EdgeStar Ultra Compact Portable AC Review

Last Updated February 5, 2018
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Vital Statistics

  • Fully programmable out to 24 hours.
  • 8,000 BTU capacity.
  • Uber compact design tops out at 2 feet in height.
  • Features air conditioner and dedicated dehumidifier mode.
  • Effective and affordable.

EdgeStar proves without a doubt that it’s not what you’ve got it’s how you use it. This compact portable air conditioner packs a serious punch that somehow manages to make 8,000 BTUs seem like 10K. The fact that the unit is so short also means that it won’t physically take over your living room or bedroom although you may be less than thrilled with the amount of noise it kicks out.

Pros

  • Truly compact size – A lot of portable air conditioners claim to be compact. This one actually is. To make up for the internal space they’ve lost by making it shorter they’ve made the unit a bit wider than some of its competitors but we can live with that just fine. It’s also fairly light at right around 60 pounds so you don’t have to be the Hulk to get it from room to room. Wheels are discretely placed as well as being nice and quiet.
  • Dehumidifier mode – For a unit this small at this affordable price point we really don’t expect extras but the EdgeStar delivers one anyway in the form of the optional dehumidifier mode. While the dehumidifier here won’t set any records it will remove up to 50 pints of water a day from the air and that is nothing to sneeze at.
  • Programmability – Another feature we don’t necessarily expect in an affordable unit is full 24 hour programmability. But we get it here. Set the unit up to come on just before you get home and your cool, dry room will be waiting for you to arrive. Again, not a revolutionary feature but a nice one to have on such an affordable appliance.

Cons

  • Expectations – The unit may in some ways be a victim of its own success in that it does such a great job if you operate it within its intended parameters that you may expect that it will also cool your expansive living room or the large rec room in the basement. It won’t. Confine it to the 200 or so square foot rooms it’s intended to cool and you’ll be more than satisfied.