Portable air conditioners are becoming incredibly popular for outdoor enthusiasts wanting to maintain comfortable temperatures while camping. With small and powerful units now available, it’s possible to get relief from summer heat even when sleeping in a tent or van.
In this ultimate portable AC review, we compare two top models – the Brand New ecoflow Wave 2 and the Zero Breeze Mark II. We’ll look in-depth at the specs, setup process, cooling power and real-world performance of both portable ACs. Through a series of tests, including tent and van camping scenarios, we’ll crown the best portable AC unit. Which one will prove victorious? Let’s dive in and find out!
Meet the Contestants
In this portable AC review, we’re comparing two popular portable air conditioner models – the Zero Breeze Mark II and the EcoFlow Wave 2.
The Zero Breeze Mark II is a sleek, lightweight portable AC unit that’s great for tent camping and overlanding. It has a modern, minimalist design with a carrying handle on top for easy portability. The Zero Breeze uses swappable batteries to extend runtime.
The EcoFlow Wave 2 is larger and heavier duty portable AC, better suited for vans and small RVs. It has a boxy design with a digital control panel. The Wave 2 uses a proprietary battery that charges quickly and can also be charged on the go using EcoFlow’s solar generators.
Both units offer cordless operation and aim to keep you cool in hot weather without relying on shore power. But with different sizes, weights, features and performance, they each cater to different use cases. We’ll see how they compare through extensive hands-on testing.
Testing Criteria
For testing, I set up criteria based on 3 main questions:
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How long does it take to set up the unit?
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How long does it take to push out 65 degree cold air on the highest setting? Both units are capable of colder air but I needed a benchmark.
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Does the unit cool the space in each scenario?
I tested the units at full power for all scenarios to get a sense of power consumption, battery life, and performance capabilities. This allowed me to set clear benchmarks for testing based on what these products can and cannot achieve compared to full HVAC systems.
Spec Comparison
The Ecoflow Wave 2 and Zero Breeze Mark II have some key differences when it comes to their technical specs.
The Zero Breeze weighs in at just 16.5 lbs by itself, and 28.5 lbs with the spare battery attached. It measures 20 x 10 x 11 inches. The unit produces 2300 BTUs of cooling power, and averages 52 decibels when running.
The Ecoflow Wave 2 is much heavier at 32 lbs by itself, and 49 lbs with the battery. The Wave 2 produces a whopping 5100 BTUs and can range from 44-56 decibels.
So in summary, the Zero Breeze is lighter and more compact, but the Wave 2 packs a lot more cooling power. The Wave 2 is also a bit louder when running at full blast. Considering portability vs performance, there are clear tradeoffs between these two portable ACs.
Design Comparison
When comparing the physical design and features of the EcoFlow Wave 2 and Zero Breeze Mark II, there are some notable differences.
The Zero Breeze has a sleek, slim, and modern briefcase-style design that makes it highly portable. It features a large carry handle on top, power and fan speed buttons on the front, and exhaust vents on the back. The front includes the temperature display and air outlet. The design allows for easy battery swapping and the battery itself has a built-in handle.
The Wave 2 has a bulkier, boxier design given its larger internal components. It has top and rear exhaust ports, a digital display, and power/mode buttons on top. The large front air outlet provides high airflow. There are threaded ports for attaching vent hoses. The design incorporates EcoFlow’s cable and battery system. The battery attaches securely and includes a handle.
In summary, the Zero Breeze’s slimmer design focuses on portability while the Wave 2 prioritizes power and airflow. The Zero Breeze battery is easier to swap out independently. Both include integrated handles for transporting the battery units.
Battery/Charging Comparison
The battery life and charging options are important considerations when comparing portable air conditioners. Here’s how the Zero Breeze and EcoFlow Wave 2 stack up:
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The Zero Breeze battery adds an extra 12 lbs and provides 3-8 hours of life depending on the mode. It takes 6 hours to fully charge. There are 8 ways to power the Zero Breeze unit including wall outlet, car charger, external batteries, etc.
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The Wave 2 battery weighs 17 lbs but also boasts an 8 hour lifespan in ECO mode. It only takes 2 hours to fully charge the Wave 2 battery. There are 4 distinct ways to charge the Wave 2 battery – AC outlet, car charger, solar panel, and EcoFlow power stations.
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A key difference is that the Zero Breeze allows you to charge batteries separately from the unit. The Wave 2 battery must be connected to the unit to charge. This provides more flexibility with the Zero Breeze for charging multiple batteries efficiently.
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Both units can run while connected to certain charging sources like solar panels or car outlet. But the Wave 2 seems to drain batteries quicker based on testing.
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The faster 2 hour charge time for the Wave 2 battery is advantageous despite its limitation to only charge while connected to the unit.
