IcyBreeze Cooler/Air Conditioner Review: Worth It Or Forget It?

Whether you’ve seen it on Shark Tank or on Amazon, you have to admit it made you interested. The design is rather unique, the functionality is intriguing and it makes as all wonder the same thing – is it really the one thing that will keep you cool this summer?

I will answer that, and any other questions you might have about this portable AC/cooler right here in this detailed review!

What Is IcyBreeze?

IcyBreeze is a cooler and an air conditioner. It has a 38-quart interior, and it can hold a lot of drinks/ice.

The IcyBreeze is made from Polyethylene – the most popular type of plastic in the world. It is very sturdy and tough to break, so there are no worries about the durability of the IcyBreeze.

It works really well as a cooler – they actually state on the website that the ice inside it can last up to 7 days in 90 degrees Fahrenheit if you’re only using it as a cooler. I’m not sure I believe that, but what matters is that you can easily get through a really hot day with the IcyBreeze.

However, this really isn’t the best choice if you’re only looking for a cooler. It’s way too expensive and heavy (21lbs) and you won’t get your money’s worth. That’s because this is also designed as a portable air conditioner, which is why it is a little pricey.

But the two-in-one functionality of this unit is truly amazing, and it will change the way you camp and travel in the summer.

How Does It Work?

When it comes to the cooler aspect of the IcyBreeze, there are no surprises as to how it works – you put the ice and the beverages inside it, and ice slowly melts and keeps the drinks cool. But the AC aspect of this unit is where things get interesting.

First of all, you should know that the IcyBreeze only uses ice and water to blow out cold air – no Freon or other chemicals. It has three fan speed settings (low, medium, high), and the battery life depends on the setting you choose.

Naturally, the battery will last the longest on the low setting (up to 6 hours), and it will drain the fastest on the high setting (about 2.5 hours).

The way it works is the unit pulls in the air from outside, and then drags it through the radiator, which chills the air. IcyBreeze also supports a continuous power supply, which allows you to use it for hours at a time. However, you will need to replenish the ice – the frequency of that depends on the setting you chose.

There is a vent at the top of this cooler, and the cold air blows out of there. It has an adjustable grill, which allows you to change the direction of the cold air – pretty useful. But that’s not even the fun part – the IcyBreeze also features a flexi hose at the top. You can remove it from the vent and position it however you like, and it will stay in place.

This is really useful when you want to adjust the direction of the blowing air – sometimes you want to cool yourself down, but you don’t really want the cold air blowing in your face.

What do you do when all the ice is melted and you’re left with gallons of sloshing water inside the IcyBreeze? Well, there’s a drain hose at the bottom of the cooler that makes it super easy to empty it out.

And, since the IcyBreeze only uses water and ice (no Freon), it’s totally environmentally safe to drain it outside. Plus, it is just so much easier to carry it when it’s empty and not when it has several gallons of sloshing water inside it.

I almost forgot to mention the features that make this unit extremely portable! So, you get two large wheels on the IcyBreeze, as well as a drag handle. The wheels are located opposite from the handle so that when you actually want to wheel the IcyBreeze around, it lifts up a little bit.

Therefore, you don’t have to bend to drag it around, which makes it pretty comfortable to move around with the IcyBreeze.

In addition to that, the cooler also features grab handles, so it is also fairly easy to just pick it up.

Is It Efficient?

Oh yes, it is. However, I find it interesting that the reviews on the IcyBreeze are fairly mixed – some people swear by it, and others find it to be completely useless and not worth the money. You’ll see in the next section why the haters are completely wrong.

As a cooler, the IcyBreeze seems to perform as well as you would expect it.

As an AC, this thing is able to blow out air that is about 35 degrees Fahrenheit (about 20 degrees Celsius) colder than the air outside. And that is pretty impressive – it could easily cool down a smaller room if you leave it working for a couple of hours.

Oh, and while cooling down the area around you, it will also keep your beverages inside the cooler ice cold. That’s pretty handy – I love versatile products, and this is one of the best versatile coolers money can buy.

Because of that, the IcyBreeze is a really great option for picnics and camping trips. It’s also an awesome unit to have in your RV, and it’s cheaper and uses less electricity than a traditional portable AC.

This is also a great option for boat rides, long car rides, and for an outing to the beach. Overall, I think the efficiency and versatility of the product really make it worth the money.

How Do You Use It?

IcyBreeze is pretty easy to set up – you pour 2 quarts of water in it, add some ice and your drinks, turn the fan on and that’s it.

Some People Mess It Up Though – And Then Complain!

But there’s one thing that people often mess up, and then they complain that their IcyBreeze sucks and that it is not worth the money. The ice.

You don’t want to put normal ice cubes (the kind you put in your drink) in this thing. The small ones will melt pretty fast, and then you will have to refill the cooler quite often. And then you will think it sucks and that you should not have bought it.

