Very Effective

Low price very effective in low humidity. Has a strong fan when not using the cooling feature. Timer works well. Has an oscillating feature a "sleep" mode and most importantly: a drain plug washable filter element and a plastic body that cannot rust like those made of sheet metal or tin.

It's been in the high 90s to the low 100's here in the San Fernando Valley in CA with low humidity and it's kept whatever room it is in cool enough to not have to turn on the AC.

It's no air conditioner but it's a low in cost [to purchase and to run]alternative you could even say was an "eco-friendly" way to stay comfortable in the summer. But then my friends had to talk me out of buying a wringer washing machine so my opinion is based on my personal preference for simplicity and old fashioned ways of doing things.

Take my review as you will. It does what it says it will. If you have frequent high humidity it won't be effective and the company tells you that so be forewarned. I find it to be a great buy and it runs quietly as well.More detail ...

The Best Filter!

Recieved the Hepa and charcoal filter quickly. A breeze to install into the Whirlpool Whispure 510. I would definitely buy these again.More detail ...

A cold blast from a mini-conditioner

Had new windows installed worked and looked great but the openings were smaller than expected. Wanted a window air conditioner for the living room. Found one at Amazon that would fit and the reviews were good. I wasn't prepared for how well it worked however. This little guy pumps out an amazing amount of cold air. I think the secret is it is an older unit that was made before the energy conserving engineers got a hold of it. Maybe I should feel bad that I am not helping the environment as much as I could but keeping me cool during a hot and humid August somehow made the guilt go away.



If you want the most bang for your buck buy this unit. If it can keep my living room cool it will turn a small bedroom into a meat locker no sweat.



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Lux Products 1500E Thermostat

Lux Products TX1500E Smart Temp Programmable Thermostat



After researching thermostats I replaced my builder-grade 1 week thermostats with a couple of Lux 1500E units. This was one of Consumer Reports' best buy models from last year (the other also a Lux). Additionally I liked Lux's programming dial which simplifies programming; with the dial there are fewer arcane button press combinations to deal with. Installation was simple and straightforward. The display on the 1500E is fairly large and has an electroluminescent back light that's activated by pressing any button. I'm farsighted but can read the display without my glasses. The 1500E is a 5-1-1 thermostat but also includes a "special" schedule that can used for vacation or holiday making this a 5-1-1-1 thermostat.



I found programming to be quick and simple and the unit works as advertised. I have one complaint and one quirk to mention. The complaint: The operating instructions aren't the best. In particular there is precious little explanation of the "swing" function or what the swing numbers actually mean. I sent an email to Lux and received a phone call the next day with a thorough explanation. Fantastic customer service!! For the record the swing setting numbers correlate to quarter degrees (the instructions should state this but don't). The default setting is 1 meaning the thermostat will cycle when the temperature deviates .25 degrees. Keeps the house temperature constant but heat or AC will constantly cycle. Setting the swing to 4 will cause heat or AC to turn on when temperature deviates 1 degree (4 X .25) from the set temperature. You can set the swing up to a value of 9 (2.25 degrees). Here's the quirk part: with my old thermostat if I set the temperature to 69 the heat would turn on when the displayed temperature dropped to 68 and turn off when the displayed temperature rose to 70. The 1500E with a swing setting of 4 doesn't work quite the same way. Even though displayed temp is 68 heat won't come on right away. It's almost as if the thermometer controlling the display isn't the same one controlling the thermostat itself. Either that or a swing setting of 4 is working differently than I'm expecting. Please note I do not find this a problem with the 1500E just a little odd. Also note: most instructions accompanying thermostats are lacking.



Overall I am very pleased with the Lux 1500E. It feels well built has a nice display and a competitive price. Add Lux's great customer support and I'd highly recommend it.



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It's not perfect but it's cheap and efficient.

A large brick and mortar store sells these exclusively at very low prices and Consumer Reports had many nice things to say about them so I bought three of them. Oh yes three.



I remember when air conditioners weighed minimally sixty pounds. These weigh about forty pounds and that makes them much easier to carry place on a window sill and move while positioning for the season.



They also draw slightly less than 15 amps and have a fuse breaker built into the plug which may or may not slightly mitigate tripped circuits or blown fuses in your home. It also starts with the compressor off for the first three minutes so the amperage draw isn't high enough to trip a circuit. This is particularly consumer-friendly engineering.



The remote control is very nice and actually quite helpful for the kids' rooms; I can change settings without trying to creep past them at night in case the rooms gets too cold or hot.



The units are quiet and do a very good job of colling down a room even a 16x10 south-facing second-floor room with three windows. There are two or three issues you need to accept.



One the energy efficient mode is probably very efficient but somewhat intrusive. It will cycle the fan off and be perfectly quiet then kick back on with air or cooled air as it needs it. In theory this is not a bad idea but if it cycles every two minutes it might keep you awake at night with noise/quiet/noise/quiet.



Two the condensation pan does not have outlet holes so you will be retaining a half-inch or so of water for the summer season. I do not like this at all and removing a unit from a window means understanding this and attempting to drain it in some clever way before bringing it indoors. There should be outlet holes period.



Three the screw-type air deflectors are sort of hit and miss with directional quality. In general no air conditioner manufacturer really does this right. The directional vents should be modeled after automobile air vents with focused airflow and very generous coverage arcs.



The units are very efficient (10.7) and inexpensive and Frigidaire will stand behind them for five years. I liked them enough to buy three and would probably buy them again. A final note the 8000 BTU version is too loud for a bedroom. I had to return it and get a 6000 BTU unit which was fine.



-Fred





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