For over half of a century, Bonaire Evaporative coolers have been used to cool homes in Australia with continuous innovation and energy conservation in mind. Created specifically to combat Australia’s harshest climates, Bonaire evaporative coolers can be a life-saver in the hot, summer months or throughout the entire year.
People know Bonaire Evaporative Coolers most for:
- Over 60 years of cooler manufacturing in Australia
- Operating under the Climate Technologies Celi Group (a recent acquisition of Symphony Limited )
Verdict
While we aren’t crazy about the Pyrox heater, Bonaire is one of the most trusted domestic names in evaporative cooling. The company has a wide range of products with solutions for any Australian living space. With huge brand recognition, seamless integration, and national support, Bonaire evaporative coolers are easy to install and operate.
While all evaporative coolers are designed to minimize energy consumption, few brands do it better today than Bonaire. The company uses the latest technology to deliver economic and environmentally friendly solutions for cooling Australian homes.
With a reasonable upfront price and years of savings ahead, most Bonaire products will pay for themselves. Plus, they are incredibly easy to use, making them one of the best evaporative cooling brands on the market today.
Bonaire Evaporative Coolers – Company Background
Bonaire was founded in Australia in 1954. Decades later, Bonaire was purchased by Celair, and was renamed “Climate Technologies.” Throughout the early 2000s Climate Technologies’ global reach expanded with a manufacturing facility in the US and acquisitions of Bradflow (a commercial duct and fittings company) and Dadanco (a commercial chilled beams business).
Climate Technologies was then purchased by Symphony Limited in 2018. Today, Bonaire Evaporative Coolers continue to be manufactured and released on the Australian market with the distinct Bonaire branding and technology included.
Products/Product Ranges
Bonaire has a long history of continuous innovation, manufacturing products with the latest technology for the betterment of the consumer experience. Today, the company has a handful of evaporative coolers that have been designed to fit the needs of Australian consumers in all of the country’s climate zones.
To purchase a Bonaire evaporative cooler, consumers must contact their local dealer. Products may be limited regionally, however, Bonaire evaporative cooling solutions can generally be arranged for installation anywhere in Australia.
Bonaire Pinnacle – Perfect for Most Homes
Today, Bonaire’s flagship product is the Pinnacle, which the company refers to as the “pinnacle” in modern evaporative cooling. In the recent past, the Pinnacle has been Bonaire’s best-seller thanks to its high-quality build with premium features.
The Pinnacle uses a ducted heating system to cool full-size homes, all at the touch of a button using the wall-mounted or remote controller. Designed to minimize monthly energy costs and keep Australian homes cool all summer long, the Pinnacle is one of today’s best evaporative cooling systems.
Superior Technology – To start, the Pinnacle combines an imPress® Motor, Aerowing® fan, and 120mm Thick Filtercool® pads to maximize the efficiency of the evaporative cooling system. The included motor was originally designed for use in a solar-powered car and lowers the energy consumption of the system by up to 40% compared to other evaporative coolers.
High-Quality Design – Secondly, Pinnacle is designed to deliver efficient cooling solutions for long lifespans with high-quality protective features in place. In addition to the durable outer shell (protected against UV and weather), the Pinnacle features many automatic interior mechanisms to prolong the performance of the unit. This includes the Bonaire Water Management System, the motor’s thermal protection, and the self-cleaning water tray and drain tank.
Bonus Features – Last but not least, the Bonaire Pinnacle has premium bonus features that allow it to be the evaporative cooler of choice in many Australian homes. In addition to the easy remote-controlled operation and easy customer support, the Bonaire Pinnacle is designed to effortlessly integrate PV solar panels. With this, the cooling process is even more economical and eco-friendly.
Bonaire Integra II – Premium Quality With 7 Year Warranty
While the Pinnacle is a great full-home solution for almost everybody, Australians looking for an even more premium product will be satisfied with the Bonaire Integra II. The Integra II is the follow-up and redesign from the company’s original Integra model, upgraded and available throughout most of the country.
