Abstract The escalating global demand for space cooling, driven by climate change and urbanization, has intensified the urgency for energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable air conditioning solutions. Evaporative cooling air conditioners, which harness the latent heat of water evaporation to achieve substantial temperature reduction with minimal electricity consumption, present a compelling alternative to conventional vapor-compression systems. This paper provides a comprehensive review of evaporative cooling technologies, encompassing direct, indirect, and hybrid...