EcoFlow Wave 3 ZDNET's key takeaways The EcoFlow Wave 3 is a portable air conditioner and heater that costs $1,299 on its own and $2,299 with the add-on battery.
This is a portable air conditioner and heater that is more powerful than its predecessor
It is also off-grid ready for camping, RVing, and even helping in a pinch.
The Wave 3 is pricey, loud in some settings, and is not as efficient in extreme heat, direct sun, or tent camping. $1,299 at Amazon
Many parts of the US are sizzling right now, unable to escape the extreme heat alerts constantly flashing on the news and our phones. I regularly experienced triple-digit temperatures while living near the desert for ten years. But there's a big difference between that and the 100+ temperatures with humidity levels above 60% many of us are currently experiencing on the East Coast.
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Like many unlucky Americans, one of the two overworked air conditioner units left us hanging during the latest heat wave. HVAC repair companies are swamped with service requests, and we were struggling, so I pulled out the EcoFlow Wave 3.
This portable unit is an upgrade from its predecessor, the Wave 2, and features Auto, Dehumidify, Sleep, and Pet modes. Aside from being relatively heavy (over 50 lb when you add a battery), the Wave 3 is easy to set up and connect to the EcoFlow mobile app. The device uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to connect to your phone, which you can then use as a remote control and to adjust settings, giving you an extra layer of convenience.
I've been testing the EcoFlow Wave 3 sporadically for a few weeks, but began using it more religiously after the summer heat rolled around.
My husband's home office is well-insulated and soundproof, but it's an addition that wasn't properly incorporated into the home's existing HVAC system and doesn't have any windows. As a result, it gets very hot in summer and very cold in the winter.
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