Koldfront WAC12001W 12,000 BTU Window Air Conditioner
Greetings ladies and gentlemen and welcome to RefrigerantHQ! Today we will be doing another one of our product reviews. Over the past few weeks our sole focus has been on everything window air conditioners and I can assure you that today is no different.
The featured product for today is Koldfront’s WAC12001W 12,000 BTU Window Air Conditioner.
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 depending on the state. 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. But how do the people who have older homes without central air or people who live in apartments with no air conditioners cope? Well folks their best option is 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 conditioners are the best? Should you get the Koldfront WAC12001W 12,000 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!
KoldFront
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.
The Koldfront name is a brand from the Livingdirect company. (Think of it like how Pepsi owns the Mountain Dew brand name.) Koldfront was originally founded back in 1999 by Rick Lundbom. While that may not sound like a lot of years of experience Rick and his company have made it their mission to provide new and innovative appliances and have not relented over the years.
Think about this for a second: Koldfront is competing with the names out there such as Frigidaire and General Electric. Two gigantic companies that have been around for over one-hundred years but yet Koldfront has thrived and grown since their 1999 beginning. That says a lot about the company right there.
While their brand name can be found on portable dishwashers, wine coolers, and other appliances their main focus and drive are window, wall, and portable air conditioners.
With a Koldfront air conditioner you can count on three key factors:
- High-quality craftsmanship
- Affordability
- Durability.
Product Features
The Koldfront WAC12001W is rated at 12,000 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 12,000 BTUs is rated to cool around five-hundred and fifty square feet. That could be the size of a large master bedroom, a living room, or a small apartment.
The Koldfront WAC12001W comes with a two-hundred and twenty volt outlet. Please, please, please be aware of this! If you have a two-hundred and twenty volt outlet you have in mind then it is no big deal but I have seen so many homeowners buy one of these units only to realize that they only have one-hundred and fifteen volt outlets available.
This window air conditioner will fit windows between twenty-six 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 sixteen and a half inches. Please be sure to measure your window before purchasing so you don’t accidentally buy the wrong sized product. It also comes with side curtains and insulation strips to prevent any leaks or air from coming in from outside. It does not come with an outside mounting bracket that I could find. I would recommend purchasing an extra support bracket just in case. This unit weighs in at eighty-eight pounds and I would hate to have it fall out your window and damage or ruin the unit.
This unit uses the HFC R-410A for it’s refrigerant. This is a VERY common refrigerant that is found in most offices and homes across the country. If you do need a repair down the road you don’t have to worry about finding or paying an arm and a leg for a refrigerant refill.
The WAC12001W comes with a 11,000 BTU heater as well as the 12,000 BTU window air conditioner. This is a big deal as you are getting a unit that will keep your room cooled year round and not just in the summer. (Please note that this heater has lower BTUs then the air conditioning side and will not heat as large of a space as it cools.) Along with the heater you also get an energy saver mode, fan speed control, and a twenty-four hour timer.
Pros
The most satisfying part about this Koldfront unit is the price point. As I write this the price on Amazon is in the four-hundred dollar range. (Prices are subject to change at any time.) That is quite the bargain especially when you look at other 12,000 BTU units on the marketplace today. Remember folks that you also get that 11,000 BTU electric heater along with your air conditioner. That’s quite the bargain!
The WAC12001W comes with basic settings such as sleep mode, twenty four hour on/off timer, a remote control that comes with two triple a batteries, varying fan speeds, and cool/energy saver/fan only cooling modes. While most of these modes and options are pretty standard I am going to point again to the price point on this unit. For a 12,000 BTU with these features at this price you are saving a lot of money while getting all the standard features.
The last Pro I’ll mention on this Koldfront unit is that it comes with a two year manufacturer warranty. This is a great insurance policy if for whatever reason your new unit doesn’t last the year. There are always outliers out there and having this warranty to back you up ensures you that your investment is protected. (Also, for those of you who do not know this is a full extra year when comparing to Frigidaire’s one year warranty.)
Cons
As far as the Cons on this Koldfront 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 12,000 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 five-hundred and fifty square foot room. If your room is bigger or smaller than that then you should look at getting a different sized BTU unit. If you are unsure of what size 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 moreso 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 Koldfront’s website under their two year warranty.
- 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 WAC12001W is in your bedroom.
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. In order to meet Energy Star certification the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) on a unit should be at 10.0 or higher. The WAC12001W is NOT Energy Star Certified with the EPA. I’m not sure why that is since it is a full 0.9 EER above the threshold but I figured I would let you know anyways.
Conclusion
Overall I would say that if you are looking for a new window unit that will cool your living room, master bedroom, or small apartment then this would be a great fit 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 or too small for this unit then I would recommend checking out our official RefrigerantHQ Window Air Conditioner Buyer’s Guide.