reviews in the past. This is not a bad model by any means, and we’re going to see whether any negative comments are just a bunch of hot air. Keep reading to see whether the CS10XE would make for a good addition to your home this summer.
175-square-foot Reach
First things first, how far does the Honeywell reach. It has a maximum cooling capacity of 175 square feet, making it the ideal cooling system to have in individual bedrooms and other similarly sized spaces. As for basements, garages, attics, and living rooms, you’ll have to find something else.
This is definitely not a reason to hate this device, especially if you’re planning on taking it with you from room to room—a possibility thanks to its compact and lightweight design.
Detachable 2.6-gallon Reservoir
Many evaporative coolers come with nonremovable reservoirs. This is a pain since lifting the unit and placing it in a sink is a lot more troubling than it sounds.
Of course, you can bring the water to the evaporative cooler but why go through the hassle when you can get this model with a detachable reservoir? Just pull it out and fill her up—easy peasy.
The reservoir can hold onto 2.6 gallons (10 liters) of water at any given time. A tankful of water can supply up to eight continuous hours of cooling on its lowest fan speed.
The low-water alarm will let you know when to fill the reservoir back up, getting rid of much of guesswork needed to operate this machine.
Active Carbon Filter
One of the handier features of the CS10XE is the washable active carbon filter located right behind the fan. As it draws moisture from the reservoir, the fine, invisible mist of water is passed through the filter to trap most of the particles that come with it.
Furthermore, the filter doesn’t affect the distribution of humid air. Keep an eye on it; there’s no way to determine when you need to wash or replace it.
3 Humidifying Speed Settings
You can choose the rate at which the CS10XE draws water from its reservoir by playing around with the fan’s settings. There are three fan speeds to choose from, giving you ultimate control over how much moisture to introduce into the air.
However, if you’d rather not increase the relative humidity of your room, you can turn the evaporative feature off and stick to using its fan-only setting.
Convenient Remote Control
Controlling devices from afar is typically something you miss only when it’s not there, which is why the infrared RC that comes with the CS10XE is truly a breath of fresh air. The handy RC is usable from distances of up to 30 feet, allowing you to both indulge your lazy side while staying as comfortably cool as possible. Just don’t lose the remote (it’s very small).
Surprisingly Loud
Here’s one thing that haters say about the CS10XE that we have to agree with. The CS10XE’s fan, on its highest fan speed, is surprisingly, annoyingly loud. It’s rated at 50 decibels, but that’s on its quietest setting; on high-speed, you’re looking at anywhere between 60 and 70 decibels, or about the same noise output of many vacuum cleaners.
Unfortunately, this is something you’ll have to deal with if you get the CS10XE.
Incompatible with Ice
As an evaporative cooler, you’d think that placing ice cubs in the reservoir would increase its cooling capabilities, but you’d be sorely wrong. Ice cubes do nothing to enhance this device’s performance, and instead, it’s low-water alarm will play you the song of its people.
However, ice-cold water seems to improve performance, but cold water from the tap should suffice.
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Verdict: Is the Honeywell CS10XE Evaporative Cooler Worth It?
Granted, the Honeywell CS10XE is not the most feature-rich evaporative cooler, nor is it the most powerful on the market, but it definitely doesn’t deserve all the negative comments it receives. Overall, performance-wise, it’s an excellent small-size evaporative cooler.
As long as you stick it in rooms smaller than 175 square feet, you’ll feel the cooling effects of increased humidity almost instantly.
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Last update on 2023-06-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
| Best of the Best! | For Large Spaces | Budget Pick |
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| Whynter ARC-14S | hOmeLabs | BLACK+DECKER BPACT08WT |
| • 14,000 BTU • up to 500 sq ft • 16 x 19 x 35.5 in • 80 Lbs | • 12-14,000 BTU • up to 600 sq ft • 17.9 x 15 x 30.7 in • 72.3 Lbs | • 8,000 BTU • up to 150 sq ft • 16.5 x 11.5 x 26 in • 52.9 Lbs |
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