The Duos efficiency advantage is clearly demonstrated in the changing standards for measuring portable AC power output, as well. Used to supplementary cool a master bedroom. *At the time of publishing, the price was $599. And if youre concerned about air quality, it has a washable pre-filter and activated carbon air filter to keep your air fresh. Were typically skeptical of the health claims of these sorts of ionizers, but hey, if thats what youre into, go for it. This is the quietest portable AC weve ever tested, even though its not an inverter-based model. It did not come with the hose!! I guess it periodically blows it down the exhaust. Insignia Window Air Conditioner - 5000 BTU - White (16 Reviews) $179.99. The app allows you to start and stop the cooling, set the temperature and change the fan mode. ft. 4.3 (1218 reviews) $289.99 WAS * $299.99 Buy Now * Non US customer - check your local stores for pricing and availability Features Specifications Customer Reviews Support & Downloads My central A/C crapped out on me and I bought 2 of these units to hopefully carry us through until I got the system replaced. The Insignia NS-AC14PWH8 (Best Buy) is part of the Air Conditioners test program at Consumer Reports. A primary measure was seasonally adjusted cooling capacity, or SACC, a US Department of Energy calculation that represents the weighted average performance of a portable air conditioner in a number of test conditions. Many modern air conditioners offer a mix of smart features, including setting target temperatures and timers or controlling the device through a smartphone app. The tape will help prevent warm air from slipping in through cracks as easily. Another note, i was able to leave my screen installed in the window which will keep the lizards and bugs out!! This white Insignia portable air conditioner has a built-in sleep mode for energy savings, and the included remote control ensures easy operation. The Frigidaire app is fine overall, and it unlocks some additional functionality, including the units built-in air ionizer. Its worth noting that this air conditioner has the same ASHRAE rating as the Whynter ARC-14S but a lower DOE rating and smaller max room size. There are a lot of logistical factors to consider. The Honeywell MN4CFSWW9 looks like an upgrade to that older model, with even more power than we usually recommend 14,000 BTUs, or the equivalent of a 9,000 SACC rating by the newer DOE standards. Easy install and operation. 10000-BTU DOE (115-Volt Grey Vented Wi-Fi enabled Portable Air Conditioner Cools 300-500 Sq Ft. Model # AP1022CW1G. I only gave 4 stars because the square footage rating was a little optimistic (we wound up purchasing a second unit and have since been cool and comfortable.) Extremely satisfied, would definitely recommend to family and friends. The compressor did produce a fuller sound than the fan-only setting, especially on the lower end of the spectrum. Insignia 6,000 BTU DOE/8,000 BTU ASHRAE Air conditioner. 76. Best of all, it's cut down our electric bill. We say mostly because the fan actually hurled some of the cold air over our 3-feet-away thermometer, which initially led to some inconsistent readings. Remote makes it convenient to turn on and off. Its easily set up. We had previously dismissed the similar Honeywell MO08CESWB6 for not being powerful enough, but the newer model looks like it could reach our threshold for power and efficiency. Sylwia Dudek-Gorski, operations manager at the air-conditioner service Figlia & Sons, calls Friedrich "the king of air conditioners" and says they make the best equipment. To help you find the best unit for your home, we considered features like cooling power, design and noise level. The Frigidaires compressor is a little more noticeable when it first kicks on, but otherwise it produces a mostly pleasant white noise thats easy to ignore. A rating too high may cool quickly and then cycle off, which won't allow it to dehumidify the air, causing you to still feel uncomfortable.. Our tests have borne this out over the years, as well; weve seen supposedly efficient models that barely made a dent in cooling rooms they were appropriately sized for. Save. And its definitely a powerful beast, with the kind of fan that you can still feel blowing on your skin from 15 feet away. We had to snap one of the plastic plates in half in order to fit it snugly into a standard double-hung window. Our top pick overall is the Whynter Elite ARC-122DS, a mid-priced model that offers great functionality for most homes, though its certainly not the only stellar option out there. CONs Super heavy. Ready to upgrade your cooling setup? Cons: The Frigidaires cooling consistency was impressive (and inexplicable) enough for any portable air conditioner, though especially one without an inverter compressor. It comes in a variety of capacities from 8,000 BTU to 12,000 BTU. Prices and offers are subject to change. Daniel Giamatta, senior account executive, LG-One US, email interview, March 18, 2019, Tom Kelly, product senior manager, Haier AC/GE Appliances, email interview, March 13, 2019, Rachel Lee, sales