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With Singapore's tropical climate, the merciless heat and humidity is not exactly conducive for working-from-home and keeping your air conditioner on for 9 hours per day is not sustainable, financially or environmentally.
Filming beauty tutorials at home without a cool environment is definitely a no-no for the sweaty me, yet long exposure to the cold air of home air-conditioning led to excessive facial sebum on my dehydrated skin (yikes!). With all this issues on my mind, I have been actively searching for sustainable alternatives. Hence, an energy-saving personal portable air-conditioner sounds like an excellent solution!
CLOSE COMFORT Cool Focus
![Review of CLOSE COMFORT Cool Focus and Igloo Tent by top Singapore lifestyle blogger Faith Tan]( "Review of CLOSE COMFORT Cool Focus and Igloo Tent by Singapore lifestyle blogger Faith Tan")
I have friends who personally recommended CLOSE COMFORT Cool Focus + Igloo Tent to me because they have truly enjoyed using this compact & convenient portable air conditioner and assured me that it is the best option out there!
Cool Focus Portable Air Conditioner (SGD649) is mainly made of plastic on its exterior and has a white glossy finish. There is a front (cold air) and back (warmer air), distinguished by a bigger front flap and a smaller back flap which Close Comfort named them as "air covers". This compact unit measures 55.0cm x 27.3cm x 38.5cm (HxWxD) andweighs 17kg. With quality caster wheels fitted at its base, you won't feel the weight at all. Handles are built at the sides for easy lifting, when necessary,
Igloo Tent (SGD129)
Invented by Close Comfort's founder, this unique Igloo Tent is ingeniously designed to work together with Cool Focus Portable Air Conditioner Unit to up the cooling effect by 12°C. Comes in the latest self-erecting technology, it doubles as a glamping tent and can be fitted onto a double, Queen size and King size bed and act as a mosquito protection net! Setting up and packing away the tent takes a bit of practice but once you get the hang of it, it is almost effortless. Video demonstration and instructions can be found here.
WHY I CHOSE CLOSE COMFORT instead of other portable air-conditioners?
CLOSE COMFORT is a Western Australian based start-up that has expanded their sales & operations to Singapore last year. The company founder, Professor James Trevelyan shares a clear mission of developing energy-efficient and high-performance sustainable air conditioning solutions.
Cool Focus offers unique features and wonderful benefits which most conventional brands cannot match up to. The most important benefit for me is the energy/cost-savings, and there is no need for hose/pipe installation and no need to refill/drain water tank. Simply plug and play!
There are no physical buttons on the unit, so you have to adjust temperature (lowest at 17°C), fan speed, and an option to set a timer on the remote control. Cool Focus package comes with remote control, AAA batteries x2, transparent flap and user manuals.
Wherever possible, it is recommended to place Cool Focus such that the back is against a window or face towards open space so that the warm air can be discharged better. Even if warm air is discharging in the room, you’ll still be able to feel the cold air because it's directed at you like a personal cooling device. However, it is best recommended that you keep your windows and doors open so air can better circulate in the room.
Key Benefits of CLOSE COMFORT Cool Focus :
1. Save up to 75% on power as it consumes only 300 watts for 8 hours of use. Portable air conditioners normally consumes an average of 1200W.
2. No need to fill up water or drain out water
3. No unsightly hose to attach to the window
4. Easy plug-and-play set up, takes 1-3 minutes for machine to start up and you can instantly feel the cold air
5. Reasonable noise level, similar or slightly lower than other conventional portable air conditioners
6. Wheels rolls smoothly so shifting this compact device around the home is extra convenient
7. Simple maintenance : easy-to-clean filters, no complex buttons to operate
8. Efficientlycool down one person, and two adults when used with Igloo Tent.
Downsides:
1. Cooling radius not wide, cold air more targeted at one part of the body. Need to adjust the position of the unit and the angle of air covers to find the best cooling position for you. Two arm lengths away seems to be my sweet spot.
2. Slight slushing sounds, not the noisiest portable aircon but not the quietest as well.
3. Price of SGD649, higher than standard price of a portable aircon.
Key Benefits of CLOSE COMFORT Igloo Tent:
1. Glamping fun while keeping the cool air in
2. Self-erecting and easy to convert to fit any double bed up to King size
3. Chemical-free net protects you from mosquitos and other insects
4. Detachable machine washable bottom panel
5. Lower Close Comfort unit’s energy consumption to as little as 170 Watts!
FINAL THOUGHTS
I have tried the duo for three weeks, my family and I love them! I totally recommend getting the unit with the Igloo Tent for the perfect cooling and home glamping experience. It is such a fun addition to our new home-bound lifestyle, plus having one or two friends over to spend time with this cute setup will just be amazing.
Speaking as a beauty enthusiast, I need to specially commend how fresh and non-drying the air is when I use Cool Focus, even at low temperatures say 17-20°C. This keeps my skin cool, refreshed yet not dehydrated unlike our usual harsher aircon.
Do keep in mind CLOSE COMFORT Cool Focus is a personal air conditioner, so it cools you down just like how you'd feel when you stand next to an opened fridge. Manage your product expectations so you can enjoy the cost savings from your electricity bills, while doing your part for Mother Earth!
Close Comfort Cool Focus (SGD649) and Igloo Tent (SGD129) are both available on Shopee, Lazada and on Close Comfort.
