UPDATE 2023: This product is no longer available on Amazon. You can check out other dog-cooling products that we have reviewed in the following articles:
Heat stroke is a very serious condition that affects thousands of dogs every year. Many pet owners do not understand the severity of this condition. All dogs can suffer from heat stroke. Even if your dog is young, in good physical health, and active, he can still suffer heat-related illnesses. The Chillspot can help with that.
It’s true that young puppies, senior dogs, and pets with compromised health are more susceptible to these types of illnesses, but owners need to be cautious of any pet that is exposed to extreme heat. When exposed to dangerous heat, it doesn’t take long for a dog to suffer permanent damage or even death.
Obviously, the best thing that we can do to help our dogs beat the heat is to keep them cool. Keep your dog indoors during the hottest hours of the day, and make sure that he has plenty of water available all day long. You can even purchase some great cooling products, like the Chillspot, to help your dog cool off.
Our friends at Chillspot were generous enough to send me a unit to review. As with all my reviews, I take time to test these products with my own dogs and then pass along my honest opinion to our readers.
ChillSpot Dog Cooling Unit Review
I see a lot of dog products come across my desk. I've gotten to test average, ordinary products, and I've gotten to test some really neat new pet accessories, too. It's not often that I find something that I think is truly innovative and impressive, but I am really excited about the Chillspot.
For such an ingenious product, the Chillspot has a very simple design and is as user-friendly as possible. Of course, the basis for this idea is to keep dogs cool when the weather is hot, but our family found another use for it.
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If you follow my columns, then you know I'm from Maine. Why would someone from Maine need a Chillspot in the wintertime? Our entire state is a chilly spot right now. As I explain in my video review, we heat our home with a wood stove, which puts off a very warm, dry heat.
The heat from a wood stove actually feels much hotter than the heat from a furnace or other heating element. This affects our dogs. When our home gets above 68 degrees, the wood heat is too warm for them. They begin to pant and usually find a spot on the cool floor or under the ceiling fans to rest.
I had every intention of leaving our Chillspot in a closet until the weather warmed up a bit, but we decided to try it out and see if our dogs would use it. Not only do they use it, they push each other off of it so the other dog can have a turn! Sometimes, they both try to squeeze onto it at the same time.
The Chillspot has three parts. You can think of the large base as a cooler. The aluminum center compartment is used to conduct the cool temperature. Did you know that aluminum is the third most conductive metal in the world? Inside the aluminum compartment is the patented Chillpod.
We've all seen the plastic ice packs that kids carry around in their lunch boxes. The Chillpod is like that, but much bigger. It's filled with the company's patented gel and is very easy to remove. As you'll see in my video, you just freeze the Chillpod overnight, lift up the aluminum center compartment, slide the Chillpod inside, and then set the compartment back inside the base.
It's that easy, and the effects are instantaneous. The aluminum is immediately cooled and provides a nice, chilly spot for your dog to rest. When the Chillpod is completely frozen, it will last for more than 8 hours! You can even use this product outside, and the Chillpod will still last all day.
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I am so impressed with this product! It's well-made, easy to use, and effective – most of my favorite things! We can't wait to test it outside this summer. Another thing I like to look for in products is portability.
The Chillspot is very light, weighing about 24 pounds. The dimensions of the unit are 34.75″ x 21.75″ x 4.5″. This not only makes it easy to carry or place in the trunk of a car, but Chillspot will also fit in most large and extra-large dog crates.
Other cooling products for pets require water, electricity, or batteries. The Chillspot works all day with just one frozen Chillpod. You can buy additional Chillpods to keep in your freezer, too, so you don't have to worry about forgetting to re-freeze it every night.
There is only one thing that I look for in a pet product that the Chillspot does not offer – an affordable price. Unfortunately, it will cost over $200 to buy a unit and have it shipped to your home. It comes with one Chillpod, and you can buy additional pods for $35.
I know this doesn't fit in everyone's budget, but trust me when I tell you that buying a Chillspot will be $200 well spent. Not only is it the easiest way that I have seen to help your dog cool off when he's too hot, it's also the easiest product I've seen for pet owners. You don't have to worry about trying to get your dog into a cooling vest or continually wetting a bandanna or shirt for him to wear.
The Chillspot is durable and easy to clean. This product is going to last a LONG time. I'm certain we'll be using this with generations of dogs. As I mentioned, we have two large breeds, and although they both fit on the Chillspot comfortably, they can't fit on it together. We're considering buying a second unit this summer so each of our girls can have their own cooling station.
Summary of ChillSpot Dog Cooling Unit Review
PROS: Where do I start? The Chillspot is easy to use and effective at immediately cooling your dog. The design is simple yet functional. You can travel with the Chillspot, use it in your dog's crate or kennel, and use it both indoors and outside for more than 8 hours. The versatility of this product is unbelievable.
CONS: We've been using the Chillspot for more than a month. Both our dogs love it, and we're excited to try it during the warm summer months. The only downside that I can see to this product is its price. It's worth every penny – and I don't say that about very many things. However, it will cost you more than $200 to order one of these units.
Now it’s your turn.
Have you used the ChillSpot Dog Cooling Unit already? Did you have success with it, or has it failed? Feel free to leave your own review and rating for the ChillSpot Dog Cooling Unit below, and let us know what you think!
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