manager, Whynter, email interview, March 12, 2019, Gary Woodruff, residential manager, Hurley & David Home HVAC Services, email interview, March 19, 2019, Zach Claxton, Introducing New Portable AC BTU Guidelines, Sylvane, February 22, 2018, Test Procedure for Portable Air Conditioners (PDF), US Department of Energy, May 5, 2014, Technical Support Document: Energy Efficiency Program for Consumer Products and Commercial and Industrial Equipment: Portable Air Conditioners, US Department of Energy, December 27, 2016, Portable Air Conditioners Wiki, The Air Geeks, March 1, 2019, David Morrison, How Do Portable Air Conditioners Work?, Home Air Guides, March 18, 2019. The best thing we took away from our tests was the chance at a direct comparison between a single-hose design and a dual-hose design that were otherwise identical, and our experience confirmed our suspicions that dual-hose portable ACs are slightly more effective than single-hose models but not effective enough to make a real difference (unless youre in a situation with a potentially dangerous carbon monoxide downdraft, as mentioned above). 2023 Best Buy. Not light weight, Really great portable air conditioner unit blows ice cold air in 5 min the room was fresh. You shouldnt necessarily purchase a model with the highest BTU rating. Portable air conditioners are generally big and heavy. ABSOLUTELY! If you're looking for a high-quality portable air conditioner that won't break the bank or disappoint in terms of performance or versatility, the De'Longhi Pinguino PAC EM370 portable air conditioner is our top recommendation for you. With climate change becoming an ever present danger in our lives, the result of the increasing heat of our summers can be clearly seen. The one major exception, however, is if you plan on setting up your portable AC in a room with a furnace or hot water heater or anything else that uses combustion. Unlike most units in this price range, this is a dual-hose system; one hose serves as an input and the other as an exhaust, which makes it run more efficiently by cooling a room without drawing in warm air. Shinco 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioners with Built-in Dehumidifier Function, Fan Mode, Quiet AC Unit Cools Rooms to 300 sq.ft, LED Display, Remote Control, Complete Window Mount Exhaust Kit 4.2 (4,715) FREE delivery Only 1 left in stock - order soon. Mom loved it. They make coffee makers, TVs, tablets, speakers, and mobile device accessories. Web Code: 11794998. The other downside is that the LG usually costs around $100 more than the Mideawhen its available, that is. The Duo also has smart capabilities that allow you to control it via a smartphone app, Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant. PROs Blows cold air. But even so, it gets the job done, and its a fine choice if you need a portable AC at something closer to a window-AC price. This story was last updated in April 2023 with current pricing, additional information and two more superlative-worthy products: The Midea Duo Inverter, our pick for the best quiet portable AC, and the Gofoit Evaporative Mini Air Cooler, an evaporative cooler than can sit on a table or desktop. I can't recommend this unit enough. Was facing an imminent heat wave and our in window a/c units werent getting installed until a week later. Case in point: After our initial tests, we set the Frigidaire up in a 1-year-olds bedroom, and it was indeed quieter than the white noise machine that the baby sleeps with anyway. Shop for insignia portable air conditioner at Best Buy. Thats not a significant difference from our other picks, but the lower volume over an extended period is noticeable, especially when trying to sleep. The caster wheels and handles make it easy enough to move around on flat areas. SKU: 6393206. SAVE $210. According to the old ASHRAE standards, the Duo has 12,000 Btu of power, just like most of the other models we tested. That said, you should probably be sure you need this much air conditioning before you invest in the ARC-14S; its a bit of an investment, weighs a formidable 80 pounds and the lack of handles makes it challenging to move on anything but smooth flat surfaces (where the casters can help out). No ac in a rarely used room? If the Midea Duo isnt available, the single-hose LG LP1419IVSM is another great option for a portable AC with an efficient inverter-powered compressor. If you click through links we provide, we may earn a commission. Mind you, the coverage area is only 450-Feet and we have a 700 square foot TWO-Story family room. Its one of the quietest portable ACs weve ever tested, too, with a volume that consistently measured below normal conversation levels. We installed this in about 30 minutes. 