I never expected to find myself looking at the Zero Breeze. Camping is supposed to be a rough experience, one that pits you against nature. I was more than happy to tough it out. But then my young ones decided to join me on a trip, and everything changed.
I remember the night vividly. The kids were sweating profusely in a corner one random night. I could hear them, struggling, and failing to get cool. My eldest, for some odd reason, proceeded to show me various portable cold air conditioners on their iPad that barely had any signal.
An Honest Zero Breeze Review
I wasn’t sure what to make of Zero Breeze. This product claimed to be the world’s first outdoor AC manufacturer. It sounded like such a needed contraption I was shocked that this had not been created earlier. But I gave it a shot for the sake of my kids, and it wasn’t as bad as I expected.
Introducing the founder of Zero Breeze?
The Zero Breeze Mark 1 portable air conditioner and the manufacturer have the same name. They appeared on the scene in 2014.
The brainchild of Kelvin Ma, the company wanted to create the coolest portable AC in the world. They built a prototype in 2015 that they used to raise money on Kickstarter.
They accumulated five hundred thousand dollars. This was enough capital to commence production, which began in 2017.
The company garnered quick success. The Zero Breeze Mark 1 air conditioner attracted enough orders that they were able to move operations to China.
The company has attracted negative reviews and several complaints over the years. However, the company was able to turn these reviews into opportunities and standards to meet for their next model.
Who is the product’s target audience?
Zero Breeze Mark 1 Kickstarter air conditioner was designed with campers and a tent with AC port in mind. To be more specific, the device was made for people that need to take their air con with them when they go out. But the product tends to attract campers that need to keep their tents cool during warm weather.
These days, portable AC is used in several scenarios. Don’t be too surprised if you find it at the beach.
Future updates.
At launch, Zero Breeze Mark 1 was praised as a disruptive product, yet this praise was not to be sustained. As the product eventually succumbed to bad reviews and complaints.
Most of the feedback highlighted design failures and battery pack life. For instance, even though it claimed to be the coolest portable AC on the market at 1,100 BTU’s. This was not the case as many of its competitors were running at 5,000 BTU’s or even higher.
Customer service recieved a plethora of service tickets for the drain port had a defect, which caused the water to miss the water tube, pooling on the floor.
The battery-powered portable air conditioner running time was just two hours, which meant that you couldn’t use it throughout the night.
Not only was the unit heavy, but it was far more expensive than brands with superior output. These complaints and more should have ruined the company.
But Zero Breeze Mark 1 customer service listened to the feedback seen on Amazon com and went back to the drawing board.
They are planning to release a more powerful version of their AC showcased as the Zero Breeze Mark 2. This one will have a BTU of 2,300 and a sleeker design.
The first version had its problems, but it exceeded all expectations as far as the sales are concerned. One assumes that the second version will do the same.
How does the Zero Breeze portable air conditioner work?
Unlike any of its competitors, Zero Breeze Mark 1 is a real AC because it uses a rotary compressor, albeit a small one.
You can carry it from place to place because it has a 12V battery. This battery is bought separately. It doesn’t come with a portable AC unit. The fact that it is so expensive is a source of concern for many people.
That being said, you don’t have to use it, not if you have a conventional AC/DC power source nearby. You can just keep the product plugged in using a power adapter. It is compatible with a wall outlet and a car.
If you buy the battery, it requires five hours of charging. When full, it should technically last five hours. With that in mind, we decided to take some spare batteries because we knew the duration wouldn’t be enough to endure the night.
Our first-hand encounter—Where did we use Zero Breeze?
As you might have guessed, we initially took the AC camping. We were sharing a tent. So it made sense to deploy it there. The fact that it did not require a stationary power source made this possible.
We made a stop at a cabin on the way back, and the device was just as useful in that setting.
Though, in the case of the cabin, we could plug it into a wall outlet. So we had no reason to drain the rest of our batteries.
We eventually drained them on the way back home. The car wasn’t that hot, but we wanted to see how well Zero Breeze worked.
The AC is supposed to be effective within a 50-square foot range. So the car was a suitable test subject for its operations.
As was mentioned above, some people use these devices outdoors. Unfortunately during our tests especially inside, the product has been known to fall short of 50 square feet.
But If you can sit right next to the product, the cool air will more than enough.
Are you already cool and need tips on heating your tent? Click here for our article on How to Insulate a Tent.
Dimensions.
- Output – The manufacturer promises cool air power for the zero breeze air conditioner BTU of approximately 1,100 BTU per hour.
- Advertised Temperatures – The working temperature ranges from 37 Degrees F to 122 Degrees F. It covers a 50-square foot area.
- Power – The power consumption is 150W. The rated current is 12.5A. The rated voltage is 12V.
- Weight – 12.8 pounds
The good.
- It is light, weighing only 12 pounds,
- A truly portable air conditioner compared to other portable ac units
- It works as a dehumidifier
- The filter is easy to clean
- Additional features include a Bluetooth speaker, remote control, flashlight, and usb ports.
- 12v air conditioner
- Night light and sleep mode
- 50 square feet coverage advertised (not during our tests)
- Responsive customer service
The bad.
- The lithium ion battery doesn’t come with the AC. You have to spend an additional $300 to get it.
- The battery powered air conditioner doesn’t last long (5 hours)
- One of, if not the expensive ac unit out there on the market
- The battery takes a long time to charge (5 hours)
Verdict.
The Zero Breeze Portable AC is excellent if you look at it in a vacuum. However, it fails to impress when you compare it with other portable air conditioners.
The cooling power is low; the draining issues make it an inconvenience for campers. Battery life is lacking, and the Zero Breeze AC cost far more than their rivals with superior cooling power.
Whilst falling just shy of a great product, the next generation air conditioning features a stronger power bank.
Therefore, you have no reason to buy this ac unit if your an active outdoors person. Again, on its own, it is perfectly fine. But it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to justify its expensive cost when you consider the fact that there are cheaper portable ac units that are far superior.
To see the latest air conditioners unit price visit the Zero Breeze Amazon listing here.
We were never paid by Zero Breeze or any other affiliate to write this article or to review the product.
We purchased the Zero Breeze Mark 1 air conditioner for sale which was a bargain due to the imminent release of the Zero Breeze Mark 2 to provide an unbiased opinion.
