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Manchester Engineer Invents Smart Alternative to Air Conditioning — for Under £120

What began as a frustration project in a Manchester garage is now one of the UK’s best-selling cooling devices. We spoke to the inventor — and he didn’t hold back.

Advertorial | published 4 hours ago

It’s 2:47 a.m. The flat is at 28 degrees. And nothing helps.

That’s what the summer nights of 2025/26 look like for millions of people across the UK. The old standing fan wearily pushes warm air around the bedroom. The window is open, but it’s still 26 degrees outside. A glass of lukewarm water sits on the bedside table. At 6 a.m. the alarm goes off, and you already know: today is going to be a long one.

Anyone who actually wants a proper air-conditioning unit isn’t just facing one cost — but five:

• £700 to £2,000 for the unit itself, depending on room size and brand.
• A hole drilled through the external wall for the outdoor unit — plus written permission from your landlord or managing agent. In most cases, tenants simply don’t get it.
• An available certified HVAC engineer. As of summer 2026, most installers in the major cities are booked out for the entire season and can pick and choose who they take on. Order in May and you’ll be lucky to get a slot by August — if at all.
• £180 to £270 in extra electricity costs per summer month.
• Annual F-Gas servicing (mandatory under UK F-Gas Regulations) by a certified company.

Run those numbers for a 38-square-metre rented flat in Manchester, Leeds or Birmingham, and most people give up. Which is exactly where Mark Bennett comes in.

Three months in the garage. Over a hundred attempts.

Bennett, 48, is an HVAC engineer from Manchester-Salford. A graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University, with 20 years in commercial cooling — he knows the industry from the inside. He knows what a unit costs to buy, what it burns through in electricity, and what the big brands haven’t been telling their customers for years.

The idea came to him last July. He had just installed a split-unit system for a 71-year-old customer in Manchester-Didsbury — the full package: equipment, installation, certified installer’s sign-off. Final bill: £2,000. The customer had tears in her eyes when she saw the invoice.

I sat in the van afterwards and thought: this can’t be right. We’ve got satellites in orbit that can cool down to minus 180 degrees without a compressor. And in a Manchester rented flat you’re supposed to hand over two thousand quid to get a single room down to 22 degrees? — Mark Bennett, inventor of EpiCooler

For three months he was in his workshop almost every evening. Different geometries for the cooling chamber. Different fan configurations. Different materials. Over a hundred attempts, most of them best forgotten. By early September, the prototype was running stably for the first time.

35 degrees down to 17 degrees — in under two minutes

Bennett set a digital thermometer on the workbench. Outside temperature that day: 35 degrees. He switched the prototype on. After 1 minute and 47 seconds, the thermometer read 17 degrees. He repeated the test four times on different days. Every time, the result came in between 16 and 18 degrees.

His neighbour, a 67-year-old retired cooling service technician with 35 years in the trade, came round, saw the reading — and said absolutely nothing for a whole minute.

The principle is essentially simple — and that’s exactly why no one had done it before him: warm air from the room is drawn in, channelled through a specially shaped cooling chamber, and blown back out cooled. No compressor. No chemical refrigerant. No outdoor unit. No drilling.

From the garage into 60,000 homes

What started as a one-off on the workbench now sits in over 60,000 British flats, houses and caravans. Bennett simply called the device EpiCooler — no marketing waffle, no clever brand name, no twenty product variants. One device, one job.

Ask him why it’s taken off so fast, and he gives three reasons:

First: it actually cools. Second: it uses around 90 per cent less electricity than a split-unit air conditioner — on the bill, that’s £120 less per summer month. And third: you unbox it, hang it on the wall or stand it up, plug it in, done. No drilling. No outdoor unit. No permission from the landlord. — Mark Bennett

On top of that: at under 40 decibels, the EpiCooler is quieter than a normal conversation. Even at night in the bedroom, it’s no bother. Just under a kilo in weight — fits in a caravan, a holiday flat, an office. And unlike a traditional air-conditioning unit, it doesn’t dry the air out.

What users are saying

I’d had a fixed Frigidaire unit installed for £1,150. The last two electricity bills were a real shock. With the EpiCooler my June bill was £118 lower than the same month last year. I’ll be honest, I was sceptical — but the thing does exactly what it says. — Susan Bennett, 58, Manchester

My neighbour asked whether I’d finally had the old central air con repaired. I haven’t. It’s this little white thing on the wall. First night of proper sleep in three weeks. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a no-brainer. — George Hartley, 67, Leeds

I ordered the device for my 79-year-old father. He lives on his own in a top-floor flat — 32 degrees and more in summer. He rang me last week and said it was the coolest night he’d had in years. Worth every penny. — Karen Mitchell, 51, Birmingham

Who is the EpiCooler particularly suited for?

Bennett now describes his customers very clearly:

Bedroom cooling — for anyone who finally wants to sleep through a whole night again, without it already being 28 degrees by 5 a.m.

Tenants and rented flats — no outdoor unit, no facade permission, no air-conditioning argument with the landlord or managing agent.

Older people and parents with small children — quiet, maintenance-free, without the dried-out-room effect of an air-conditioning unit.

Caravans and motorhomes — runs off a standard 230-volt socket, compact, lightweight.

Loft offices — where a split-unit system is either not permitted or simply not affordable.

What does it cost right now — and why the rush?

Bennett has decided to offer a 60 per cent discount off the eventual list price during the launch phase. The device currently costs £119 instead of the planned £299. On top of that, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee with no ifs or buts — if the EpiCooler doesn’t deliver what it promises, you send it back at no cost.

The launch offer runs while current stock lasts. Bennett’s small factory in Manchester-Trafford Park has been running three shifts since March, but still can’t keep up with the orders. Current status:

• Stock currently very limited for the ongoing dispatch
• Next major shipment not for several weeks
• Once the current stock is gone, the full list price applies

Anyone who waits risks both: a few weeks with no cooling — and after the supply gap, the full price.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a connection or does something have to be installed?
No. Unbox it, plug it into a normal socket, done. You can either hang the unit on the wall using the bracket provided, or simply stand it up. No drilling, no outdoor unit, no permission needed.

Does it really work without refrigerant?
Yes. That’s what’s special about Bennett’s design: the cooling effect is created by the specific airflow geometry inside the unit — no compressor, no chemical refrigerant, no outdoor condensing unit. A short guide explaining the principle is included in the box.

How loud is the device at night?
Under 40 decibels. That’s quieter than a normal conversation. Most customers report that they barely hear the unit in the bedroom, even when it runs all night.

Does it dry out the air like a normal air-conditioning unit?
No. This is one of the most common positives in the reviews — especially among older customers and families with children. The room air stays comfortable, no dry throat in the morning.

How do the running costs compare with air conditioning?
Around 90 per cent less. A standard split-unit system draws an extra £180 to £270 a month out of your account in summer. The EpiCooler comes in at around £13 to £22 a month — even with continuous use.

Is there a guarantee if it doesn’t suit me?
Yes. 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. You test the device at your leisure and if it doesn’t work for you, it goes back at no cost. According to Bennett, the return rate is below 1 per cent.

Where is it made?
In Bennett’s small factory in Manchester-Trafford Park. Final assembly, quality checks and packaging all happen in the UK. Individual components come from British and European suppliers.