Zero Breeze Mark 2 review summary

Key features of the Zero Breeze Mark 2 portable AC

Who is Zero Breeze Mark 2 ideal for?

ACLAB note:

While the Zero Breeze Mark 2 is fairly small, it is not a replacement for traditional small portable ACs.

Related article: Top rated portable ACs for car reviewed

Why buy the Zero Breeze Mark 2? My thoughts after 2 years of use

The Zero Breeze is brilliant at direct and small-space cooling

What I noticed a lot of people fail to understand is that Zero Breeze Mark 2 isn’t an AC unit like you’d find in your home. Instead, think of it as a supercharged personal cooler with 2300 BTUs.

The air Mark 2 spews out at you can be as chilly as 50 degrees in the right conditions (for example, at night).

However, what I found more impressive is that it blows 70-degree cold air even when placed in direct sunlight in 105-degree weather.

That is the difference between being drenched in sweat and being completely dry and cozy, without the overbearing “cold” you’d feel if you blast the engine-driven AC from your truck, van, or car.

The Mark 2 has four working modes:

As for small spaces, I can personally testify to Mark 2 cooling down my 40-square-foot tent to 70 degrees on an 80-degree summer evening in an hour.

I had to use it in "Rocket Mode" to get there, but once it was cold enough, I switched it over to "Sleep Mode," which was able to lower the temperature to 65 degrees once the outside temperature dropped to mid-70s.

I made this table so that you can see how much can Mark 2 cool different-sized tents at different temperatures.

One thing I like a lot about Mark 2 is the “Sleep Mode” for two reasons.

Now, as far as vehicles are concerned, you will get to enjoy personal, direct cooling.

On average, you're looking at a 30-degree difference between the outside air and the air blown from the Zero Breeze Mark 2. This makes a world of difference, especially in the 100-plus-degree weather.

You can power the Mark 2 in so many ways

ACLAB note:

You can save some money and shop for Mark 2 without the battery - if you own a battery pack or power station.

You can power the Zero Breeze Mark 2 in eight different ways, but not all of them are created equal.

I powered my Mark 2 the simplest way - with its included battery.

This is the easiest and most convenient way, as the entire thing becomes one seamless unit you can run for up to 6 hours.

The battery snaps on at the bottom and connects to the Mark 2 unit via a simple (included) cable, and it's good to go. The cable should be fastened, which may be a tiny issue if you have meaty fingers.

The only “issue” with this one is recharge time, so I wouldn’t recommend this approach if you intend to use your MK2 for an entire day. 

If you do, you’ll be left with no air conditioning for 6 hours while your battery charges back up (if you have an outlet to charge it back up).

For those whole-day cooling scenarios, you can use a separate power station or a power bank (Method 7).

One thing to keep in mind is you'll need to grab a 12V to 24V converter from Zero Breeze for $99, as most power stations are 12V, and Mark 2 takes 24V.

If you want a dozen hours of extra runtime, this is a good investment.

Now, if you’re looking for an “unlimited-runtime” setup, say in a garage or a shed, you’d need to buy two batteries and keep your MK2 powered from an outlet (Method 3).

The Mark 2 is lightweight and extremely portable

Everything about the design of Mark 2 is tailored for portability and flexibility of use.

It's lightweight, and its top looks like a carrying handle that isn't retractable, so it is extremely durable and sturdy.

What I like about this design is that I don’t have to use both hands to lift up the MK2 in the trailer of my truck or into my car trunk. I just pick it up with one hand and place it wherever.

Now, the weight and dimensions are simply incredible.

To put this into perspective, here’s how MK2 compares to other portable air conditioners in terms of both weight and dimensions:

As you can see, its dimensions are very compact. It is both shorter and slimmer than any other portable AC on the market.

The entire MK2, with the battery attached, can fit on a passenger’s seat (or in the leg space in front of it) or in a tent without taking up any precious real estate if things get crowded.

Whenever I was camping alone, I kept my Mark 2 inside the tent as it took up less space on the floor than my camping backpack.

It is more durable than it looks

ACLAB note:

I accidentally left it out in the light rain overnight - and it still works perfectly.

Zero Breeze Mark 2 is built to last.

Truth be told, I haven’t handled it with care as much as I should have, but thankfully, Zero Breeze had people like me in mind.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dinged my unit or forgotten to secure it in the trunk so it went flying.

It even survived a nighttime drizzle for more than a few hours because I didn’t hear it was raining. And after all that, the unit still works perfectly.

It has some minor scratches here and there, which is to be expected, seeing how this one’s made from ABS plastic.

ABS is known for its remarkable impact resistance, as well as stability and toughness under heat. It also withstands chemical and abrasive elements with ease.

Even in low and high temperatures, ABS remains hard and rigid, making it a reliable material for outdoor equipment.

Additionally, ABS comes in specialized grades that can be fire-retardant or heat-resistant, although I’m not sure if Mark 2 uses these.

