Latest news with #Wave3
CNET
09-07-2025
- Business
- CNET
Stay Powered All Summer With Up to 62% Off EcoFlow Systems This Prime Day
Being without power can be a real problem. If you like going camping or live in a place where storms can cut the power, having a reliable backup system is a must. Portable power stations are great for that, but like all great things, they can be pricey. Not right now, though. With Prime Day sales in full swing, you can score hundreds off EcoFlow, one of our favorite power station brands. Right now, they are running a Prime Day sale with up to 62% off some of their top stations. Now through July 11 you'll find steep discounts on portable power stations -- from travel-friendly sizes to whole-home systems -- solar panel bundles, portable air conditioners and more. Select items are discounted on EcoFlow's website, with a few deals also available on its Amazon store. To prepare for the hottest months of the year, consider the Wave 3 portable air conditioner bundle that comes with the Delta 3 Plus power station, now down to $1,399. The air conditioner offers 6,100 BTU cooling capacity and 6,800 BTU heating capacity. It supports multiple charging options and can be used for eight continuous hours wirelessly. Looking for a reliable backup? The Delta 2 Max portable power station can power up to 15 devices at once. It comes with expandable capacity that starts at 2kWh and goes up to 6kWh with extra batteries, making it a versatile option. For when you need ever more power, the X-Boost mode delivers up to 3,400 watts of output, which is enough to power 99% of your household appliances. You can currently pick it up for $950 after a 44% discount. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Or, if you're preparing for some summer adventures, the Glacier Classic portable fridge freezer with plug-in battery is available for $1,149 after a $349 discount. This one keeps your fresh and frozen food separate, and can accommodate up to 58 cans (35 liters), 72 cans (45 liters) or 90 cans (55 liters) of 330ml soda. The 298Wh built-in battery can keep your drinks chilled for up to 43 hours. There is more to explore, but the only catch? The sale only lasts a few more days, so you might want to hurry before it is too late. And don't forget to check out the anti-Prime sales at places like Best Buy for more savings. Why this deal matters Power stations don't come cheap, especially if you're looking for a system from a top-rated brand capable of powering full-size appliances. This Prime Day sale lets you grab some of the most reliable options on the market without breaking the bank, which is especially handy for the millions of us on the East Coast or Gulf Coast going through another active hurricane and storm season.
Business Insider
30-06-2025
- Business Insider
I hate camping, but this battery-powered air conditioner just might get me into the woods with my family
I've tested dozens of the best portable air conditioners, but "portable" can be a bit of a misnomer for most of these machines. You can move them around your house, but you still need a window and an outlet, and the setup takes a little time. So when I heard about the EcoFlow Wave 3, a battery-powered air conditioner that you can purportedly take with you in the car or camping, I was obviously intrigued. Plus, as someone who loathes the heat, I love the idea of any AC that keeps running even when the power is out. I'm not entirely new to EcoFlow air conditioners. Last year, I tested the EcoFlow Wave 2, which I thought did just an OK job at cooling. The Wave 3 replaces the Wave 2, and according to my tests, builds on the Wave 2's strengths, doing an even better job of cooling, operating quieter, and adding dehumidification to its functions. While I haven't had a chance to take it camping yet, I was so impressed that I named it the best air conditioner using battery power that you can buy. Below are my experiences, who should consider buying it, and what alternatives you might consider instead. Design I've only tested two battery-operated portable air conditioners, the EcoFlow Wave 3 and its predecessor, the Wave 2. What sets these units apart from other portable air conditioners is their compact size and light weight, and the fact that they don't need a wall outlet to operate. The trade-off is they aren't as powerful as a typical portable AC. The Wave 3 weighs 38.4 pounds, which is about half the weight of most portable ACs. However, when you add the 21.2-pound battery, you're at about 60 pounds, still lighter than most, but you're pushing the definition of "portable." Most portable units have one exhaust hose, but the Wave 3 has two. This is much more efficient because one hose can expel the hot air the compressor produces while the other draws in more air to equalize the room's pressure. This prevents a vacuum, which hot outside air may