daydrmgirl's Full Review: Haier Preference HWF07XCA Thru-Wall/Window Air Con...
When the heat comes...
I gave in two summer ago as I was living in a penthouse that felt like an oven between 9am and 9pm. We bought this air conditioner from Bestbuy - the cheapest model they have - for under $100. It made all the difference for us as we had tried every conceivable way to survive without an air conditioner - we even went so far as to blow the fan at a block of ice! This a/c saved the day (or shall I say, the rest of the summer)!
Quality and feel
It's cheap, so we weren't expecting much except for it to turn that hot air cold. However, we were still rather surprised at what we got - this air conditioner looks like it's from the 80s! The boxy look, flimsy knobs, cheap plastic and ghetto fitting on the window sill... well, you do pay for what you get. The exterior is of a off-white/ivory-white. The knobs snap into each option. There are absolutely no computer/LCD display of any sort on this air conditioner, which is rather rare for appliance in the 21st century.
Does it work?
Yes it does, but don't expect much from the 6,900 BTU. It will cool a room down, but for our small penthouse bedroom, even at max, it only made the room cool enough to hang out or sleep in. However, it is not, as advertised, "ultra-quiet." It makes all the noise an a/c is expected to make. I wouldn't say it's noisier than others, but it's definitely NOT on the quiet side.
Handling and installation
The unit is not exactly mini. It's heavy and bulky when compared to other a/c brand of the same BTU (e.g. higher-priced GE). It fits into the back seat of my 2002 Toyota Corolla comfortably, and I think it should fit in the front too though I don't think I've tried. The installation is also quite simple. The hardest part for me was hauling it upstairs and onto the window sill. Once it's on the sill, just close the window until it reaches the top of the unit and that the unit is held tight by the window and gravity. The a/c came with two plastic expandable seal for the space left on the side. The construction of this expandable seal is rather flimsy and requires a screwdriver to hold the unit in place. I didn't have a screwdriver on hand so I just taped the hole up with duct tape and cardboard. Inside the box were also some foam strips to help retain cool air indoor. Those need to be trimmed to fit the window.
Also, another word on the uninstallation of this a/c. There are water from condensation inside the unit. As soon as you tilt it, the water will come pouring out like a broken pipe, so be careful and place lots of newspaper/paper towel on the floor when uninstalling.
Specifications:
HAIER 6900BTU 9.7 ERR AIR CONDITIONER, 3 COOL/2 FAN
* Mechanical Controls with 10 Position Thermostat
* 4 Way Air Flow System
* Ultra Quiet Operation
* Fixed Chassis Design
* Easy Access Filter System
* 3 Cool Settings, 2 Fan Settings
* Easy to install Mounting Kit
* Unit Dimensions (W/H/D): 19 11/16'' x 12 19/32'' x 13 19/32''
* Cube Measurements: 4.63 cu. ft.
* Unit Weight: 53.9 lbs.
* Shipping Weight: 60.5 lbs.
Haier 6,900 BTU Window Air Conditioner HWF07XCA features mechanical controls w/ 10 position thermostat, 4 way air flow system, ultra quiet operation, ...More at QualityMatters.com
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