Compare Coolzy with other Portable Air Conditioners

Australian customers awarded Coolzy best portable air conditioner for 2022.

Coolzy produces more intense local cooling than other portables. We will explain why on this page.

Coolzy is the only truly portable cooling solution because it is small and easy to move or carry. Traditional portable room aircon units are large, heavy, and difficult to carry.

Coolzy is much quieter and provides the lowest cost, most environmentally responsible cooling solution in the world.

Comparison Table

Here is a summary table comparing Coolzy with other cooling solutions. We assumed three months operation in summer, 12 hours daily with a typical capital city electricity price. Read more explanations to follow.

Comparison Table	Average purchase price	Average monthly cost	Apparent Cooling
Coolzy {340W)	749	38	3 – 6 °C (8 – 12 °C with tent)
Ceiling Fan {130W)	150	10	2 °C
Water Cooler {150W)	315	16	3 – 10 °C
Cheap Portable {1200W)	450	54	3 – 4 °C
Split {1000W)	2125	108	8 – 10 °C
Split (large) {1800W)	2750	156	8 – 10 °C
Split (already installed) {1800W)	0	57	8 – 10 °C

	Average purchase price	Electricity/month	Repayments/month	Average monthly cost	Apparent Cooling
Coolzy {340W)	749	43	27	38	3 – 6 °C (8 – 12 °C with tent)
Ceiling Fan {130W)	150	16	5	10	2 °C
Water Cooler {150W)	315	19	11	16	3 – 10 °C
Cheap Portable {1200W)	450	151	16	54	3 – 4 °C
Split {1000W)	2125	126	77	108	8 – 10 °C
Split (large) {1800W)	2750	227	99	156	8 – 10 °C
Split (already installed) {1800W)	0	227	0	57	8 – 10 °C

Split System Air Conditioner

Understanding just a little about a split system air conditioner will help you to better appreciate the difference between Coolzy and a portable room air conditioner.

A wall-mounted split air-conditioner creates 12,000 BTU every hour, enough to cool a 12 square metre room by 10 – 12 °C (18 – 22 °F).

1,000 BTU cooling per spare metre.

The wall unit cools room air and transfers heat to an outdoor unit with a compressor and fan.

The fast-moving cool air mixes with room air and spreads through the room.

The air-conditioner draws about 900 – 1,200 Watts electricity.

Portable Room Air Conditioner

A normal portable room air-conditioner creates 12,000 BTU cooling every hour and draws about 1,200 Watts electricity.

However, it provides much less room cooling, only 3 – 4 °C (5 – 7 °F).

Why?

A: About 2,700 BTU offsets heat radiating from the hot exhaust pipe.

B: About 6,500 BTU offsets heat from outside air sucked into the room. This air replaces the room air sucked into the machine and pumped outside through the pipe.

C: Only 2,600 BTU remains to cool the 12 square metre room: 220 BTU per square metre, one quarter the room cooling from the split AC.

(numbers change slightly, depending on temperature, humidity, window kit installation, door opening, building structure, and the characteristics of the aircon model)

Coolzy Portable AC

Coolzy creates about 3,500 BTU cooling every hour and uses only 340 Watts electricity.

Coolzy focuses the cooling on one or more people nearby, over 4 square metres maximum floor area. That’s nearly 900 BTU per square metre, so the cooling feels much more intense compared with a portable room AC.

This ability to focus the cooling into a small area is the special patented technology that is unique to Coolzy.

The small amount of warm air rises to the ceiling, just like warm air from your kitchen refrigerator. It escapes through the open window (or doorway). If you need to use Coolzy in a small room with limited ventilation, read more here.

The cool air jet provides up to 3,000 BTU per square metre cooling intensity at one metre distance.

The apparent cooling inside the optional Igloo tent is 8 – 12 °C (14 – 18 °F), much the same as with a split air-conditioner, but with 70% – 80% less electricity.

Size, weight, noise and the total cooling cost for portable aircons

Coolzy alongside larger portable room air conditioner

Coolzy is smaller, much lighter, and easy to carry. You can use it anywhere, even outside in sheltered places.

