Haier HPC12XHR 12000/11000 BTU Cooling Portable Air Conditioner

I bought this just before the last humid heat wave of the summer, and have continued to use it through the first truly chilly parts of fall. I have to say, despite everything I had heard about portable air conditioners, I actually really like this thing. I went with this over a normal air conditioner because I wanted to not have to worry about bugs (I can leave the window screen up) or cleaning up the unit after being outside. It's actually a nice-looking appliance, and certainly less of an eye-sore than a box hanging outside the window. A couple things I want to note about my time with this: 1) The unit can be a little loud, but it's not that bad compared to other air conditioners, and it's pretty quiet with just the fan on. It will turn the compressor on and off to regulate temperature and manage its water level, so if large changes in volume bother you, I might look elsewhere. 2) I personally never had to empty the water out of the unit when using the Cool, Dehumidify, or Fan modes, even in 90% humidity weather (something I had been warned about before purchasing portable air conditioners like these). It sucks water out of the air very well, and the auto-evaporative system seems to do its job. It's like having a dehumidifier you don't have to empty. 3) When using the Heat option, you will likely have to empty the unit after extended periods (a few hours) of use. I've gotten into the habit of switching between Heat and Dehumidify right up until it gets to temperature, then I just leave it on Heat - it's usually fine from there. I'm also considering using the external hose hookup to drain water into a larger pan or bucket since that will be easier than lifting the unit to get to the bottom plug (which can be annoying). 4) The more humid it is, the less effective it will be. That being said, I've been very happy with its ability to get down to 72 (my default target temp) even with the weather outside being 85 F or more. I'm using this to cool/heat a 350 sq.ft. room. 5) Spend some time playing around with the temperatures you like for the Cool and Heat modes. They seem to take readings from different parts of the machine, so 72 on Cool mode may feel different from 72 on Heat mode. Also, it's very localized, so may take a bit for the temperature difference to reach all areas of the room. 6) Don't forget to insulate well! I was happy with it before I took insulation seriously, but it works much better now that I paid attention to closing the gaps around the window adapter. I'm also considering insulating the hose, since that seems to radiate a bit of heat and is likely a source of inefficiency. If you're considering purchasing this, I would highly recommend you read over as much as you can about the pros and cons of portable vs. traditional air conditioners. For me though: I'm very happy with my decision to go with this unit.

After a weekend of use, I'm very pleased. Window kit wasn't completely adequate for my needs though. Will need to get a longer exhaust coil and extender to use in a sliding glass door.

Just went thru a devastating hurricane and was able to borrow a Haier Cooling Portable Air Conditioner which I used for a 90 year old COPD patient. It worked beautifully. Based on its performance, I bought this as a backup if and when another hurricane comes my way. I live in Florida. I ran the portable air conditioner on a generator. It was very easy to install and the cooling was more than I expected. Would recommend this product to anyone who suffers from power outages.

The noise level of the air conditioner is on the loud side even at low setting. Does not keep the room cool enough even at high setting.

I bought this and am sending it back. It does NOT have full electronic controls other than it is an LED display on the main unit. I would state that technically they are not mechanical, but not what you would expect for this type of unit. Remote is a LOS IR. Timer is basically a delay. IF the unit is OFF and you set the timer it will turn it on. IF unit is ON it will turn it off. These facts make it unusable for my needs.