The Edgestar Portable AC is a Multi-Season Superstar.
At 12,000 BTUs it is a powerful AC. It can heat, cool or dehumidify an area up to 425 square feet and comes with a window kit for easy installation and dual filtration for fresh, clean air.
Read our full review of the EdgeStar portable air conditioner and heater below.
If you are looking for a different room AC, maybe something more powerful or for a smaller room, see other great choices here.
Pros
- Easy to install and use.
- Self-draining.
- Powerful cooling and heating performance.
- Ideal for year-round use
- Includes a dehumidifier
Cons
- Might leak in humid environments.
- It’s noisy.
Best Features
12,000 BTUs – For Mid-size and Large Rooms
The EdgeStar12,000 BTU portable AC is ideal for mid-size and large rooms up to 425 square feet in size.
You can increase or decrease the fan speed to change the airflow and noise level depending on the situation. Low fan speed at night when sleeping or for smaller rooms and higher fan speed for larger rooms or on really hot days.
Three Climate Control Modes (heating, cooling & dehumidifier)
• Air conditioner (heating and cooling) – this is the standard cooling/heating mode. Increase or decrease the temperature on the thermostat to cool or heat the room. The unit will blow cold or hot air depending on your target temperature. The thermostat temperature range is 61F to 77F.
• Dehumidifier – a dehumidifier-only mode removes excess moisture from the air in the room. The unit can collect up to 81 pints of moisture per day.
Having both heating and cooling makes this an all-year-round AC. You can still use it even after warm weather goes away.
Dual Filtration
There are two filters designed to clean most of the solid pollutants and allergens from your indoor air. The pre-filter captures the largest particles while the carbon filter catches the smaller ones while also eliminating bad odors.
This ensures that air is not only comfortably cool or warm but also fresh. It’s especially helpful if you have asthma or allergies.
Health note: If you have serious respiratory problems or allergies, we recommend adding a HEPA air purifier to the room. There are many good quality compact ones designed for all room sizes.
Easy Installation
This unit requires venting either through the window or sliding door. It comes with a window venting kit that’s easy to install.
If there is no window outlet in the room where you’ll be using it, you can also vent it through a sliding door. But you’ll need to buy a special kit for that.
Installation takes a couple of minutes. So you can easily set it up in different rooms at different times of the day. The caster wheels make it easy to wheel it from room to room (but not up to the stairs).
Eco-friendly
This air conditioner does not use an ozone-damaging refrigerant. It is manufactured in line with the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive) standard.
Automatic Restart
When the unit is disconnected, or there is a power outage, it does not lose the current settings. When it is re-connected, it automatically restarts with the last settings it had.You don’t have to keep resetting it.
Self-evaporative
The AC uses an integrated evaporator to exhaust moisture outside through the window vent.
But as with all self-evaporative portable ACs, it does not always work. If you live in an area with high humidity, it will either stop working or start leaking until you manually drain it.
So keep an eye out if you buy this model especially if you live in a very humid area. If it leaks or stops working, connect a drain hose to the drain plug at the bottom. You may have to place the unit on a raised platform because the plug is almost at floor level.
Limitations
The leakage problem is not so bad with this unit. The evaporator works efficiently to prevent water build-up inside. But it could still leak onto your floor if you live in a humid area. Just be ready to connect a drain hose if you notice a puddle near the drain plug.
The most common complaint from customers was the noise. If you are watching TV with it on, you have to turn the volume up. If you are using it in your bedroom, you have to select the lowest fan speed. But even then, it’s still louder than white noise. If you are sensitive to noises, this unit might keep you up before you get used to the hum.
Specs
Room size: 425 square feet
BTU rating: 12,000 BTUs
Drainage: Manual and automatic
Dehumidification: 81 pints a day
Price: Less than $500 on Amazon
Summary
This EdgeStar portable ac and heater are perfect for most homes. It’s easy to install, easy to use, does both heating and cooling and easily covers most average room sizes.
It might be a bit noisy, but you won’t notice it much during the day. At night, just lower the fan speed for quieter operation. But you’ll probably be cozily asleep in the cool (or warm) air to notice the noise.
