 | Ha Sh AF-S120PX 12000 Btu Air Conditioner
I say buy it. -- 2010-08-23
When my other unit went out the last day of a heat wave I found a deal on this unit and made the purchase. It really hasn't been warm enough for me to put it to a real test yet, but I have cranked it up a few times when the outside temps got to 85 just to see how it works. It seems to work fine. I'll find out when some real heat hits. Even though it is physically smaller than my previous unit it is slightly more powerful though I don't see a real difference in cooling. Like my old unit, when I know the weather is going to be hot I crank it up BEFORE it gets hot. Admittedly, I am cooling an area larger than recommended, but it does seem to do the job as long as I am proactive about getting it going soon enough. It's easier for the unit to keep a cool area cool than trying to cool down an area that has already heated up.
The remote controls all the same functions that are on the units control panel. On and off, cool, autocool, fan, temperature, timer, fan speed. It's nice that you can switch from cooling functions to just fan with the remote however, when running the unit as just a fan the manual recommends opening the outside vent to let outside air in. To do this you must adjust this lever on the unit itself. When adjusting the outside vent the adjustment is so small that it doesn't appear to be doing anything. I just take it for granted that I've opened or closed the vent. I suppose, for a price, this function could be automated, but as it is it kind of defeats using the remote to switch between these two functions when you need to make another adjustment directly on the unit itself. (How lazy am I?)
The louver goes across the entire top of the unit and adjust up and down while another adjustment, (which feels rather flimsy), adjust the inside left and right. (This is the four way adjustment.) I have it adjusted up and centered. I note that the cold air mostly comes out the left and right side of the louver. There is little force in the very center. I don't feel this affects cooling ability. It's just the way the air comes out. The air is still directed the way you point the louvers.
The inside of this unit, like many, is styrofoam. It is much thinner than in my previous unit. For most of the day my unit is in the shade, but when the sun does hit it the light shines through with such intensity that at first I thought something was wrong with the outside vent. I thought it wasn't closing.
I consider the unit to be kind of loud when the fan is on high. Since it is mounted in a separate room blowing into the room I most occupy the doesn't bother me. If it were closer to me then I would find it irritating. Although, if the choice is a little noise or roasting I'll take the noise.
I really like the autocool feature. My previous unit did not have this. Set the temperature and the unit stops producing cold air and reduces fan speed once it has cooled things down. When the set temperature rises it starts cooling again. Money saver.
The included mounting kit includes hardware to fill in the space where the unit does not fill the window completely. This does not include the support bracket you will need to support the unit on the outside of your house so don't be mislead. You must buy this bracket separately.
Shop around for a deal. I it got here on Amazon for $279 with free shipping.
Fantastic - Don't Hold Back! -- 2010-07-14
This thing kicks more @$$ than a horsejockey. We used this to replace a GE 10,000 BTU unit we've had for a considerable time - the difference is night and day. Very, very cold air that has a ton of force behind it's airflow, it cools off a summer heated 13' x 16' room literally in seconds, and we live on the top floor of our apartment building, so that's saying a lot.
As far as noise goes, it's actually quite quiet, and you get used to the machine's minimal noise very quickly. Consider the noise level a soft-to-medium white noise at it's possible worst. I am partial to white noise, but if you're not, don't worry, this unit will be more than satisfying.
This is an EXCELLENT air conditioner for the price (looking back I'd have paid more if I had to, it's that good), and I recommend it to anyone looking for a window unit.
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 | Thermwell Prods. Co. TVC1 Turbine Cover
Easy installation -- 2009-04-23
I bought these for my son. Delivery was what I expected and the product was easy to install and he is satisfied with the results
Nice Turbine Covers -- 2008-12-16
The covers were not expensive, came quickly and look nice (they're black which is the same color as the roof). My only complaint was that shipping was more expensive than the items!
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 | Haier CPN12XC9 12K Portable Air Conditioner
Happy with my purchase -- 2010-07-28
I'm sorry the other buyers were not happy with their purchase, because my unit works wonders for me. I got it to cool a 20 x 20 size den because my central air just couldnt do it in triple digit heat! I did not want to give up an entire window with the permanence of a window unit.Even though we have 100+ degree heat in Georgia, it gets extremely cold in the winter (though the cold only lasts a couple of months) but I know from experience the cold air does seep through the outside vents of a window unit, thus increasing heating costs. I don't have to worry about that with a portable because it can be packed away during the winter, plus the sleek design fits beautifully with my decor. You can't get that with a window unit. I admit, it is quite expensive, I had trouble attaching the hose and the window panel is so easy to remove, I would not feel safe if I didnt live on private property with a security system, and the window that I've attached the hose to is very high off the ground... a burglar would need a ladder to get in, but I have no complaints with the cooling feature itself, its excellent... The product does what it claims: "will cool areas 300-400 sq ft".