In summary, the Zero Breeze offers more flexibility and sustainability with charging multiple batteries separately. But the Wave 2 does charge faster when connected to the unit. This category comes down to your specific charging needs and setup.
Setup Time Comparison
For the setup test, I wanted to see how long it would take to get each unit running from start to finish. This gives you a good idea of the real world usability of taking these on a camping trip or putting them in your vehicle when you arrive at your destination.
The zero breeze was very quick and easy to set up. It has a simple block design that allows you to just set it on any flat surface. Then you just need to attach the vent hoses and plug it in. For my test, it took only 57 seconds to get it fully set up and running.
The Wave 2 requires a couple more steps since it utilizes a more advanced venting system. You need to attach the custom window adapter if using it in a vehicle. Then attach the locking vent tubes onto the unit and out your windows or tent. With a few extra pieces to connect, the Wave 2 took me 1 minute and 53 seconds to get fully up and running.
So while the Wave 2 isn’t difficult to set up by any means, the zero breeze does have a slight edge in setup time due to its straightforward block design. But the difference is fairly negligible in the grand scheme of things.
Cooling Power Comparison
When it comes to cooling power and performance, the Wave 2 clearly outshines the Zero Breeze.
Time to Reach 65 Degrees
In my testing, I measured how long it took each unit to start pumping out 65 degree Fahrenheit air on full blast. The Zero Breeze reached 65 degrees in 4 minutes and 47 seconds during the tent testing. In the van testing, it never reached 65 degrees in a reasonable amount of time.
The Wave 2 reached 65 degrees in just 2 minutes and 59 seconds during the van testing. This is less than half the time of the Zero Breeze. While it didn’t reach 65 degrees in the tent testing within 10 minutes, I’m confident it could have if given more time.
Cooling Capacity
The Wave 2 boasts an impressive 5100 BTU cooling capacity, more than double the 2300 BTUs of the Zero Breeze.
In a 96 degree outside temperature, the Wave 2 was able to effectively cool both a tent and a van. The Zero Breeze could only cool the tent and not the van interior.
With its higher BTU output and larger vent opening, the Wave 2 circulates cool air much faster and more powerfully. This allowed it to cool larger spaces that the Zero Breeze struggled with.
So for overall cooling power and performance, the Wave 2 is the clear winner. Its exceptional cooling capacity and quick temperature drop make it ideal for keeping camper vans and other small spaces comfortable.
Tent Cooling Test
Both portable ACs were tested in a 6 person tent in 96°F heat.
The zero breeze took 57 seconds to set up in the tent by placing the unit just outside and running the vent tube into the tent window. It took 4 minutes and 47 seconds to start pushing out 65°F degree air on max settings. Most importantly, it was able to successfully cool down the tent and make it comfortable compared to the outside temperature.
The Wave 2 took 55 seconds to set up, identical to the zero breeze. However, it did not reach 65°F degree air within the 10 minute testing window on max settings. This was likely due to the size and power of the unit. The Wave 2 was still able to effectively cool down the tent after a longer period of time. With some adjustments like placing the unit inside the tent and using the larger vent, the Wave 2 performed better on the second test and reached 65°F quickly.
Both portable ACs passed the tent cooling test, although the zero breeze was faster at reaching the benchmark 65°F air temperature. The Wave 2 required some additional setup adjustments to improve air circulation in the tent. Overall, both units demonstrated effective tent cooling ability.
Van Cooling Test
For testing in the van, the setup for the Zero Breeze was pretty simple – I just took the two back hoses and draped them out the passenger window, then propped the unit up on a box. This only took about 1 minute and 53 seconds to set up.
In the test of how long it took to push 65 degree cold air, the Zero Breeze clocked in at 4 minutes and 14 seconds, which is very similar to what we saw in the tent test.
However, for the most important test of whether it actually cooled the van space, the Zero Breeze unfortunately failed at this. It does push cold air on you and can definitely help take the edge off the heat, but in terms of making the space feel truly comfortable, it didn’t achieve that.
The EcoFlow Wave 2 has its own specialized setup system with a custom window vent accessory made by Tera Wagon. With this, it only took me 2 minutes and 53 seconds to fully set up the Wave 2 in the van.
The Wave 2 performed very impressively, pushing out 65 degree cold air in just 2 minutes and 59 seconds.
And for the critical test of whether it cools the van, the Wave 2 passed with flying colors. Even on a 96 degree day, it was able to make the van interior feel completely comfortable within a reasonable amount of time.
Alternative Power Testing
The last part of the test was to see how long I could run and charge these units using alternative power sources like solar and batteries.
With the zero Breeze, I was able to run it off my Jackery 1000 portable power station. The zero Breeze only pulled around 200 watts while running full blast. I also had a 200 watt solar panel hooked up to the Jackery, but the solar input wasn’t very efficient. Charging the zero Breeze battery from the Jackery required around 140 watts without running the AC unit itself. Overall, the zero Breeze seems very efficient with alternative power sources.
