Pros: Very Quiet, Highly Efficient, Great Value for the EER of 11
Cons: Schizoid "Power Save" Mode
The Bottom Line: While an efficient, capable air conditioner, make sure you have the standard Sears money back guarantee, as the fan may drive you nuts.
GoodDad's Full Review: Kenmore 76081 Thru-Wall/Window Air Conditioner
I purchased two of these little Sears units last year for bedroom use. After a summer and a half of living with them, I have strong praise for the efficient cooling system, the digital temperature control, and the fit and finish quality of the air conditioner. Sears has done almost everything right. One of the units replaced a 7800 BTU unit which was moved elsewhere in the house, and I honestly think that the 5600 BTU/ hr. rating is conservative in that there appears to be no capacity difference at all between the Sears and the older, larger air conditioner.
It has one problem. The management of the "Power Save" mode uses so-called "Fuzzy" computer logic to determine when to turn on the compressor, run the fan, sample the air temperature, etc. to squeeze the last possible bit of efficiency out of the air conditioner. Occasionally, when in "Power Save" mode, the control unit will get in some kind of funky logic loop that will shut off the fan, turn on the fan, shut it off again, turn it on, etc. all within one minute. It is supposed to sample air temperature every 15 minutes or so, then turn on the compressor and cool if required until the temperature is pulled down in the room, and this is how it works most of the time. The abnormal rapid "on-off cycle" does correct itself with no user intervention, but when it happens in the middle of the night, it can disturb sleep. Further, it has to be hard on the fan motor and switch to be cycled rapidly in that manner.
This fault is a design problem in that both units I own do it, and returning one last year for a replacement resulted in a new unit which did exactly the same thing. It's not a huge problem, but if Sears would fix it, they would have a nearly flawless execution of a product in this competitive market segment.
EZ-Out reusable air filters 4-way adjustable air direction control Quick mount window installation Energy Saver option turns off compressor when selec...More at Sears
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