3. Capable of delivering up to 7,000 BTU of cooling power, this Insignia three-in-one portable air conditioner quickly lowers the temperature in rooms up to 300 sq. Hope this helps. Ft. Portable Air Conditioner - White/Gray, https://www.insigniaproducts.com/contact-us, Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability, CA Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information, Limit Use of My Sensitive Personal Information. It is kinda loud, but I don't mind it. If you dont have central air conditioning, you should first look into window ACs or ductless mini-splits, which are generally more efficient and (in the case of window units) more affordable. The Frigidaire also cooled faster at the beginning of the cycle, dropping the temperature about 2.5 degrees across the room within the first 15 minutes and averaging a 0.57-degree temperature drop in every 15-minute increment after that, in comparison with the Mideas 0.38-degree cooling average. But the Duo was able to send those initial gusts of air far enough to ensure that the cold air actually spread before it sank. Ft. Portable Air Conditioner - White Model: NS-AC08PWH1 Cool up to 350 sq. In that time, weve put more than 125 hours into researching and testing the full field, spending dozens of hours focused on portables specifically. Terrible business sense! With an SACC rating of 8,000 Btu per hour, its not quite as powerful as an inverter model, but its still better than any of the other non-inverter portable ACs we tested. A rating too low will run constantly and possibly not cool effectively. And as on other ACs with capable smart features, these abilities are especially handy for scheduling air conditioning times or turning the AC on or off when youre away from home. We spent hours researching the most popular portable air conditioners, considering customer reviews and consulting with an expert. No problem, wheel this one over, super fast install and within minutes its blowing out super cool air!! Used wet towels to keep exhaust hose cool as it adds additional heat to living space!! This detail, combined with the wide variety of window-installation panels that Midea includes in the box, makes the Duo especially easy to wrangle and install (a particularly remarkable feat for a dual-hose model). Cools effectively (not sure about efficiency yet). While it was slightly quieter than our current budget pick, it also wasnt as powerful. But if you dont have central air, and a window AC isnt an option, a portable AC is the next best way to beat the heatand if thats the case for you, we recommend the Midea Duo MAP12S1TBL. Even with the recent heatwave this unit was able to keep the space comfortable. even though it's size and weight is much more than I expected, I'm really pleased with my purchase. I already installed both new ones and tested them. This portable air conditioner from Shinco has three modes to choose from: cooling, dehumidifying and fan. The unit is easy to use. For that reason, you could find yourself paying extra for some functions that you do not use. I bought this the summer of 2019 and currently using it for the third summer now. If the hot air your unit collects isnt released somewhere, itll gather in your room, defeating the point of having a unit in the first place. Some positives which are why I gave it 2 stars instead of 1: It's not whisper quiet but it's also not insanely loud. We were also intrigued by the HW4CEDAWW0, a new dual-hose model also from Honeywell, but its lack of inverter compressor means it isnt likely to replace our top pick. I was able to set the whole house to 78 (instead of the normal 76) and use this air conditioner in the bedroom. I live on the second floor of an old Victorian and it's been like an oven in here. So even though these units all had a similar (or larger) basic power-output level, the Midea Duos compressor setup allowed it to use that power output more effectively. If you want to save a little money, the Frigidaire FHPW122AC1 is a similar model we tested that feels like a stripped down version of the GHPC132AB1 and costs about $100 less. The fact that this hose is anchored to the body of the AC by default also makes it easier to wrangle when youre trying to set the AC up (thus helping you avoid the frustration of securing the hose into the window only to realize that you accidentally pulled it out of the AC, trapping yourself in a clumsy tug-of-war with an exhaust hose). Our window ac units were not yet in and i needed something to help cool her room. The name implies portable air conditioners are easy to set up and use, like a portable power station, but thats not the whole truth. This thing works amazingly well. Really! I can assure you that this is not normal and it needs to be repaired. The unit is quite large, aesthetically pleasing and not very loud. User rating, 4.2 out of 5 stars with 750 reviews. Skip to content Accessibility Survey. We also tried the Honeywell MN4HFS9, which is essentially the same model with an added heat pump. LCD information screen makes it clear and easy to navigate through the settings; Specifications. Two standards measure BTUs: ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) and DOE (the Department of Energy). There's a 3 inch gap with mine - between my window frame and the plastic, but I have a screen so it's not a problem. Black & Decker offers a portable air conditioner that might meet all of your needs. If you zoom in close you will see I used less then 6 inches of tubing from a 20 foot spool.
