Cheap SPT WA-9020E 9,000-BTU Portable Air Conditioner with Remote Control

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List Price: $540.00
Sale Price: $349.00
Today's Bonus: 35% Off

I have central air, but my bedroom upstairs is usually 5-10 degrees warmer than the other bedrooms (vaulted ceiling). This product works perfectly even though the room is much larger than 250sq ft. This portable AC only costs 50 cents a day to run, considerably less than running the central air. It's quieter than I expected and the air is very cold. The only thing I don't like is the instruction manual just not enough info. The exhaust hose must be mounted properly to the outside through a window. All portable AC units create a vacuum in the room and if the exhaust hose is not practically air tight, more warm air from outside will come in than cold air blowing out. I have had it for a week now and it has yet to need the water reservoir emptied.

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This item is not worth it. It takes hours to cool down my 100 sq ft room. I have a 5,000 btu window unit that kicks butt compared to this one. Also, not convenient at all. You need to place a drip pan underneath to catch the water and it only allows a 1" space at the base. I had to build a 4" platform to lift the unit high enough to sit a basin at the bottom to catch all the drip without having to empty it every 1 1/2 hours.

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this air conditioner has one filter which is easily removed for cleaning purposes, but the intake filter is completely hidden and cleaning it entails disassembling the unit, removing the case, just to access the filters. What a nightmare.

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This 9000BTU AC is supposed to cool a 250 square foot room, so I thought it'd be more than enough for my 190 square foot bedroom. When I turned it on, I was sure it would make things cool pretty quickly, because it was very loud. . . my wife and I called it the "jet engine" during the brief time before we sent it back. Instead it was only able to cool the room by about 3-4 degrees, even when I let it run all night. I tried it for three nights before returning it, and one morning when I woke up, it was actually cooler outside the house than it was in the bedroom where the AC had been running full blast for about 12 hours. Pathetic!

I replaced this unit with a 6000 BTU window unit by Frigidaire. Even though the Frigidaire is only 2/3 the BTU rating, it makes less than half as much noise and was able to cool my fairly small bedroom from 100+ and humid (we're in the middle of a major heat wave in the Northeast right now) to about 72 degrees in about 90 minutes. Needless to say, the 6000BTU replacement will cost a lot less to run as well. . .

Also, I know some people don't care about this kind of thing, but this Sunpentown AC is just incredibly ugly. From the photo I wasn't really sure if it would look cool and futuristic in person or clunky and overbuilt. Guess what. . . it's the latter! It just looks junky and designed by a twelve-year-old who was trying to draw a Camaro instead of a piece of furniture that's supposed to look fairly decent in your house. Most appallingly, and although it doesn't look so bad in the small photo online, that beige insert for the louvers looks like it came from some twenty-year-old piece of office equipment (remember when everything was the same hideous beige?) and it's totally out of place with the silver/gray plastic used everywhere else.

I had a portable AC by Maytag that lasted about 7 years and worked very well, but this Sunpentown I bought to replace it is a terrible failure in all respects: ugly, the loudest air conditioner I've heard since I was a kid in the 1980s, and it doesn't cool worth a damn.

The only nice thing about the entire experience is that I bought it from Amazon, so it was incredibly easy to return! Thanks, Amazon, for being so freaking awesome. . .

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In April 2011, I purchased a Sunpentown (SPT) air conditioner for $450. I ended up not using it last summer and stored it, unopened in its box, until a month ago. Right out of the box, it didn't work. After trading emails with a customer service representative James who after 3 rounds of email told me that it doesn't matter that the product was defective out of the box. I asked to speak with a manager and received a call from Mike, who told me that the product is out of warranty so there is nothing they can do, that it's not worth repairing a window unit and that I should either "junk it or sell it for scraps." I asked him if Sunpentown really has no problem manufacturing and selling such shoddy products and he said "It's been a year lady. Nothing I can do." Sunpentown makes bad products that don't work. Sunpentown is unwilling to stand by its products. My recommendation is for you to save your money and purchase another product, one made by a company who has integrity.

Nespresso C520 Gran Maestria Espresso Maker, Titanium Review

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List Price: $699.00
Sale Price: $639.16
Today's Bonus: 9% Off

I purchased the Gran Maestria on April 20th and the first one would not work... I received a loaner (the Pixie) after waiting a week and received another Gran Maestria in about 3 weeks... it worked but had several unaccepted scratches on it and I sent it back for another one. I was told that it was at the discretion of the company to send me a refurbished unit. I received another unscratched unit and had it for 3 days and the unit made a loud pop and smoke came out of it and now it does not work. I have purchased over a hundred dollars in coffee and will try this experiment one more time before asking for my money back... the service people were very nice and apologized for my inconvenience but I want a machine that works...

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I like the Nespresso System you have to join the "club" and the coffee is not the cheapest but it is great quality and the customer service is outstanding. I have had a couple of sleeves of coffee capsules come bent Nespresso exchanged them for free and had them to my door the next day.

The machine itself is great. It is made aluminum much higher quality that the more plastic Nespresso models. I like the fact hat you can easily change the volume of hot water going into your shot on the fly with other machines you can program to a volume, but that is about it. Having the frother right there is nice, the cup warmer is a bit of a gimmick but impresses friends and family. The machine is made in Switzerland and the fit and finish are first class. It is rock solid and after using it every day for the last 4 months I have yet to have any issues.

Overall you get what you pay for and this is a nice, no mess, quality machine. Just know what you are getting into with the Nespresso coffee universe...

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I'm back from a recent trip to Italy where I drank cappuccinos nearly all day long. I have a Starbucks Barista, but it takes too long to make cappuccinos and clean up. The Nespresso machines make nice drinks that are quick and easy.

