Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner Review: What You Need to Know

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Portable air conditioners that do not need to be secured in the window are still something many potential buyers are trying to get their heads around. This Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner review takes a look at one such product to see how it performs and how it compares to similar offerings. If you want to understand portable air conditioners better, or if you are thinking about the Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner for your own needs, this review will give you some important insights.

What Is the Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner?

The Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner is an air conditioner that packages a dehumidifier and heat pump into one multipurpose product. This 13,000 BTU air conditioner is portable and comes with a user-friendly interface.

Our Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner review identified the PACN130HPE as a product sufficient for medium-sized rooms as large as 500 square feet. The unit sits on casters, making it easy to move from room to room based on your needs.

This air conditioner is especially useful to those living in high humidity, because the dehumidifier can eliminate almost 90 pints of moisture when in use. The removal of humidity from the environment also decreases the likelihood of mold or other microbial growth in your house.

On the flip side, during cold winter months you can enjoy the PACN130HPE heat pump that puts out 3810 watts of heating power. Together, the heating, cooling, and dehumidifying features revealed in our Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner review make the product a versatile addition to any home.

Product Specs

Our Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner review uncovered some of the official numbers behind the PACN130HPE. Along with its 13,000 BTUs, the unit has three fan speeds. The air conditioner runs quietly, never surpassing 54 dB. It also comes with a timer and a remote control.

The unit’s built-in dehumidifier is capable of capturing 3.6 points of moisture from the air each hour. Altogether, the product weighs just over 67 pounds and measures 17x16x29.5 inches.

Pricing

During our review we found a wide variety of prices for individual products. For instance, the PACN130HPE retailed as high as about $680, but we also found it available for near $460. That is a difference of well over $200 for an individual product.

We found similar competitors between $400 and $500. Another product, a smaller and less expensive evaporation fan, is available for around $140. It will definitely pay for serious shoppers to compare prices of the product they want to buy and be sure they are ordering the best available deal.

How It Compares

We picked a few similar products available on the market to see how they compare.

• Whynter ARC-143MX 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner
• Honeywell Portable Evaporative Cooler
• FRIGIDAIRE Cool Connect Smart Window Air Conditioner

Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner PACN130HPE

• Size
• Cooling Capacity 
• Additional Capabilities 
• Controls
• Warranty

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The Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner stands just under 30 inches. It is 17 inches wide by 16 inches deep. The unit weighs around 67 pounds, but casters make it easy to move as needed.

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The PACN130HPE is a high-efficiency air conditioner that can service areas up to 500 square feet. It produces 13,000 BTUs. To put it in perspective, it usually takes 4,000 BTUs to cool a kitchen where ovens and other appliances generate high heat levels. For each room, they recommend an additional 600 BTUs for every person in the room. Obviously, the 13,000 BTUs of the PACN130HPE air conditioner offers reasonable strength.

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Sometimes an air conditioner takes a hot and humid room and turns it into a cool and still humid room. The PACN130HPE not only cools, it also has a built-in dehumidifier. The two can run individually or together.

A heat pump is also part of the versatile PACN130HPE package. When the air conditioning function is unneeded in winter months or cool mornings, a heating pump can provide supplemental heat.

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The PACN130HPE is digitally controlled through its LCD display. Through the interface, users can adjust the room’s temperature and relative humidity. It can also be manipulated through a remote control for convenience.

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The Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner PACN130HPE is warrantied against defective material and craftsmanship. The entire unit is warrantied for one year. At that time the compressor, the evaporator, the condenser, and the factory connected refrigerant tubing are covered for an additional four years. Air conditioners must be shipped at the owner’s expense for service.

Pros

• Multi-purpose unit cools, dehumidifies, and heats
• Quiet operation

Cons

• Users have complained of longevity and durability

​Whynter ARC-143MX 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner

The Whynter ARC-143MX 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner features a dehumidifier and antimicrobial fan along with a storage bag. Like the PACN130HPE, the Whynter ARC-143MX also boasts the ability to cool a space up to 500 square feet. The Whynter produces 14,000 BTUs: about 1,000 more than its competitor.

The ARC-14S prides itself on being eco-friendly due to its dual-hose system that promotes high efficiency performance. It uses ozone-friendly refrigerants and consumes less energy than some competitors. It is made of lead-free components and is RoHS-compliant. The RoHS is the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive born in 2003 in the European Union. It restricts the use of hazardous ingredients in the production of electronic products.

The unit is portable and does not have to be permanently installed in one location. It has four operational modes.

• Size
• Cooling Capacity 
• Additional Capabilities 
• Controls
• Warranty

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With 14,000 BTUs, the ARC-14S can cool a large area up to 500 square feet quickly and efficiently. It is also commonly used in workshops and school classrooms.

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This 100-pound unit can be maneuvered easily on its four wheels. It also offers a pre-filter to clean the air and a second filter that uses carbon to neutralize odors.

The built-in dehumidifier can remove 4.1 pints of moisture per hour from the air and create a healthier environment less likely to foster mildew and mold.

