This Perfect Aire portable AC can cool and heat a room, making it ideal for use all year round.
With 12,000 BTUs of heating and cooling power, the Perfect Aire can cool a room of up to 550 square feet, which is more than enough for most rooms including open-plan living areas and basements.
This portable AC/heater also includes a dry dehumidifier mode as well as a fan mode for when you need mild cooling.
You switch between the different modes and settings using the control panel or the included full-function remote control.
This AC is very easy to install using the included slider kit. Should you need to move it to another room, the caster wheels make your work easier.
Keep reading for our full review of the Perfect Aire portable AC.
NOTE: To compare this unit with other leading portable air conditioners, read our portable AC buying guide.
Pros
- Multiple modes including heating, cooling, and dehumidifier. Great for year-round use.
- Self-evaporative.
- Easy to install and use.
- Precise temperature control through the remote control thermostat.
- Easy to move from room to room.
Cons
- Pricey.
- A bit loud when on the highest fan setting
Best Features
12,000 BTU Cooling Capacity
With 12,000 BTUs of power, the Perfect Aire portable AC can cool mid-size and large rooms ranging between 450 and 550 square feet.
It’s ideal for most rooms including the bedroom, living area, nursery and home office.
4,100 BTU Heating Capacity
When the weather turns chilly you don’t have to put the AC away. Just turn on the heat mode and you can continue enjoying your AC.
It might even save you a bit of money than if you were depending on just your central AC.
Many Operating Modes
The Perfect Aire offer a wide range of operating modes to deal with different situations, as follows:
• Auto mode – This is the AC’s default mode. In this mode, it automatically selects a mode to maintain your target temperature. If the room gets cold it activates heat mode and if it gets too warm it goes into cool mode.
• Cool mode –The AC distributes cool air into the room to lower the temperature.
• Heat mode –The AC distributes hot air into the room to raise the temperature.
For both cool and heat mode, the available temperature range is 62F to 88F.
• Dry mode –This is the dehumidifier function. The AC collects excess moisture from the air and evaporates it outside.
• Fan-only mode –Disables cool, heat and dry modes. Only the fan operates. You can adjust fan speed to control the level of cooling and fan noise.
• Sleep mode – Maintains the optimal temperature and fan speed for sleep and saves energy.
• Follow me mode – You can only activate this mode using the remote control. It allows the AC to more precisely control the temperature at a certain point in the room. Learn more about this feature in the next section, below.
There are also a few extra settings I’ve not mentioned above such as Swing which controls the louver, Timer to set an auto-on or auto-off schedule and a Fahrenheit/ Celsius option.
Remote Control and Thermostat
The Perfect Air has one of the most interesting remote controls I have ever seen. On the surface, it is a pretty normal remote control.
You can access all the functions and settings on the control panel. These include increasing or decreasing temperature, changing operating mode and selecting fan speed.
Note: the remote control has its own LCD.
But there is one interesting feature you won’t find in most portable ACs. It’s called FOLLOW ME, and you can only activate it from the remote control.
The remote control doubles as a thermostat. It can measure the temperature at a certain location and trigger the AC to raise or lower it.
Let’s say you are sitting at the far end of the room from where the AC is located. Maybe it’s feeling a bit too warm even though the AC has been in the Cool mode for some time
You can use the remote to control the temperature where you are. Simply press the FOLLOW ME button on the remote to activate this feature. The remote will display the temperature where you are and send a signal to the AC.
The AC then keeps working to cool or heat until the signal shows that the target temperature has been achieved.
This is a great feature for larger rooms where cool air may not sufficiently reach some areas.
Bucketless Drainage System
This is a self-evaporation AC, which means you don’t need to drain it - most of the time.
If there is too much humidity, you may need to drain the excess water.
Timer
You can set this AC to either automatically switch on or switch off after a specific period every 24 hours.
Easy Installation
The Perfect Air comes with everything you need to install it in your home. This includes the window slider kit, vent hose, vent adaptor, bolt, foam seal and drain hose.
The manual has clear and detailed instructions to guide you.
Limitations
The main issue with the Perfect Aire is its price.
Most 12,000 BTU portable ACs cost less than $500. This one costs more than $800.
On the other hand, this unit comes with just about every feature and operating mode you could want.
Personally, I think the price is worth it, considering that is has heating and several extra features you won’t find in most other portable air conditioners.
The remote-control-cum-thermostat is also very cool and useful.
Specs
Room size: 450-550 square feet
BTU rating: 12,000 cooling / 4,100 heating
Drainage: Manual and automatic (self-evaporation)
Price:
Summary
If you are looking for a full-featured, large-room portable AC with heating and cooling, then the 12,000 BTU Perfect Air is a great choice.
It is definitely more expensive than other units of this capacity, but the Perfect Aire gives you a lot of flexibility, cool features and value for your money.
