I work from home. My home office, with all its computer equipment, heats up considerably. The office is always 15-20° warmer than the outdoor temp. In the summer, 90° outside can easily mean the office is 100-110°. Ouch. Not only is 100° an uncomfortable work environment, but it's dangerously hot for any computer equipment.
Small 12x12 former bedroom -- I originally tried a Honeywell 8,000BTU unit. I gave up on that after a month or so and gave that unit away. It could not cool the room, due to the computer equipment, despite the unit running pretty much constantly.
I then upgraded and for the past several years I've been running a Wynter 14,000 BTU portable AC. It was loud, but it did the job of cooling the room. The condenser burnt out about 6 months ago, but it would still blow cooler air and suck the hot air out of the room. So I continued to use it until I found a replacement. It never really got "cold" without the condenser functioning (and no one wanted to repair it) but would easily cool the room to a more livable temp - around 80°. However, it ran almost constantly in summer months. So my electric bills easily climbed by $100+ each month.
Naturally, I decided to replace the old unit, which was breaking down, and decided on this Black&Decker 14,000BTU unit. The B&D unit EASILY cools the room in a few minutes and keeps it cool all day (cooling, then shutting off, then kicking back on several minutes later). Overall the B&D unit is much quieter than previous units I've owned. Of course there's the sound of the fan/rushing air when it's running, and there's a loud "ca-chunk" when it starts up the condenser (as expected). But, unlike previous units, I can still talk on the phone 5 feet away without having to first shut the unit off.
In addition, the hose attachment on the back of the unit is LIGHT YEARS better than any previous unit I've seen. I do not want to have to install dual hoses for venting. So I will only look at/use one hose units.
I always had trouble with hoses staying connected to the units. The "unit-to-hose connectors" other manufactures proved were a COMPLETE joke with no actual "locking" ability.. it was like resting a tissue on an outdoor picnic table and not expecting it to blow off. The hose would fall off then the unit would simply be blow hot air into the room rather than venting it out - actually heating the room as opposed to cooling it. I previously had to wrap the vent hose with a considerable amount of duct tape in order to keep it actually attached to the unit.
The hose connection on the back of the B&D unit is SO MUCH BETTER and fool-proof. It essentially locks in place and stays put. No more worries about the host falling off. I like this feature a great deal, even though it's such a minor thing.
My ONLY real complaint is the remote control. Not in its functionality, but in its design. The LCD screen REALLY needs some sort of illumination. Forget about reading the remote screen in a dimly lit room. I really dislike how dark the screen on the remote control is. But, it's not like I need to read the remote screen repeatedly or even frequently. I can live with it. But if they wanted to improve anything, it would be the illumination of the remote screen.
I can't yet speak about longevity of the unit. I tend to use a portable AC every day, 14-16hrs, from about April through to about October.. and I got this B&D unit in Aug of this year. I would expect it to last at least 5 years, if not much longer. My last 14,000BTU unit lasted a decade before it started breaking down. If I factor in the cost over a 10 year lifespan, it's well worth it when considering at a per-year breakdown.
I also can't directly speak about electric costs, as I've not had the B&D unit long enough to make an adequate comparison. However, since the B&D unit shuts off for several minutes after cooling, rather than continuously running, I would anticipate energy costs to be much lower than I've previously experienced. But I do consider any energy costs to be a necessary evil to both keep computer equipment at healthy temperatures and to not have to work in a 90° office.
Overall, I'm pleased with the purchase. I was strongly looking at this unit for a few weeks weeks, researching, then it hit some sort of sale at Amazon and I purchased it for much a lower price through Amazon than I could have from ANY other retailer. I did shop around several online retailers for this same model and Amazon had the lowest price by literally hundreds of dollars at the time.
BLACK+DECKER 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner up to 550 Sq.Ft. with Remote Control, White
4.1 | 48,359 ratings
Price: 359.93
Last update: 09-08-2024
About this item
Portable AC: Take this personal air conditioner (16.5” x 14.06” x 27.09) in rooms up to 550 sq. ft. Stay cool in the hot summer months and sleep well with this BLACK+DECKER ac unit for bedroom.
3-in-1: Our 7000 BTU DOE (12000 BTU ASHRAE 128) air conditioner also functions as a dehumidifier & fan. This portable air conditioner (56.8 lbs.) has a convenient remote control & top mounted control panel with LED display.
Impressive Features: Set the temperature just right with this ac portable air conditioner. Our ac unit portable also has a slide-out washable filter, auto water evaporation, & 24-hour timer.
Easy Mobility: Thanks to casters on the bottom and side handles on both sides of the small air conditioner, this air cooler can be moved from room to room without any hassle.
Installation Kit: When it comes to fans that blow cold air, this indoor ac unit includes an easy-to-install window kit. A large vented airflow outlet ushers in cool air.
3-in-1: Our 7000 BTU DOE (12000 BTU ASHRAE 128) air conditioner also functions as a dehumidifier & fan. This portable air conditioner (56.8 lbs.) has a convenient remote control & top mounted control panel with LED display.
Impressive Features: Set the temperature just right with this ac portable air conditioner. Our ac unit portable also has a slide-out washable filter, auto water evaporation, & 24-hour timer.
Easy Mobility: Thanks to casters on the bottom and side handles on both sides of the small air conditioner, this air cooler can be moved from room to room without any hassle.