try to fill, counteracting the unit's cooling. You can buy the Wave 3 with or without the battery. Without the battery, you can run the unit by simply plugging it into a wall outlet, but I wouldn't recommend this. The real appeal of the EcoFlow Wave 3 is the ability to use it off the grid — otherwise, you're basically paying $1,100 for a less powerful and harder-to-use portable AC. For true portability, you'll need to either have a portable power station handy or add on the 1024Wh battery, which will tack another $550 onto the cost. Because of the significant upfront cost, I'd really only recommend this AC for off-the-grid situations where a traditional AC design (portable or window) wouldn't work. The battery attaches to the bottom of the unit, or you can keep it separate for easier transport. It comes with a cable for charging from your car. Otherwise, you charge it by plugging it into a wall outlet. Or, for an extra $350, add on a 220W solar panel. Setup The EcoFlow Wave 3 is harder to set up than most portable ACs because it doesn't come with a window slider. Instead, EcoFlow includes a duct size template, so you can create custom venting for the hoses. Most of the 25-minute setup process was duct taping the hoses to the window slider from another portable AC. It wasn't my ideal setup since it looked fairly ugly, but it got the job done. If you're crafty and looking for a long-term solution, you can easily use the duct size template to create a custom slider out of plexiglass, styrofoam, wood, or whatever material you fancy. Keep in mind, though, that the Wave 3 is designed for use away from home. EcoFlow offers a car vent seal for use with RVs and other vehicles. Or, you can just close your vehicle's window, allowing just enough room for the hoses. Then, fill the gaps with what you have available, like clothing, tape, or whatever. Installing it in a tent is even easier: You just zip the door closed so the hoses can stick through. Other steps included attaching the hoses to the unit using the provided exhaust duct adapter covers. Other than the duct tape, I didn't need any special tools, though I did need the directions to figure out which vents needed to be covered, since the configurations are different depending on whether you keep the Wave 3 inside or outside the room you're cooling. If your situation allows for it, I recommend keeping the unit outside for better efficiency. My setup didn't allow it, but I hope to test that configuration soon. Performance I put all portable air conditioners through the same tests, including cooling a 550-square-foot room. I compared temperatures before and after running them for two hours to assess their cooling performance. The EcoFlow Wave 3 reduced the temperature by about 1.2 degrees Fahrenheit in the two hours, which isn't awful but also not particularly impressive, considering our top portable AC, the Midea Duo, decreased the temperature by 3.3 degrees. However, the Wave 3 is designed to cool areas up to 180 square feet, much smaller than our test room. So, I retested it in my 200-square-foot bedroom, which is comparable to a small motorhome but larger than a typical tent or car. When relying on the wall outlet, the Wave 3 cooled the smaller room by 3.2 degrees, which is very good and an improvement on the Wave 2, which only cooled my room by 2 degrees. Also impressive is how little power the Wave 3 used. During the two-hour test, it only used 1 kWh of energy, which is much better than any other portable AC I've tested and comparable to window ACs, which tend to be much more efficient. For context, if you were to run this unit on high for eight hours a day every day during the summer, the power would cost you about $59 based on average electricity costs. Not bad. The performance was a little better when using battery power. It cooled the smaller room by 3.6 degrees. However, the battery only lasted two hours with the AC on full blast, a far cry from the 8 hours Eco Flow claims in its marketing materials. For longer use, you may want to turn the AC down to low, buy extra batteries, or use a generator or power station. Fortunately, the battery charges via the wall outlet in under 90 minutes. I like to keep an air quality monitor in the testing room to see if there are any irregularities that you may need to know about. What struck me was how much better the room's air quality was after the testing period. The Wave 3 appears to clean the air while it cools you. Noise The Wave 3 is the quietest portable air conditioner I've tested. As measured with a decibel meter six feet away, the unit was 42 decibels, just a little louder than ambient sound. On high, it registered 52 decibels, which is quieter than a normal conversation. Street racing is a popular pastime at 2 a.m. outside my bedroom window: the louder the better, it seems. There were times I almost wished the AC