PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONER
by Get Organized
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List Price: Category: Home See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONER
Customer Review: Happily surprised
Summary: 4 Stars
I got this item at BJ's Wholesale for $279. I bought it because of the dehumidifier function and the self evaporation process advertised. At this price, despite high hopes, I was relatively skeptical on its efficiency and was ready to returned the unit if I was disappointed. I never buy an appliance without checking Consumers Reports but the most recent article, published in June, covered only Windows AC units. If you need to place the unit in its side during transportation to your house, it is advised to wait 24 hours before turning it on to allow the coolant to get back in place. The unit is heavy and you might need help to move upstairs or downstairs. Once on the level you like, the build-in wheels will make moving to the room you choose easy. The flexible hose is relatively frustrating to work with if the space you have is restraint. My bedroom is small and I have a chest of drawers by the window I connected the exhaust system to. It took some time adjusting but with transparent duct tape, it worked well and stayed in place. On AC setting, the machine is adequate and the cooling is thorough. However, what I am most impressed with is the dehumidifier function. This option runs only on medium fan and, despite the heat wave we are experiencing right now in Massachusetts, I haven't had to switch to the AC option! I was sure I would have to do so, eventually. It was close to 100 today and the temperature in the bedroom was at 70. Now, it is nightime, in the low 80's and very humid but the unit, still on dehumidifier function, is reading between 70 and 73. The unit can stop if it needs to be drained but has worked non stop for 5 days, 3 on AC and yesterday and today on dehumidier, so far, without problem. I couldn't get any info but plan to contact the maker to know how much energy, if any, is saved in this function vs. A/C. I am happy with this machine and, so far, don't regret the price I spend on it. If my satisfaction with this product changes, I shall make an update.Customer Review: Terrible Product, Awful Customer Service at Haier
Summary: 1 Stars
This unit has cost me a bundle of time and energy. When I first plugged it in and started it, I set the temperature on the unit for 72 when the room temperature was 81 during the hot summer month of June. The room temperature never went below 78 even after 4 hours of having it on in a small 10x12 bedroom. There is something seriously wrong with this unit, but when the service technican contracted by Haier arrived, he declared that there was nothing wrong with the unit after turning it on for a few seconds. The man insisted that it was functioning fine. I concluded that there was something wrong with this technician because he was so quick to jump to the conclusion that there was nothing wrong within seconds of looking at the unit, without even listening to my words. I called Haier again and they said that the service call has not yet been entered into their system so I would have to call again in a few days. Because it is so difficult to talk to a human being when you call the Haier service line, it took me another 5 months to call Haier again. You have to go through a series of voice prompts and if you miss one, you have re-dial them. It is one of the most frustrating experiences I have ever had with any customer service dept. the first time they scheduled a service appointment, no one called me or showed. I had to call them again. As I was walking to run errands, the second service technician showed up without calling me 30 mins in advance as promised by the company. This service tech said that the unit was working fine. I explained to him that the air conditioner never cools the room to its set temperature and he responded that the unit is working "fine." He did not seem to think that the fact that the unit will never cool the room to a temperature anywhere near its set temperature was a problem.Customer Review: Delivered on time but the shippment box was badly damaged
Summary: 3 Stars
I have to rate the delivery time for this to be a 5. The product arrived on time.
I rate the shipping of this product to be a 2. The box was badly damaged and I was skeptical if the air conditioner would work or not due to the condition of the box upon arrival. It was during a time of the weeklong heat wave so I took the chance and accepted the product with damaged packaging. So far, the unit has worked without any problems. Then again, I've only used it for two days.
I rate this airconditoner 3. First of all, you need to install it with the included hardware to your window, which didn't take too much time. The unit is really loud when it's operating and for some reason there are only adjustments for the airflow to blow to the sides, not vertical so, cooling the air will take some time.
Also, you may need to install a drainage hose even though; the box says it does not need one. There is a small rubber stop at the bottom of the unit that you can unplug and install a rubber hose (from Home Depot). I ran my AC for two days and noticed some water run off from the hose.
One more thing. My roomate also ordered the same AC as mine. His order was shipped to someone else by mistake so, he had to order another one and was credited for the second order. His AC also arrived with a badly damaged box but accepted it anyway due to the heat wave. So far, he has had no problems with his unit just like mine.
In short, I wish amazon had a wider selection of room portable AC but, if your looking for something semi decent just to cool a hot room for a few days and can put up with the loud continuous noise then, this is the way to go.
PS: don't forget to hook up that drainage hose just incase!
Customer Review: Cools the area down nicely, but there are caveats
Summary: 2 Stars
The unit does function very well, as far as actual cooling power goes. However, like many other reviewers, I find that the auto-evaporate function is utterly inadequate. I actually found this out the hard way, having ruined a carpet by running the unit for a week (in a rental apartment, naturally). Tucked neatly in a corner, all on its own, I had not noticed the leak previously.
Well, after two months of not using this, the heat went way up again, so I drained the unit thoroughly, plugged it back in, and set it up in a room without a carpet. 45 minutes later, there was a puddle on the floor. I promptly mopped this up, drained the unit again, and 15 minutes later noticed another puddle accruing.
I have also read that if the drain pan fills, the condenser is supposed to shut off. Well, that does not appear to be the case for me. This unit will happily flood my floors repeatedly. I must resort to building some sort of scaffold to support the unit over a tub. Hardly an ideal solution.
This all, I could live with, but the reason I ranked this unit at two stars rather than three, is that the manual is not very helpful in setting the unit up -- and while I generally do not use manuals, it recommended using duct tape to secure the widget to the window to seal out air gaps. Duct tape? In a rented apartment? Are you insane!? No way am I going to ruin the walls or paint, in addition to the carpet. Glad I paid no attention to that one.
Customer Review: works great
Summary: 4 Stars
We purchased this air conditioner for our 3rd floor bedrooms--we have casement windows in one room and only a sliding glass door in another . Like other reviewers I found the installation perplexing but I finally went to a local plastic company who made me custom clear plastic inserts -- took my screen from the window and they made the plastic the size of the screen with a hole cut out for the vent. For the sliding doors the insert was made about 7 inches wide and the length of the door. Both inserts work well. As far as the unit we are very happy as they cool the room quite comfortably. I have emptied the drain once a week for about a month now and I've never gotten more then 1 cup of of water if that. My only complaint is that it is rather noisy but not much more then a regular room air conditioner. Since we are not home much during the day we rarely turn on the central air--just use the portables for sleeping--has cut down our electric bill dramatically. Overall very happy with this
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