Zero Breeze Mark 2 Portable Air Conditioner Review

Ever find yourself camping or in an RV and wished you had air conditioning on a hot day? There are certainly ways to cool yourself down, but what if you really could enjoy A/C even when you’re at the beach or on a trail or at the office? Most air conditioners have very limited, if any, portability, which is why portable air conditioners are considered such a wonderful invention. Yet, many portable air conditioners lack important components that make them anything more than a glorified fan.

That is not the case with the Zero Breeze Mark 2 Portable Air Conditioner. Compact yet powerful, the Zero Breeze air conditioner uses the same compressor technologies as regular AC units, so it works better than you might expect.

What is the Zero Breeze Mark 2 Portable Air Conditioner Used For?

First off, what is the Zero Breeze Mark 2 and how do you use it? Typical applications of the portable air conditioner include camping, RVs, weather-protection pods, cabins, portable AC for vehicles, boats, bedside personal coolers, and so on.

Really, how you use the Zero Breeze Mark 2 is up to you. Since it is portable, you can bring it anywhere you need it. Battery operation makes it possible to use in spaces without any direct electrical outlets as well. So, for instance, you may decide to bring the portable AC unit onboard a boat with you for a fishing trip during the hottest days of summer.

There are limitations, of course. However, that fact that the Zero Breeze Mark 2 has a compressor inside it makes it more effective than portable fans and other methods for cooling an immediate area.

Differences Between Zero Breeze and Zero Breeze 2.0

The first edition of the Zero Breeze Mark 1 was first mass produced in 2017, three years after the self-funded company by Kelvin Ma launched their project on Kickstarter in 2014. The initial portable A/C was not well received, and the team went back to the drawing board. Since there are a lot of reviews available on the internet that confuse the specifications of the original Zero Breeze and the Zero Breeze Mark 2, we have gathered the main differences between the two:

The output went from 1100 to 2300 BTUs, over double the size of the original.
There was an overall design change that makes the Zero Breeze Mark 2 look much more high quality
The Zero Breeze Mark 2 is 1.2 pounds heavier than the original, making it around 16.5 pounds in total

What You Get With the Zero Breeze Mark 2

If you opt to purchase the Zero Breeze air conditioner, you will be delighted to find out that you receive more than just the AC unit. Some items that are included alongside the Zero Breeze Mark 2 include:

• The air conditioning unit
• 80cm drainage pipe
• 240W power adapter with 24V
• Two 120cm long venting hoses
• 80cm front air outlet duct
• Venting hose adapter
• Screws for connection adapter
• User guide
• IR remote controller
• Three USB ports: 2 USB-A and 1 USB-C, so you can charge smartphones and other devices

As you can see, most of the additional items are adapters and connectors designed to increase the effectiveness of the Zero Breeze Mark 2. It’s okay if you don’t understand how it all fits together right away. The user guide will explain how to set up the unit without much effort.

Zero Breeze Product Features: Pros and Cons

Now, let’s have a look at the Zero Breeze Portable Air Conditioner and what it can do. There are a few highlights that make the Zero Breeze an attractive choice for a portable AC unit, including its ability to cool an area surrounding it within 10 minutes. The battery has a long life—around 5 hours of continuous use—but you can also charge the unit by other means, such as your car or with solar energy.

But you really can’t get to the nitty gritty of the highlights without understanding just what the Zero Breeze Mark 2 can do. That’s why we are going to go a little deeper into the specifications of the product:

• Four speed levels to adjust to surrounding environment
• Four working modes—Cool, Super Cold, Fan, and Sleep
• Rated at 52 decibels (dB)
• IPX4 moisture protection
• Dual house vent exhaust configuration
• 2300 BTUs cooling power
• Dimensions: 20×13×8 inches

Pros

Here is how the specs and other features benefit the Zero Breeze Mark 2:

Battery and AC Power

Portability is perhaps the biggest advantage of the Zero Breeze unit. Yet, it’s not just the size and shape of the product that makes it portable, it is also the fact that it can run off both battery and power outlets. This changes the game entirely, because you can now spend time outdoors with air conditioning and not have to worry about finding a place to plug in.

The 630Wh battery can deliver up to 5 hours of continuous cooling. You can even switch to the sleep mode, which uses even less energy, so you can get plenty of hours of AC while sleeping. And for those times when you don’t need to use the battery, you can simply plug in the device to let it run.

Cooling Power

The size of an air conditioner is written in BTUs. The lower the BTUs, the less amount of space an AC will be able to cool. So, for example, 5,500 BTUs will cool around 100 square feet of space easily. Comparatively, the 2,300 BTUs of the Zero Breeze Mark 2 make it ideal for small enclosed rooms between 20-40 square feet in size. In other words, the size of a camping tent or a van.

This also means the Zero Breeze can cool a single room. All you need to do is set it on a table near your bed with the vent facing your direction for an instantly cooling space.

