Brand: EcoFlow

The EcoFlow WAVE 3 is a reversible portable air conditioner rated at 1,800W (6,100 BTU/h) cooling and 2,000W (6,800 BTU/h) heating, designed for 11 to 18 m² spaces (tent, van, mobile home, small room). What sets it apart: it can run on mains power or, with its swappable 1,024Wh battery (sold separately), completely cordless, for up to 8 hours in Eco mode. Controlled through the EcoFlow app, it uses R290 refrigerant and recharges at 1,000W in 75 minutes via mains, car socket or solar.

The WAVE 3 marks a genuine break from conventional portable air conditioners: its ability to run entirely on battery power, up to 8 hours in Eco mode, makes it an appliance built for a van, mobile home or garden without easy access to a mains outlet. The independent tests we reviewed unanimously praise its fast cooling, with a measured multi-degree temperature drop within a quarter of an hour, and its versatility: the heating function, rare on this type of appliance, allows year-round use. Control through the EcoFlow app is rated as reliable, with an automatic mode that adjusts power based on ambient temperature. The concerns raised are consistent across reviews: a steep price once the battery is added (the air conditioner alone already sits at the premium end), weight and bulk that limit true portability despite the name, and a noise level that climbs noticeably at maximum power, around 58 to 60 dB(A). Reviews on the official store are more mixed on the UK site (3.9/5 across 9 reviews) than the enthusiasm found in independent test articles, a gap worth keeping in mind before buying, though its precise cause isn't something we can pin down from the outside. For committed off-grid use, with a comfortable budget, the WAVE 3 remains one of the few genuinely standalone air conditioning solutions on the market.

The EcoFlow Glacier pairs a dual-zone compressor cooler (from +10°C to -25°C, independently adjustable per compartment) with a removable 298Wh battery, offering up to 40 hours of runtime with no cable. Its built-in ice maker, a first for this kind of appliance, produces 18 ice cubes in 12 minutes. Controllable via app, rechargeable from the mains, 12V/24V or a solar panel, it suits anyone wanting a cooler able to run fully independently, without relying on a socket or a vehicle battery.

The EcoFlow Glacier remains a fairly undocumented product on the UK market, with a very limited number of reviews to date, which calls for caution before drawing firm conclusions. The feedback available, more plentiful on the US market where the product has been sold for longer, unanimously praises the built-in ice maker, a first for this kind of appliance, as well as the ability to run fully independently thanks to its removable 298Wh battery, a real plus for use far from any mains socket or accessible vehicle battery. The independent dual zone, able to reach down to -25°C on one compartment while keeping the other in fridge mode, is also cited as a strong argument against single-zone coolers. The price, noticeably higher than classic compressor coolers of similar capacity, reflects this battery-ecosystem approach rather than a simple plug-and-forget compressor, a trade-off to weigh depending on how much value is placed on total energy independence.

The EcoFlow WAVE 2 is a reversible portable air conditioner rated at 1,500W (5,100 BTU/h) cooling and about 1,780W (6,100 BTU/h) heating, with no installation or drainage needed (below 70% humidity). Like the WAVE 3, it can run on mains power or a swappable battery (1,159Wh, sold separately), for up to 8 hours in Eco mode. It uses R290 refrigerant and is controlled through the EcoFlow app. Named best portable air conditioner at CES 2023, it remains highly rated by users on official stores.

The WAVE 2 paved the way for battery-powered portable air conditioners at EcoFlow, and remains a solid choice today, named best portable air conditioner at CES 2023. Reviews on the UK official store are very positive (4.7/5, though the sample is small), praising the complete lack of installation, no drainage at all needed in cooling mode as long as humidity stays below 70%, a genuine simplicity win over conventional portable air conditioners. The independent tests we reviewed confirm fast cooling, with a measured 10°C temperature drop in 5 minutes under favourable conditions, and an appreciated heating function that extends use into autumn. The same tests note that the unit still remains fairly bulky for genuinely daily nomadic use, that the add-on battery represents a substantial investment, and that noise level climbs noticeably at full power. Against the newer, more powerful WAVE 3, the WAVE 2 keeps one strong argument: its compatibility with an EcoFlow battery fleet some users already own, plus often more aggressive pricing on refurbished or end-of-line units.