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The air conditioner is controlled by a simple panel to adjust all settings on an LCD display. Users can choose modes, temperature, and fan setting. There is also a remote control for convenient manipulation from all nearby locations.

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This product comes with a limited one-year warranty. The compressor has its own three-year limited warranty.

Pros

• Cools rooms quickly
• Venting system kit is useful and easy to install
• Leak resistant
• Eco-friendly
• Multi-purpose use appliance

Cons

• A bit noisier than the PACN130HPE

​​Honeywell CS071AE Portable Evaporative Cooler

The Honeywell CS071AE Portable Evaporative Cooler is a product with a much lower price point than the PACN130HPE or the Whynter ARC-143MX. The product uses water evaporation to create a cool breeze mocking a natural breeze from Mother Nature. The unit draws warm air in and uses the Honeywell Evaporative Cooler to that absorbs heat and returns naturally cool air.

An evaporating cooler uses dry air and therefore performs better in in low-humidity environments. When the air has been naturally cooled, a fan pushes it into the local environment. The process is more natural than a traditional air conditioner that uses refrigerants to cool the air. Traditional air conditioners are also substantially more expensive.

The Honeywell CS071AE only uses 50 watts of power and does not need a compressor.

• Size
• Cooling Capacity 
• Additional Capabilities
• Controls
• Warranty

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This small product stands just over two feet high with dimensions of just under 15×10 inches. It weighs 12.3 pounds.

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The Honeywell CS071AE is most useful for spot cooling. It functions well on a desk or in front of a sofa. It can cool a space up to 100 square feet.

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This Honeywell product is more than a fan. It is cooler that utilizes water evaporation. Because it cools warm, dry air, it can also serve as a humidifier, especially in cold months.

The fan can run for 30 to 45 minutes and features an automatic timer for shutoff.

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From the Honeywell’s electronic display screen, users can change from high to medium to low speeds. A remote control also offers every option on the digital control panel.

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Your purchase comes with a one-year warranty on all parts and labor.

Pros

• Affordable price point
• Natural breeze mimics Mother Nature
• Works as a humidifier
• Carbon filter cleans air

Cons

• Only useful in small spaces

​​​FRIGIDAIRE Cool Connect Smart Window Air Conditioner

The Frigidaire Cool Connect Smart Window Air Conditioner offers 12,000 BTUs and claims to cool spaces up to 550 square feet. Like every other air conditioner in our Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner review, we have to question whether this really cools that much space effectively.

Nonetheless, when functioning in an appropriate space, the Cool Connect cools rooms quickly and efficiently. When air is pushed out from the unit, it is dispelled in a 360-degree motion upward. While the unit is not as heavy as some others, its casters are smaller, making it more difficult to move efficiently.

In a technological twist, this air conditioner uses a downloadable app that allows you to adjust the temperature, change fan speeds, and more: all through online operation. The product even supports Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands. Once users download the app, they have to create an account and add the unit to app.

• Size
• Cooling Capacity 
• Additional Capabilities 
• Controls
• Warranty

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At just over three feet tall, the unit uses a cylinder-style body that is unique from many competitors. The diameter of the body is about 12.6 inches wide. The product weighs about 78 pounds.

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With 12,000 BTUs, this air conditioner functions well in hot weather, though the maximum cooling area is debated among owners. The compressor is a bit loud, but it is no louder than a traditional window unit.

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Among the competitors we looked at in our Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner review, the unique capability of the Cool Connect is its WiFi options. Through WiFi connection users can operate time and schedule features as well as controlling speeds, modes, and temperature.

Voice commands are also possible with the Cool Connect, but many users have experienced a lot of connectivity issues.

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The control panel features an LCD with temperature settings, current temperature, and operation items. It also contains multiple LED indicators for cool mode, fan mode, dry mode, and eco-mode. Other indicators remind you to clean your filters or other items on your personal AC schedule.

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Your purchase includes a limited two-year warranty on all parts and labor. After two years, the compressor, condenser, evaporator and tubing have three additional years under warranty (five total).

Pros

• Easy out-of-box installation
• WiFi scheduling options
• Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

Cons

• Small casters make for difficult movement
• Many users report WiFi connectivity issues

Conclusion: Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner Review

At the conclusion of our Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner review, we give the PACN130HPE four stars. We felt the year-round capability of the product is very appealing. While 500 feet of cooling space may be pressing the envelope slightly, the PACN130HPE is a powerful air conditioner that is also very quiet when operating.

You do not have to be a home maintenance specialist to install the product, either. No tools are required, and the setup of the PACN130HPE can be done in a matter of minutes. Once assembled, the provided caster wheels make it easy to move where needed in your home. Rated at 115/60 (V~Hz), the product is relatively energy efficient.

Just as the PACN130HPE is easy to set up, it is also easy to use. The display panel is user friendly, and the remote control makes operating a breeze from any location in the room. As we wrap up our Delonghi Portable Air Conditioner review, we believe most users will be well served by the PACN130HPE.

Last update on 2021-11-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API