Breezair
$1,500+
split system, installed
Split, installed (estimate)
$1,500 – $4,800
Estimated 2026 range; your quote confirms it
Warranty
7 years (cooler)
Parts and labour on splits, per the manufacturer. Conditions apply
Best for
Dry-climate homes happy to keep evaporative cooling, or owners weighing a switch to reverse cycle that heats as well.
Breezair is the evaporative cooler Australians put on the roof when they want the good one. It is made by Seeley International, founded in Adelaide in 1972 by Frank Seeley, which builds its coolers at its main plant in Lonsdale, south of the city.
Most people looking at Breezair already own one. The unit is getting old, a pad or pump has gone, and the question is whether to replace it with another Breezair or move to refrigerated reverse cycle. That is what this page is for.
On evaporative, Breezair is the premium pick. The current range runs from the Supercool EXS through the Icon EXQ to the Extraordinaire XTR. Published installer pricing in January 2026 put a Breezair ducted cooler at roughly $3,500 to $5,500 installed, above most rival evaporative brands.
The limits of evaporative are physics, not build quality. It cannot heat. It works best in dry heat and less well as humidity climbs. It needs air to escape the house. And it uses water every hour it runs. None of that is Breezair's fault, and none of it goes away with a better cooler.
Reverse cycle fixes all four, at a higher upfront price. A single split for the main room costs about $1,500 to $4,800 installed, and whole-home ducted typically $7,500 to $18,000. Read our reverse cycle vs evaporative guide, then get up to three local quotes for both routes before you sign for a new cooler.
Is Breezair a good evaporative cooler?
Yes. Breezair is widely regarded as the benchmark evaporative cooler in Australia, and Seeley backs it with one of the longest warranties in the category. Service technicians know the units well and parts are easy to get.
The better question for most owners is whether evaporative is still the right way to cool the house. If it is, a new Breezair is a sound buy. If it is not, a better cooler will not help.
Replace a Breezair like for like, or switch to reverse cycle?
| Option | Typical installed price | Heats? | Works when humid? | Windows open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Breezair ducted evaporative | About $3,500 – $5,500 | No | Poorly | Yes, or relief vents |
| Reverse cycle split, main room | $1,500 – $4,800 per unit | Yes | Yes | No |
| Multi-head, 2 to 4 rooms | $4,500 – $12,000 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Ducted reverse cycle, single storey 3-bed | $9,000 – $16,000 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Ducted reverse cycle, two storey or tight roof | $13,000 – $20,000 or more | Yes | Yes | No |
If the cooler has failed in January and you need cooling this week, a like-for-like swap is the quickest fix. If you have a few weeks, get up to three local quotes for reverse cycle too. Seeing both numbers on the same page usually settles it.
What does evaporative cooling do badly?
- Heating. It has none. Most evaporative homes also run a gas ducted heater, which is its own running cost and its own replacement bill.
- Humidity. Evaporative cooling adds moisture to the air, so it works less well as the outside air gets wetter. Brisbane, the Gold Coast and coastal NSW are hard places for it.
- Closed houses. Air has to escape, so windows or relief vents need to be open. Seeley says some newer models can run with the house locked up, using relief vents, but open windows are the traditional rule.
- Water. A whole-house cooler uses water for every hour it runs, more on the hottest days, and water restrictions can bite.
Breezair warranty: what you have to do to keep seven years
Seeley's residential warranty for Breezair is seven years comprehensive, ten years on structural parts and 25 years against corrosion on the Permatuf cabinet. The fine print is worth reading before you choose a service tech.
- A paid general service by Seeley or its nominee within the fourth year.
- Purchase from a Seeley participating dealer. Otherwise the cover drops to five years.
- Maintenance as set out in the owner's manual, and registration within six months.
Can I reuse my evaporative ducts for reverse cycle?
Rarely as they are. Evaporative ducting moves large volumes of outside air and exits through ceiling outlets. Ducted reverse cycle needs insulated ducts sized for its own airflow and a return air path back to the unit. Many installers replace the ducting entirely.
If an installer proposes reuse, make them show the duct condition and sizing in writing. Leaky or undersized ducts make a new system noisy and expensive to run. The ducted cost guide covers what a full new run costs.
Rebates for replacing evaporative and gas with reverse cycle
In Victoria, Victorian Energy Upgrades offers discounts for replacing gas heating with an efficient reverse cycle system, which is the usual partner of a rooftop cooler. The scheme's rules have changed more than once since 2025, including a minimum customer co-payment, so check the current position on the Victoria rebate page and have the installer show the discount on the quote.
In South Australia, the Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme covers efficient reverse cycle air conditioners, applied as a discount by the business doing the job; the SA rebate page explains how it works. Western Australia has no statewide household reverse cycle rebate, so budget the full installed price there (WA page). Either way, get up to three local quotes and ask each installer what applies to your postcode.
Sources
- Seeley International: about Seeley in South Australia
- Breezair evaporative coolers (Australia)
- Seeley International: warranty information
- Seeley International: evaporative cooling, Breezair and Braemar
- Energy Victoria: VEU heating and cooling discounts
- Essential Services Commission: VEU space heating and cooling changes
Where it earns the money
- Designed and built in Adelaide by Seeley International, which calls itself Australia's largest air conditioning manufacturer
- Seven-year comprehensive residential warranty, ten years on structural parts and 25 years against cabinet corrosion, when the conditions are met
- Very cheap to run on dry heat days compared with refrigerated cooling
- Fresh outside air through the house rather than recirculated air
Watch-outs before you sign
- Evaporative cannot heat, so you still need a separate heater, usually gas
- Works less well as humidity rises. On a sticky coastal evening it moves warm, damp air around
- The seven-year warranty needs a paid service in year four and a purchase from a participating dealer, or it drops to five
- Uses water every hour it runs, and needs windows or relief vents open to work
Our verdict
The best-built evaporative cooler sold here. Keep it if you live somewhere dry and heat another way. If you want heating, humid-day cooling or a closed-up house, price reverse cycle before you replace it like for like.
Whatever the badge, sizing and install quality decide how it feels to live with. Check your postcode's rebate and get quotes from up to three licensed local installers to compare.
FAQ
Breezair questions
Who makes Breezair?
Seeley International, an Adelaide company founded in 1972 by Frank Seeley. It manufactures in Lonsdale, South Australia, and also makes the Braemar, Coolair and Climate Wizard brands.
How long does the Breezair warranty last?
Seven years comprehensive for residential use, ten years on structural parts and 25 years against corrosion on the cabinet. You need a paid service by Seeley or its nominee in the fourth year and a purchase from a participating dealer, or the comprehensive cover drops to five years.
How much does a new Breezair cost installed?
Roughly $3,500 to $5,500 installed for a ducted rooftop unit, going by published installer pricing in January 2026. Size, roof access and whether the old unit and ducts are reused change the number.
Should I replace my evaporative cooler with reverse cycle?
Replace it with reverse cycle if you want heating, cooling that works on humid days, or a house you can close up. Keep evaporative if you live somewhere reliably dry and heat another way. Get up to three local quotes for both and compare.
What is the downside of evaporative cooling?
It cannot heat, it works less well as humidity rises, it needs windows or vents open, and it uses water every hour it runs. In dry heat it is cheap to run; on a humid night it barely helps.
Is evaporative cooling cheaper to run than reverse cycle?
On a dry hot day, usually yes. Seeley claims savings of up to 80% against ducted reverse cycle, which is the manufacturer's own figure. Reverse cycle costs more to run but also heats, and our running cost calculator shows what a split or ducted system costs on your tariff.
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