Coolit USB Beverage Chiller

[Shof]

My first review, so go easy on me ;)

Lets Go:

With the summer coming and drinks are gettting warm when you leave them out and not put them back in the refrigerator. To shove this issue when i am in my room and using my computer, i decided to buy something that attempt to keep things cool. After some google searchs, i found my item: a USB Beverage Chiller from Coolit System. People that i spoke to, told me that it is a waste of money and it dont work. But, does it really work? Here are the specs of the chiller according to the Coolit website:

• Plugs into your computer’s USB port

• Coldplate chills to 45˚F

• Keeps your beverage cold

When i read coldplate, that made me instantly think that it won’t work since the coldness of the plate has no way to raise up to the liquid in the beverage. My first attempt of buying this item FAILED becuase the store did not had it stock (rant topic about that ). So i was going to buy it from Coolit Systems, but did not becuase i had a fear of UPS shipping. It took me a few days to find a person selling this item on ebay, so i bought it but those bitches shiped by UPS ground instead of USPS priority mail. I was supposed to get this item on Wednesday, but because of UPS shipping i had to pick up on Friday.

Pictures:

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The only problem i have, is that the coldplate is a litte small for other type of drinks, as seen in my last picture, My Vitamin Water drink does not fit on the plate all the way and has to sit near it. Looking at the design and the size of the cold plate, it seemed to me that it was only made for aluminum can drinks(like soda cans) and not plastic/glass bottles(soda bottle,vitamin water)

Does this item keep the drink cool?

I think it does keep the liquid in the drink cool, however depending on the drink and its container it may not work. On the coldplate, my plastic bottle was able to keep the liquid cool, however you can also notice a few warm spots in the liquid. The results might be different when you use something that conducts cold air better(like an aluminum can).

Should i buy the item?

It is up to you. I only paid 35 dollars for mine and it seems to work OK and the item can be improved alot (like a bigger coldplate for bigger drinks).

On a scale of 1-5, i will give this item a number 2 becuase it dont seem as good as i expected and the coldplate is small, even thru this item does nothing but make you look more geeky

Thinkgeek.com also sells a warm pad that keeps your tea warm while your on the computer but i dont need that :shiftyninja:

[Rohdekill]

$35 !!! OMG.

Let's see, a heating plate runs $2.50 these days. I'd pay no more than $7.00.

[Shof]

Thinkgeek warm pad is 20 dollars

Take note, that the chiller and the warm pad is USB powered!!!...so just plug in the computer not in an external outlet!!

[ScottKin]

CoolIt Beverage Chiller - $19.95 at Fry's Outpost.com.

If you are lucky enough to live near a Fry's store the in-store price is the same.

I saw one of these - it was significantly colder to the touch than some people are saying here. It uses a Peltier device to cool the plate. The one that I saw and touched had acutally drawn condensation out of the air and had a frosty-cold sheen on the top. If your is not working as well as the one that I saw on display, I would suggest getting it replaced, since quality control for Peltier devices can be questionable.

Additionally, I believe it was designed to work with metal drink containers, like pop/soda cans and not drink bottles - since the cold is distributed to the can via the metal skin of the can and the metal base of the chiller. Cold via conduction.

--ScottKin

[emo]

i think 35 was too much. also, does water residue/dew buildup on the outsidde of the bottle?

[Blackima]

To be honest I'm impressed it can do any cooling at all

A USB socket can only give out a mazimum 2.5W. I've never seen a peltier (the cooling device) run at lower than 70w!

Anyways, I've got my own drinks cooler using the same technology as this (though my one needs a whole 400w powersupply a 170w peltier and a tonk heatsink + fan....so not really worth it, lol)

You can see it here: https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=462305&st=0 (well, if I turn it upside down it becomes a drinks cooler :p)

:)

[Shof]

CoolIt Beverage Chiller - $19.95 at Fry's Outpost.com.