I read a lot about the Maestria (and other Nespresso machines) being DOA. Well, mine was too. It made all the right noises, just didn't pump water. I figured the pump wasn't primed so I ran the descaling procedure a couple times and pumped a lot of water through the cup heater. Then I put it on the regular, espresso-making cycle and hit the luongo button several times. Each time the pump sounded a little different until finally the water made it out of the nozzle. So if your Maestria makes a pump sound but doesn't pump water, don't get upset, just be a little patient and do what I did.

It takes only 30 seconds for the machine to come up to temperature (lights on front stop blinking) after the power is turned on. That's how long it takes me to get a cup ready. After that, you can make espressos one after another without delay. This machine would work well for entertaining a lot of people. The temperature of the espressos and cappiccinos it makes is good. If you want a really, really hot temperature you might be disappointed. Yesterday I want to a Nespresso outlet in Costa Mesa California. The espresso I had there was much hotter (too hot in my opinion). The people working said the machines are used constantly and are hotter than normal home use.

The cup heater on the left side of the machine shoots a stream of hot water inside an inverted cup. The water drains into the drip tray. It has limited usefulness since it only works on very small cups. It's OK for espresso cups, but won't work with most cappuccino cups. The problem is that 3 switches on the Nespresso need to be pressed at the same time by the rim of the cup. But only the smallest diameter cups will press the switches. If the cup diameter is more than about 2.25 inches, it won't press all 3 switches. I've been warming my cups by filling them with a luongo shot of hot water. That way both the cup and the machine gets pre heated and primed. I wish they would have left off the cup warmer and made the footprint smaller.

The Aeroccino 4 froths the milk really well. You fill the cup up to the "Max" mark (which is a little difficult to see in poor light) and press the "on" button. There are 4 settings, cold frothed milk, warm milk, warm milk with loose froth (perfect for lattes), and warm milk with dense froth (perfect for cappuccinos). There is a circular wire wisk inside the Aeroccino 4 that sticks to the bottom on a small post by a magnet. It's really easy to remove and install. The wisk is spun quickly with a magnet under the cup. The milk doesn't burn since the inside of the cup has a non-stick coating. It's really easy to clean too. It's dishwasher safe, but it's just as easy to wipe out with a sponge. Advantages the Aeroccino 4 has over a steam wand are: 1. you can make cold frothed mild for cold drinks, 2. it is much quieter. Advantages of the steam wand are: 1. you can make much more frothed milk if you are making many drinks at once (the Aeroccino 4 is only good for about 2 drinks per batch), 2. you can make frothed milk much hotter).

The Aeroccino 4 is really quick and nearly silent too. It takes only about 90 seconds to make enough frothed milk for one or two lattes or cappuccinos. I found the temperature to be fine, but if you want really hot drinks you might be disappointed.

I really wanted to get the Maestria (not Gran), but I found a new Gran Maestria in Titanium color (a medium gray color) from a liquidator for half price. It was probably a return or store model. The box was a bit thrashed, but all the parts were present and accounted for.

I was surprised how small the unit looked on my kitchen counter. It's low enough to fit easily under my wall cabinets (which are 18.5 inches high) even with enough room to lift the capsule lever. He lever requires about 17.5 inches to open fully. The footprint is a bit big, so measure first if you're space limited. The footprint of the Maestria would be much smaller.

The construction and build quality is extremely nice. Most of the machine is cast aluminum with a nice paint job. The rocker-type power switch on the back and the two dials on the front have a silky smooth feel and look great. The grates that the cup rests on are chrome plated steel, not plastic like most. The machine rests on 3 small, rubber feet. When the pump is on, there is some noise, but not overly loud or obnoxious and the machine does not vibrate or walk around on the counter.

The two knobs on the front of the machine control the volume of each shot. The one on the left goes from 0.8oz 2oz and the one of the right from 2.35oz 5oz. I was skeptical how accurate these were, and I had read that the shot size wasn't consistent. So I tested the accuracy and consistency. After a lot of testingI found the shot sizes to be extremely consistent (within 1ml, or 0.03oz), and the volume was within 10% of the volumes stated on the Nespresso operator's manual for each setting.

The water tank is large enough that you don't have to fill it often. I suspect the Maestria with the steam wand uses more water. The tank is easy to remove and install. The used capsule holder and drip tray are also nicely sized for daily use without the need for constant emptying.

It looks like there is a cable routing feature to shorten the length of the power cable, but I can't figure out how it works. The cable is too thick to route around the tortuous path. So I coiled the cable up behind the machine and used cable ties.

Overall a really nice machine. I hope that helps.

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I purchased this for my wife's birthday. She looks just like the woman on the Nespresso commercial, right...

The delivery from Amazon was fantastic, as usual, with Prime...

She unpacked the box, read the instructions, then filled the water reservoir. Unfortunately, when she tried to do the initial pump prime, nothing happened. She called the Nespresso help line. They were very helpful, but to make a long story short, her new machine is being shipped back to their repair center for repair.

We're both disappointed. Nespresso can redeem themselves with a quick turnaround, but if she has to wait weeks for a functioning machine... Well, we'll see.

I'm happy to report that we received the packing crate for the product return the next day. Packing the machine was easy. We dropped the package at the UPS store down the street that afternoon. The repaired machine was back at our home within 3 business days in perfect working condition.

The quality of the coffees that we've made have been excellent and have exceeded our expectations. I changed my rating to 4 stars, not 5, reflecting our initial DOA experience.

