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Sony’s new wearable air conditioner is saving me from melting in this heatwave. It’s like having a permanent ice pack glued to the back of your neck, and it sits underneath your clothes.
It’s scorching hot out there, and if you’re struggling to survive the unbearable 32C temperatures, some icy relief has arrived. Launching as the UK experiences a blistering heatwave, Sony's all-new wearable air conditioner is here to save us from melting this summer.
Last year, Sony launched the Reon Pocket Pro, a wearable air conditioner that sat at the base of your neck underneath your shirt to cool your entire body down, rather than merely blowing air at you like a handheld fan. It instantly became my favourite summer gadget, keeping me cool throughout the sticky, sweaty months. The company has now launched a follow-up: the Sony Reon Pocket Pro Plus. The all-new personal cooling device promises to run 2C cooler than the previous model, fit more securely, and work with high-collar clothes. I’ve been testing it on a hot trip to Tokyo as well as in the UK’s latest heatwave to see if it could keep me cool.
Sony Reon Pocket Pro Plus: Key Features
- Way more effective than a fan – feels like an ice cube against your skin.
- Up to 20 per cent stronger cooling than the previous model.
- Adaptive hold neckband keeps it more securely against your skin.
- Adjustable air vents work with higher-collared clothing.
- Still pricey – £199.
- Can still shift during movement occasionally.
Sony’s Reon devices have always been a little odd. Arguably the company’s strangest gadget line, the wearable air conditioners only launched in the UK last year, despite being available in Japan since 2020. Rather than blasting cold air at you like a fan, the Reon Pocket Pro Plus uses a cooling plate to bring your body temperature down directly. It sounds gimmicky, but after using the Reon Pocket Pro throughout last summer, I quickly became a convert.
The Reon Pocket Pro Plus looks almost identical to its predecessor. The rectangular body still curves to match the shape of your back, sitting underneath your clothes, while two arms wrap around your neck to keep it in place. Most of the changes are under the bonnet, but Sony has tweaked the fit too. The previous model had a knack for losing contact with my skin while walking around, but the widened neckband and more flexible hinge have kept the new model pressed against my back more securely and discreetly.
Heat leaves through the exhaust vent, much like an air conditioner. It’s still not perfect, but it’s definitely more secure. The Reon Pocket Pro Plus stayed glued to my skin far better during walks and train rides, only shifting occasionally. I’ve found that wrapping the arms slightly further around my neck so they almost overlap helps keep it in place, though it does sometimes feel a little like a chokehold. I still think there’s probably a better long-term solution than the current arm design – perhaps a rear back strap, akin to a harness, could keep it in place.
How Does It Work?
Most of the magic, and all of the upgrades, are under the bonnet. Like the previous model, the Reon Pocket Pro Plus uses thermoelectric cooling and heating to regulate your body temperature. It does this by chilling the upper part of your spine, where blood flows close to the surface, creating a sensation that feels a little like pressing an ice cube against your skin.
With this latest model, Sony says it can cool up to 2C more than before, thanks to a redesigned exhaust system that expels heat more efficiently. As the device cools your body, it vents the extracted heat upwards through an exhaust outlet at the top of the unit, helping stop heat from building up beneath your clothes. It’s like an actual air conditioner – the heat has to go somewhere.
It feels beautifully cold against your skin. Suffering through the heatwave has been so much more bearable with the Reon Pocket Pro Plus attached to my neck, and it genuinely feels colder to touch than the previous model. You can turn it on using the buttons on the device, but it’s a lot easier to control using the Reon app (trying to adjust the level of cooling by touch is quite tricky). The device also comes with Sony’s external Reon Tag 2 sensor, which can clip onto your bag and monitors the temperature, humidity, and sunlight exposure.
The device hugs your neck a lot better than the previous model. If you turn on the smart cool mode, the wearable can automatically adjust cooling levels, depending on the environment and whether you’re indoors or outside. Like a pair of wireless earbuds, the device knows when you’ve taken it off your back, so you don’t really need to adjust it at all. Personally, I’ve tended to adjust the cooling level myself. Like with a regular handheld fan, I like setting it to the maximum cooling level and keeping it there until it dies – there are five different cooling stages to choose from. Having it on stage five is absolute bliss – it feels like I’m diving into an icy shower, just for my upper back.
What’s neat about the new model is that there’s also a new adjustable air vent attachment designed for higher-collared clothing. While the previous model worked best with T-shirts and open collars, the new vent can be extended and angled to redirect airflow and heat through thicker fabrics or shirts that sit higher on the neck, meaning it works with all clothing types. The fan is ultra-quiet. I genuinely can’t even hear it running while I’m wearing the device, and it’s super lightweight despite its size.
Like the previous model, smart cool mode lasts up to 15 hours, but manual mode ranges from an impressive 34 hours on stage one down to five-and-a-half hours on stage five. It also lasts 27 hours on stage two, 18 hours on stage three, and 10 hours on stage four.
I wouldn’t expect it to cool my entire body down like an actual air conditioner, but it’s way more effective than a handheld fan, providing targeted cooling to the upper back. I don’t really care for another gadget that might just blow more hot air at my face. What’s even better is that it isn’t just for summer. The Reon Pocket Pro Plus also has a warming mode, meaning I’ll be able to use it in winter too. I’m already looking forward to trying it in a freezing football stadium.
Key Specifications
- Dimensions: 125mm x 60mm x 175mm (with short air vent cover); 125mm x 60mm x 210mm (with adjustable air vent cover)
- Weight: 259g (with short air vent cover), 270g (with adjustable air vent cover), 194g (main unit only)
- Battery life: Up to 15 hours (smart cool mode)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, iOS 16+, Android 9+
- Charging: USB-C (80 per cent charge in 120 minutes, full charge in 200 minutes)
- Price: £199 from Sony.co.uk
Should You Buy the Sony Reon Pocket Pro Plus?
I loved the previous Reon Pocket Pro, but Sony’s new Reon Pocket Pro Plus fixes many of the things that annoyed me. It cools more aggressively, stays in contact with my skin more reliably, and works better with different clothes thanks to the redesigned exhaust system and new air vent attachment.
I still don’t think the fit is perfect – I’d love to see Sony move to some kind of rear strap in the future – and £199 is a lot of money for what is ultimately a portable fan. But after using it in both Tokyo’s heat and the UK heatwave, I don’t think I can experience heat without it hanging around my neck. It won’t replace an actual air conditioner, and it won’t cool your entire body, but it’s miles more effective than a handheld fan because it cools me directly rather than simply blowing hot air around. It’s weird, yes, but I absolutely love it.
How I Tested
I tested the Sony Reon Pocket Pro Plus over several weeks during a trip to Tokyo and throughout the UK heatwave, using it while sightseeing in the blazing sun, walking around the city, commuting on trains, and spending long periods outdoors in temperatures above 30C. I also compared it directly against the previous Reon Pocket Pro, which I used extensively throughout last summer, paying close attention to cooling performance, fit, comfort, battery life, and how well the new air vent attachment worked with different clothing. I’ve also tested everything from handheld fans and air coolers to portable air conditioners, and since I run warm, I’m probably harsher than most when it comes to cooling gadgets.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews: Alex Lee is The Independent’s senior tech critic. He’s an expert when it comes to cooling gadgets, having tried and tested everything from Sony’s wearable fan to the best portable air conditioners and air coolers. Beyond his experience in real-world testing, Alex is the perfect candidate for this test since he runs warm, making him a harsh critic.
