Coolify Cyber Review: Is the Smart Air Conditioner Necklace Worth It?
Coolify Cyber is a smart portable air conditioner for the urbanite. An ultra-portable air conditioner that was specially designed to be worn around the neck. This gadget retails for a hefty $279 and offers several modes to ventilate, cool, and even keep you warm if required. In this hands-on, I'll tell you whether the Coolify Cyber is worth its price and whether you can really envisage using it daily.
The Coolify Cyber in a nutshell
The Coolify Cyber is a product from Torras. Torras is a China-based manufacturer that specializes in smartphone and tablet accessories. The manufacturer even has its own online and Amazon stores, selling and delivering its products all over the world.
The Coolify Cyber sells for $279 a pop. I couldn't find it on Amazon France, so you have to go through the manufacturer's official store to buy it. Torras also offers a package that includes the Coolify Cyber and the Neck AC Extend Power Battery which offers additional battery life for $79.99. For this review, I was also given the Coolify Zone fan to wear around the waist.
Editor's note: This review is part of a collaboration between Torras and nextpit. This collaboration has no influence on the editorial content and rating of this review.
Design
The Coolify Cyber looks like a high-tech travel cushion or Bluetooth headset from a distance. It's worn around the neck and has ventilation grids on the side and top to ventilate both your head and face. However, the surface inside can also diffuse heat or cool, depending on your mood.
Pros:
- More discreet design than expected.
- Doesn't embarrass you in public.
- Not uncomfortable to wear and offers a good fit around the neck.
- Easy to use, with accessible buttons and simple controls.
Cons:
- No IP rating for water resistance.
- Poorly choice of non-breathable material, sweat accumulates too easily.
When I was assigned to review this gadget, I had two reactions. The first was the Coolify Cyber reminded me a little of the Dyson Zone headset, with its mouth guard designed to filter the air you breathe. In short, an over-engineered product with a very niche utility and, above all, rather ridiculous to wear in public.
My second reaction was to think that I was the ideal target audience for such a product. I'm fat, I sweat a lot, and I'm hot all the time. A portable, connected device that keeps me cool all the time is a bit of a dream.
After reviewing this portable air conditioner, my initial preconceived ideas more or less disappeared. The Coolify Cyber's design is ultimately more discreet than I imagined. I've worn it around my neck in public, on public transport, and in the street without getting too many curious stares or mocking glances.
From a distance, the Coolify Cyber looks a bit like a Bluetooth headset that's worn around the neck or one of those travel cushions you wear while traveling on a plane. The sleek black plastic finish makes it quite discreet. There are a few LEDs on the sides and temples, but that's about it.
The headband is also quite extendable. I have a wide neck and didn't feel strangled by the product. The only drawback is it doesn't go well with a shirt or polo collar. The fit around the neck was also very stable. With its carrying case, the Coolify Cyber is no more bulky than a Bluetooth headset when stored in a bag.
On the other hand, the Coolify Zone, the fan you wear around your waist, is rather embarrassing to wear in public. This is especially so when you've got a belly like me. The stretchy waistband bulged out and the entire setup made me look rather odd. I wouldn't wear it every day in front of everyone.
I also think it's a shame that none of these products have IP certification for water resistance. They're made for people who sweat a lot, which makes it rather paradoxical.
Features and applications
The Coolify Cyber is a smart air conditioner. It's not just a fan like the Coolify Zone. It can therefore generate cold air and also has a heating function. All settings can be made directly via the product with its easy-to-use buttons. A free app from Torras, the manufacturer, can also be used to control the air conditioner.
Pros:
- Intuitive controls.
- Simple application.
Cons:
- -
I'm going to talk about two products here: the Coolify Cyber, the smart air conditioner you wear around your neck, and the Coolify Zone, the fan you wear around your waist.
Coolify Cyber features
The Coolify Cyber has several air outlets. Right at the top, there are six grilles on each arm of the hoop at cheek level and four at the back, at neck level. Underneath, there are two grilles at the back to send air to your back.
Torras explained this smart air conditioner incorporates four motors that spin at 7,200 rpm. Layers of graphene allow both cold or hot air to circulate via the surfaces in contact with your skin. The manufacturer promises a temperature drop of up to 20°C.
The Coolify Cyber features three color-coded modes:
- Ventilation (green): The air conditioner diffuses ambient air, like a conventional fan.
- Cooling (blue): The air conditioner diffuses cold air and cools its surface.
- Heating (orange): The air conditioner does not any diffuse air, but its surface warms up.
Each mode has three basic intensity levels: 30, 60, and 100%, but you can select more intensity levels at a more precise setting via the app. A small LED display on the right side of the headband tells you which mode is active and the intensity it is at.
Pairing is very easy on both iOS as well as Android. I didn't need to create an account on my iPhone, which is a good thing. The interface is clear enough.
I like the fact that you can choose between the ventilation zones you want to activate. You can activate them all at once, or just the cheek or neck zones. You can also create presets or switch the device to automatic mode. The app lets you set a timer to switch off Coolify Cyber after a certain length of time. The manufacturer advises that the product should not be used continuously for more than 30 minutes.
