Keep it cool on hot nights
Written: Jul 06 '08
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Pros: Cools 500 square feet, can get rooms really cold.
Cons: Big, heavy, and doesn't look all that nice.
The Bottom Line: I would recommend this to anyone looking for an easy fix to their cooling needs because it has delivered excellent results in my home.
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| tcriss's Full Review: Danby DPAC120061 Portable Air Conditioner |
I purchased this air conditioner last year during a particularly hot summer week. It was between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius the entire week (95 - 104 degrees Fahrenheit). I bought it from Home Depot for just over $500 CAD.
This air conditioner can also be used as a dehumidifier, or just as a fan. I have not used the dehumidifier feature, so I will only be focusing on the air conditioning and fan.
Air Conditioning
I like it cold, especially at night. If it's too hot I can't sleep. That's when this baby really gets put to the test. I generally turn on the air conditioner a half hour to an hour before I go to bed. By the time I get in, the air temperature is a comfortable 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). If I leave the air conditioning on full speed through the entire night the temperature can drop two or three degrees lower than that. This unit has no problem cooling my entire master bedroom which is nearly 200 square feet. It can cool the entire top floor of my home, which is about 600 square feet, it doesn't get nearly as cool as the bedroom, but it helps a lot. There are three fan settings of this unit, so you can control the output. Other features include oscillating pieces so that the cool breeze is spread around the room, a remote control so that you don't have to get up to change the settings, and my favorite feature with is a night setting. The night setting allows you to remain comfortable throughout the night because the compressor doesn't run as much, but after 7-8 hours the compressor kicks back in and cools the room for when you wake up. This machine can be set as low as 16 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit), and as high as 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit).
Fan
The fan on this unit works exactly like the air conditioner except that the air is brought directly in from outside and is not cooled. This is a great feature if it's not too hot out. Again, the fan has three speeds and is able to oscillate.
The Upside
The Danby 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner installs easily without any need for tools. Once out of the box you can have it up and running in under ten minute. The outdoor ventilation kit can be used to fit many window sizes and patio doors. The filters on the unit are easily cleaned, I generally just use my vacuum. This unit only slightly louder than a regular fan when operating in it's air conditioning mode, and should not make anyone have problems sleeping. In my bedroom this unit is about two feet away from me, and I have never experienced a problem. The unit is easily movable because it is on wheels as long as you do not have to carry it up or down stairs.
The Downside
The Danby 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner is large, and heavy coming it at just over 100 lbs. Moving it up or down stairs require at least two semi-strong people. The ventilation hoses can be a bit cumbersome to use, especially if you are installing the ventilation unit vertically in you window or door. The air conditioner isn't exactly the most attractive piece of equipment, mainly because of it's size and the addition of the ventilation hoses. You do have to be careful how many appliances are running at the same time. I can not have my micro-wave and this air conditioner going together when the a/c is on my main level.
All in all this unit make the summer heat bearable. Before I got this machine last year I spent a week sleeping on my air mattress in the basement because I just couldn't take the heat upstairs anymore. This air conditioner will cool you down and keep you that way.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 540.00
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Epinions.com ID:
tcriss
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Location: British Columbia, Canada
Reviews written: 17
Trusted by: 0 members
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