The keys to cooling are three things:
1. How well (efficiently) does it cool the room, even at the hottest times of the day, is the room still cool.
2. How noisy is the unit? Is it going to disrupt my concentration, interrupt family time?
3. How easy is it to setup, move and maintain.
These criteria are what we are using to select these?
How efficient is the unit?
We are using industry standards, is the unity energy star rated, what is it's Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER), and more.
How noisy is the unit?
Noise is a key factor in determining if a unity is just going to blend in. But in fact the noise of the unit is not the only consideration, for example a standard tower AC unit at it's lowest setting is around 52 dBA of pure white noise, it doesn't vary, it is consistently white noise. When the unit is kicked up to the middle setting it jumps to 60 dBA but still consistent white noise, at it's highest setting it jumps to 72 dBA of white noise.
In all three of these cases the loudness of the noise doesn't bother me, because the volume level is the same, and it is consistent. For an AC unit which has a compressor that sometimes isn't the case and we would like to point that out where possible.
How hard is it to setup, move and maintain?
What we are looking for here is how much does the unit weigh? Does it have casters? Is there a vent hose? Is there an internal reservoir or drainage? Is the unit an evaporative unit (meaning that it releases collected moisture out through exhaust vent).
The Picks
Based on these criteria here are the top picks.
Best Overall
This unit exemplifies a good cost to performance ratio, and is extremely quiet.
1st Runner up
The thing that we liked about this unit is that not only is it quiet and performs well, there are several units in the same family to cover bigger rooms, with similar performance and noise characteristics.
Most Innovative
The Rollicool has added wifi support and voice commands through an Alexa skill, a very cool feature. Don't have to worry about keeping track of another remote, or worse yet losing it and having to replace it.
Product Comparison By Specifications
| Product |
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| Title | 10,000 BTU (5,500 BTU, DOE) 3-in-1... | 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner with... | 14,000 BTU (10,000 BTU, DOE) 115-Volt... | 14,000 BTU (8,000 BTU,DOE) Portable Air... | 8,000 BTU (4,000 BTU, DOE) 115-Volt... |
| Featured Retailer | |||||
| Details | ROLLICOOL/ROLLICOOL | JHS/JHS | Toshiba/Toshiba | LG Electronics/LG Electronics | Honeywell/Honeywell |
| Model | COOL-208-20 | A001-10KR/D | RAC-PD1412HRU | LP1417SHR | MO08CESWK |
Overview |
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| Product Depth (Inches) | 12.9 inches | 12.6 inches | 15.6 inches | 14.76 inches | 13.5 inches |
| Product Height (inches) | 28.14 inches | 28.8 inches | 30.1 inches | 29.53 inches | 27.7 inches |
| Product Width (Inches) | 12.0 inches | 14.6 inches | 17.5 inches | 17.44 inches | 14.6 inches |
| Adjustable Humidistat (Boolean) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Air Conditioner Features | Sleep Setting,Timer,Wi-Fi Enabled,Wireless | Drain Hose Connection,Sleep Setting,Timer | Sleep Setting,Timer | Adjustable Humidistat,Automatic Shutoff,Drain Hose Connection,Filter Light Reminder,Overload Protection,Timer | Adjustable Humidistat,Automatic Shutoff,Filter Light Reminder,Overload Protection,Self-Diagnostic Tools,Timer |
| Air Conditioner Product Type | Portable Unit | Portable Unit | Portable Unit | Portable Unit | Portable Unit |
| Air direction/circulation | 1-way | 2-way | 2-way | 2-way | 4-way |
| Amperage (amps) | 10.0 | 9.3 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 6.3 |
| BTU Cooling Rating (ASHRAE) (BTU) | 10000 BTU | 10000 BTU | 14000 BTU | 14000 BTU | 8000 BTU |
| BTU Cooling Rating (DOE SACC) (BTU) | 5500 BTU | 10000 BTU | 10000 BTU | 8000 BTU | 4000 BTU |
| Color Family | White | White | Black | Gray | White |
| Combined Energy Efficiency Ratio (CEER) | 8.13 | -- | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Commercial/Residential Use | Residential | -- | Residential | Residential | Residential |
| Controls | Digital | Digital | Digital | Digital | Digital |
| Cooling Area (Sq. Ft.) | 275.0 | 220.0 | 450.0 | 500.0 | 350.0 |
| Cord Length (ft.) | 3.0 | 5.0 | 7.54 | 50.98 | 6.0 |
| Decibel (Sound) Rating | 52 dBA | 54 dBA | 55 dBA | 54 dBA | 53 dBA |
| Decibel Rating | 52 dBA | 54 dBA | 55 dBA | 54 dBA | 53 dBA |
| Dehumidifier Included | With Dehumidifier | With Dehumidifier | With Dehumidifier | With Dehumidifier | With Dehumidifier |
| Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) | 8.13 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 0.0 | 9.0 |
| Filter Type | Other | Washable | Washable | Washable | Washable |
| Heater Included | Without Heater | Without Heater | With Heater | With Heater | Without Heater |
| Included | Casters,Drain Hose Included,Window Venting Kit Included | Casters,Drain Hose Included,Remote Control,Window Panels | Casters,Remote Control | Casters,Drain Hose Included,Remote Control,Window Panels,Window Venting Kit Included | Casters,Remote Control,Window Panels,Window Venting Kit Included |
| Moisture removal capacity (pints/day) | 84.5 | 50.7 | 96.0 | 74.4 | 44.0 |
| Number of Fan Speeds | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Number of cool settings | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Product Weight (lbs) | 48 lbs. | 53 lbs. | 78 lbs. | 77 lbs. | 43 lbs. |
| Returnable | 180-Day | 180-Day | 180-Day | 180-Day | 180-Day |
| Vent Hose Exhaust Configuration | Single Hose | Single Hose | Single Hose | Single Hose | Single Hose |
| Voltage | 115 | 115 | 115 | 115 | 115 |
| Wattage | 1100 | 1050 | Not Measured | 1370 | 700 |
| Certifications and Listings | No Certifications or Listings | CSA Certified | -- | -- | FCC Listed,cULus Listed |
| Manufacturer Warranty | 1 Year | 1 Year | Limited 1 Year | 1 Year Parts & Labor Warranty | 1-year limited |
Article Originally published on 2022-01-17 00:48:16 UTC