By default, Coolify Cyber emits an audible alert each time the mode or intensity is changed. However, this alert can be deactivated via the app.
Coolify Zone features
Finally, the Coolify Zone, the "ventral" or "pectoral" fan, is much more simplistic. Rectangular in shape, it diffuses air upwards via its two outlets positioned on its upper edge. A single power button lets you switch between the three power levels.
You can wear it in front to blow air towards your face or at the back to cool your back. The belt fits most waist sizes, even mine with a length ranging from 55 to 118 cm. It doesn't have an IP rating, but the manufacturer promised it's resistant to moisture and sweat with a protective layer around the components. The part that comes into contact with your skin incorporates a kind of bubble that resembles those gel-filled cooling covers you put around a bottle of water.
Performance
The Coolify Cyber proved to be quite efficient in everyday use. I was particularly impressed by the basic ventilation mode. The air conditioning mode worked well, but the unit had an annoying tendency to heat up after a few minutes.
Pros:
- Highly efficient, adjustable ventilation.
- Tolerable noise level below 40% power.
Cons:
- Air-conditioning mode works but is not entirely convincing.
- Blower proved to be too noisy and uncomfortable above 40% power level.
Personally, I found the basic ventilation mode very effective. In Berlin's air-condition-free transport system, it's quite pleasant to have a mini-climate changer around your neck. However, you have to keep the intensity level at around 40% maximum. Beyond that, the blast around the ears is quite uncomfortable and very noisy.
I was less convinced by the air-conditioning mode. The sound generated by the blower is softer and therefore more discreet, which is a good thing. While the inside surface of the headband does indeed get very cold quickly, some parts of the air-conditioning unit, the ends in particular, began to heat up. I suppose this is due to the components generating heat as in any electronic device. This proved to be rather annoying.
The heating mode seemed to work well. Since it's the middle of summer, I didn't test it very thoroughly.
Finally, a word about the Coolify Zone. This is the fan you wear around your waist. I found it to be very effective, and perhaps even more effective than the Coolify Cyber. It has three intensity levels and blows air upwards, either under your chin or towards your back, depending on how you position yourself.
It's a real shame it's so obvious and extremely noisy. Otherwise, I'd consider wearing it daily when getting around on public transport during summer. What I really liked about both products is how easy they are to use. You don't even need the app to get them going. Everything can be performed via the few physical buttons. It's intuitive and it works.
Battery and recharging
According to the manufacturer, the Coolify Cyber can run for up to 15 hours. The neck air conditioner accepts a 20W charge and can be used while recharging.
Pros:
- Solid battery life in ventilation mode.
- Fast 20 W recharging.
- USB-C cable included.
- Works while charging.
Cons:
- Battery life drops drastically in cooling and heating mode.
The Coolify Cyber's 6,000 mAh battery lived up to the manufacturer's promise of 15 hours of battery life. The braided USB-C cable included in the box seemed to be of rather good quality, while the 20W charging speed allowed me to go from 0 to 100% battery in just over two hours.
However, these 15 hours of battery are only achieved when using the basic ventilation mode at its lowest level. As soon as you switch to air-conditioning or heating mode, the battery life drops drastically.
| Battery life - Ventilation | Battery life - Air conditioning | Battery life - Heating | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power level 1 | 15h | 2.6h | 4.5h |
| Power level 2 | 12.1h | 2.4h | 4.2h |
| Power level 3 | 7.1h | 2h | 3.3h |
Personally, I can't see myself using the Coolify Cyber for more than two hours uninterrupted, especially in cooling and heating mode. I think the scores are still quite decent though, since I do not recommend using the device at its maximum power level for too long for the reasons explained above.
Another handy feature is how you can use the Coolify Cyber while it's charging. Theoretically, you could connect it to an external battery pack and have it run for virtually indefinitely.
As for the Coolify Zone, its listed battery life is also 15 hours. Once again, this is at its lowest power level. The 5,000 mAh battery also recharges at 20 W. You can go from 0 to 50% in 30 minutes, and a full recharge takes 2h 30m.
Conclusion
Would I recommend you buy the Coolify Cyber for $279? No, there are far better ways to spend your money.
It's a personal opinion, but I find this product far too expensive despite boasting a nice design and being far more discreet than I expected with the ventilation function worked very well.
The application is also pretty well executed, even if it's only available in English. The manufacturer also has a fairly honest return and refund policy. Up to 30 days after receipt of the product, return costs covered in the event of defect, with an refund issued within one to three working days. However, Torras doesn't seem to have a physical presence in Europe so having to deal with their China-based services could make after-sales service more complicated should it arise.
The million-dollar question is, do you really need an air conditioner around your neck when you live in a temperate climate? If I still lived in Nice or the south of France, perhaps. But where I currently am in Berlin, I would have to walk away. I don't think the Coolify Cyber will justify its purchase price.
It's the same debate between a Rowenta fan at $99 and a Dyson at $700. Yes, the Dyson is very cool with lots of features. However, are you going to get your money's worth out of it when you'll probably only be using it for one or two months a year?