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We really wanted this espresso maker to work. We had tried a Nespresso machine in our hotel room last year and loved the taste and convenience. Unfortunately, this machine was a problem right out of the box. We read all the directions, prepped the unit and pushed the button. There was a hum and then it stopped. No water came out. We tried several more times. Back to the directions. We tried the so-called descaling process and found that the cup warmer worked but still no water for espresso. We tried a couple more times. No water, no espresso.

After about an hour of reading and rereading directions, I called the Nespresso club hotline. As soon as I explained the problem, the woman knew exactly what was wrong--the pump was too tight. She said that this was a fairly common problem with this particular model. The only way to fix it was to send it back to the factory, a process that would take at least three to four weeks when factoring in shipping time back and forth.

I asked her why Nespresso had not tested this machine at the factory before sending it out for sale. Since the machine does not work at all, the problem would have been evident as soon as it was turned on. I was told that the problem does not affect every espresso maker so the company has decided to allow customers to discover which ones are faulty on their own, and then deal with it only when the customers call to complain. In other words, Nespresso wants to save itself time and money by not checking the machines it sells, but thinks nothing of wasting the time and money of customers who trust that they are buying working machines. This is completely unacceptable for any company selling a product to the public, let alone one charging $700 for an espresso machine.

I understand that there may be occasionally a lemon or two, but this problem with the pump is common enough that Nespresso is aware of it and still takes no action to rectify the problem or warn customers. We would never have bought this machine if we had known about this issue. Our free time is scarce and we wasted a good bit of it this morning trying to get this machine to work. After calling Nespresso, I then had to call Amazon to arrange for a return and repack the machine in the box.

I told an Amazon representative about our experience and suggested that Amazon either stop carrying this product or put a note explaining this problem on its website so customers can decide whether to take their chances.

As for us, we will not be buying from Nespresso again even though we do like the coffee. There are too many other companies out there that respect their customers for us to waste any more money, time, or energy on Nespresso.

Cheap Optimus H-3603 30-Inch Baseboard Convection Heater with Digital

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List Price: $63.99
Sale Price: $54.99
Today's Bonus: 14% Off

I gave this to my son for Christmas. He loves it because of the thermostat. Said it was really great..

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Heats very well -but -the control does not allow for a setting below 70 F, whereas the instructions say that it should.

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I bought this for my basement room. It warms up, but does not really warm up the room that well. I use it in my laundry area to help dry the clothes I hang in there in the winter. The icy chill is gone, but it doesn't feel "warm" in the room.

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Super good deal! Works Great!! You will definitely get the best warm heat I did for my entire basement!!

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I wrote this review before but it wasn't published probably because of the low rating. It was ordered though Warehouse Deals and advertised as like new. It wasn't. It was smashed, cracked, and broken. It should have been thrown in the trash, not put back on the shelf. If this isn't posted, I will not rate or write another review on this website.

Discount Bionaire BFH3520-U Digital Convertible Tower Heater

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List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $34.80
Today's Bonus: 56% Off

The noise level when this product was on was blocking the sound from the TV in the same room....much too noisy to have in the house....it was taken back to the store for a quieter model from a different manufacturer.

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My furnace went out this weekend and nobody was open with the part in stock so I went down to the store and picked up one of these babys from a local merchant to get by until Monday. To be brief, its going back. I have a Lasko tower unit that was running in the other room about 12 feet away and sitting next to the Lasko I could hear the Bionaire over it. Just hope I can sleep with it running in my room.

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i went to the local Home Improvement store and purchased this heater. This heater is really loud i could not sleep with it in the room needless to say i packed it up and took it back

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We received this heater as a wedding gift in 2008. We use it intermittently in the fall and spring to heat up our cold bathroom before washing our kids. When I unplugged it the other night the cord was extremely hot and the area around the prongs was burned. The heater had been on for less than an hour. If this was plugged in near a carpet or curtain it would have caught on fire. I agree that it is loud too, but my babies loved the white noise.

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It's very loud and none of the timer or temperature controls work on it. It does heat up the room, but does not do all that it says it does. Also, mine did not come with a remote.

Best Sunpentown NY-636 3-4/5-Liter Chinese Herbal Medicine Cooker Deals

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List Price: $78.00
Sale Price: $50.99
Today's Bonus: 35% Off

I've been using this to cook Chinese Herbal Medicine for a few months now. I used to use a ceramic pot to cook the medicine. This unit is much easier to cook. You plug and let it do its job. The ceramic pot is easier to clean and costs $5.99. This unit you cannot put into a dishwasher due to electronic components being part of the unit. One time I was rinsing the unit trying to clean it and the water got onto the base and the unit stop working for 24 hours ... until it was dry again. Normally this does not happen if you clean it carefully.

This unit works by cooking the medicine until the water level drops to a certain point. Then it switches to warm mode. This often takes 1.5 to 2 hours for the medicine I cook. However the herbalist whom I get my medicine from says to cook it only for 30 minutes after it boils and not to exceed 40 minutes. Well since he is an OMD, and a former professor of the Beijing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, I'll take his word for it. I have to use kitchen timer and then un-plug this unit after 45 minutes (15 minutes before it boils + 30 minutes of boil).

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I just got one of these at a local herb store (mine is the Chinese model ss-3040 but is exactly the same thing as the NY636). After using it once I can tell several things right away:

1) overall it's well made and looks nice (nice thick glaze over the ceramic with some cute calligraphy on the front).

2) there is very little circuitry inside so there is less to fail but at the same time the unit is "dumb". It will just keep boiling until the water level drops enough to expose the top of the stainless steel heater element (which rises about maybe 1-2 inches from the bottom) then will switch to keep warm. After boiling it seems you are left with around 2 cups of liquid.