Another thing I also like is the IPX4 rating, which guarantees protection from water (splashes and spills) as long as the unit is not submerged.

In other words, Mark 2 is water-resistant and can handle light-to-moderate rain without any issues. 

So don’t rush frantically to move it someplace dry when it inevitably starts drizzling while you’re camping.

That said, if it’s pouring rain, don’t risk it.

It can actually save you money

ACLAB note:

You could run it for 24 hours straight for $1.30.

Depending on whether you’re driving a truck, van, camper, or RV, your built-in AC can use a gallon of gasoline or diesel in 1-2 hours.

Mark 2 draws anywhere from 130 to 220 watts per hour - 130 in Sleep and 220 in Rocket.

To help you gain a better understanding of how can a portable AC save you money, take a look at this table, assuming average fuel or electricity consumption in 95-degree weather:

It is surprisingly quiet

ACLAB note:

It’s like having a white noise machine that keeps you cool.

If you’ve ever used a portable air conditioner, no matter the kind, you know that they’re usually a lot louder than advertised. Surprisingly, I haven’t found that to be the case with Mark 2.

My unit never got above 60 dB - not even in scorching heat, running on full blast in "Rocket Mode."

I have it set up in my camper so that it sits 4 feet away from me while I’m driving, blowing directly into my torso, and while I do hear it - I tune it out in a few minutes.

More importantly (at least for me), the Zero Breeze Mark 2 is very quiet in "Sleep Mode."

I can easily fall asleep next to it in the tent, even though I'm only a few feet away.

If you keep it outside the tent with only the air outlet hose being in your tent (as I usually do on a clear night), Mark 2 is barely audible. I tried to measure the dBs when I had it outside, but it wouldn't pick up on it.

That said, here are the noise levels I measured from 4 feet away:

To put this into perspective, 50 dB is a quiet library or humming of a laptop, meaning you can hear MK2 in “Sleep Mode” ONLY if you decide to focus on it. Otherwise, you’ll tune it out in minutes.

ACLAB note:

The quietest portable ACs are those that have an invertor compressor. Zero Breeze Mark 2, however, has a conventional compressor. With that said, it is still fairly quiet.

Setting it up is easy

ACLAB note:

My record setup time was 57 seconds.

Setting up Mark 2 for camping

It takes about two minutes to set up a Zero Breeze Mark 2 if you want to cool down a tent or use it as a personal cooler while you’re grilling by the campfire.

All of this shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes, with the majority of the time being spent on threading the screws.

After the initial setup, every other time, you should be all done in a minute.

Setting up Mark 2 as a “permanent” cooling solution (In a truck or camper)

If you want a “permanent” (or even a semi-permanent) cooling solution in a truck or a camper cabin, you will have to spend some time troubleshooting the best way to drain the condensate and where to run the hoses.

You can follow the initial 5-step guide from above for starters, but after you do, do the following:

For a truck

Alternatively, you can use the foam “window mounting kit” you get in the box. 

This is essentially a piece of foam with two circle-shaped holes pre-cut to fit the exhaust vents that you can cut to the shape of your window and create an airtight seal.

It's useful; it's a nice touch, but I wouldn't call that a go-to solution for a truck, especially if you intend to use Mark 2 non-stop, as it blocks the view from the window. While an effective solution, it's not an eye-pleasing one.

For a camper or RV bedroom

If you’re looking to use MK2 as your nighttime cooling solution in your camper or an RV, do the following.

One thing I will say regarding the condensation that comes out of the Mark 2 is that it is virtually non-existent in dry climates.

Unless the air humidity exceeds 50%, you won't see more than a few milliliters of condensate over 4 hours.

It requires minimal maintenance

ACLAB note:

Wipe it clean and vacuum once every two to three months.

Cleaning the Zero Breeze Mark 2 is a breeze (excuse the pun).

I've read other buyers suggest that zero maintenance is required, but in my experience, quickly doing the following 3 things will help this AC perform at its peak:

The only thing I'm not super excited about is the fact that you can't quite access the coils. 

It is quite hard to open up the MK2, as the unit is not meant to be opened. So, simply vacuum through the louvers.

It offers excellent value for money

ACLAB note:

It is pricey but worth every penny.

In my opinion, Zero Breeze Mark 2 offers excellent value for money for its $1700 price tag.

While it is more expensive than common portable air conditioners (even compared to the same type of portable ACs, like EcoFlow WAVE 2), Mark 2 offers much more functionality and portability.

For example, the Vremi 12000 BTU portable AC I used for comparison earlier can't be used for personal cooling while driving.

Also, due to its 1350W power consumption, it is impossible to run for more than two hours while you're out camping, even if you have a massive battery pack or a power bank.

In contrast to EcoFlow, Mark 2 is much lighter, smaller, and easier to move around, so despite the $200 price difference in EcoFlow’s favor - MK2 does offer unique benefits if you’re looking for portability first.

