lambchops's Full Review: Haier 9000BTU Portable Air Conditioner
You will never hear me complain about owning an old house. My bungalow was built around 1900 and has stood the test of time. I have hardwood floors, a cobblestone basement, and a fantastic brick arch to my back room. However, there are some inconveniences that go with owning such a property. First off is that we don't have forced air. Rather, we have a boiler and wood stove for heat. Our only option during the hot summer months without spending a fortune to install a specialty air conditioning system are window and portable models. We have two window air conditioners and have more recently purchased a portable air conditioner with window vent system.
The Haier Commercial Cool 9,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner was something we have wanted for a long time. Unfortunately the price is somewhat prohibitive--it retails at Target for $399.99 and slightly less online (plus shipping of course). After much searching and even more patience, we ended up getting it at the local Target for $199.99. This is of course more expensive than a window unit with equal BTU but there is something to say for not having to completely block off a window to make it function properly. We chose to go with this model because it had all the features we wanted--window vent, remote control, dehumidication function, and portability. The price also happened to be right.
While it is "portable" in that it rolls easily on casters, it is also pretty large. At 30" tall, 17" deep, and 17" wide, it requires a decent amount of floor space. Considering we don't have a modern home our closet space is pretty limited so we don't have a good place to stash it during cooler summer days. It just sits out, collecting dust (which the manufacturer says you can only clean off with a damp cloth). Larger or more modern homes wouldn't have this problem, so I hesitate to complain much. I do prefer it to the obtrusive, sun-stealing nature of window units anyway.
With 200 CFM and 9000 BTU/hr, this model is suitable for small to medium sized rooms. We are not accustomed to having a well cooled home so it works nicely when we plug it in to a central location on the first floor. Haier also has been given a 9.5 energy efficienty rating which is related to the estimated consumption and cost of running the air conditioner. Obviously, AC units aren't the most reasonable or efficient items. They are (believe it or not) a luxury. We run ours only on the hottest and most humid Michigan days. This helps keep the cost down, though this particular portable air conditioner is much more efficient than our two older window units.
As for how it works, the Haier Commercial COol 9,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner runs on a normal 115V outlet. Haier suggests you use a dedicated switch for it, but we do not. My husband, an electrician and engineer by trade, does not see any huge need for this and since our home is indeed very old it would require some creative wiring. The system has a 24-hour timer and features auto evaporation function (not to mention a drain if you have the ability), three cooling settings, and three fan speeds. I find that the noise on even the fastest setting is no where near as obnoxious as our window units. I love that even on the slowest and lowest settings it still cools nicely. The moment you switch on the air conditioner you can feel the air moving around the room and your home. The warm air is vented through a flexible tube that attaches securely to the back of the unit and goes through the window of your choosing.
Haier is not best known for their air conditioners, but it is among their common repetoir. The brand, a Chinese company, is the fourth largest producer of major appliances in the world. They make washers, driers, dishwashers, microwaves, fridges, and wine coolers in addition to air conditioners. I think that if this 9,000 BTU/hr Air Conditioner is on sale it is a good deal. There are certainly more efficient models, but you are going to pay for that upgrade. We don't use it frequently enough to warrant the extra expediture. Thus far we are very pleased with our purchase.
A commercial cool Portable Air Conditioner is the equivalent of having an air conditioner in every room in your home. With this compact easytotranspor...More at Target
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