As if the properties on “The Block” were not enough to cement the chains claim to fame.
A standard USB port, which it can run off provides just 2.5W of electrical power. Compared to everyday household Evap Coolers with motors from 100W up to 1000W it would be far from powerful. Assuming the Lion branded product is a full 2.5W input you might see up to 50W of cooling output.
That’s about the same as holding an ice cube in your hand for 5 minutes and watching it melt, at a simple guess.
The performance of the cooling device also assumes the humidity on the day is quite low, so useless any where tropical or coastal or where things that grow have any evidence of a green colouring? No fine print warning to suggest performance may vary depending on weather conditions. An ice cube in each hand might be a better choice?
P.S. I did post details of the promotion of a similar product - a different and online shopping site only. The spiel was less transparent in what it was. And many times more polished in what it claimed to deliver.
Good find, I’ll pass this on to our product testing team. I wonder if the product is comparable to small USB powered fans? If so, nearly $50 is also pretty costly.
I believe I have seen something like this advertised elsewhere and they said it was only suitable for cooling a small number of cubic metres (maybe four or five?).
I thought at the time it was a waste of money, because it’s cooling capacity would only be suitable for in a car, but who would want to run that in a car?
I suspect that car would need to be parked in a coolroom! That little box is never going to make much of a difference to any significant volume of air. The power consumption is a hint, 2.5watts vs kilowatts of power required to run a proper car AC.
Way too expensive for what it is. There are a shedload on ebay as well. My bedroom window a/c died a couple of years back and I was looking at these but they are tiny and only designed to cool your head, it seems to me. Or your feet. You wont get cool all over. Regular price is usually around $50 and thats just silly. I wouldnt get one even if they were free.
Are they a peltier type cooler? Still I would doubt at the supply power that they would cool very much at all and then you have to vent the heat generated by the device to somewhere not in the area.
Plastic box, cheap 5v computer style cooling fan, and a wet sponge with small water filler. If you look closer at the Mitre 10 advert there is a crude cut away view.
Hot dry air in +fan +water = cool moist air out. Looks just like an evaporative cooler. Mitre 10’s out if you buy one, live in the tropics, and the product seems to do nothing more than blow hot wet air at you.
Not a politician, although the thought that having wasted your money on a PolarAIR, it is reassuring you can just drop it in the bin and move on. For politicians it might mean waiting up to four years to do the same.
I decided to get a Close Comfort. It works in my bedroom as a personal cooler and is in no way comparable to your usual portable a/c but it works. Today, the temp outside went over 40º and in my bedroom was 32º. The CC kept me cool as I napped (I need my granny naps). It wont ever work as a room cooler. Worth a look. Maybe Choice could do some tests?
Qinux Airgo Air condtioner – Small portable air conditioner unit. $145.00 free postage. Charge via USB cable, so low cost to run. Silent running. Anyone have any info re this as I feel it’s too good to be true, but if it is genuine then I shall buy one, but being on a pension you have to be ultra careful.
There are numerous other examples of similar products with feedback in other topics in the Choice Community. I’ve moved these posts to one.
It’s just a mini fan inside a plastic box with a cheap filter. There is also a small water tank. How effective as an air conditioner? Not very if at all if one lives somewhere humid in summer. Elsewhere - more a gimmick than practical although you might notice a small effect if the air is very dry (low humidity).
Is the suggested brand good value? There are other similar products with the exact same features selling for a quarter of the price.
A quick search shows that you will need replacement ‘curtains’ (filters) every 6 months or so - not mentioned in the blurb on their website, but available when ordering.
It appears to be a miniature battery powered personal evaporative A/C unit. You have answered your own question, when something appears too good to be true it is almost certainly a scam. The pervasive accolades on the net are nothing more than ‘fake reviews and massive advertising’ to reinforce the gullibility of people who thus believe them because of the pervasiveness.
Consider how large it is - cooling a room with a unit not much larger than a large coffee cup?
The web sites touting it are all questionable, all marketing. Those that purport to be reviews are nothing but vapid empty advertising.
Thank you PhilT. You have confirmed what I was worried about. We only want something to put in bedroom at night. Also, the unit needs to be recharged via a USB cord, so I would have to buy one with a charger unit on the end to recharge it.
