Scorching hot summer temperatures are no joke: a massive heat wave in 2006 killed over 200 Americans, and temperatures are still expected to rise this year as well. Interestingly enough, the hotter it gets, the more greenhouse gases are released from the very same power plants that pump out energy from our ACs. Studies have also shown that the average home spends half of its energy bill on home cooling, and for these reasons, many people may be trying to find new ways to beat the heat.
Electric fans may provide cool air, but they do little to actually decrease temperatures. On the other hand, swamp coolers are cost-effective, eco-friendly devices that can provide cooling comfort and temperature reductions, but these are only suitable for hot, arid climates. Therefore, how does one stay cool? The answer lies in a relatively new invention: a portable air conditioner.
Portable air conditioners work very much like traditional central or window ACs as they use the refrigeration cycle to cool. However, they are much simpler in design and have the added benefits of being compact, mobile, as well as not requiring any type of permanent installation. Instead, a hose is vented out a window, drop ceiling, or wall, and when the air conditioner needs to cool another area, it is simply rolled from one room to the next. In terms of energy efficiency, portable air conditioners are second to none. Because they are used for spot cooling certain rooms or personal spaces as opposed to entire homes, they can provide you with significant savings on your energy bill over an entire summer.
Our product team has spent the past few months conducting extensive tests on some of the top portable air conditioners available on the market, and we've consistently had good experiences with NewAir's line of portable air conditioners. As such, we've decided to review one of their newest portable ACs: the NewAir ACP-1400E.
First Impression:
When we unpacked the NewAir AC-1400E out of its carton, we were first impressed by its appearance. The unit weighed approximately 75 pounds but featured a slim, contemporary design with an elegant silver finish. We placed this portable air conditioner in the corner of a 200 square foot bedroom and found that it did not disturb the décor of the environment at all. The large, easy-to-read control panel with backlit LCD was a nice touch, as was the remote control that came with the unit. Rolling casters also made it easy for us to move the NewAir AC-1400E from the bedroom to the living room without hassle.
Cooling Power:
NewAir stated that the NewAir AC-1400E boasted 14,000 BTUs of cooling power, and we found this to be correct. We were told that this portable air conditioner was suitable for areas up to 400 square feet (the size of our living room), and it provided more than enough cooling for us on a hot, muggy Southern California afternoon. Three speeds were available: 2 fans and 1 turbo.
Condensate Removal:
Like many better portable air conditioners out there, the NewAir AC-1400E utilized auto-evaporative technology (specifically its own patented Patented Evaporative Booster). In other words, unlike older units which had water buckets that needed to be emptied constantly, the NewAir AC-1400E uses the collected condensate to cool the motor, and the evaporation process then allows this moisture to be directed outdoors via the exhaust hose. However, if the unit is used in an area with especially high humidity levels, condensation will still be collected in an auxiliary tank and emptied later (though much less frequently than with units without auto-evaporative technology).
Air Filtration:
The NewAir AC-1400E had a washable air filter to collect large dust particles, as well as a 3M Filtrete filter. Moreover, an activated carbon filter was used to remove odors from the air.
Other Features:
Our product team found that the NewAir AC-1400E had a number of outstanding features, but the ones we were impressed with the most was its 24-hour programmable timer; thermostat range of 64° F to 90° F; low noise output (49 dB); and its limited one year warranty with a five year warranty on the compressor.
Overall, we were impressed by the NewAir AC-1400E portable air conditioner. Stylish, yet full of features, this portable AC will be a great investment for anyone who wants to be able stay cool without having to resort to central or window ACs.
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