Portable Air Conditioner Review: PAC1201W Koldfront Ultracool 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

Review of the Koldfront PAC1201W Ultracool 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

Our master bedroom is a finished room over the garage and is approximately 300 sq ft.

In the summer, the heat rises from the garage into the bedroom and our central A/C just can't keep up, so we purchased this EdgeStar single hose portable air conditioner to augment the cooling power.

When in use, we set it on the lowest setting: 62 degrees. I would estimate that within a half hour the temperature will drop from the mid-80s to the low 60s (Fahrenheit). Afterward, the compressor cycles on and off as necessary to keep the temperature constant per your settings. The unit is fully capable of freezing us out (a good thing) if left on for long periods of time.

My wife and I were concerned about aesthetics, so rather than hook the exhause hose to our bedroom window (which is on the front of our house), we vent the hose around the corner into the hallway and close the door against the hose so that most of the hot air stays out. This method works surprisingly well for us.

(Side Note: Portable air conditioners like this one are mobile, but NOT light weight. Before owning one, I had imagined it would be like carrying around a space heater or some household electronic device. Wrong. It weighs 68 lbs, so it is definitely more akin to lugging around a mini fridge. Use the casters to save your back!)

The sounds it makes are "white noise" -- mostly air blowing and a brief rumble when the compressor kicks in. I'm accustomed to sleeping with fans on, so it doesn't bother me to sleep with these types of additional sounds. However, we have young children in the house and it is hard to hear the baby monitor at night. We only use the unit for about 30 minutes right before bedtime to cool the room down, then we shut it off and use the ceiling fan alone overight.

Lastly, the unit has multiple fan speeds and one way to make it slightly quieter is to set it on the lowest setting. However, I believe it won't cool as quickly or evenly on a lower setting.
Best Uses: Bedroom Cooling, Efficiency/Studio Cooling

Overall Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Portable Air Conditioner Review: PAC1401W Koldfront Ultracool 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

Review of the Koldfront PAC1401W Ultracool 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

We have a little, hot server room that needs to be kept cool 24/7.

On average, we replace these portable air conditioning units every 2 years. We have tried other manufacturers, but this Koldfront PAC is the coolest (temperature wise) unit so far. If you need to cool down hot equipment, this is the unit for you.

Best Uses: Office/Commercial Cooling

Overall Rating: 4.1 out of 5 Stars

Learn more about the PAC1401W Koldfront Ultracool 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner.

Portable Air Conditioner Help: Can a Portable A/C Be Used in a Room Without a Window?

Product Question: Can the Koldfront PAC8000S 8,000 BTU Ultra Compact Portable Air Conditioner be used in a room without a window?

The Koldfront portable air conditioner, and all portable air conditioners, must have a way to vent hot air out of the room via their vent hose. This does not necessarily have to be a window, however, the hose does have to be able to get the hot air out of the room it is trying to cool.

A window is the most common way to do this, and this Koldfront unit and most portable air conditioners come equipped with all the parts you need to vent out of a window.

When a window is not an option, others who have purchased portable A/C's have made a hole for the vent hose on an exterior wall, vented out a door or, on higher BTU units in an office environment that has a dropped ceiling, some have purchased a drop ceiling vent kit. Venting with the drop ceiling vent kit is only recommended for units at least 12,000 BTUs or above though.

Learn more about the PAC8000S Koldfront 8,000 BTU Ultra Compact Portable Air Conditioner.

Portable Air Conditioner Help: Can the Koldfront PAC1201W be Used in Windows that Crank Out?

Product Question: Can the Koldfront PAC1201W Ultracool 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner be used in windows that crank out?

The windows are 18" wide and 42" tall. They crank out. The attic was made into a master bedroom and the centrail air does not seem to it at all. It is a 400 sq ft room.

Answer: The way the Koldfront portable air conditioner comes, you cannot use it in a crank window.

However, if you get a piece of plexiglass cut to the size of the window, and then have a hole cut into the plexiglass to attach the exhaust hose, you should be able to vent the unit.


Learn more about the PAC1201W Koldfront Ultracool 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner.

Portable Air Conditioner Review: PAC1401W Koldfront Ultracool 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

Review of the PAC1401W Koldfront Ultracool 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner

I purchased this unit after my previous personal air conditioner burned out. I couldn't be happier.

I work in an office where air distribution is not balanced. My large (approx. 500 sq. ft.) office faces west with no outside shade trees to help diffuse the heat. I use this unit to supplement when the main air conditioner is on and to offset the heat when the heater is running. My co-workers are always cold, so I roast when the heater is on.

This is a larger unit than my previous portable air conditioner (14,000 btu vs 12,000 btu) and it cools my office so quickly. We noticed a difference within minutes of starting up the unit. I can't say enough about the product.

The noise level when the compressor is cooling is acceptable, unlike my previous unit which was so loud it drove me crazy.

Best Uses: Garage/Shed Cooling, Efficiency/Studio Cooling, Office/Commercial Cooling

Overall Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars

Learn more about the PAC1401W Koldfront Ultracool 14,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner.