An evaporator unit for an inhaler comprising a heating element is designed to evaporate liquid, the evaporated liquid being taken up by an airflow flowing through the evaporator unit. The evaporator unit comprises at least one air-permeable capillary structure having a surface that is heatable in order to preheat the liquid and can be wetted, at least in part, by liquid and is supplied with liquid by capillary action, and the heating element is designed to heat the airflow flowing through the evaporator unit, the capillary structure being arranged downstream of the heating element such that the heated airflow leads to evaporation of the preheated liquid.