3) much easier to deal with (IMHO) than boiling herbs in a ceramic double-lid "ginseng cooker". Just plug in and let it go (after adding your pre-washed herbs and water, of course).

4) it is not suited for aromatic herbs or herbs with high volatile oil content as steam escapes through both the pouring spout (which I covered with a small piece of tin foil until I find something better to use) and a small hole (perhaps around .5 cm) on the lid. Actually covering the spout may just make it take longer to cook as the liquid would evaporate slower...

5) as previous poster mentioned, you need a kitchen/electric timer! You can't manually switch to keep warm (with a button or switch, etc) you need to remove/stop the power. The little front lights are indicators only, not switches or button. Some herbs/formulas you just can't let cook like the cooker is meant to, however most you probably can if you balance the water and herbs correctly, and know what your doing. Ask your TCM doctor, which I am not (yet). Also consult a good Materia Medica for herbs in question. With a timer this could also be used for other (related) purposed liked Chinese Medicated Diet therapies, etc, but a hot pot may work better in many cases that require very slow cooking.

Other notes: as it says in the manual, once the heat has switched to keep warm don't let your tea sit for more than 2 hours as the herbs may soak up some of the active ingredients you just decocted as they dry.

One last thing, it does come with a 1-year warranty (or so the company claims), so keep your receipt and box. While it is made in China, it's distributor is in CA (so no you won't have to ship to China for warranty issues).

All that aside, get one... they look cool :D

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It works great, heats fast and looks very nice on my counter. I agree with the other reviewer, unplug it after 45 minutes (15 minutes to heat-up, 30 minutes to boil...) More than 30 minutes can diminsh the efficacy of some ingredients. When in doubt, ask your pharmacist!

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Chinese herbs are suppose to be cooked in a clay pot and the herb should not come in contact with any metalic surface. This unit is made of Porcelain and has an exposed stainless steel cooking element cover inside which the herbs would sit on. But it does look nice.Sunpentown SS-0340 3-2/5-Liter Chinese Herbal Medicine Cooker with Stainless Heater

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I am told to put in 4 cups of water with my herbs and then when it is done and both lights are on, it should have cooked it down to be 1 cup. However, it has never has given me 1 cup. It used to give me 3/4 cup but now it just gives me a 1/2 cup so it is cooking it longer each time. (I have now read the other reviews and see I have to unplug it versus trust it to do what it is supposed to do.) The other issue is that now it needs 24 hours to "cool" before I can reuse it as when I plug it back in, both lights stay on and it won't go into cook mode. It therefore doesn't work properly. I have probably only used it 8 times so I am really disappointed with the quality.

Cheap Frigidaire FRA126CT1 12-000 Btu Window Air Conditioner W / Temp

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List Price: $439.00
Sale Price: $332.88
Today's Bonus: 24% Off

Update 5/29/13: Member "Coug Moog" in comments to my original review turned me on to the fact that price has drop drastically at some sources on this model all the way down to $298. At that price there's no reason not to grab this more powerful unit over it's 10,000 BTU bretheren. Now that this unit doesn't cost an arm and leg over the 10K, I'll probably never buy another 10K again. I'm also upgrading my review to 4 stars as well. The 12K units I operate have served well. Since they now cost virtually the same as a 10K that's a darn good value.

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Original Review Text Titled "Not the one to buy unless you have a little window" and given 2 stars:

The 12,000 BTU unit is a bad choice for most people. The smaller 10,000 BTU unit is 33% less in cost and typically much more reliable. The bigger 15,000 BTU unit is not that much more than the 12,000 unit.

So why would you pay so much extra above the price of the smaller 10K unit, yet stop short of going all out for the 15,000 BTU unit? Only one reason window height. Beyond 12,000 BTU the case gets much larger, which means it won't fit in some window styles.

Price not important? Measure your window, and if it fits get the bigger 15K unit.

Price important? Then why would you pay so much more for this one over the 10K unit?

I've bought and run this size, but only in special cases where I was restricted by window size and had a really large room to cool.

Also to consider... here's the review I gave on another model that is relevant to this one:

------------------

Between family and rent houses I put all types and sizes to the test every year in the scorching Texas sun. Here's my experience:

If you want a solid window air conditioner, it really boils down to two choices: Frigidaire and LG. The current "sweet spot" on reliability/price/economy is the 10,000 BTU unit regardless of make/manufacturer.

Recently they've been making 12,000 & 15,000 BTU 110V (normal plug) units.

-The 12000 BTU truly is 20% stronger, but you pay 50% more here on Amazon.

-The 15000 BTU is a snowball tossing beast, but it's in a larger case that may not fit your window (height-wise) and doesn't have a long history on the market so we don't know how it will do long-term

LG Pros The 10,000 BTU LG is my "workhorse". Best value. Run them till they fail in 4 to 7 years, then swap `em out for another.

1) Better warranty (but really, who cares when it breaks because you're sitting there sweating)

2) Typically last an additional 2-3 years over other brands

3) An LG rarely just stops running it will degrade slowly over a season

4) They are more tolerant of neglect (e.g. dirty filters... can't rely on tenant to care for your stuff)

5) Better withstands being placed in harsher environments (direct sunlight, restricted airflow)

6) Lower "lemon" rate

Frigidaire Pros For family I prefer to run 12,000 & 15,000 BTU Frigidaires. They are a little nicer, and I consider it worth it even though they always break sooner. (Value and reliability aren't as important, but I do have to compensate by keeping a new boxed spare around because they always fail at the most inopportune moments. Most people can't do this.)

