hOme 5,000 BTU Window Air Conditioner
Greetings ladies and gentlemen and welcome to RefrigerantHQ! Today we will be taking the time to do another one of our product reviews. Over the past few weeks and months one of our main focuses has been on anything and everything to do with window air conditioners. Today is no different. Our goal here is to become the resident expert on everything to do with window air conditioners.
Today’s featured product is hOme Lab’s 5,000 BTU window air conditioning unit.
Depending on where you are in the country window air conditioners could be an unnecessary tool or it could be a lifesaver. Our climate is so different and varied here in the United States. For me, a Kansas resident, air conditioning is a must. We routinely have summer days that break over one-hundred degrees. On particular bad weeks we may have an entire five to seven day spread of straight one-hundred degrees temperatures. The majority of people cope with this heat by using their traditional split air conditioner system at their home or office. How do these people who have older homes without central air or people who live in apartments with no air conditioners cope?
Well folks their best option are window air conditioners. They provide a cheaper alternative and an easy installation to allow all of us no matter where you are to enjoy the nice cool air during a hot summer day. But the question now is what window air conditioner is the best?
Should you get the hOme Labs 5,000 BTU unit? Or, should you be looking at a different product? A different size? Or even a different brand? Well folks, let’s dive in and find out exactly what you need!
hOme Labs
Now before I get into the actual details, Pros, and Cons of a product I always like to take some time and look at the company behind the product. After all, the manufacturing company can say a lot about the quality of the product. Brand names have power. Don’t believe me? Just ask Coca-Cola or Toyota. These names mean something to people when they hear them. While a window air conditioner bran d may not mean anything to you I can assure you that the same differences can apply.
Well folks, I looked and looked trying to find information about the company that makes this air conditioner. Here is what I did find. The product comes from a company named hOmeLabs.
I was not able to find an about us, a Wikipedia page, or any historical information about the company.
Here is what I did find. They are an appliance company head quartered out of New York. It is a relatively small company of two-hundred people and it was founded only a few years ago in 2016. Their mission is to use the latest computer technology to make the most advanced appliances out there rather they be microwaves, toasters, humidifies, window units, and even crock pots.
Product Features
The hOme unit is rated at 5,000 BTUs. BTUs are the traditional measurement unit of heat. In the air conditioning world BTUs are a measurement of the cooling capacity of your window air conditioner. The bigger the number of BTUs the more powerful and the higher cooling capacity of your A/C unit. As a standard measurement an air conditioner needs around thirty BTUs for each square foot of living space that you wish to cool. In this case 5,000 BTUs is rated to cool around one-hundred and fifty square feet. That could be the size of a standard bedroom, a small office, or a small studio apartment.
This unit comes with a one-hundred and fifteen volt plug in. While this may seem like an odd thing to mention it is worth noting that larger BTU window units make as witch over to a two-hundred and twenty volt outlet. These types of outlets are the ones you find in your home for your oven or your dryer. With this one-hundred and fifteen volt outlet you are good to plug it in in any room without worry. Also, the cord on this unit extends to six feet so that you should have enough space to reach the nearest outlet. Please be aware that it is not recommended to use an extension cord with this air conditioner.
This window air conditioner will fit windows between twenty-three inches up to thirty-six inches in width. While the height doesn’t really matter as most windows are taller than the air conditioner this unit comes in at thirteen inches. Please be sure to measure your window before purchasing so you don’t accidentally buy the wrong sized product.
The hOme unit comes with two turn dial knobs. The first is to control the temperature setting and the other knob is to control the fan speed. (Remember, that an air conditioner also needs to be able to blow that cold air into the room.) This unit does not come with a digital display and you cannot set your desired temperature, instead you turn the dial from either high, medium, or low cool settings.
Lastly, this unit comes with what’s called an air conditioner kit. This kit includes everything you will need to get the unit installed, mounted, and secure. Included in the kit are a filter, support bracket, side panel leaf covers, and window sealing foam. All you need to install this unit is a tape measure, screwdriver, and a level. Everything else is in the kit.
Pros
The most satisfying part about this hOme unit is the price point. As I write this the price on Amazon is under the two-hundred dollar range. (Prices are subject to change at any time.) That is quite the bargain especially when you look at other 5,000 BTU units on the marketplace today. Seriously folks, this is a hell of a deal for a high quality window air conditioner. Most of the time you’re going to be paying over two-hundred dollars.
Something else to take into consideration when it comes to air conditioners is if they are Energy Star Certified by the Environmental Protection Agency. When a product is Energy Star Certified it means that that product has met strict energy efficiency guidelines set fort by the US EPA. A Energy Star certified unit will have higher seasonal energy efficiency ratios as well as having improved energy efficiency ratios. The hOme Labs 5,000 BTU unit is Energy Star Certified with the EPA. On top of that it is also rated at 11.1 for it’s Energy Star Efficiency ratio. In order to meet the Energy Star requirements a unit must be rated at 10.0 EER or higher. This unit is at 11.1 and is exceeding expectations. Lastly, this unit’s Energy Guide estimated cost is set at forty-one dollars a year. That’s pretty cheap for a year round window unit.
The last pro I’ll mention on this hOme unit is that it comes with a two year manufacturer warranty and a thirty day money back return policy. This is a great insurance if for whatever reason your new unit doesn’t last the a few seasons. There are always outliers out there and having this warranty to back you up ensures you that your investment is protected. Along with that a two year warranty is practically unheard of when it comes to window units. Most of the time we either see a few months warranty or a one year. hOme Labs stepped up to the plate and offered a two year policy.
Cons
As far as the Cons on this hOme window unit there really aren’t that much to go through. There are few main things that I want to make you aware of before you purchase. A lot of these are ‘bad luck’ type of situations but I would be amiss if I didn’t make you aware:
- This is an 5,000 BTU window air conditioner. I mentioned this above in our product features section but you should be aware that this unit is rated to cool a one-hundred and fifty square foot room. This sized room is your typical bedroom with a walk in closet. You can find the square footage of your room by measure the length and width of the room and then multiplying the numbers together. If your room is bigger than the one-hundred and fifty square foot rating then you should look at getting a larger BTU unit. If you are unsure of what sized unit you need please check out our window air conditioner buyer’s guide which can be found by clicking here.
- When buying things online there is always risk of damage from the transport carrier. This is more so when you are dealing with a machine with a lot of moving parts like an air conditioner. While most people who order this item receive it in fine condition there is still the risk of the unit arriving to your home damaged. If this does happen then I would recommend filing a complaint with Amazon on your order. If you aren’t having any luck in that avenue then you could file a claim on hOme’s website under their two year warranty. You can find their official product page in our ‘Important Links’ section below.
- The last complaint that I have found in my research is that through usage and the passage of time the fan can become loosened and begin rubbing up against other components of the unit. While this isn’t a big deal mechanically it does result in a larger noise when the air conditioner is running. So, if this happens to you you may have a noisy unit to contend with. While this may not matter during the day it may make it difficult to sleep with if the 5,000 BTU hOme unit is in your bedroom.
Conclusion
Overall I would say that if you are looking for a new window unit that will cool your bedroom or very small office space then this is the unit for you. It comes with all of your standard features you would need on an air conditioner as well as coming in at a great low price point. If you would like to purchase or learn more about this unit then please click here to be taken to Amazon’s product page.
If you find that your room is too big for this unit then I would recommend checking out our official RefrigerantHQ Window Air Conditioner Buyer’s Guide by clicking here. There are all sorts of different sized air conditioners that will cover your bedrooms like this 5,000 BTU unit or that can cool an entire floor of your home.