One of the items we were really looking forward to seeing at Outdoor Retailer was the IcyBreeze cooler, because it’s not just a 38 quart cooler, it’s also a portable air conditioner. Of course, we may have been a bit skeptical that such an item existed, and wanted to see how well it worked. As luck would have it, they were located in the pavilion area, which was made up of large tents (think circus tents) that did a great job of holding in the summer heat. When they turned on the IcyBreeze for us, and Mrs. Outsider got chills, we knew it was legit. And since it was almost the end of the final day of the show, they were kind enough to send one of their demo models home with us for a full test and review.
Find your IcyBreeze on Amazon.com
Having rolled the IcyBreeze through a couple of those huge tents, across the street, and then across the entire Salt Palace, I can tell you that the handle is comfortable, and it’s fairly easy to pull for longer distances than you’ll likely ever need to. In order to test it fully loaded, another vendor was kind enough to load it up with beer right as we were leaving the show. To get to our car, I had to pull it another two or three city blocks in what was at least 100 degree heat. Still no complaints. When we got it home, we threw some ice in, maybe a dozen cans of beer, and the two quarts of water, per the directions. As the battery was already charged, we put our tired feet up, and enjoyed the blast of cold air for at least another hour or two. Since then, we have used it outdoors in 90+ temps, with excellent results every time. It really does blow an “icy breeze”, up to 35 degrees below ambient temps. Cold beer. Cool air. How cool is that?
So how does it work? Housed inside what mostly looks like a regular cooler is a battery, pump, fan, and radiator. Those two quarts of water stay icy cold, and get pumped into the radiator, which cools air being pulled across it. The cold air exits a vent in the cooler lid (perfect for your tent), or you can use the flexible hose to direct it. On the lid are two molded cup holders as well. Three fan settings allow it to run for about 2.5 hours on high to around 6 hours on low. It will keep ice cold for up to a week, so if you get the AC power supply, you could run it for days. When you’re done, the wide drain makes it easy to empty. There is also an optional 12 volt power supply, for running it from a car or camper. Other options include a 4 foot extension tube, and even a corded remote. IcyBreeze offers three colors and four different packages, which should fit the needs of most users.
The IcyBreeze makes our list of top ten items for this year, easily. It’s no secret that we like cold drinks. And for those times when it’s really too hot to enjoy the outdoors, having a portable air conditioner that also keeps your drinks cold is a huge bonus. Not everyone can stand the heat, and this is one product that can really make a difference at your next tailgate party, camping trip, or day of fishing. Check them out at IcyBreeze.com
– Brian