I am a sucker for travel gadgets. (Truthfully, I am a sucker for any product that claims to make life easier.) It is dangerous for me to watch television late at night—a time when most channels air infomercials advertising the latest and greatest must-have items. I have gotten to the point where I don’t automatically grab the phone and start dialing (yes, I have made progress), but there was an item featured on TV the other night that I was convinced was worth a phone call. I ended up mustering enough willpower to avoid calling and instead headed to my computer to look up the product online.
It’s called the Auto Cool. Have you heard of it? It’s a new product that claims it will keep your vehicle cool while you’re in the market, mall, or office. AND, the best part—it doesn’t require batteries. I saw it and was instantly hooked. Mind you we were in the midst of a heat wave when I saw the commercial. Temperatures were well past the century mark and my car’s interior must have been pushing 500 degrees after sitting in the sun all day. I was convinced I needed the Auto Cool.
My Internet search produced a number of results. Most Auto Cool owners agreed that the item was a cinch to set up. It is a small black box-like invention (basically an air vent) that clips to the top of your car’s window. It also comes with a black weather strip that adheres to the frame of the window. It does leave a gap and you have to attach it each time you use the Auto Cool.
A test of the Auto Cool showed two identical cars, one with the product attached to the front passenger-side window, and the other car without it. Each car had a thermometer attached to the dashboard to record the interior temperature. After 30 minutes in the sun the results revealed that the solar-powered Auto Cool DID work, kind of. The car without the Auto Cool hit a blistering 120 degrees, but the one with the device was still a sizzling 110 degrees. So, a 10-degree difference, at those temperatures you probably couldn’t tell the difference. In my opinion, once the temperature is over 100, hot is hot.
What’s more, the black weather strip which hugs the edge of the car window can easily be torn off. Not only can any random person walking past your vehicle remove the strip—the product is ineffective without it. So, the Auto Cool does have some major problems. Not the least of which is that it doesn’t live up to its claim to keep your car cool. I’m glad I didn’t make the call. Personally, I say, save yourself $25 (the cost of the product) and roll down your windows instead.
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