was a little louder to drown out the noise. Still, though, if you take this unit camping, it won't drown out the serenity of nature, or the people partying at the site next to you. Smart features A smart appliance must be user-friendly and reliable, and I much prefer an air conditioner with just a few features that operate reliably over a feature-rich unit that's unreliable. Once I connected the Wave 3 to the EcoFlow app (available for iOS and Android), which took about five minutes, the features worked seamlessly. I found the app more user-friendly than the on-unit buttons. On the main screen, you can choose between the modes: Cool, Heat, Fan, Dry, and Auto. You can also adjust the intensity and the thermostat to achieve the precise temperature you want. The main screen also tells you how much wattage the unit is using, how much battery is left, and if you need to drain any water collected. One innovative feature I haven't seen with other portable AC apps is Pet Care mode, which automatically turns on the Wave 3 if the ambient temperature is above 77 degrees. You can also set limits on how much the battery charges or discharges to extend its life or save juice for an emergency. The scheduler and shut-off timer are also great energy-saving features in the app. Care and maintenance The EcoFlow Wave 3 is as easy to clean as other portable air conditioners. The most important task is cleaning the air inlet filters on the front and back of the appliance. To do this, you just press the tab on the bottom to release it and use a damp cloth to wipe away dust and debris. Unlike other portable ACs that are designed to evaporate accumulated condensation and may only need to be emptied occasionally (if ever), the EcoFlow Wave 3 does not have such technology and will need to be emptied regularly. When the app notifies you that the water tank is full, you attach the drain pipe and press the drainage button to drain the water. If you live in a particularly humid area, you may have to do this every couple of nights. Cons to consider I was unimpressed with the Wave 3's heating performance, and I don't like that you still need to use the hoses to get the heat flowing. I tested it in the same 200-square-foot room I used for the air conditioning test. In two hours, it only heated the room about 3.5 degrees, and that used up all of the battery. For reference, the average in our best space heater testing is an 8-degree increase in two hours. However, none of the space heaters we tested are battery-powered. While it's useful when staying at a drive-up campsite, the Wave 3 may be impractical for camping off the beaten path due to its 60-pound weight (when the unit and battery are paired together). Of course, if you really need your everyday comforts, you might want to stay closer to civilization. I wish Wave 3 came with a window slider. I get that due to its variety of use cases, many users may never install it in a window. So, rather than providing a length of plastic that could end up in a landfill, EcoFlow gives tips for making your own. Still, I don't like having to rely on duct tape and my craftiness. Fortunately, the process is much simpler when using the unit in a vehicle or tent. Finally, this thing is expensive. You should really only consider it if a traditional window or portable AC won't work for your situation. Boats, RVs, and camping seem like the most typical uses, but again, you'll need to devote precious space and weight to a very large machine. What are your alternatives? The Zero Breeze Mark 3 is the closest competitor to the Wave 3. Both the unit (22 pounds) and the battery (14 pounds) weigh less than the Wave 3 and its battery. However, it doesn't put out as many Btu (5,280 for the Mark 3 versus 6,100 for the Wave 3), and it costs about $400 more. It also has a narrower temperature range of 61 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to the Wave 3's 60 to 86. If you're simply looking for a portable air conditioner to keep you cool and don't care about it being battery-powered, or you have a generator, consider one of the best portable air conditioners from our guide. Of the 15 I've tested, my favorite is the Midea Duo. It costs $330 less than the Wave 3 and does a much better job of cooling. However, it uses more power and is bulkier than the Wave 3. Check out my full Midea Duo Smart Inverter Portable Air Conditioner review. The bottom line Whether you want to keep cool in your tent or RV or just need something to beat the heat when the power goes out, the EcoFlow Wave 3 Portable Air Conditioner is an excellent battery-powered choice. While it's pricey, it does a good job of cooling and doubles as a heater during those cold nights in the woods. Plus, it operates quietly and requires minimal maintenance. I recommend it for campers and other adventurers who want a little extra control over their comfort.
