Hot on the heels of a summer where air-con demand reached a peak, Octopus Energy has launched a new cooling product, the Cosy Cooler.
Predicted to be around the same size as an average kitchen bin, the unit will cost around £500-600. But, there's one condition that may make it limiting – it can only be used in conjunction with its range of Cosy heat pumps.
Octopus also claim it can be set up in under three hours by a professional installer and in tests has been capable of dropping a room's temperature by 10°C in just 90 minutes. But what else do we know about the new product?
Can be fitted to existing pipework
While the British-engineered cooler will only currently work with Cosy air source heat pumps, it has the bonus of not requiring any major structural work as it can be fitted to existing pipework inside your home meaning the cost will be far less than the costs for air conditioning.
Once connected, it works by it transferring heat from the room into the water flowing through your existing heating pipes. The water then carries this heat to the outdoor heat pump, which releases it outside. In the meantime, the Cosy Cooler blows cooler air back into the room.
"The easiest spot to install the Cosy Cooler is usually right next to a radiator," says TJ Root, heat flexibility director at Octopus Energy, "where you can connect to the inlet and outlet pipes with special fittings, but you can hook it up to any accessible heating pipe in any room you wish to cool.
"And, because because the unit plugs directly into the pipework rather than using radiator panels, the radiator type isn’t a factor," TJ adds.
And, for anyone worried that the heat exchange could cause problems with damp, TJ assured Homebuilding & Renovating that this factor had been taken into account.
"The system is also designed to keep the water in the pipes above the dew point, the temperature at which humidity in the air turns into water droplets, helping to prevent condensation on pipes and protect your floors and home from damp."
Whole house cooling will require multiple units
Much like air-conditioning units which only really cool the room in which they are installed, a Cosy Cooler will cool the room in which it's placed. While TJ Root says it has the capacity to cool a larger space, with doors closed to keep the room cool this is less likely.
And, for more than one unit, you'll also need a larger heat pump. "You’ll always get the best, most even chill with a unit sitting right in the room you’re using. But if you want to cool several rooms at once, our larger Cosy heat pumps can power two or three Cosy Cooler units," notes TJ.
Early trial results are positive both in testing and in homes
A launch date in 2027 is still to be confirmed, meaning the Cosy Cooler won't be available just yet, although Octopus is asking customers to contact them via this form if they would be interested in trialing the product in their home.
"Our trials focus on real-world performance, speed, and energy efficiency," explained TJ Roots. "We run rigorous testing at our dedicated UK R&D centres to ensure customers get maximum cooling power with minimal energy draw before full rollout. We’re also test with customers in their own homes to make sure the product is easy to use for all.
"In testing last week, it successfully dropped a room's temperature from 30°C to 20°C in just 90 minutes, and these trials help us refine those results even further."
How will it compare to other cooling products?
When asked if the units will be more expensive to run than air-con units, TJ Roots said: "Actual draw depends on room size and room temperatures, but it won't draw more energy than a typical portable air conditioner unit. We're completing performance trials and will share exact specs when we get closer to rollout."
The company is also confident the new Cosy Cooler unit will cool just as well as traditional air-to-air heat pumps which also cool homers, but believe as it’s portable, installs faster and is cheaper, it's a much cleaner, less invasive solution.
That said, anyone interested in having one will either have to have an existing Cosy heat pump installed, or be considering switching to a heat pump in the future. While the Cosy Cooler won't be covered by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, given there is still a delay in anyone being able to access the grant for air-to-air heat pumps, this may be a possible alternative if you looking for a way to heat and cool your home in the near future.
Homebuilding & Renovating's energy expert, David Hilton welcomed the news, while reminding homeowners that any cooling system means condensation needs to be carefully considered before any cooling method is installed.
"I think this is a step in the right direction as cooling will definitely be an additional consideration for anyone building a new home or doing a serious renovation," he said. "Heat pumps open up the opportunity to consider cooling which is something that boilers never will be able to do."