--ScottKin

There is no Frys near me

i think 35 was too much. also, does water residue/dew buildup on the outsidde of the bottle?

No

[exanimas]

My friend, knowing that I'm building a computer, decided to buy me a joke gift. I found it pretty funny, everyone should check it out. I mainly just want to see how many people knew about this thing or would actually buy it.

Check it.

Admission: This post is mainly out of boredom. Yea, it's 1am and work in a few hours. I need a life.

[badazzEVO8]

just make sure you dont spill it on your comp lol

[myNando]

Is this real? :woot: If so, stank, I'm gettin' one!!

::searches Google::

WOAH! THIS IS REAL?!!! ::whips out credit card::

[exanimas]

just make sure you dont spill it on your comp lol

Haha, very true. I'm almost dreading my other friends seeing it... I can imagine it now. "Dude, we can like, keep our Bud Lites cold while we waste your computer to look at myspace! Sick!"

[TokyoKiller]

OMG this is so cool, exanimas is this for real? I mean could u actually order this and recieve it or is this a joke?

[Baigley]

haha.. Cool my beer. :)

[exanimas]

OMG this is so cool, exanimas is this for real? I mean could u actually order this and recieve it or is this a joke?

No joke, I have one. Yet to take it out of the package, but yea, its pretty damn cool. I'm not sure if they ship to Canada, but check the site.

haha.. Cool my beer.

It only chills it at 45 degrees F, so I'm not sure how well it would cool alcohol... Actually now that I think of it, beer is only like 5% by volume. But I doubt it'll keep my Jagermeister as cold as I'd want it. *tears* Oh well, its still great for those people that love caffeine while gaming.

[myNando]

This would come in real handy for those long hours behind the computer @ work.

[exanimas]

If I wasn't still waiting for my mobo to arrive (I want to kind of use everything new at once, so it's more exciting [almost like Christmas]), I would tear that thing out of the package right now. Guess I'll have to wait to have drinks that stay cold while I use the computer.

[Baigley]

It only chills it at 45 degrees F, so I'm not sure how well it would cool alcohol... Actually now that I think of it, beer is only like 5% by volume. But I doubt it'll keep my Jagermeister as cold as I'd want it. *tears* Oh well, its still great for those people that love caffeine while gaming.

Meh.. Drink it before it gets warm. :)

Yeah.. I really dont know how well it could keep it cold. prob help more than nothing though. Maybe I should just run a line from the keg to a camel pack mouth piece.. mmmmmm..

You should get a Jager fridge thing.. Those are neat. Flip 2 bottles upside down and it feeds through, and chills it quite nicely.

[scizor]

Oh man thats cool.

But its cool enough in here already.

[Mr. Dick C. Normous]

You reach down to get your carefully pre-chilled drink, but all you find are hot and sweaty Bawls in your hand!

Don't ya hate when that happens...

[mercuryx013]

There is already a review about this on Neowin:

https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=468730

[exanimas]

Hmm, didn't actually think so search for that. Thanks mercury.

You should get a Jager fridge thing.. Those are neat. Flip 2 bottles upside down and it feeds through, and chills it quite nicely.

It also takes $300 out of your pocket =). I'll stick to leaving a bottle in my downstairs freezer at all time thank you.

[brianhanson37]

Wow 20 bucks for one. Might buy one just for the hell of it. Wish I could get one for a outlet (cheaper) but I can't find them on the internet. If anyone finds one let me know.

[r3volution]

we can however fix your sweltering Bawls problem!

LOL i love how they use puns in their advertisement :D

[John S. Veteran]

threads merged

[Blackima]

Ok, just so you guys know, ithe maximum rate at which it cools is 5.75W

That means if it's 25C (77F) where you are, it'll take 40 minutes to cool a 330ml can to 15C (59F)

So basically every second the peltier (the cooling device) can cool 100ml of water by 0.013C

tbh, I've never seen a peltier running at such low power. The smallest peltier I've seen is 70w as opposed to this 5.75W one