What's most impressive about MK2, in my opinion, is its resale value. 

From what I can see, used Mark 2 air conditioners in good condition sell for $1000-1100. This means two things:

On top of all those things, the biggest selling point for me was the long-term cost savings if you use it for direct cooling while driving.

As I explained earlier, you’re looking at $25 of daily savings if you’re someone who drives a truck for a living.

Depending on how long and how often you drive, you’ll have Mark 2 paid off in several months.

Comparing previous and future models of the Zero Breeze

Mark 1 was not the most stellar product, but then again, it was Zero Breeze's first attempt at a portable air conditioner such as this one.

I haven't personally used the Mark 1, but from what I've heard from people who have, they weren't entirely happy with it.

Even as a personal cooler, Mark 1 just wasn’t powerful enough. The cooling capacity was just too low to make any difference in a real-world setting - especially if the temperatures were above 90 degrees.

I also heard that MK1 wasn’t the best for sleep, either. It wouldn’t be as quiet as you needed it to be, and considering it wasn’t strong enough to cool you down properly, many people gave up on it.

Thankfully, Mark 2 managed to solve all of these issues (and more), so it is likely that Mark 3 will be an improvement over Mark 2.

As you can see from the table above - Mark 3 is poised to be a much beefier unit with 2.5x more cooling capacity. This is the biggest and most impressive improvement from what I can see, as tripling the cooling area would make Mark 3 much more versatile.

Also, it would appear that the Mark 3 would operate at an even lower noise level when you put it in "Sleep Mode," which is nice.

Mark 3 will also sport three additional working modes:

So, unlike Mark 2, Mark 3 will be able to dehumidify the space, heat it up, and maintain the temperature using a thermostat, which will be included with the Mark 3.

On paper, all of this seems incredibly impressive. However, if experience has taught me anything - it’s to wait and see.

No one has tested or used the Mark 3. Apart from a few videos from the Zero Breeze guys, we don't know anything about Mark 3, so who knows if it will live up to these massive promises.

That said, as far as I’m concerned - Mark 2 is still the portable air conditioner to buy.

It was proven, time and time again, to be reliable, durable, quiet, and, most importantly, effective.

Zero Breeze warranty, return policy and shipping

The Zero Breeze Mark 2 comes with a one-year limited warranty. The warranty covers manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship.

In other words, if your unit malfunctions within the warranty period, ZERO BREEZE will repair or replace it free of charge.

However, this is for the contiguous US only - which also applies to returns and refunds.

To find out the shipping cost for you - check out Zero Breeze’s shipping policy page.

Common problems and troubleshooting

My Mark 2 has been flawless — no compressor issues, no strange noises, and no battery problems. Most users report similar reliability.

The main complaints come from misunderstanding its purpose. The Mark 2 is designed to cool a small area around you, not an entire RV, room, or cabin. If used correctly, it works as intended.

Potential minor issues include:

• Power Issues:
  The Mark 2 requires 24V. Most third-party power banks output 12V, so without a 12V-to-24V converter, the unit may fail to start or underperform.

• Condensate Leaks:
  To avoid leaks, tilt the front of the unit upward by 1–2 inches to help drain any condensate properly.

If problems arise, Zero Breeze offers excellent support, including a troubleshooting form where you can submit photos or videos for a personalized solution within 24 hours.

Are any accessories and add-ons worth it?

Here is a list of all the Mark 2 accessories. Those that I've included in bold come within the box:

In addition, there’s the Mark 2 Care+ extended warranty I previously discussed.

As you can tell, this list is very extensive since Zero Breeze sells every single thing you need to connect, install, or power up the Mark 2 in any of the 8 ways mentioned above. 

I genuinely like this, as it saves time on research and streamlines the entire process.

On the other hand, this allows Zero Breeze to charge a premium for these additions, which they do, as most of the accessories are objectively overpriced.

What's even worse is that some are also completely unnecessary, such as the $200 portable carrying bag or a remote extender cable.

In my opinion, the only accessories you can genuinely benefit from are the following:

While these are also priced quite high, I wouldn’t suggest getting third-party ones.

The quality with third-party accessories could be an issue, and you wouldn’t want to risk permanently damaging a $1500 AC for $50 in savings.

Final verdict: Is Zero Breeze Mark 2 worth it?

After more than a year with it, it is obvious to me that Zero Breeze Mark 2 is worth it.

Mark 2 is absolutely one of my best investments, and I’m sure if you enjoy an outdoorsy lifestyle or if you’re always behind the wheel - it would be for you, too.

Mark 2 is a well-performing, well-built, and even better-designed portable air conditioner that excels at what it was intended to do and provides direct, near-instant cooling even in the harshest conditions.

The cherry on top?

Since there's a 30-day full-refund return policy - you really haven't got anything to lose if you buy Zero Breeze Mark 2.