Keep Cool Anywhere With Your Own Portable Air Conditioner

Technology has greatly advanced since Willis Carrier first invented modern air conditioning in 1902. Carrier, an employee of Buffalo Forge heating company in upstate New York, was tasked with finding a way to keep humidity from warping a Brooklyn printing company’s paper. Carrier's early cooling machines were life-changing, but too large and costly for homes; today, air conditioners are affordable, and compact enough to be installed through a window. Now, just in time for the dog days of summer, Italian startup idea3Di has created a small, portable, and inexpensive air conditioner called the Geizeer that can cool you off any time, any place, sans outlet, Thrillist reports.

The Geizeer’s technology is pretty simple: First, juice up the insulated wooden box’s internal rechargeable battery via a micro-USB cable. Once it’s fully powered, take off the Geizeer’s top panel, put a gel ice pack inside, and put the lid back on—no on/off switches required. According to Geizeer’s creators, a fan will blow icy air at you from 360 degrees for around four hours. Once you feel the breeze starting to wane, simply take out the ice pack, toss it into the freezer, and charge the Geizeer (which has a battery life of around seven hours) up again.

The Geizeer’s small size makes it perfect for office cubicles, nightstands, or households that can’t accommodate a full-size air conditioning unit. (Word to the wise: The Geizeer isn’t big or powerful enough to cool down an entire apartment, so you might also want to invest in a fan or two.) Thanks to a successful crowdfunding effort, the handy gadget is currently available for pre-order online, starting at $109. Sadly, The Geizeer won’t arrive until December—so for the remainder of this summer, you'll have to find some other creative ways to stay cool.

[h/t Thrillist]