Just OK -- 2010-07-24
I purchased this in June when I couldn't take the NYC heat anymore. My window unit broke at the end of last summer, and due the prohibitively expensive delivery/installation costs in NYC for a 4th floor walkup apartment with extra wide windows, I decided to get a portable standing A/C-- my first.
I'm sure a lot of the issues I'm pointing out here have to do with the fact that portable units are just not as efficient as window units, but this 12,000 BTU unit does not cool my apartment nearly as quickly as my mighty little 8,000 BTU window unit used to. The nice thing about the portable unit which is an advantage over my old window unit is that while I have it installed in my bedroom, I can blast just my bedroom only (8 ft x 14 ft) by shutting the door, or angle it to cool the living room only (20 ft x 22 ft), or to hit both rooms. The bedroom gets cool enough when I shut the door so that the unit is cooling my bedroom only (and the temperature reading on the unit can get down to 73 degrees); it is a challenge to completely cool the living room area on a really hot day, but that was an issue even when I had my window unit (also installed in my bedroom). When I do try to cool just the living room (essentially dragging the unit to the doorway of the bedroom and blasting it only into the living room), while the living room can sometimes cool down to a comfortable temperature, the bedroom then heats up because the PVC exhaust pipe leading from the unit to the bedroom window gets quite hot.
It is also very noisy. The first week, I could hardly fall asleep because of the noise. It is like sleeping near a generator. I guess I've gotten used to it by now, but I definitely think that it could have been designed better to be quieter. Also, even on low speed, it's just as loud as when it's on high speed.
Beware that all portable units will require some kind of exhaust pipe to be connected to the window so that the heat generated by the unit can escape. You only need a small window, however, much smaller than an A/C would need, so if you have a basement apartment with a small window, you'd probably still be able to accommodate this unit.
If you have a living situation that allows a window unit to be installed more easily and inexpensively, I would certainly recommend that. For those who cannot install window units for whatever reason, this portable unit is OK, but I wonder if there are more efficient, quieter units out there. Also, I sometimes wonder if I made the right decision to keep the unit because portable A/C's cost more than window units, and maybe I should have just sucked up the outrageous installation charges associated with a window unit which may have been a more efficient cooling system.
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 | Portable Spot Air Conditioner with Dehumidifier
Cooling through a wall -- 2010-01-09
This thing is OK for cooling through a wall or door, with the machine sitting in an unconditioned area and sending cold air to a separate room you'd like to cool. Otherwise, it is not what you'd expect from the description. Due to the basic laws of physics, it can't cool an enclosed space it is sitting in; it will heat it. The unit I received had poor quality control, with the inside compressor's electric cable having bent the fins of the heat exchanger (condenser) and pushing against them. It's also a poor dehumidifier due to the construction. There is a single heat exchanger; the top part carries the cooling tubes, which condense water, and the bottom part carries the heating ones. A forward-inclined fan pulls air through the top, cold fins and out the tube at the top of the machine. A regular fan pulls air through the bottom, warm fins and across the compressor (yes, the compressor is "cooled" with hot air). So, water will drop from the top, cold part of the fins and re-evaporate on the bottom, warm parts of the fins. Only water that manages to make it past all the warm fins and warm air blowing through, will reach the collection container at the bottom of the machine. If you want to dehumidify, get a dehumidifier instead. In addition, the two fans are in some degree of competition due to leaks between the two sections. So, with the wheel fan on high, some warm air may get sucked in.
Note that there is no thermostat nor dehumidistat on this unit. It's only off, on high or low. It only makes sense to use this machine for cooling through a wall, or at a distance with a 20-30' duct as another reviewer suggested, so the heat exhaust (and noise) is away. Similar units of other brands are several times more expensive. Not a bad deal overall.
Portable AC -- 2008-11-04
I will get right to the point. This product is indeed portable and it does blow out cool air, but as you can see just by looking at the picture it has a huge heat exhaust. Its about 13 inches and the tube that the cool air is blown from is only 4 inches wide. This thing blows more heat than it does cool air and you must be sitting right in front of the tube. It will not cool an entire room. Not even a closet. You will have to improvise for the best setup. I was warned but I had to see for my self. I was better off getting a AC with a window kit for the exhaust.
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 | Hyundai Portable Air Conditioner, 10,000 BTU, HYU-10CR
Not as powerful as I had hoped -- 2010-07-27
I bought this for the two "dormer" rooms at my dads house. He has central air but it's always 10 degrees hotter upstairs. I thought since I was just supplementing the AC that one unit would work. Unfortunately it didn't come close. It will cool off a small 12x12 room but not two rooms (in conjunction with AC already coming via the central unit). It's attractive and fairly quiet but the AC just didn't feel as cool as I hoped it would.
Just perfect -- 2010-07-19
I don't understand all the fuss. This A/C is easy to assemble, is attractive and quiet. I did put the exhaust and drain through the wall and there wasn't a "wall cap" provided so I assume I must call. Other than that it's a keeper.
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