To ensure that your IcyBreeze keeps cooling you down for a long time, you want to put large blocks of ice inside it. These will melt much slower than the normal ice cubes, and the AC will work for a longer time.

Problem solved! That is how it was meant to work for the long run.

Note: One thing to note is that the IcyBreeze will not work as an AC until you add the water. Without it, it can only be used as a cooler.

And in any case, you get the perfect freezing point water if you mix ice and water anyway (I learned that back in chemistry in high school) so it’s a great way to really get drinks cold.

Make Your Own Big Blocks Of Ice

One way to get large blocks of ice, if you can’t buy them is to take a big (plastic) water bottle or three and freeze them. Then, you can just throw it in the cooler. It takes a long time for the ice in the bottle to melt, and when it does, you also have a refreshing drink of water.

You can also use a Tupperware dish – pour water in it, freeze it and you’ll have a huge ice cube that will take hours to melt. Sure, it takes a little planning, but since you are going camping or picnicking anyway…I assume you are used to that :>

Or You Can Buy Icy Blocks

In addition to that, you can buy an IcyBlock directly from the brand. It’s basically an ice pack that can hold a gallon of water, and you can fit three of them in the IcyBreeze cooler. But for most people, you can just use something you have at home and you are good to go. However, the Icy Blocks are made exactly for this cooler, so they are a perfect size!

Where Can You Use It?

So, this largely depends on the power supply you get with your IcyBreeze. There are three kinds – a car adapter, a regular 110V power supply charger, and then a smart charger.

There are also three kinds of IcyBreeze ‘packages’ on Amazon – each one comes with different accessories, and I will make sure to list and link all of them below.

Here’s the thing – you will definitely get the best value for money if you go for the smart charger kit. This includes a rechargeable battery, which can only be charged with the smart charger. Ugh, I know. But it will allow you to use your IcyBreeze wirelessly – yes, you can go to the beach and keep all of your favorite drinks ice cold all day long. And even cool yourself down a bit, if you find the sea too warm.

It gets worse – the smart charger can only charge the battery, it can’t actually power up the IcyBreeze. For that, you have to get the 110V power supply. That is something I’m not a fan of – if the battery runs out of charge, your cooler is rendered useless until you charge it up again unless you decided to invest in a different type of charger.

In addition to that, it takes about 5 hours to charge a battery that’s completely dead, and that’s kind of slow. It is a 10000mAh, which is about what you have in a newer iPad Pro, for reference.

The car lighter adapter is okay if you want to carry this on picnics and camping trips where you will have your car close by. It’s also a great option if you want a portable AC in your RV – this is pretty much the best thing you can buy for that purpose.

If you only plan to use it at home, or near a wall outlet, then you are fine with just the standard power supply. But if you want full functionality and portability of your IcyBreeze, you need to get both the smart charger and battery pack and also the standard power supply.

IcyBreeze: The Accessory Packs

If you’re shopping on Amazon, you should know that you can’t buy any IcyBreeze accessories. You can only buy IcyBreeze packages – there are three of them, and each one comes with different accessories.

You can only buy the accessories (battery, chargers, etc.) on the IcyBreeze official website.

IcyBreeze Chill Package

This is the most affordable option you can get.

The cooler comes with a 12V power supply that you can only plug into the car lighter.

You won’t get the rechargeable battery or any other power supply with this unit.

IcyBreeze Frost Package

The Frost package is about $40 more expensive than the chill package and it includes the rechargeable battery and the smart charger. 

As far as I can tell, this package does include a continuous power supply that can actually power the unit.

​IcyBreeze Blizzard Package

This is the ultimate IcyBreeze package – it includes the cooler with the rechargeable battery, a smart charger, a car lighter adapter, and the standard 110V power supply.

If you want to be able to use this AC everywhere, this is the package you should get.

But keep in mind that it is also the priciest option, so it might not be right for everyone’s budget.

IcyBreeze Final Thoughts

The IcyBreeze is quite an interesting product. I personally love it – it is an amazing replacement for all the useless fans I use in the summer, and it can actually keep my drinks ice cold in addition to cooling me down.

The efficiency and versatility of this product are undeniable – it’s a great option for anyone who is looking for something that they can use both indoors and outdoors.

That being said, the price is the only thing that might turn you away from this product. It is pricey, especially if you want to get the full Blizzard package with all those must-have accessories.

But there’s also the issue of the electricity bill – the IcyBreeze uses a lot less electricity than a central AC and even a traditional portable AC. Because of that, I think the price is justified – it’s a one-of-a-kind product, and it will save you a lot of money if you use it at home.

Overall, I would recommend the IcyBreeze cooler/AC to anyone looking for an AC they can use outdoors, and that will also do a really good job at keeping their drinks cold.

TIP: If you want a more powerful Lithium battery powered option try the Zero Breeze Portable AC