AC-Reviews.com

It’s technically heater season but in keeping with the overall theme of the site, we decided to review a portable air conditioner / space heater combination – the Soleus LX-120.

Our editors praised the LX-120 portable air conditioner and heater for its performance and ease of use. With its 12,000 BTU cooling capacity, it’s able to cool down a room of up to 200 square feet. We also found that it was way quieter than most portable air conditioners. The Soleus LX-120 also comes with a remote control plus a dehumidifier function that can be used separately.

But what really makes this portable air conditioner great is the fact that it’s suitable for year-round use. It doubles as a 1350 watt space heater so you can use it in the winter in a chilly room or office. However, the one caveat about this unit is the price. At just under $400, this AC isn’t cheap. Nevertheless, given the quality of the unit, we think it’s worth the price.

The Soleus LX-120 is available via online stores such as www.air-n-water.com.

So fall is almost officially here.  I know this site is usually focused on air conditioning, but given that we’re in heater season right now, I thought it would be appropriate to briefly talk about space heaters.  Living in Southern California, it rarely gets low 60 degrees even in the winter but that doesn’t mean we don’t turn up the thermostat. 

My home generally gets pretty chilly in the fall and winter, and I like using a portable space heater to stay warm in whatever bedroom I’m in. 

When used safely and as a supplemental heat source, an electric space heater lets me keep a small area toasty without having to make the rest of my house feel like a sauna.  Portable heaters come in a variety of sizes and fuel types, so choosing the right one generally boils down to the area you’re trying to heat and personal preference.  Here’s an overview of some of the most popular space heater types: 

Radiator Space Heaters

These are shaped like the traditional fixed kind and are filled with a type of oil that’s heated by electricity.  Because oil retains heat well, these heaters are pretty energy-efficient.  They actually give off warmth even after they’re switched off.  Radiator heaters usually cover a small area, so they’re best for small bedrooms and personal spaces.  I find that while they’re quiet and save energy, they don’t provide heat quick enough. 

Quartz / Infrared / Radiant Heaters

These heaters use electromagnetic energy to heat objects and people rather than the air.  They’re also pretty energy-efficient for this reason and because they don’t have fans, they’re relatively quiet.  A lot of people tend to like these heaters because they literally heat up in seconds, but the glowing elements are a little off-putting, to be honest. 

Fan Forced Space Heaters

These space heaters have built-in ventilators which blow air over heated metal coils.  Although these are kind of noisy, they provide instant gratification.  I have an inexpensive unit I purchased for less than $20 at Lowes and it’s still going strong.   Because I’m a light sleeper, I definitely wouldn’t use this at night.  The fan can get pretty annoying. 

Although is coming to a close, certain parts of the country are still warm enough for air conditioner. One of the most recent air conditioners I came across was the NewAir ACP-1000E. It’s one of the least expensive portable air conditioners on the market, and it receives a number of recommendations from owners posting reviews to retailer websites. This 10,000 BTU portable AC unit can cool a small room or area of up to about 200 square feet (roughly the size of a typical bedroom) and includes a remote control, dehumidifier function, built-in air purification system, and digital thermostat. Although this unit does utilize auto-evaporative technology, it will still need to be vented out of a drop ceiling, window, or wall. When testing it in my small office, I found that it actually worked quite well (although perhaps a bit noisy). But for its price point, it was a solid air conditioner. With that said, if you need more cooling power, consider the Soleus LX-120 (est. $400).

The NewAir ACP-1000E was purchased from Air Conditioner Home.

The general consensus among experts is that window air conditioners are more efficient. However, window installation isn’t an option for some homes, condos, and apartments, so a portable air conditioner may be the only choice.