1) A little nicer looking

2) Better features

3) Quieter

4) Slightly easier installation

5) Circuit surge/drain on startup seems significantly less (think lights flickering when compressor comes on)

Other parting thoughts:

1) A thing to know about newer units: To obtain the higher EER (efficiency) ratings, they use finer design on heat exchanger fins. For the non-experts, this means smaller little spaces that get jammed up with dirt/mold/whatever resulting in a clogged/filthy/poorly operating unit much-much faster than your parents' old units. Appliance repair stores can service your window unit every year (clean it of filth) that will extend life by at least 2 years and sometimes much more. Of course this costs anywhere from $50 up, and the units are cheap, so it's your call whether to service or toss it.

2) The 10,000 BTU Frigidaire here on Amazon is a good buy w/Amazon Prime shipping. For other higher BTU models, as of this writing you'll be paying more but also know that right now with the national heatwave most box stores are sold out so you may not have a choice.

3) Something this heavy is a risky ship (versus store pickup). It might be shipped wrong-side-up, or dropped, or whatever. It's a risk you'll run so do so knowingly. (I seem to have pretty good luck w/Amazon shipped items.) The risk is offset, however, by advantages of buying from Amazon (store would take forever, you'd have to load it and bring it home, have to have a vehicle large enough to carry it, etc.)

4) Clean. Your. Filter. Every. Week. It will keep your little ice machine healthy.

5) Different stores have different models from the same maker. If they are made in the same year, it doesn't seem to make a difference.

6) Tempted to go cheap like a Haier? Don't.

7) Tempted to buy a 6,000 or 8,000 BTU model? Don't. Get the stronger unit. It will cool down the room faster. It will not need to work as hard as a weaker unit and last longer. It is built with some stronger/better key components.

Good luck and happy cooling.

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UPDATE We've had this AC for 2 years now and are still loving it. No problems whatsoever. Still cools like a champ, and we use ours a lot. This year, we even used it through the winter, during those uncharacteristic HOT winter days. Still love the thermostat remote too. Very happy we took the time to hunt down this specific model.

And now, back to the original review....

I needed to replace a 10 year old 12,000 BTU Kenmore AC and thoroughly researched my options before zeroing in on this Frigidaire. The clincher was the unique remote control -it has a key feature that no other AC's have, including other Frigidaires.

Thermostat & Automatic Climate Control Built Into The Remote

Let's be clear -most modern AC's come with a remote that turns the temperature up or down, but that's NOT all this Frigidaire's remote does. It actually controls the climate via it's own thermostat and direct communication with the AC itself. The remote also has a digital readout that displays the actual room temperature at the remote itself. This is significant, because most AC's have a thermostat in the AC housing. But this Frigidaire has a thermostat built right into the remote control, which means the AC will cycle on and off based on the temperature at the remote, instead of at the AC unit. I hated how my old Kenmore would click off the compressor because the thermostat thought the room was cool enough, yet where I was sitting, was still hot and muggy. Now, with this new Frigidaire, the compressor keeps running based on the temperature on the remote's digital readout. Every few minutes the remote sends a signal to the AC unit, telling it what the temperature is; and the compressor adjusts, based on that readout, keeping the room a constant, consistent temperature. This feature alone sets this AC apart, head and shoulders above the rest. And after just a few days of using it, there's no way I'd ever want an AC without this feature from here on.

More About the Remote

Other than the awesome feature mentioned above, the remote can turn the AC on or off, set the temperature, timer on, timer off, sleep mode, auto fan and energy saver. It's also a cute little thing that feels good in my hand. It's about the size of a small cell phone and the rubberized buttons are well laid out and easy to use, even for those with poor eyesight and dexterity, like me.

Eco-Friendly

The power surge my old Kenmore caused would literally make the lights dim whenever the compressor kicked in. On really hot days, that sudden power drain would often trip the circuit in my fuse box, knocking the power out. But this new Frigidaire is so energy efficient, that I barely hear the compressor kick in, and the lights dim for just a fraction of a second. So the power drain compared to my old Kenmore is almost nonexistent. I feel confident that when we go through another round of brown-outs here in California, my Frigidaire will keep running even when Edison throttles down everyone's kilowatt usage. Even better, the Electric Company is giving me a rebate for upgrading to a new "green" AC; how COOL is THAT?!

Cooling Powerhouse

There aren't too many 12,000 BTU air conditioners out there; any higher in BTU, and you can't use a standard 3-prong wall outlet. So I was happy to find this 12,000 BTU replacement. This Frigidaire cools my 650 square foot room without a problem. Actually, I have yet to run it higher than Low speed, and at that setting, it's been cooling off the whole room quite quickly, and keeping it at a constant temperature. I know it's early in the season, but it's already gotten hot and muggy here in Southern California, so I've had plenty of opportunity to put this new AC through its paces already. But thus far, I'm quite confident this Frigidaire can more than handle the sweltering heats that are coming.

Clean Air

I have a couple different air purifiers, but it's cool that this AC also has a built-in ionizer. With all the air it blows around the room, it's good to know that I can turn the ionizer on with the push of a button, and minimize the dust flying around. For those of us with respiratory problems, this is a HUGE Bonus!

Installation

If I could find an AC that does all this one can, plus install itself, then it would be the perfect AC! Short of that fantasy, this AC was well worth the setup. I had help with it, and 2 hours later -voila -we were enjoying the reward of cooler air. The unit itself was a little lighter than the Kenmore I was replacing, but let's face it, it's difficult to balance a big, heavy, square object on a windowsill. We got the job done though, with no real headaches or problems. The side louvers were easy to attach, and the screws, brackets and weather stripping were all self-explanatory.