Premium Build – The Integra II delivers all of the advanced technology of the Bonaire Pinnacle with a few extra product features, including Bonaire’s PreCool technology and enhanced pad cleaning functionality. Protected in the same stylish and durable encasing, the Integra II comes in five distinct colors to match most Australian roofs including red, charcoal, green, beige, and chocolate.
No Limits – With long-term evaporative cooling, the Integra II can easily and efficiently cool nearly any home in Australia. In the winter months, the Integra II can utilize its Enviroseal® duct shutter to keep warm air in while the cooling system is not being used. Although a 5-year warranty is standard, Bonaire offers their 7-year extended warranty on the Integra II. With these protective features, this unit is truly a premium choice.
Bonaire Summer Breeze – Fantastic Budget-Friendly Option
Next, we would like to dial back the expenses for a moment to showcase a great, budget-friendly option: the Bonaire Summer Breeze. The Summer Breeze does not come with all of the premium features of the Pinnacle or the Integra II. Instead, it comes at a fraction of the cost.
Great Value – While many homes (and homeowners) do not need the absolute best performance in their evaporative cooling system, the Summer Breeze is still able to save money on upfront and ongoing costs.
The system is by no means cheap, in that it is still a high-quality product from a reputable company, protected by a great warranty. If you fear that you may be overpaying for unnecessary features, the Summer Breeze is a great option for long-term cooling.
Easy Replacement – The Summer Breeze is designed to be installed on standard duct sizes, and can replace most evaporative coolers on the market today. Whether your unit has stopped working naturally or due to a natural disaster, the Summer Breeze is a great low-priced replacement for most evaporative coolers.
As a bonus, Bonaire’s technology is generally more efficient than most existing units, especially if they are more than a few years old. Performing an energy audit on your current system may yield the Summer Breeze as a much more economical choice, especially in mild climates.
Bonaire Durango Series of Evaporative Coolers – Window and Mobile Units
Stepping down from the roof, Bonaire also has a line of evaporation coolers designed for on the spot cooling known as the Durango Series. In the Durango series, Bonaire has a model that is designed to fit within a window (think, window air conditioner), while the mobile unit is designed for the outdoors. Despite their drastically different uses, the Durango series of Bonaire evaporative coolers are built with the same, energy-efficient technology.
Window Unit Features – The Durango Window Cooler is designed for the open living plan of the modern Australian home. Although it does take up space in a window, the slim fit design still allows its footprint to be minimal in and outside of the living space. The Bonaire Durango Window Cooler is very easy to install and can cool areas up to 80 square metres.
Mobile Unit Features – Alternatively, the Durango Mobile Coolers are designed to cool 80 square metres of outdoor living space. The 44 kg unit comes preinstalled on a wheeled cart, so it is extremely easy to transport, plug in, and use. Restaurants, shops, and outdoor event spaces can be easily cooled with this unit, although homeowners who value luxury and comfort will also find this low-priced solution to work wonders.
Bonaire Small and Mobile Evaporative Air Coolers
Finally, Bonaire carries a few small, mobile evaporative air coolers that are great for single rooms or small spaces. Bonaire’s energy efficient technology, lower power consumption, and remote controlled timers make them some of the best and cheapest on-the-spot cooling solutions on the Austrian market today.
The Diet 22 – First, the Bonaire Diet 22 is a low-priced option for cooling areas up to 42 square meters. The unit is very quiet and energy efficient, with multidirectional wheels for enhanced mobility. Unlike other small, mobile units, the Diet 22 can still be hooked up directly to a hose so that no upkeep is required. Alternatively, use in a variety of settings is optimized with a warning signal when the cooler is low on water.
The Winter i – For a bit more power, the Bonaire Winter i is a great, mobile evaporative cooler. The Winter i is designed to cool rooms up to 130 square meters with all of the premium features that are included in the Diet 22. Each Winter i has a 2 year warranty, which is 1 year longer than the protection sold with the Diet 22.
Accounts In the Wild (Screenshots)
To give some perspective on the quality of Bonaire’s products, we poked around the internet a bit on a mission to locate real customer experiences. What we found was a large mix of customer satisfaction, leaning primarily in the positive direction.