Installation Kit: When it comes to fans that blow cold air, this indoor ac unit includes an easy-to-install window kit. A large vented airflow outlet ushers in cool air.
Product information
| Product Dimensions | 17.1 x 28.1 x 13.8 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 56.8 pounds |
| Manufacturer | W Appliance Company |
| ASIN | B01DLPUWGW |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | BPACT12WT |
| Customer Reviews |
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars
46,682 ratings
4.2 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #84 in Home & Kitchen (See Top 100 in Home & Kitchen) #1 in Portable Air Conditioners |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Form Factor | Portable |
| Assembly required | No |
| Warranty Description | 1 year limited |
| Batteries required | No |
| Included Components | Installation Kit: Air exhaust hose, hose inlet/outlet adapters, window casement, water drain hose and owner’s manualFull function remote control |
| Capacity | 0.8 Liters |
| Floor Area | 550 Square Feet |
| Voltage | 115 Volts |
| Noise Level | 52 dB |
Top reviews from the United States
NotInUse
Great little unit for what it does.
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2023Jesse H.
Quick and easy. Blows ice cold. Hate is somewhat unwarranted.
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2023
Jesse H.
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2023
The sound: While the AC itself can be a bit loud at times it's honestly not bad. I prefer to sleep with white noise and the sound of the AC is pretty easy to just blank out. If you place this far enough away from your bed (which you should be doing anyway) I think you'll be perfectly fine. The complaints about the compressor kicking on are somewhat exaggerated. Yes, it does make a sound when the compressor comes on. No, it doesn't jolt me awake in the middle of the night.
The setup: The complaints about the setup are unwarranted. This thing was extremely easy to set up. The only thing I will say is difficult is trying to seal the window properly. I ended up using the squishy foam and just pressing it really firmly against the window. The exhaust hose may also leak somewhat around the part where it connects to the window and the actual AC. This is pretty much expected due to the simple nature of the setup. You can tape the seal around the unit if you want it to be perfect.
Overall, I'm excited to finally have something to cool me down over the summer season. I will be updating this review once a month to let others know how it holds up.
Update (3/30/2023): Been using this thing for a week now. This AC is extremely useful since it's already getting into the 80s in my room during the day. I run it at max for about an hour and I'm good for a while. One thing I did notice is that the fan speeds aren't much different. Low and medium sound roughly the same. Max speed is the one that's pretty loud. I run mine on medium since there's barely a difference between low and medium sound wise. I would keep this far away from your bed if you're worried about the sound.
Update (7/13/2023): It's now the middle of the summer here in Vegas. With temperatures exceeding 110F. This thing puts up a really good fight and keeps my room nice and cold. I keep the room at 72F (according to the unit.) I did end up moving the unit so that the vent can reach the window without any obstructions, and I also taped the ends where the exhaust air can leak. I did notice that it makes a really high pitched noise occasionally, but I believe it's due to the water building up on the fins and the vibration of the machine. I wipe down the fins here and there and have no issue. I feel that it might be best to place this where it isn't going to vibrate intensely.
FINAL END OF SEASON UPDATE (11/3/2023): Vegas had a stupidly long summer this year. In fact, today is November 3rd, and it was 81F outside. Some things that I do want to add. I noticed that sometimes it makes a clicking sound when starting up for a few minutes. I'm not too sure what this is. I also noticed that the compressor makes a really weird, almost gurgling sound when starting up. I'm hoping that this isn't a bad sign and is just a long-term quirk. These things didn't show up until about a month ago. As for noise, it almost feels like it's gotten slightly louder over time, but maybe I'm imagining things. Overall, this thing has legit saved me this year. I went from living extremely uncomfortably in 84+ degrees F in my room to a nice cool 72F all summer long.
For some closing words, I can't really recommend that anyone buy the 550 square foot version of this AC. Granted it is Amazon, and they carry everything, but you're better off spending an extra hundred bucks or two to get a nicer one. I recommend looking online for more efficient ones. Another thing I would like to add is that this thing increased the power bill a bit. the energy guide on the sticker said 170 dollars over a 3 month period, assuming 8 hours a day at 14 cents per kwh. Mine ran closer to 14 hours a day at 17 cents per kwh. It added roughly 90 dollars to the power bill each month, so not really ideal. But you also have to remember that Vegas usually hovers in the 110s during the height of the summer, and around high 90s to low 100s for the lower periods.
TL;DR: If you have a tiny room, it might be worth getting the small one, just know that it can be loud. If you have a slightly bigger room, spend the extra hundred or two on a more efficient and quieter one, your wallet will thank you later.
Images in this review
Deb H.
Lasted 3 Years Running Continuously for 4+ Months.
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2024
Deb H.
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2024
This unit is fantastic!! And it worked every year, no problems.
Then today it stopped working and the display started flashing a code I’ve never seen (and that isn’t listed in the manual).
Found that if I tilted it forward for about 5 seconds it would start up again and run for 30-45 minutes. Then it would stop and the same code would flash.
Have emptied out the water, cleaned the filter, etc so all I can guess is that the coolant has run out.
I paid $330 3 years ago so that’s $110 per summer to keep my bedroom frosty cool during the humid summer. To me, that’s worth it!
I’ve purchased another and it arrives on Friday!
Images in this review