QUIET!

Some other reviews had me concerned about the noise level of this particular unit, but I have to say, this Frigidaire is about as quiet as an AC gets. I have a smaller 5,000 BTU AC in the bedroom, and it's much louder than this 12,000 BTU. My old Kenmore was waaaaaaay louder than this, even when it was brand spanking new.

Bottom Line -Frigidaire really hasn't done themselves any favors by describing and marketing this AC so poorly. They should be punching up what's special about this remote (the built-in thermostat,) how it interacts with the AC, and why that unique feature matters to consumers. It's truly one of a kind and that feature alone squashes the competition in my book. This AC is so much better than it appears, at first glance. Thankfully, I was very thorough in my research, both online and in store, and I doubt you'll find a better AC for the money than this Frigidaire. I fully expect this AC to work flawlessly for years to come; and because I'll have it for many years, I'm glad I took the time to make the right choice.

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New unit was very noisy. Rather than return it, it was easier to it take to a local warranty repair center. I kept Amazon in the loop just in case, and they were gracious in offering to exchange the unit if I chose not to have it repaired.

The repair center diagnosed the noise as a bad bearing in the fan motor. The blower motor was replaced, and the unit is OK now. The motor being bad right out of the box suggests that these units go through no testing at the factory, and quality control is low.

After the repair, the overall noise level is about average which is OK with me. Most of the sound is the air movement swish of the blower. There is very little compressor sound when it is running, and a light "clunk" when the compressor turns off.

This 12,000 BTU unit is the same physical size as the 8,000 BTU Frigidaire unit I am replacing. For what it's worth, the blower in the 8,000 BTU unit lasted two seasons. That might explain why Frigidaire has only a one-year warranty (which is really one season) on that part of the unit. Perhaps Frigidaire is trying to take over Haier's role as the industry purveyor of cheap appliances.

I later found out that LG has a five-year warranty on everything -no need to buy an extended warranty. Frigidaire has five years only on the compressor, one year on everything else. The repair guy at the warranty repair center said he has seen only two LG units in the five years he has been there.

Having gone through multiple window units, I'll offer the advice that, in order to get the high EER ratings, these things (all brands) use delicate fins on the heat exchangers the design and spacing of which easily accumulate micro dust particles in spite of the filter. The moisture on the fins along with the dust encourages the growth of mold if the fins are not meticulously cleaned. But the delicate nature of the fins along with the presence of the electronic controls means you can't do like the old days where you took the thing out of the chassis and washed it out at the local car wash. Cleaning the fins now requires something like using a strong shop vac and a tooth brush to carefully comb fins clean at the end of each season.

In other words: It might have a high EER when you get it new, but it doesn't stay that way for long. It's too bad the EER is only for brand new in the lab, and no thought is given to the EER over a typical lifespan of the product.

Honest reviews on Frigidaire FRA126CT1 12-000 Btu Window Air Conditioner W / Temp

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Update number one: The remote sensing is, for lack of a better word, a joke.. Yes, it uses IR light to talk to the unit, SO, as long as the remote is pointing directly at the unit and there is nothing obstructing the path between the remote an the unit, then it works fine. BUT, and this is a huge but, in the REAL world this rarely happens. I still give this unit five stars but come on Frigidaire, this is 20th century technology used in a product of the 21st century. Get with the times.

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I already have an older version of this model, and was eager to get this one. I'll not bore you with a ten thousand word essay like some feel the need to write, but I will tell you in as few words as possible that this is a good product and why. I got this unit to put in the opposite end of my home so it would take some of the work load off of my older unit, which is still working like a charm.

Size and weight for this BTU amount is good/great. One person can install it but I do recommend two. I'm going on 56 and I was able to install it by myself but don't let my results influence you. Being 115 volts instead of 220 means you don't need an electrician to install wires and an extra circuit breaker. The extra long power cord also eliminates the need for an expensive extension cord.

As far as operation, it's easy. Just put it in an window, plug it in, and turn it on. Remember this though. It is 110 volts and an energy efficient unit, SO, it will NOT produce icicles within thirty minutes of being turned on, BUT it will cool down your room and in a not so slow fashion. Plus, it will not require you to take out a second mortgage to purchase it and also to operate it.

Within an hour of installing this unit, the entire house is cooler and the humidity is MUCH lower. Thus, it is very comfortable now in all parts of my home, and also most of the time now neither unit is running so I think that two units will actually save electricity over running just one. I hope this makes sense. I'm old, and heat doesn't bother me but HIGH humidity does. So, I actually run the window units to be more of a dehumidifier than an actual cooling system. The best part of a window unit is that you get both for the price of one. Just a dehumidifier alone will cost more than a window unit.

As far as sound. This unit is not very loud but let me pass some important information along. If you suffer from hearing loss, as I do, then even the smallest amount of "background" noise will be very distracting and thus, be very annoying. For me, that is not a problem, as it helps me sleep, but while watching TV, you will find that you have increased the volume quite a bit, each time the unit turns off. ;)

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Frigidaire FRA126CT1 12-000 Btu Window Air Conditioner W / Temp

I have recently received this product. Installed it in my bedroom facing down the hallway. When i come in at night after work, I walk into a cool house from just this one a/c unit working. I have over 1800 sq ft. and this a/c unit does a fantastic job of cooling this area. I love the timer and sleep timer. The remote is a bonus. Was an easy install. Just myself and a neighbor. A little loud when you turn up the fan all the way but not to bad. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a new a/c unit.