First, take a look at this review for the Bonaire Pinnacle from user ‘Rhys’ in Canberra. Upon receiving his Bonaire Pinnacle Rhys was first impressed with the customer service and then blown away (pun intended) by the quality of the unit. Although the review notes that the unit is not silent by any means, the low, unobtrusive noise is a small sacrifice when considering its performance.
Although this review was written before the Pinnacle stood the test of time, it seems that the service, installation, and initial performance has sufficiently impressed the customer. Rhys anticipates a low power bill and hasn’t logged in to change his review in 3 years to say otherwise.
Next, here is another astounding review of the Bonaire Pinnacle from user Suw in Upwey. Suw stayed brand royal, replacing an old Bonaire with the Pinnacle 220 after disaster struck the home. The upgrade, noted as the “best ever,” resulted in extreme satisfaction as the customer called the Pinnacle “all round perfect.”
Here, it is important to note that the customer is satisfied with the Pinnacle’s performance all year round. The Pinnacle was able to perform so well on humid days that air conditioning suddenly became a thing of the past for Suw in Upwey.
Of course, not every customer experience is going to be worth five stars. Take for instance the above review of the Bonaire Integra from user C.P in Victoria. Despite being so close geographically to Suw in Upwey, C.P had a much different experience. Despite an “ease of use” score of ⅘, this customer would not recommend Bonaire at all, with 0/5 stars overall (if they could).
In this review, the frustrated customer has issues with both the Bonaire Integra’s performance and Climate Technology’s inability to fix the issues. Despite the installer claiming the unit was put in correctly, a myriad of problems has turned into a nightmare. While we certainly understand that some units can be defective, it seems that this customer does not feel valued by the company who has installed the unit.
Finally, we’d like to return to positivity with this review of the Bonaire Summer Breeze from user mwilison9. In this review, the customer immediately notes that their new Summer Breeze unit from Bonaire was an upgrade from their old Brivis unit. The Bonaire Summer Breeze’s low-noise and remote-controlled operation make it quite literally “a breeze” to install and enjoy.
In this review, it becomes clear that the customer has educated themselves on the products available on the market and chosen the best for their specific needs. With the Summer Breeze, this customer was able to enjoy the premium features of a Bonaire evaporative cooler, without sinking an enormous upfront investment.
Lastly, we’d like to feature this review titled “Mixed Bag” from user ‘deed_meet’ in Melbourne. In this review, the customer notes that the product performs as described and is “on par” with most evaporative coolers on today’s market. Despite its convenient features, however, the Maxicool also delivered a handful of usability issues.
Although most of the notes in this review may be seen as trivial to some homeowners, they cannot be ignored in the grand scheme of things.
Performance Notes–How does it stack up where it matters?
Okay, now that we’ve covered the products and reviews, let’s get a bit more technical. Compared to other evaporative coolers on the market, here is how Bonaire’s products stack up against the rest:
Ease of Use
More than anything, Bonaire’s evaporative coolers are built with the customer in mind. Ease of use is undeniable here, as Bonaire’s premium features earn them satisfaction from most customers. Across the board from their most expensive unit to their smallest evaporative cooler, Bonaire includes safety and operational features for superior ease of use.
Namely, Bonaire gives homeowners the choice of their own climate control, either remote or wall-mounted. With this, the Wifi capabilities make it possible to effortlessly customize your unit’s operation. Beyond this, all of Bonaire’s products are designed to industry standards for easy replacement of similar components.
Energy Efficiency
Most importantly, Bonaire’s energy efficiency system sets them apart from most of the other evaporative coolers on the market. While the technology is racing ahead at dramatic speeds, few evaporative coolers are more efficient than Baonaire’s Pinnacle. With this in mind, Bonaire’s evaporative coolers are very cheap to run for long periods of time.
Here, energy efficiency means both the amount of energy consumed and the amount of cool air produced. Bonaire includes smart features with the latest technology in efficient cooling with minimal energy consumption. The Pinnacle can even be incorporated with solar panels for optimal economic performance.
Operating Noise
Next, operating noise must be considered when finding the best evaporative cooler for your home. Although they are a bit louder than other premium products, Bonaire’s evaporative coolers are designed to be placed on the roof, where their operation is heard much less.
