Black And Decker Portable Air Conditioner
BLACK+DECKER BPACT14WT Portable Air Conditioner with Remote Control, 7,700 BTU DOE (14,000 BTU ASHRAE), Cools Up to 350 Square Feet, White
Black And Decker Portable Air Conditioner is very nice product. To start things off, I’m not usually a real big B+D fan. I know well enough to know that, like most GIANT name brands, the name doesn’t actually necessarily indicate who built the unit, but rather who’s marketing and supporting it. For all I know, this has 90% of the same guts as an LG unit. (LG is regarded as the leader in portable/window AC units, as well as Frigidaire).
The product arrived in the retail box, which looks to be able to serve double duty as a shipping container because it is very sturdy, and it’s assembled in such a way that it would just about collapse if it were shipped any way other than “this side up”, and it’s clearly marked as such on the box in many spots so you shouldn’t run into the issue some reviewers talking about where they need to let it stand vertical for 24 hours prior to plugging it in and letting the pump go to work.
I’m not exactly stupid, but there’s a few things about this product that don’t make a whole lot of sense, or are done in a needlessly complicated (cost saving) way. To be fair though, this is my first time dealing with a portable AC unit so maybe they’re all like this to one degree or another (get it?!)
First, the window vent blocking plate situation… I’m in an older house with small windows, so I had to cut one of the panels so that it would give me the correct length. This is some pretty heavy plastic, and I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect the typical consumer to even have the means to be able to cut one of these pieces of plastic. A hacksaw worked fine. Then you need to secure each of the telescoping panels (just shallow “C” channels, essentially) into eachother with screws so it becomes one unit…. this is supposed to be a PORTABLE AC unit. If I really did buy this with the intent of moving it from one room to another, I’d be screwed since it’s doubtful that each window is exactly the same size, and changing the size of the plate is not exactly a breeze. I expected to see a more well thought out design for the window plate. Luckily, this thing is staying upstairs in my attic-bedroom that easily reaches very warm temps on even a slightly warm day, and the central AC cannot keep up with it.
Promised Review by BuyerOfThing