Review of Haier CPN12XH9 12K Portable Air Conditioner

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $549.00
Sale Price: $350.00
Today's Bonus: 36% Off

Purchased portable A/C to replace window unit (eyesore). Easy to move romm to room and put away when not in use. We use it to assist our central A/C in the summer, when wife cooks (a lot) and as backup incase power goes out, we can hook it to portable generator. So far works great. Cools room quickly and is quiet. We have it in the room with TV and we do not have to turn volume up real loud. Does have the normal hum of any A/C. I will write back in a few months to update on performance and quality. We live in the south, so we run our A/C's in December.

almost year later. Still working great. use it constantly. we live in N.O. so we do not have long winters looking at possible purchasing a second one.

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Very happy with this portable air conditioner so far, will know better when temp reaches 115+. I am using it in my woodworking shop. I would recommend it to others.

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I have owned two similar units for 9 years with no issues. I wanted to get new models to replace the old ones. The first night, I tried to use the heating option, and the unit just blew frigid air from the back opening. I called Haier the next morning, and was told that, unlike the older models, the new units must be vented to the outside throughout the winter months in order for the heating option to work efficiently. The provided plastic window covering does not close off my entire opening. This would mean having to have an open window throughout winter months just to attempt to efficiently heat the room. This was never explained in the online product specs or in the user manual. SInce I returned the item because it was not what I needed (or "no longer wanted" I did not note any clearer reason option), and it was determined to not be the fault of Amazon, I must pay the $63.00+ (and the $6.00 pick-up fee) for having the unit in my home for just one night. I have learned that it is not advisable to purchase appliances online. If the item is not clearly described (so that you don't realize that you cannot use the item until after it arrives), you are penalized. April 10, 2013 FOLLOW-UP: Amazon agreed that the item was not accurately described by the manufacturer, and that the online and user manual specifications were misleading. Amazon has kindly refunded the total cost including shipping charges to me.

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AC works great and just as advertised. I was really impressed with it and I made my decision based on the reviews that were posted. I just wanted to add that the window assembly was a bit troublesome but was not flimsey as I thought it would be from the other reviews. However when I attached the hose connector to the window panel and attached the four screws I was surprised that it fell apart. Then I realised that the instructions says to tighten the screws from the front. Once I took the assembly off the window and threaded the screws from the other side it worked like a charm, no duct tape needed or extra parts.Your reviews helped me, I hope this helps you. Great product!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Haier CPN12XH9 12K Portable Air Conditioner

It works well, cools the air quickly, even cools the air in the dehumidifier mode. It also self evaporates so you don't have to deal with draining it. However, be ware that unless you fall asleep easily in a noisy environment, this machine's compressor is as loud and noisy as you can imagine. When it is on you will feel like you are sleeping at a train or metro station when the train is coming in or out! That loud! If I can afford another at this time, I will definitely ditch it for something quieter. What's good is a portable AC if you can sleep in your bedroom while it is on?

Buy DeLonghi PAC W130E 13,000-BTU Portable Air Conditioner

Customer Ratings:

I admit, I got suckered into buying this unit because of the marketing and slick featureset. What a disappointment.

I am returning it as quickly as possible, and would probably avoid Delonghi products going forward. I was trying to get information on where to buy replacement filters from Delonghi USA (& Canada), the former did not reply to several emails (USA tech support), and the latter the Canadian support email bounced (no such mailbox). What a joke.

PROS:

Really nice & modern color scheme, graphite and silver.

Pretty blue LCD that displays everything you need to know.

Eco-friendly refrigerant

Side handles (because its very heavy)

3M Biosilver Techsystem

CONS:

VERY Noisy sounds like an old dishwasher when cooling in Water to Air mode (swishing noise, I am guessing the rotary engine cooling off using the water).

Water refilling to get optimal cooling (to get 13K BTU) is annoying & frequent (Tested on a very hot day I had to refill it every 6 hours), I would bet that most people would give up on this eventually. Without the water, this unit does 9000 BTU in air cooling.

Huge This thing is only portable due to the casters. Very bulky.

No Oscillating Louvers! The air is blown up in one direction, no choice.

No information on how (part#?) or where to buy the 3M filters that should be replaced once a year.

Heavy Perhaps I'm being picky here, but this thing is so heavy (128 lbs).

What I recommend instead: The Sharp CVP10MX, as most people here (Amazon) have had a great experience with it. I recommend you have a look.

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I had a Sharp unit that finally gave out and when searching Amazon I found this new DeLonghi air conditioner with eco-friendly refrigerant. I have always liked DeLonghi products for their stylish looks and this air conditioner is no execption.

I have a metal roof with vaulted ceilings and when it gets hot the upstairs loft gets about 10* hotter than the rest of the house and since this is where I sleep I need some extra comfort. We turn it on around dinner time and put it in the turbo function that uses both water and air cooling to bring the temperature down and then when we get ready for bed we turn it down to the sleep function which is pretty quite for an air conditioner.

I like the easy to read LCD display and the super cooling with the water tank really helps get the room temperature down quickly. This is a solid unit that weighs about 130 pounds so the casters and built in handles help in moving it around. It has all the bells and whistles with 24 hour timer, auto/sleep function, turbo cooling and even dehumidifies. The R410a eco-friendly gas refrigerant was a bonus as I try to do my part to help the enviornment.

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I currently own 2 other portable AC units (1 Sharp, 1 Danby...both waterless) due to the window's I have in the old house my apartment is in and this Delonghi blows the other 2 out of the water...no pun intended. I was skeptical about having to add water to this unit, but the level of performance it produces due to this is well worth it. This is now the only unit I leave on during the day for my pets while I'm at work...as long as I leave the doors to the other rooms open, it will keep my entire apartment cool even during the hottest summer days. My other 2 units couldn't produce the same results in tandem. 100% satisfied with this green machine. Gotta love Italian craftmanship!!! Anyone want to buy one of my old AC's?

