Arctic Air Ultra Review

Arctic Air Ultra is a portable evaporative air cooler capable of cooling, humidifying, and purifying air in areas smaller than 45 square feet.

Where to Purchase

You can find Arctic Air Ultra on Amazon for about $40. The unit can be found in stores such as Home Depot and Bed Bath & Beyond for the same price. Additional filters can be purchased for about $13.

About Arctic Air Ultra

Arctic Air Ultra is a personal air cooler that draws in hot, dry air and converts it to cool and humidified. Operation is simple and only requires the water tank to be filled and the unit to be plugged in to a wall outlet. As of this 2020 update, there no longer appears to be an official website associated with this product, although arcticairfaq.com still exists.

Claims & Features

• Cools, humidifies, and purifies air
• 20% more powerful than the regular Arctic Air unit
• Capable of cooling a 45 square foot area
• Compact and easily transportable
• 3 different operation speeds
• Environmentally friendly (does not use coolants or Freon)

Arctic Air Ultra Review

The Arctic Air Ultra is the follow-up of the original Arctic Air cooler which came out about a year ago. This new and improved version supposedly has 2 x the power of the original model.

After unboxing the unit, I immediately noticed some differences between the Ultra version and the original Arctic Air. For example, there were some design differences (it is smaller and contains adjustable vents), the controls at the top of the unit were different, and it came with a regular electric plugin instead of a USB cable.

As indicated on the “Best Results” sheet, the first thing I did was to soak the filter in water. Then I filled the water tank to the maximum line which didn’t seem like a lot of water. I plugged the unit in and turned it on, and it immediately began putting out cool air. According to my digital thermometer, the air coming out of the Ultra was around 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

For my first test, I compared the air output between the original Arctic Air and the Ultra. I filled them both with water, put them side by side, and turned them on. With just my hands, I could tell that the Ultra seemed to be blowing stronger. After letting both units run for about 10 minutes, I used a digital thermometer to test each one. The Ultra measured around 60 degrees while the original Arctic Air measured closer to 70 degrees.

I like the improvements over the original. Specifically, I like the stronger fan, the adjustable air flow grill, and the anti-spill water tank. There is a card that comes with the Ultra with a website address that shows the differences between the two units (arcticairfaq.com).

For my next test, I tried putting the filter in the freezer which was another recommendation from the Ultra’s “Best Results” sheet. After letting the unit run for a couple of minutes, I tested the air output with a digital thermometer and noted that it was definitely cooler (around 49 to 50 degrees).

An additional test I ran was filling the water reservoir with ice cubes. This was something that many people discovered with the original unit that helped it put out cooler air. After a few minutes of run time, I tested the temperature again and saw that it was now registering between 46 degrees and 50 degrees, depending on where the laser on the digital thermometer was aimed.

Similar to my original Arctic Air review, I tested the Ultra against a $10 fan from Walmart. It seemed that the strength of the fans was nearly equal, but the air from the Ultra did feel cooler.

Finally, I compared the night lights on each unit. The night light changed colors on the original, and the Ultra did not have this option. This is one area where I felt that the original is still better than the Ultra.

In general, the Ultra is a big improvement over the original Arctic Air. The adjustable airflow grill, the ability to freeze/wash the filter, and the option to use ice cubes in the water reservoir make the Ultra a much better product than the original. Neither unit will cool down an entire room, but the Ultra is cooler than a small fan. The only two drawbacks compared with the original are the lack of night light color options and the lack of a USB cable.

You may want peruse some of the comments Arctic Air Ultra on Amazon to see what other consumers are saying about it. I advise sorting those comments by newest first to keep an eye on how the vendor is doing, too.

Be sure to watch my full Arctic Air Ultra review below.

Your Arctic Air Ultra Reviews

Have you used Arctic Air Ultra or something like it? Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!