A normal ‘portable’ air-conditioner is too large and heavy to carry without help, and must be near a window or doorway.

A ‘portable’ air-conditioner makes about the same noise as a kitchen juicer. It is too loud for most people to sleep with.

Coolzy makes much the same sound as an electric fan, ideal for sleeping.

When and where do you need portable cooling?

A split air-conditioner is the best solution for cooling a crowd.

By now, you will appreciate that Coolzy is a far more effective and economical portable solution for cooling. If you really need to cool a whole room, invest in a split system air conditioner. It is the only really effective choice. If you need cooling for many people in the same room for an extended period, invest in heat exchange ventilation as well to ensure sufficient fresh air. Split system air conditioners, by themselves, provide no fresh air ventilation.

However, using a split AC all the time costs more than most families can afford, and you install one for every room where you need cooling (or heating in winter).

Coolzy is fine for one or two people sleeping.

Coolzy is fine for chatting or watching TV together.

Coolzy is great for working at a desk or in a large space like a warehouse.

Coolzy allows cooling and privacy. There’s no need to be in the same room as everyone else to be cool.

Coolzy is the only truly portable cooling solution.

What’s the total cost?

For three months cooling in summer, 12 hours daily, Coolzy costs $450 a year including purchase repayments and electricity.

For three months cooling in summer, each single split air-conditioner costs about $1,300 – $1,900 a year including purchase repayments, installation, and electricity.

A portable air-conditioner provides much less cooling, and still costs $650 a year, of which 70% is the cost of electricity.

Coolzy is the least expensive, simplest, most sustainable cooling solution.

(assumes monthly payments for three years with interest rate 18%, typical electricity tariff $0.35)

Half the size and weight

Coolzy: 55 cm high x 29 cm x 39 cm, 15.4 kg, easy to carry.

Old Style Portable: typically 80 cm high x 40 cm x 45 cm, 32 kg, hard to move.

Best for bedrooms

In moderately hot weather, a Coolzy can be used on its own (as shown) or with a normal mosquito net. We recommend the optional Igloo bed tent in really hot conditions with indoor temperatures consistently over 27°C at night. The tent amplifies cooling over the bed and can also reduce energy consumption by about 30-40% which is ideal for battery and off-grid applications.

Old style portables are unsuitable for bedrooms. They are much noisier and have relatively low cooling performance compared with a split AC using the same power. Also humidity builds up in room with time.

No pipe or window kit

Coolzy: use it anywhere because there is no pipe

Old-style Portable: has to be close to a window to attach the large exhaust pipe with the window kit

Lowest total cost

Coolzy: $549-749 plus $15-$30 monthly electricity cost, total cost over three years $1,100-$1,800 depending on electricity tariffs and hours of use.

Old-style Portable: $350-$990 plus $120-$250 monthly electricity cost (Sydney), total cost over three years $2,000-$3,800.

70% less electricity , C02 emissions

Coolzy: 800-1,100 Watts cooling, 340 Watts electricity (same as a few incandescent light bulbs), 0.25 tonnes CO₂ over three years, equivalent to 110 litres of petrol

Old-style Portable: 3,000-7,500 Watts cooling, 1,000-2,400 Watts electricity, 1-2 tonnes CO₂ over three years, equivalent to 450-900 litres of petrol.

Focused Cooling

Coolzy: all cooling directed around people using it

Old-style Portable: mixes air in room, sucks out more air than it cools and sucks in hot air from the roof space outside. Only 3 – 4 degrees room cooling.

Much quieter

Coolzy: 47-54 dB – quiet, like an electric fan

Old-style Portable: 55-63 dB – noisy, can be hard to hear people speak

Fresh Air

Coolzy: Windows and/or doors open

Old-style Portable: Windows and doors must be closed

Easy to move. Use anywhere.

A Coolzy eliminates the need for an exhaust hose: such a wonderful improvement. It is on caster wheels and can easily be moved where you want to use it. At 15.4 Kg it is easily carried too. Take it anywhere you need cooling, even outside in sheltered places.