Honest reviews on DeLonghi PAC W130E 13,000-BTU Portable Air Conditioner

We have one of these at work as we have servers (computers) in a very old house converted into an office. Works great, I find nothing to complain about...

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for DeLonghi PAC W130E 13,000-BTU Portable Air Conditioner

I bought this air conditioner because I own a DeLonghi air conditioner which I bought in 1994, after 17 years, it still works fantastic, I have it in our guest room because it's a smaller unit but works with water just like this one but the older model with detachable water tank. After the summer season, I really clean it well, de-calcify it and it works tirelessly for 17 summers. I bought a Bosch air conditioner 5 years ago, it's as heavy this appliance but doesn't give the perfect cooling effect, it doesn't work with water just fan, and although it is supposed to cool a 45 sq.m room, it actually can just cool a small room, so it's now in the bedroom. Believe me, Bosch air conditioner is as loud as a DeLonghi although it works just with fan.

I have this DeLonghi PACW130E in our living room 52 sq.m, it really works wonder even in real hot summer days. I have to admit that it is loud, but I get used to it because it is efficient, it is quiet if the cooling is in the fan mode, so quiet that you hardly hear any noise. I don't mind filling the tank every 6-8 hours, filling the tank is easy, takes just few minutes. Since I live in Europe, there are stores selling DeLonghi accessories like filter, spare-parts, decalcifying liquid etc... The filter is expensive though.

I gave this one a 4 stars instead of 5 because it is loud. I would recommend this air conditioner to anyone who wants a real cool atmosphere in a hot summer day.

Reviews of Anywhere Fireplace - Tribeca Stainless Steel Ventless Fireplace

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $399.99
Sale Price: $189.99
Today's Bonus: 53% Off

I was really looking forward to getting this fireplace up and running, especially for the price. However, the phase "you get what you pay for" applies well here.

The construction is high school shop class grade. The four spot welds on the base of the stand failed, causing the fireplace to lean, and eventually fall, forward. (Not very safe for something containing a liquid on fire.) Despite the rest of the elements being very dirty out of the box, I really wanted to get this up, and complete my bedroom makeover for my wife. So, I took the stand to an auto shop and had the base welded properly.

Success. Base was made stable. Got it back home and put the rest of it together (which is very easy). Now is where the real disappointment came in. I hadn't noticed previously that the face (which is just a one-side stainless steel facade) had major dents on the edges. The fuel box, which has a stainless steel top, was pretty scuffed-up as well. (I thought I could just polish it up, but all of my efforts in that department were fruitless.)

I tried to ignore all of that and just put it together for "the big reveal." But in the end, it just looked terrible. Aside for the dents, scuffs, and crappy welding in critical areas, the fireplace doesn't appear whole. It's just made up of pieces of metal that are bent to make the front and sides, but there is no back. So, without the dents and scuffs, the fireplace would look good on camera when viewing it directly from the front. However, if you put in anywhere that you can either see it from ANY other angle that directly in front of it, or if you get within 10 feet of it, you'll see just how cheaply it is made.

It's a shame, really. It's got a good design concept (which is why I give it two stars versus one). Just really poor execution.

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My fireplace was not packaged properly, heavy metal parts were not secured, so the box arrived with holes taped by UPS and the parts were scratched and bent. Nevertheless I have put the unit together to decide if I should order a replacement and decided against it. The fireplace does not look as nice as on the picture, the parts have blemishes, some of the edges are rough and the whole unit feels flimsy and cheap. Amazon took it back without any problems.

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I would really give this 4.5 stars. The 1/2 star deduction is for lack of fuel (I knew it doesn't come with fuel, but I think 1 bottle to start should be included). Also, the instructions were a little too simplistic. You could make reasonable assumptions and figure out how to fill the fireplace with fuel, for example, but I would have like explicit instructions just because there's fire involved and it's inside my house. Again, it wasn't anything you can't figure out, but I like to be 100% sure I'm doing it right when it could be potentially dangerous.

I've use the fireplace twice now with their recommended fuel. One 1-litre bottle lasted about 2.5. hours at the largest flame and raised the 400 sq ft room about 2-3 degrees. There was a slight smell once the fireplace extinguished, but nothing alarming or very bad and it dissipated before morning.

I was worried that it would be too small when I read the dimensions, but it looks fantastic. It has about the same footprint of a standard fireplace in a newer house.

Finally, I thought it felt a little flimsy once we put it together (which took about 5 min), but I tried to knock it down on carpet (while empty of course), and it was pretty difficult, so I'm not worried about that. I do NOT think this is very safe for kids, particularly young kids. I probably would not light this with kids under 10 around and above 10, only while supervised.

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I am both happy and disappointed , Dang I love the look and the contemporary style BUT !!! ( What an ugly word but ) This product looks and feels like it was sitting in a warehouse for a decade . The box was old and destroyed . There is scuffs on the face . After I clearly sent an email stating -Actual email to seller--- Hello. If I may there's a lot of bad reviews for this but absolutely love the look , please please look over the product before shipping , I am going against all bad reviews and trust you and more over in God . Can't wait to see it Thanks so much

-----Actual seller response ---- Good Morning,

We will let the warehouse know to inspect the fireplace before shipping out. Hopefully all will be okay with it. If you should have any problems, please feel free to contact us. Thank you.......

It is way over priced but more over seller does not care what they send out , Product quality is very poor .....