Portable ACs often serve as an alternative to window or wall air conditioners or as a supplement to central cooling systems. They’re ideal for apartment buildings that don’t permit window units or for homes with windows that cannot accommodate permanently installed window AC units. Installation doesn’t require any heavy lifting, and because these portable AC units are usually mounted on rolling casters, you can theoretically move them from room to room. Nonetheless, installation does require that you place the unit close to a window because you’ll need to run the exhaust hose outside.
Despite a large number of units on the market, we actually found relatively few portable AC reviews and comparisons. Most credible reviews actually come from owners.

My parents were actually shopping around for a portable air conditioner for my brother’s dorm room a few months back. They were able to find quite a few models under the $500 range, but there was little to no reviews on many of the products we saw. They eventually settled on the DeLonghi PAC A110L and bought it Lowe’s based on the few reviews they did find.
So far it works fine and looks great, but it was a little bit on the pricey end (a little over $500 with tax). I really wish there were more consumer resources for portable air conditioners on the lower end.

So I’ve been frantically searching for an evaporative cooler in an attempt to be more “green.”  One of my coworkers purchased a portable unit from Air-N-Water.com and while I’ve bought from them before (their eBay store, to be fair), there have been a few negative customer reviews for them on the internet.  As an air conditioner reviewer and seeing as they mostly carry cooling products, I wanted to see if the company could clarify some of their CS issues.  I sent the following e-mail to their company in the hopes of their response:

Hi,

I’m interested in purchasing a swamp cooler from your company, but noticed that there are a few negative reviews from your company online — most of which involve damages that occur during shipping and the quality of your products.  I just wanted to know what happens if a product gets damaged in transit and how well your evaporative coolers really work.  Your staff has been helpful in the past and I’m thinking of purchasing a unit from you.

Thanks,

Alex

I received a prompt response within 24 hours and here’s what one of their staff members sent me:

Dear Alex,

As part of our ongoing efforts to provide a better customer experience, we thank you for your feedback and are aware of some of the negative reviews our past customers have left us.  We’re glad that you found our sales staff to be helpful and accommodating as we do try our very best to provide exceptional and personalized customer service to each and every one of our customers.  We’re also pleased that you have not let negative www.Air-N-Water.com reviews prevent you from purchasing from us.  Here are our responses to some common Air-N-Water.com complaints you’ve pointed out:

Air-N-Water.com Complaints Regarding Damages Occurring During Transit

Unfortunately, due to the size and nature of the products the company carries, damages occurring during the shipping process can occur.  Air-N-Water works hard to make sure shipments leaving the warehouse are packed properly so as to prevent damages.  However, should this occur, we recommend our customers follow these procedures.

For UPS / FedEx / Postal Shipments

If the shipment shows outward evidence of damage, open the package before signing the delivery form. Notify the local UPS distribution center or Post Office. Do not alter the carton or the damaged goods until an inspection by the appropriate agency has been made. The package will be picked up and returned back to Air-N-Water.com. The merchandise will be repaired or replaced at our expense.

Freight Shipments

If damage or loss is evident, Air-N-Water.com requests the customer indicate it on the carrier’s delivery form. Do not refuse the shipment – simply file a claim immediately with the carrier and then notify Air-N-Water.com.  Keep all packaging materials and the damaged goods until inspection has been made.

Air-N-Water.com Complaints Regarding Defective Merchandise

Many of the negative www.air-n-water.com reviews you’ve pointed out in your e-mail are related to the effectiveness of the evaporative coolers we carry.  While it’s true that evaporative (or swamp coolers) are great at providing efficient cooling using much less electricity, they’re most effective in hot, dry climates with low humidity levels.  Examples of such areas would be the American Southwestern states.  Unfortunately, some customers happen to purchase these products expecting them to cool just as well as central AC systems, and this simply isn’t possible.  We’ve created a very helpful portable cooling guide for our customers and suggest you take a look at our humidity chart to make sure an evaporative cooler will work in your area.

Again, I thank you for taking the time to e-mail us and for letting us respond to some common Air-N-Water.com complaints.  We hope you will decide to use us for all of your future cooling, heating, and purification needs.

Sincerely,

Gordon Lee

Air & Water, Inc.