EcoFlow's Solar-Powered Fridge and AC Are Ready for Cool Summer Parties

Better known for its range of solar panels and storage batteries, EcoFlow is adding two new battery-powered products to its shelves, the Glacier portable fridge and the Wave 2 portable air conditioner. Both items can be powered either through your household electricity mains or outside of the home via optional batteries. And both the Glacier and Wave have direct inputs for EcoFlow's range of solar panels. 

Read more: Best portable solar panels

The Glacier goes on sale April 26 for $999 by itself, or $1,199 with the battery pack. The Wave 2 air conditioner will join it on May 15 for $1,299 by itself or $2,099 with the battery pack. I tested both models and so far, I'm impressed.

The Glacier fridge-freezer is aimed at RV or other large camper owners who want a mobile fridge solution for outdoor family camping. It has a capacious 38-liter interior, which was big enough for me to comfortably accommodate 48 cans of my favorite Pilot beer, but can be divided into two sections and set at different temperatures. You can control it with the built-in LCD panels and buttons underneath, but I found it easier using the EcoFlow app (iOS and Android) to set temperatures and to turn on and off. 

Plugged into power, it'll run as long as you want it to, chilling down to temperatures as low as -25 degrees Celsius (-13 degrees Fahrenheit), but for general cooler use I kept it at around 2 to 3 degrees Celsius (approximately 35 to 38 degrees F). It also features an ice maker that, once filled with drinking water, creates ice cubes around small metal pins in roughly between 12 to 18 minutes -- great for those occasions when you need some ice for your picnic cocktails in a hurry. 

At 23kg (50.7 pounds), it's certainly weighty, and its large size means it won't be suitable for car camping -- or taking on a hike -- but the attachable wheels and carry handle make it easy to roll out of the garage and out into the yard for barbecue parties. 

The optional battery slides neatly inside and EcoFlow reckons the cooler can run for up to 40 hours at 4 degrees Celsius, which based on my testing, seems like a reasonable estimate, as long as you're not putting warm things inside it that need to be cooled down. Using the hyper-fast ice maker will drain around 10 to15% off that battery each time, in my experience, so use it wisely if you want to keep your drinks cold for longer. 

It also supports charging via EcoFlow's excellent solar panels and when charging at max 240W input from one of the company's larger portable panels, it will fully charge in a little over two hours (depending on weather conditions). 

Then there's the Wave 2 which is an updated version of EcoFlow's existing portable AC unit, promising longer battery life, better cooling performance and a smaller size. Like the Glacier, it's still large and quite cumbersome so don't expect to take it backpacking. Larger campers should be no problem, and it'll work well also for those of you working in small home offices or wanting an off-grid cooling solution. 

EcoFlow says it'll provide up to eight hours of cooling with the optional battery pack, but it has a 400W max solar input to keep the cool air flowing while the sun's out. Like the Glacier, you can operate it via an app which makes it easy to change the temperature, fan intensity, or to set it to quiet or eco modes, as needed. 

While neither model is exactly cheap, if you're looking for solar-powered cooling options for your backyard parties or camping trips this summer then they're well worth checking out. Stay tuned for more info as we continue to test them more thoroughly.