Outdoors

IcyBreeze cooler doubles as a portable air conditioner

IcyBreeze cooler doubles as a portable air conditioner
A custom heat exchange system built into the lid of IcyBreeze blows out chilled air
A custom heat exchange system built into the lid of IcyBreeze blows out chilled air
View 16 Images
A custom heat exchange system built into the lid of IcyBreeze blows out chilled air
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A custom heat exchange system built into the lid of IcyBreeze blows out chilled air
IcyBreeze's fan has three settings with its battery lasting six hours on low, four hours on medium and 2.5 hours on high
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IcyBreeze's fan has three settings with its battery lasting six hours on low, four hours on medium and 2.5 hours on high
The 9-gallon (34 L), polyethylene cooler houses a rechargeable 12 V, 10 mAh battery
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The 9-gallon (34 L), polyethylene cooler houses a rechargeable 12 V, 10 mAh battery
A custom heat exchange system built into the lid of IcyBreeze blows out chilled air
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A custom heat exchange system built into the lid of IcyBreeze blows out chilled air
IcyBreeze sports two wheels and a handle for easier transport
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IcyBreeze sports two wheels and a handle for easier transport
The company says the air coming out of IcyBreeze blows at speeds of up to 25 mph (40 km/h) and temperatures 35° F (19.4° C) cooler than that outside
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The company says the air coming out of IcyBreeze blows at speeds of up to 25 mph (40 km/h) and temperatures 35° F (19.4° C) cooler than that outside
The 9-gallon (34 L), polyethylene cooler houses a rechargeable 12 V, 10 mAh battery
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The 9-gallon (34 L), polyethylene cooler houses a rechargeable 12 V, 10 mAh battery
IcyBreeze's fan has three settings with its battery lasting six hours on low, four hours on medium and 2.5 hours on high
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IcyBreeze's fan has three settings with its battery lasting six hours on low, four hours on medium and 2.5 hours on high
IcyBreeze sports two wheels and a handle for easier transport
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IcyBreeze sports two wheels and a handle for easier transport
IcyBreeze's fan has three settings, with its battery lasting six hours on low, four hours on medium and 2.5 hours on high
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IcyBreeze's fan has three settings, with its battery lasting six hours on low, four hours on medium and 2.5 hours on high
A custom heat exchange system built into the lid of IcyBreeze blows out chilled air
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A custom heat exchange system built into the lid of IcyBreeze blows out chilled air
IcyBreeze sports two wheels and a handle for easier transport
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IcyBreeze sports two wheels and a handle for easier transport
A custom heat exchange system built into the lid of IcyBreeze blows out chilled air
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A custom heat exchange system built into the lid of IcyBreeze blows out chilled air
A custom heat exchange system built into the lid of IcyBreeze blows out chilled air
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A custom heat exchange system built into the lid of IcyBreeze blows out chilled air
The 9-gallon (34 L), polyethylene cooler houses a rechargeable 12 V, 10 mAh battery
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The 9-gallon (34 L), polyethylene cooler houses a rechargeable 12 V, 10 mAh battery
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View gallery - 16 images

The need for an ice cold drink tends to go hand in hand with stinking hot temperatures. And while a chilled beverage can help to soothe from the inside, nothing brings on sustained comfort like a blast of cool air. The team behind IcyBreeze is looking to refresh from all angles with a cooler that works as a portable air conditioner, putting to use the ice-cold air inside.

Clint Donaldson, the inventor of IcyBreeze, came up with the idea while watching a baseball game under the blazing Oklahama sun – and we suspect he's not the only one. The odd DIY effort aside, however, he does look like the first to follow through with his vision all the way to market.

The 9 gallon (34 L), polyethylene cooler houses a rechargeable 12 V, 10 mAh battery and, when in use, up to 49 cans if cold hard refreshment. Two quarts (1.9 L) of water is added to the ice and drawn into a heat exchange system built into the lid, serving to chill the fresh air flowing through vents on top. The company says the air coming out of IcyBreeze, either through the vents or the flexible hose, blows at speeds of up to 25 mph (40 km/h) and temperatures 35° F (19.4° C) cooler than that outside.

IcyBreeze's fan has three settings, with its battery lasting six hours on low, four hours on medium and 2.5 hours on high. Operating the air conditioner will obviously have quite an impact on the temperature inside the cooler, as the company says that when the air conditioner is switched off, the ice can last up to seven days. The unit also features a plug hole at its base for easy drainage.

IcyBreeze sports two wheels and a handle for transport and comes in either green, blue or red. Different packages are available, including various charging accessories with prices starting at US$279. The company plans to begin shipping from August 2014.

Source: IcyBreeze

View gallery - 16 images
6 comments
6 comments
BigGoofyGuy
I think that is a really 'cool' idea (pun intended).
CliffG
If we agree that running an AC with all the other doors and windows open is dumb, then this is beyond absurd.
Jay Finke
I made 2 of these years ago, and there is a wrong way to make it
sk8dad
I like that the two women who are in their swimwear sitting comfortably in a pontoon boat feel the need to cool down with an air conditioning unit with questionable efficiency rather than, say, going for a swim.
BZD
There ought to be laws against energy waste like proposed in the marketing for that product. It is bad enough that people buy heaters to use outside in cool evenings - attempting to chill the outdoors is much worse :-(
Bob
When I looked at the photos, I could just imagine my wife asking me to walk back to the car to get her sweater on a hot day at the beach. Two hours later she would be complaining that the cooler wasn't putting out enough cold air, the soda is getting warm and we need more ice.