Works well, but has limitations
Written: Jul 11 '02 (Updated Jul 11 '02)
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Pros: Very portable, easy to use
Cons: Heavy and expensive
The Bottom Line: If you can't or don't want an in-wall/window air conditioner, and can afford the price, this air conditioner will do the job.
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| sneddren's Full Review: DeLonghi Pinguino PAC-210 Portable Air Conditioner |
I bought the DeLonghi portable air conditioner when I lived in New York and our building had a restriction on in-window air conditioners. After living for two years without ANY air conditioning, I finally broke open my wallet and bought the DeLonghi, hoping it would at least take the edge off of the oppressive heat (I was using a portable dehumidifier, which work to get rid of the stickiness but replaced it with even warmer exhaust air). Overall, I have been satisfied with this air conditioner, but it does have limitations.
I was at first disappointed with the unit because it malfunctioned after about 3 months of use. The good news is that DeLonghi promptly shipped out a new air conditioner to me and that one has been working flawlessly for over three years. DeLonghi was great in responding to the problem.
As for the functioning of the unit, it has a rating of about 7500 BTU, which is usually good for cooling off one average sized room. You can either run the unit dry or you can fill up a removable water compartment in the unit to get maximum efficiency. I can definitely notice a difference when the water is added and it works well to cool off a single room. It won't make the room cold (which is how I prefer), but it will lower the temperature to very comfortable limits.
The unit is also fairly quiet, though it does make some noise as it works. It's not enough to drive you crazy but you do have to turn up the tv to hear over it. I don't think it's a big deal at all but my wife sometimes turned the unit off if it was in the bedroom at night so she could sleep.
In terms of special features, there really aren't any. There is a normal fan mode and a maximum mode, a timer (so you can set the a/c to go on at certain times of the day) and a temperature gauge in the form of an incremental dial-i.e., you can set the gauge to either min, max or somewhere in between, but you can't set it for a specific temperature. It's all very basic stuff and it works, but it's not like some of the newer in-wall units that have all sorts of interesting gadgets.
While the unit is portable, it is NOT light. I think it weighs about 50 or so lbs and and comes with wheels, but it is a pain to lift up stairs. Not impossible, but you do consider the hassle in moving it if you have to do anything with stairs. Also, the venting mechanism is a bit awkward, though it works well. There is a large diameter vent in the back of the unit where the hot air is expelled. Included with the a/c is a length of flexible tubing that you attach to the vent and then put it out a window. The problem is that if you open a window to put the vent tube in, hot air from outside can come in. The solution DeLonghi provided is a window adapter, which works great, but you have to have a window that slides up or down, not one that opens to the side. The adapter is sliding block with a hole for the vent to pass through and it provides a good seal, but it is a rectangular block and it can only be used with a lift-up window.
Overall, I am happy with this air conditioner and still use it regularly. I paid about $1000 a few years ago, so this is NOT a cheap air conditioner. In fact, you can get an in-wall/window air conditioner of similar BTUS for about 1/3 the price. Thus, there is a big premium charged for the portability. BUT, if you either can't or don't want to have an air conditioner stuck in a window or through the wall, this is a very good solution.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1000
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Epinions.com ID:
sneddren
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Reviews written: 36
Trusted by: 6 members
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