The old-style portable comes with a hose and window kit which is fiddly to install, and only works with some windows. That means you cannot easily move it once you have installed it. Plus the exhaust hose is ugly, helps to heat the room, and makes lots of noise.

If a Coolzy has no exhaust hose, surely it must warm the room?

Answer: A Coolzy releases only 340 Watts, similar to three people in the room. A Coolzy directs its warm air exhaust to the ceiling where the heat is absorbed, just like the warmth from your fridge which you don’t notice (warm air rises naturally). Any excess finds its way out of open windows or doors.

Without sufficient ventilation, even this small amount of heating can raise the temperature in the upper part of a small room. Learn how to provide extra ventilation for a small room.

What size room can the Coolzy cool?

A Coolzy works in any room, even outside in sheltered places. It creates a micro-climate, a cool zone, up to 4-5 square metres.

When should I consider the optional bed tent?

If the temperature inside your bedroom regularly exceeds 27°C at night, the Igloo bed tent provides extra cooling to keep you comfortable, and also provides chemical-free mosquito protection. The Igloo bed tent can also reduce the air conditioner power consumption to about 180 Watts average, a valuable saving for off-grid battery installations.

The Igloo bed tent also provides an ideal place for your baby or small child to be cool and comfortable during the day time.

Accordion Panel

How far away can a Coolzy be effective?

We recommend keeping a Coolzy near you, no more than 1 or 2 metres away. If you need it further away, or want to use while you are standing, we recommend our Coolzy-Pro Enhancer accessory which extends the range and optionally directs the cool air flow at a higher angle.

Is there still a reason for using a split AC?

If you need to cool a crowded room for 2 – 3 hours, a split AC is effective. Split ACs provide no fresh air exchange and the doors and windows need to be closed to retain the cool air so carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds and body odours build up with time. Prolonged use of split ACs for sleeping can cause dry itchy eyes and skin irritation from dry air and the running cost can be very high. Expect to pay $1,500 or more to install it and $120 – $250 a month for electricity if you use it for sleeping or during the day.

Tell me about other low cost, energy-efficient ways to keep cool at home or work.

Ceiling fans can be effective in moderate heat.

An electric fan on a table next to a window can draw outside air through the open window and blow it across a bed to provide effective cooling for sleeping. Make sure that there is one other open window or doorway tor air to escape.

Fans provide about 2 degrees of apparent cooling. (A Coolzy provides up to 10 degrees of apparent cooling, sometimes more.)

A large roof exhaust fan installed in ceiling of the highest room in the building can provide cost-effective cooling at night for the entire building, especially for brick buildings. The air flow capacity should be about 3,000 – 4,000 m3/hr with a low speed motor drive to ensure quiet running. Arrange for the fan to be switched on around 10 pm, and let it run until about 7 am. Leave some windows open to ensure that fresh air can be drawn into the building and pass through other rooms before reaching the exhaust fan.

Roof exhaust fans prevent a building from getting hotter every day of a heat-wave: the building cools to a temperature 2°C above the night time minimum temperature. A Coolzy can work well with a roof ventilation fan to provide extra cooling when needed.

In dry weather (up to about 60% relative humidity), evaporative (water) coolers can provide effective cooling. There are many types available, both mobile (not portable) and ducted systems. Avoid small portable models as they require frequent refilling with water, or have limited effectiveness. Indirect evaporative coolers provide cooling with only moderate increases in humidity. Direct evaporative coolers, the more common type, do increase humidity and can cause very high humidity at night. A Coolzy can work well with ducted evaporative cooling systems for homes and offices.

In extremely hot conditions, wet towels draped on your legs can provide effective cooling and sun protection when travelling by car.

Who invented Coolzy.com and where?

Coolzy.com is a Perth and Singapore based start-up company founded in 2007. Inventor James Trevelyan created the concept after experiencing summer heat in Pakistan with intermittent electricity for air conditioning. He refined the concept with a series of prototypes, assisted by our manufacturers in Taiwan. Our first commercial models went on sale in India and Pakistan in 2016.