There’s nothing like an unexpected heatwave to make you realise just how ill-equipped a typical British bedroom is for summer. Over the last month or so, with the UK being treated to some properly warm spring weather, I found myself looking for smarter ways to keep cool without firing up noisy fans or dragging in clunky air con units.
Thankfully, I’d unintentionally yet perfectly timed the arrival of a EcoFlow Wave 3 review unit, which landed on my doorstep just as things started to heat up. Promising to be a clever, all-in-one solution for controlling the temperature in small spaces, this portable heat pump cools, dehumidifies, and is small enough to lug between a bedroom, shed or even a van.
On paper, it’s got everything, including solar charging options and smart app control. But features mean nothing if it can’t deliver when it’s roasting outside. I’ve been using the device for the past month or so alongside EcoFlow’s hefty Add-On Battery, which unlocks wireless use for up to eight hours. So, is it the portable summer solution we’ve all been waiting for?
EcoFlow Wave 3 review: price and availability
The EcoFlow Wave 3 was launched worldwide in May 2025 and is available from the brand’s official web store across most EU countries such as the UK, Spain, France, Germany and Italy as well as North America, including the USA and Canada, as well as select countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.
With an RRP of £1,199 / $1449 (discounted from an RRP of £1,299 / $2,198) for the full kit including battery, or £699 / $899 (also discounted from an RRP of £799 / $1,299) for just the unit itself, the EcoFlow Wave 3 is far from an impulse buy. At this price, it can only be a serious investment. But when you consider it sports both heating and cooling, along with mobility, solar integration, and multimode control, it starts to feel more justified.
Another feature that helps justify its cost is the Wave 3’s support for R290 refrigerant, which is a much greener alternative to traditional gases, cutting CO2 emissions and improving its eco-credentials. This makes it a more flexible and environmentally friendly device than running two separate systems, for example.
EcoFlow Wave 3 review: design and build
Physically, the Wave 3 is a fairly compact machine for what it does. At 15.6kg, it’s not exactly featherweight, but it’s easy enough to move around using its handle cutouts. I also used the EcoFlow Wave 3 with the optional Add-On Battery, which weighs an extra 9.7kg. Together, they make for a pretty robust package that’s not quite as portable as I’d like, but workable.
The overall build quality of the EcoFlow Wave 3 is brilliant. It feels like a proper premium product, for example the plastic casing is thick and sturdy, all ports are securely finished and well-labelled, and the whole unit feels well-thought-out in terms of usability. It’s clearly been designed with real-world use in mind.
Still, it’s probably not the prettiest gadget you’ll own, but one that fits into the functional aesthetic of home appliances and outdoor gear. You’ll definitely feel comfortable tossing it in the boot of your van or temporarily parking it in a utility room or garden office.
EcoFlow Wave 3 review: performance and build
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s talk about setup. While I found it relatively straightforward to get it up and running, the EcoFlow Wave 3 does require a bit of planning. You’ll need to fit the intake and exhaust hoses correctly, and they do take up space. I had to cut a foam template to slot it neatly in my bedroom window, but once done, it stayed securely in place and provided a decent seal.
When it comes to performance, the EcoFlow Wave 3 doesn’t disappoint. I used it on some of the hottest spring evenings we’ve had this year so far, in a bid to help cool down a moderately sized bedroom (around 10 square metres). With doors and windows sealed and blackout blinds drawn, it dropped the temperature by a noticeable amount within 30 minutes or so.
It’s worth noting, however, that no matter how long I left it on before bedtime, it didn’t turn the room into an icebox. If you’re expecting the EcoFlow Wave 3 to stand in as a proper home air-conditioning unit, prepare to be disappointed. Still, it brought the temperature down enough to make a clear difference in comfort, and over the course of the night, it maintained a steady cool temperature while running mostly in Eco and Sleep modes.
This is where the EcoFlow Wave 3 truly shines. Unlike the previous generation, which occasionally struggled to keep temperatures level, this new model handled the fluctuations well. The room stayed cool all night, ensuring I didn’t wake up sweaty or toss the covers aside.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the heating side is slightly less impressive, but still decent. I tested this when the temperatures dropped, using it in a small shed-turned-office, where outdoor temps dipped to around 10°C. The EcoFlow Wave 3 lifted the internal temperature of this 3x2.5m space to a comfortable 18 degrees in about 30 minutes. This wasn’t exactly toasty, but it was warm enough to work comfortably without resorting to bulky space heaters.
Where the machine gets extra points, though, is flexibility. The addition of proper automatic modes, including Pet Mode, dehumidifier, and Auto temperature switching, makes it more of a year-round gadget and not just a summer fad. Its dehumidification mode works quietly in the background, and I can imagine this will work well for caravans and the like; places where you need to prevent mould.
As for noise, it’s fairly quiet in Sleep mode, giving off nothing more than a gentle hum that I could easily sleep through. In full power mode, however, it gets louder, so it’s not one for quiet conversations. The battery also hums a bit while charging, which is noticeable but not too annoying.
EcoFlow Wave 3 review: battery and app
Price tags aside, the optional EcoFlow Add-On Battery is what really makes the Wave 3 shine. It clips on easily, charges in about 75 minutes via mains or an optional solar charger (sold separately), and gives you around eight hours of cooling (in Eco mode). That’s enough to get through a hot night or take the edge off a chilly spring morning.
You’ve got loads of charging options too: wall plug, car socket, the aforementioned solar (up to 400W), or even through an alternator while driving, which is ideal for camper vans or off-grid setups. It uses an XT150 port for fast, stable input and feels well-built overall, with weather-sealed ports and an IP65 rating, so it’s clearly designed with rugged, real-world use in mind.
As for the EcoFlow app, I found this to work brilliantly. It’s fast, intuitive, and packed with smart features - from temperature control and scheduling, to battery monitoring and drain alerts. You can also connect over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, which makes it handy whether you’re out of signal or just in another room.
I should mention, however, that despite connecting the drainage pipe as directed, I did experience leakage from the unit when activating Automatic drainage mode. I’m not sure why this is the case, and I had to turn the option off so that I drained it manually when it alerted me it was full. This could just be an issue with my unit rather than a model-wide fault, but I will be checking this with EcoFlow to make sure and will update this review in due course.
EcoFlow Wave 3 review: verdict
The EcoFlow Wave 3 might be a niche product, but it’s one that pretty much nails what it’s built to do. It’s ideal for small spaces, like the average double or single bedroom, mobile setups and outbuildings like garden rooms and the like. And if you regularly camp, travel in a van, or work in a shed or studio that lacks climate control, it could be a game changer.
On the other hand, it’s far from perfect. Its price tag is verging on ridiculous, especially if you’re looking to add on the battery to make it portable. On top of that, the noise can get annoying in Max mode, and you’ll need to carefully plan your setup, especially if installing it in a tight space. The result can also be unsightly once all the necessary tubes are installed.
Nevertheless, the core experience it offers, for example, a well-built, reliable unit that cools, heats and runs (almost) silently overnight, is excellent for the most part. And for the right user, the Wave 3 is a top-notch solution that feels like it’s built to last.
