LG Electronics Portable Air Conditioner
Vital Statistics
● 10,000 BTUs of raw cooling power.
● Air conditioning, fan-only and dehumidifier settings allow you maximum flexibility.
● Rated for up to 300 square feet.
● Dehumidifier rated to 2.6 pints per hour of water removed.
● Auto-evaporative so you’re not forever emptying the pan.
The consumer electronics giant LG throws their hat into the portable air conditioner ring with this entry; the LP1014WNR. It has an interesting look that tapers as it moves up and while we appreciate that it’s not going to cast shadows in the park on sunny days we still feel like the base is a bit bulky and in the way. Though it’s rated to a fairly pedestrian 300 square feet it handles that size room with aplomb so here’s a case where the stated rating actually seems to come up a bit short.
Pros
● Portability – This is not a small or lightweight piece of environmental equipment and yet it moves about with relative ease. That fact speaks volumes about the attention to detail given the unit during design. The wheels never feel like an afterthought and the whole unit is very well balanced. As we mentioned earlier the unit does feel bulky around the base but that doesn’t interfere with portability either.
● Auto evaporative capability – There are few warm weather drags as pronounced as having to get up from your nice comfortable nap on the sofa to empty the collection pan under the air conditioner. With the LP1014WNR though, that particular chore is eliminated thanks to the unit’s auto-evaporative feature. This technology is relatively new and will likely be standard fare on all portable air conditioners within a few short years.
● Intuitive controls – All the controls are neatly laid out and easy to understand and use. The control panel itself is conveniently located on the very top of the unit. It’s easy to read and the controls are useful and responsive, but not too sensitive as we’ve experienced on other units. The unit also boasts 24 hour programmability, so between that and not having to get up to empty the pan you’re really cooking with gas with the LP1014WNR.
Cons
● Noisy – Like all powerful air conditioners this one can be a bit of a noise factory when it’s cranking. If you’ve been around air conditioners most or all of your life it won’t see unusual. If you’re new to air conditioners it might seem a bit much. Still, it shouldn’t be a deal breaker.
● Bottom heavy – While any mobile air conditioner of this sort should by design be a bit heavier at the bottom just to keep it upright our feeling was that this unit may have taken that idea a bit far. The good news though is that you’ll have a hard time knocking this baby over.
Conclusion
With LG you expect quality and dependability and that’s what you get with the LP1014WNR. It’s strong enough to use in just about any room in your home and its leading edge engineering means it won’t pile on the dollars to your electric bill.