Scotsman
19-06-2025
- Scotsman
EcoFlow Wave 3 review: better cooling, lower price, smarter features
EcoFlow's Wave 3 portable air conditioner is the ultimate in summer camping luxury | EcoFlow This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. EcoFlow's latest Wave 3 portable air conditioning system brings meaningful upgrades, with better cooling, a new battery option, and a more wallet-friendly price – making it one of the most appealing off-grid climate solutions for campers and caravanners. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... I love it when a manufacturer listens to suggestions from its customers and launches a new, improved product. I think that's exactly what EcoFlow has done with its ground-breaking portable air conditioning system, the Wave 3. I tested the Wave 2 in a heatwave, on a scorching campsite in Somerset, and it was a seriously impressive bit of kit. It was a bit bulky, could be a bit cumbersome to set up, and there were some annoying niggles, but it performed amazingly well. I've been using the new Wave 3 for a few months now, and it's not a major step forward, but there's a string of sensible upgrades that have made it a far more appealing proposition. The Wave 3 can be used to cool and to heat, and the ducts on the new version are so much easier to route | EcoFlow Although, from the outset, it's now a little bit bulkier. I'll make no bones about it, this is a heavy and awkward unit to move around. And while that's a shame for something you can take camping with you, it's designed to sit in a corner gently cooling you down. And, give it its dues, it does that brilliantly. I'll come back to that. Another qualm I had with the Wave 2 looks to have been sorted - it was very expensive. As in, over £1,000 expensive. The Wave 3 however, if you can catch a deal on the EcoFlow website, is currently £699. And for a portable air conditioning system you can run off your car cigarette lighter socket, that's very good value. And then the improvements keep coming. The ventilation ducts, which make the unit even more cumbersome and awkward, but are pretty essential if you want the full cooling experience, are much easier to position on the Wave 3. Rather than being made of a cheap plastic, they're lined with foil. It means they're better insulated, and so much easier to position. Still a bit fiddly, but it's a necessary evil. There's a very quiet sleep mode, which still gently cools the air | EcoFlow There are more sensible upgrades on the Wave 3, too. It has more cooling and heating power, thanks to 300w more grunt, and it can cool a large area more quickly. There's also a new battery pack available, which is made from LFP technology. The battery clamps neatly to the base and adds a lot of size and weight, but the new unit lasts much longer, both in terms of daily usage, and in terms of long-term cycling. Oh, and you can charge the new battery off solar panels. Which is so sensible. The battery comes close to doubling the price, and that's before you add the cost of solar panels into the mix, but if you're after a true off-grid setup, it doesn't get much better than this. Hook it up to solar panels and you can have off-grid air-con for days | EcoFlow So to reiterate the benefits of this machine, you have a portable (if bulky) air conditioning unit that can reduce the ambient temperature of a tent, campervan or caravan in minutes, can be powered off a 12 volt supply, or solar if you prefer, can be controlled wirelessly through an app, and can now even dehumidify the air around you. It was hard to dislike the Wave 2, for all its little quirks. In a heatwave on the edge of Exmoor, it turned the inside of our motorhome into a blissful escape from the scorching sunshine.
CNET
24-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
Memorial Day Sales: Stay Powered on the Go With Hundreds Off These EcoFlow Solutions
Being without power is never fun. If you like going on outdoor trips or live in a place where storms can cut the power -- hurricane season starts June 1, folks -- having a reliable backup system is essential. Portable power stations are great for that, but they can be pricey. Not right now, though -- EcoFlow, a trusted brand for power solutions, is currently running a Memorial Day sale with up to 67% off. Now through May 28th, you'll find steep discounts on portable power stations -- from travel-friendly sizes to whole-home solutions -- solar panel bundles, portable air conditioners, and more. Select items are discounted on Ecoflow's official website, with a few deals also available on their Amazon store. To prepare for the hottest months of the year, consider the Wave 3 portable air conditioner bundle that comes with the Delta 3 Plus power station, now down to $1,499. The air conditioner offers 6100 BTU cooling capacity and 6800 BTU heating capacity. It supports multiple charging options and can be used for 8 continuous hours wirelessly. Looking for reliable backup solutions? The Delta 2 Max portable power station can power up to 15 devices at once. It comes with expandable capacity that starts at 2kWh and goes up to 6kWh with extra batteries, making it a versatile option. For when you need ever more power, the X-Boost mode delivers up to 3400W of output, which is enough to power 99% of your household appliances. You can currently pick it up for $1,099 after a 35% discount. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Or if you are preparing for some summer adventures, the Glacier Classic portable fridge freezer with plug-in battery is available for $1,359 after a $139 discount. This one keeps your fresh and frozen food separate, and can accommodate up to 58 cans (35L), 72 cans (45L), or 90 cans (55L) of 330ml soda. The 298Wh built-in battery can keep your drinks chilled for up to 43 hours. There is more to explore, but the only catch? The sale only lasts a few more days, so you might want to hurry before it is too late. Why this deal matters Power stations don't come cheap, especially if you are looking for a solution from top-rated brands capable of powering full-size appliances. This Memorial Day sale lets you grab some of the most reliable options on the market without breaking your bank, which is especially handy for the millions of us on the East Coast or Gulf Coast prepping for another very active hurricane season.