Built-In Dehumidifier

If you often find yourself complaining about the heat and humidity of a tent or closed up RV, then the Zero Breeze Mark 2 will give you reason to go camping again. Although the dehumidifying function is limited by the size of the unit, the Zero Breeze can cool your space and remove moisture simultaneously—just like a larger portable AC.

The internal tank will hold about 1-2 hours worth of humidity. To drain it, all you have to do is tilt the unit backwards slightly. Optionally, you can use the drain pipe that comes included to allow for continuous drainage.

Dual Hose

The original Zero Breeze Mark 1 had a single hose that caused a negative pressure problem. The negative pressure would result from the AC pulling cool air from inside the room, drawing hot air back into the space. The Mark 2 amended that problem, since it uses a dual hose system. With a dual hose, one line will draw hot air out from the space while the opposite one pulls fresh air from outside in.

This increases the efficiency of the unit and also reduces the energy consumption of the unit. Set up for the dual hoses is easy as well. All you need is the hose adapter connected to the Zero Breeze unit and for the hoses to poke out from the tent.

Additional Features

The Zero Breeze also comes with an IR remote controller, an integrated LED lamp, and may double as a power bank for your electronic devices. The IR remote controller is connected via Bluetooth. If you don’t want to have to get up from your spot to change the settings on the AC unit, then the IR remote controller will come in handy.

The LED lamp is a great night light that will be loved by many campers and those who decide to go fishing as the sun goes down. Though the glow of the light is not overly bright, it will help you see around the space.

Lastly, the smartphone charging capability. With three built-in USB ports, you can keep your devices ready to go. Doing so will impact battery life but not by much.

Cons

Here are some drawbacks or disadvantages to the Zero Breeze Mark 2:

Performance

The most obvious limitation to the Zero Breeze Mark 2 is the performance. When you compare it to a conventional portable AC, the BTUs are much lower than average. Furthermore, while the manufacturer claims that the unit is capable of making the space 30 degrees F cooler than it was originally, the Zero Breeze can only cool small spaces (20-40 square feet).

The performance is also affected by the battery. Yes, the battery is light (only about 2 pounds) and makes the Zero Breeze amazingly portable, but it only offers around 5 hours of cooling. It also takes around 5-6 hours to charge completely. This means that you cannot anticipate using the unit for days on end while camping unless you have some place to recharge or own multiple batteries to swap out.

Noise

Normal modes are much louder than you would expect from such a compact AC unit. 50-60 dB may not seem loud, but out in the wilderness, such noise may be distracting in confined rooms, like tents or vehicles. The sleep mode is quieter, but the cooling abilities are also reduced.

Price

When you consider the cost of the Zero Breeze Mark 2 Portable Air Conditioner, you may have second thoughts. The price tag is high—higher than some units that have way more BTUs.

Does the Zero Breeze Air Conditioner Really Work?

Yes, the Zero Breeze Air Conditioner does work. It may not be perfect and does have some design flaws, but it does its job. If you keep the unit close to you, the difference in temperature will soon become noticeable. When used in an enclosed space, like a tent overnight, the dehumidifier quietly works to keep the air quality comfortable, so you can get a good night’s rest. While the unit may fall a little short of the output range, it is easy to use, easy to clean, and light enough to carry to outdoor excursions.

Where to Buy Zero Breeze Mark 2

You can purchase a Zero Breeze Mark 2 from the official website’s online store. Optionally, you can visit the official campaign page on Indiegogo. There are currently no listings for the Zero Breeze on websites like Amazon or eBay, since the Mark 2 just started shipping in July 2020.

Is It Worth Buying a Portable Air Conditioner?

Whether you opt to purchase a portable air conditioner depends greatly on your activities and what you want to use it for. Most portable AC units are not designed to be used outdoors, but they may be useful for larger buildings that do not have built-in AC, like cabins and older RVs or camper vans. The Zero Breeze Mark 2 is different from standard portable AC units in that it is smaller and more lightweight, so you can bring it anywhere.

The Final Verdict

There are two ways you can judge the Zero Breeze Mark 2 Portable Air Conditioner: by comparing it to other portable AC units or as a standalone product without any competition. Because the cooling power is low and the battery may drain quickly, the Zero Breeze does not compare to large portable units for rooms.

On the other hand, when you ignore the price, the Zero Breeze Mark 2 can be beneficial to those who need a back up AC for emergencies or for long car rides or camping. Plus, you can carry the unit with you wherever you go.

Summary

As we mentioned before, the Zero Breeze Mark 2 Portable AC is not perfect. It does have some drawbacks and limitations that keep it from competing with larger, more powerful units; but it is not meant to be powerful. Since the goal of the Zero Breeze is to be a portable, personal AC, it has an advantage over heavier units by being able to be carried everywhere and used in small spaces like tents, boats, and truck cabins.