Portable Air Conditioner- $299 at Aldi, is it a good deal?

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  [Deactivated] on 08/11/2011 - 16:29

  +2

  There are not enough specs on their site to be sure.

  Some of these units are reverse cycle for heating, others are via a heating element.

  If its using a heating element for the heat cycle, you will pay a lot more for electricity.

  Now if you are only using it for cooling (ie use it in the summer only) then this might not worry you. Although being able to use it as a cheaper form of heating in winter means you save money, and that makes it a better bargain

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  llama on 08/11/2011 - 22:13

  +1

  These things generally have a "exaggerated" cooling output. Whilst it says "3.2kW cooling" there is no way that they perform as well as a 3.2kW window or split system.

  The reason being that they pump HEAPS of air out of the vent pipe that is stuck out the window. The problem is, that they get that air from inside the room that you are cooling, so they suck in hot air under the door or through the wall vents to replace it. Thus, there is a considerable amount of the cold air that is literally "thrown away".

  You'll never really cool a whole room with this type of device. They usually never hit the thermostat setting because they are continually sucking in hot air and blowing all the nice cold air from the room out the window! They are excellent as a "very cold fan", however.