DeLonghi Pacan Portable Air Conditioner Review

Vital Statistics

• 14,000 BTUs of portable cooling power you can bring to bear on any large, hot room.
• Simultaneous cooling and dehumidifying for optimal comfort.
• Able to effectively cool a 500 square foot room.
• Auto-evaporative capability eliminates the need to constantly empty the pan.
• Fully programmable up to 24 hours.

The DeLonghi Pacan is a high end portable air conditioner/dehumidifier that’s perfect for homes with larger kitchens and living spaces. Its audacious 14,000 BTUs of cooling power makes short work of hot, sticky rooms and its auto-evaporative capability means no more having to check back every half hour to see if the pan needs emptying. Just plug the unit in, hook the vent hose up to the nearest window and go about your business.

Pros

• Simultaneous operation – With most portable air conditioners (best of guide here) you have to choose between cooling and dehumidifying modes. Not with the DeLonghi Pacan. This is one of the few such units that allows you to run both operations simultaneously which hastens the cooling process. That is a major plus when you’re trying to turn a sweltering, damp room into someplace comfortable before your guests arrive. The convenience of this simultaneous operability extends to the fact that you don’t have to continually empty pans full of water, so you can just relax and enjoy your company.

• 14,000 BTUs of cooling power – You have to list this because it’s the most important reason for choosing the DeLonghi Pacan over other portable air conditioners. The Pacan joins a growing list of 14,000 BTU portable ACs aimed squarely at the contemporary domestic market where living spaces are often considerably larger than they were in our parent’s day. The company states that the Pacan will cool up to 500 square feet but we’d gamble that it could easily handle another 100 square feet without a problem.

• Looks – On first viewing the Pacan you may think it resembles little more than the world’s largest electric shaver. However, after living with the unit for only a short while the design actually tends to grow on you (at least it did on us). It’s big without being bulky and powerful without looking muscular. Maybe those electric razor designers are on to something…

Cons

• Price – At nearly $800 this is one of the most expensive portable air conditioners we’ve reviewed. Is it worth the financial stretch? Well, that’s up to you. But we can see how the extra cost can be justified considering how well built the unit is and the fact that it allows you to run both cooling and dehumidification modes at the same time. Still, there are other more affordable 14,000 BTU units out there that will also keep your large kitchen or living room nice and cool. So if $800 is outside your budgetary limits you can always look into one of them.