For ductless evaporative coolers, Bonaire’s mobile systems are actually quieter than most alternatives. Although a simple fan may do the trick, outdoor and open space cooling from Bonaire’s products are near-silent with impressive results.
System Lifespan
Lastly, the expected system lifespan of Bonaire Evaporative Coolers is very impressive. While the smaller units come with 1 to 2 year warranties, Bonaire’s premier products come with a 5-year standard warranty that can be upgraded for 2 additional years.
While shopping around for other brands, smaller coolers typically come with 6 month warranties, and larger units are generally protected for 2 to 4 year periods. Here, Australians can derive more value from a longer running, efficient evaporative cooling system.
Value
Compared to other evaporative coolers on the Australian market, Bonaire’s products typically boast average costs to purchase and install. While they are certainly not the cheapest cooling solution on the market (i.e. a fan or low quality cooler), the company’s history and distribution network make them relatively easy and affordable to adopt.
When in operation, the value of Bonaire’s evaporative coolers skyrockets. Compared to traditional air conditioning and less efficient systems, Bonaire’s products cost a fraction to operate and keep your living space cool. With this, many people argue that Bonaire’s evaporative coolers pay for themselves in comparison to the savings earned against traditional home cooling costs.
Warranty/Service/Support
Bonaire is a large company with international support from its network of partners. With big names and financial backing, Bonaire is able to provide customers with “Premier Assist” Priority After Sales Service, which can be registered on their website here.
Bonaire’s products have the option to be purchased with a 7-year product warranty that includes coverage for:
- Parts
- Labor
- And workmanship
On top of all of this, Bonaire promises a “performance guarantee” with complete money-back satisfaction for any units’ projected performance.
In terms of customer service, Bonaire buyers may have a mixed bag of experiences. Like many large companies, Bonaire’s distribution and service network are filled with partners, installers, and maintenance workers with a variety of expertise and customer care levels. While Bonaire customers in large cities are generally able to find quality support, those in less populated regions may have more limited resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Before we wrap up, here are a few quick answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about Bonaire evaporative coolers.
How does a Bonaire evaporative cooler work?
Bonaire evaporative coolers, also known as swamp coolers, are able to lower air temperatures by converting liquid into vapor. Evaporative coolers draw the ambient energy from the thermal heat in the air into the device and then release it back into the air at a cooler temperature. Bonaire evaporative coolers are manufactured to be extremely user friendly, working at the simple push of a button.
What are the benefits of evaporative coolers?
If you want to keep your energy bills down, you’ll be happy to learn that evaporative cooling only costs about 20% of the running cost of refrigerated air conditioning. That’s good for your wallet! If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, your Bonaire evaporative cooler reduces greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 85% compared with an air conditioner. That’s environmentally friendly (If interested, heat transfer kits are another highly efficient method of transferring air of different temperatures around your house, and can be used for heating or cooling).
If you want to be in tune with Nature, your Bonaire evaporative cooler produces effective cooling by combining a two natural processes – water evaporation and air movement. That’s great for asthma and hay fever sufferers! If you like to avoid unnecessary use of chemicals, your Bonaire evaporative cooler uses no artificial refrigerants. That’s comforting.
Where are Bonaire evaporative coolers made?
Bonaire evaporative coolers, as well as the rest of the company’s product lines, are manufactured in Adelaide, Australia. Bonaire is one of Australia’s leading evaporative cooler manufacturers and has been in business for over 60 years.
Which brand of an evaporative cooler is best?
Bonaire manufactures high-quality products, however, their evaporative coolers may not be the best for every home and budget. While we Bonaire evaporative coolers are certainly decent options, we also encourage Australians to explore options from the following brands:
- Kmart
- Dimplex
- DeLonghi
- Goldair
- Onix
- And more
Bottom Line
Evaporative coolers are a great, energy efficient way to keep your home cool all year round. Bonaire evaporative coolers are a great choice for most Australians thanks to the company’s history, product lines, and performance.
Whereas not every customer experience is going to be perfect, Bonaire offers Australians the chance to support a long-standing local brand with the peace of mind and innovation that stems from international support.