The Wave 2 was able to run off the Jackery 1000 as well, but the battery life was drained very quickly. It would be better to use one of EcoFlow’s larger solar generators with higher capacity to run the Wave 2 for longer periods and charge a spare battery. The Wave 2 pulled around 60 amps initially when the compressor kicked on, then leveled off around 26 amps. Charging the Wave 2 battery took a constant 60-65 amps which could quickly drain my 600 amp hour battery bank in the van.
So in summary, the zero Breeze is much more efficient with solar and batteries, while the Wave 2 requires a more robust solar generator setup to run and charge it simultaneously. But the Wave 2 does have the advantage of integrating directly with EcoFlow’s solar generators and panels.
Scoring
I scored the portable ACs in three categories:
Basics
I looked at portability, power sustainability, loudness, design features, and overall performance. The zero breeze won on portability and power sustainability since it’s lighter and I can charge the batteries separately. The wave 2 won on design features thanks to the phone app, and performance thanks to higher BTU output.
Tent Testing
I gave both models a point for easy tent setup. The zero breeze earned a point for faster cooling to 65 degrees. Both cooled the tent successfully so I awarded a point each.
Van Testing
The wave 2 earned the setup point for its specialized window vent. It also cooled faster and was the only one able to actually cool the van interior.
Pricing was a tie – the wave 2 performs better but the zero breeze is cheaper.
Final Scores
The final score for each unit is tallied up based on the categories mentioned earlier:
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The Zero Breeze scored 7 points total:
- Portability: 1 point
- Power Sustainability: 1 point
- Loudness: 1 point
- Design Features: 0 points
- Performance: 1 point
- Tent Setup: 1 point
- Tent Cooling Time: 1 point
- Tent Cooling Ability: 1 point
- Van Setup Time: 0 points
- Van Cooling Time: 0 points
- Van Cooling Ability: 0 points
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The EcoFlow Wave 2 scored 9 points total:
- Portability: 0 points
- Power Sustainability: 0 points
- Loudness: 1 point
- Design Features: 1 point
- Performance: 1 point
- Tent Setup: 1 point
- Tent Cooling Time: 0 points
- Tent Cooling Ability: 1 point
- Van Setup Time: 1 point
- Van Cooling Time: 1 point
- Van Cooling Ability: 1 point
The EcoFlow Wave 2 emerges as the winner of this head-to-head comparison, with a score of 9 points compared to the Zero Breeze’s 7 points. The Wave 2’s stronger cooling abilities, thoughtful design features like the phone app control, and faster setup and cooling times in the van testing give it the edge overall. However, the Zero Breeze holds its own with greater portability and power sustainability through swappable batteries. Ultimately, the Wave 2’s stronger performance shows why it costs slightly more than the Zero Breeze.
Final Verdict
After testing both portable AC units in a variety of scenarios, it’s clear that each has their strengths and ideal use cases. Here’s a summary of my findings and recommendations:
The Zero Breeze is best suited for tent camping and overlanding where portability and battery flexibility are key. It’s lighter, easier to carry, and allows you to charge batteries separately from the unit. While it doesn’t cool as powerfully as the Wave 2, it successfully cooled a tent in hot weather. I’d recommend the Zero Breeze for anyone camping in a tent or overlanding vehicle.
The EcoFlow Wave 2 truly shines for van life and RV camping where more cooling power is needed. It has over double the BTU output and cools spaces twice as fast. The larger vent opening circulates air better as well. Downsides are it’s heavy, bulky, and you can only charge the battery when connected to the unit. Still, it cooled a van impressively. I’d recommend the Wave 2 for van lifers, RV campers, or anyone needing to cool large spaces.
Overall, the Wave 2 is the more powerful performer, but comes at a cost of less portability. The Zero Breeze offers more flexibility and ease of use for tent camping. Evaluate your specific needs to decide which is the better fit. Both units can significantly improve comfort in hot weather outdoor living situations with the right expectations.
Closing
Thank you for reading my in-depth comparison of the EcoFlow Wave 2 and Zero Breeze Mark II portable ACs! I hope this breakdown of the specs, testing, and real-world performance has equipped you to decide which of these two great portable AC units is right for your needs.
If you found this comparison helpful, I’d really appreciate if you’d share it with others who may also be trying to choose between the Wave 2 and Mark II. Word-of-mouth recommendations are so valuable for independent reviewers like myself.
Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions about the Wave 2 or Mark II. I’m happy to provide any other details or user impressions that may help you make your purchasing decision. Feel free to reach out if you need any personalized recommendations based on how and where you plan to use your portable AC.