REASONS TO BUY
Good directional vent range of motion
Features dehumidifier and ionizer capability
REASONS TO AVOID
Single-hose design
Less energy efficient
Very heavy
Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 Review
This portable AC uses a lot of power and is hard to lug around, but it does feature nice ionizing and dehumidifying modes
Credit: Brian Walker
Our Verdict
Although we appreciate its extra features, like an air purifying ionizer and a dehumidifying mode, the Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 failed to impress us when pitted against the competition. For starters, it's very heavy and cumbersome to move around for a portable air conditioner, and the initial setup process was one of the most frustrating of all the ACs tested. To make matters worse, the FHPH142AC1 was one of the least energy-efficient of the bunch. We recommend looking into other top-ranked portable air conditioners.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | |||
| Price | $549 List | $633 List $573.99 at Amazon | Check Price at Amazon | $339 List $239.99 at Amazon | $300 List $298.07 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This heavy, power-hungry, portable air conditioner performed poorly for its high price | This powerful portable air conditioner has more cooling capability and innovative features than any other to help you beat the summer heat | This portable AC is easy to install and even easier on the budget | This portable AC is a breeze to set up and take down and demonstrates excellent energy efficiency, but it's loud and underperforms in cooling | This portable air conditioner is easy to cart or carry around and set up; just don't expect tons of cooling power |
| Rating Categories | Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 | Whynter ARC-1230WN | SereneLife SLPAC10 | Midea MAP08R1CWT | SereneLife SLPAC8 |
| Cooling (35%) | |||||
| Energy Consumption (15%) | |||||
| Noise (20%) | |||||
| Portability / Install (25%) | |||||
| Convenience (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 | Whynter ARC-1230WN | SereneLife SLPAC10 | Midea MAP08R1CWT | SereneLife SLPAC8 |
| Manufacturer Recommended Cooling Area | Up to 700 sq ft | Up to 600 sq ft | Up to 450 sq ft | Up to 350 sq ft | Up to 350 sq ft |
| Single or Dual Hose | Single | Dual | Single | Single | Single |
| Wi-Fi / App Enabled | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Modes (fan speeds) | - Cold (1-3 + Auto)
|
- Cold (1-3 + Auto)
|
- Cold (1-3)
|
- Cold (Auto)
|
- Cool (Low, High)
|
| Energy Star Certified | No | No | No | No | No |
| BTU | 14000 BTU (ASHRAE) 10000 BTU (DOE) |
14000 BTU (ASHRAE) 12000 BTU (DOE) |
10000 BTU (ASHRAE) 6000 BTU (DOE) |
8000 BTU (ASHRAE) 5300 BTU (DOE) |
8000 BTU (ASHRAE) 4000 BTU (DOE) |
| 24-Hour On/Off Timer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Control Type | Button | Button | Button | Button | Button |
| Remote Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Washable Dust Filter | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Manufacturer Window Width Minimum | 26.6" | 26.7" | 26.7" | 19.4" | 26.7" * |
| Manufacturer Window Width Maximum | 52.5" | 49" | 50.1" * | 62.2" | 50.1" * |
| Measured Window Kit Width | 5" | 9.8" | 4" | 6.5" | 4" |
| Refrigerant Type | R32 | R32 | R410a | R32 | R410a |
| Child Lock | No | Yes, for the remote only | No | No | No |
| Manufacturer Dehumidify/Moisture removal | 5.1 pt/hr | 87 pt/day | 3.1 pt/hr | Not Specified | 2.5 pt/hr |
| Measured Weight | 80 lbs 5 oz | 75 lbs 1 oz | 52 lbs 4 oz | 50 lbs 14 oz | 44 lbs 3 oz |
| CEER | 7.6 | 12.3 | 6.6 | 6.5 | 5.7 |
| Estimated Summer Cost | $244.04 | $216.15 | $167.34 | $132.48 | $125.50 |
| Average dBa Reading on High | 58.6 | 58.4 | 61 | 60.2 | 63.7 |
| Difference of averaged temps | 7.6 | 11.9 | 6.3 | 5.4 | 4.9 |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 shines in a select few areas. It has a great range of motion from its air vents and useful convenience capabilities like an air purifying ionizer, a dehumidifying mode, and an above-average timer program.
Performance Comparison
The Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 is all set up for an hour of extensive testing.
Credit: Brian Walker
Cooling
The Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 didn't do well here, especially for a larger 14,000 BTU unit. At 83.3 degrees Fahrenheit, we turned on the FHPH142AC1 and ran it on its highest settings for an hour. After the 60 minutes were up, we checked the air temp, which dropped to 75.65 degrees Fahrenheit — a 7.6 degree drop.
The Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 features an auto-swing vent louver to evenly distribute air throughout the room.
Credit: Brian Walker
Portability/Install
Tipping the scale at over 80 pounds, this unit is a real pain to lug around, especially if you need to lift it upstairs. Because it's a tall unit, with the handles placed way up high, it is tough to get into a good position to carry. However, we appreciated the adequate depth of the handles compared to shallower ones on other units; we just wish they were positioned lower.
Not only is the Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 hard to lift, but it's also a bit unwieldy to push around. It rolls well on hard floors, but you must be careful not to let it get off balance into a tipping/walking motion. It also goes fine on short-pile carpet, but there will be lots of rolling resistance if you try to move it around on a medium to long-pile carpet.
The window kit, after a lengthy fitting process.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Initial installation of the Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 window kit is one of the least straightforward processes of the units tested and takes around 20-25 minutes. We found the instructions a bit out of order and unclear at times, but we figured everything out in the end and got our hose and window interface panel up and running.
All components needed to install the Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 window kit.
Credit: Austin Palmer
However, the Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 does redeem itself with slightly above-average breakdown and storage characteristics. The hose easily disconnects from the unit's chassis with a twist, and the window kit is removed by pushing two clips. There are a couple of nails you may need to unscrew, but they are easy to access. The onboard storage of components is limited to a place to wrap up the power cord, so you'll need to carry and store the hose and window kit separately.
Noise
The Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 performed near the average for noise among the portable ACs we tested. We evaluated this metric using an SPL meter to measure decibels and used our ears for subjective listening.
The Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 being measured for decibels, four feet from an SPL meter.
Credit: Brian Walker
The Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 produced 58.6 dBa running four feet from the SPL meter with the fan on high. We noticed a pretty loud hum coming from the compressor on this one, and the fan on high was fairly loud, too, placing the FHPH142AC1 near the middle of the pack.
Energy Consumption
Our energy metric measures power consumption. The powerful 10000 BTU Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 was one of the most power-hungry portable ACs in the review, scoring below average in this metric.
We used a watt meter to measure power consumption over 60 minutes with the AC on high.
Credit: Brian Walker
The Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 consumed 1.4 kWh in one hour. Over a 90-day period with 12 hours of use per day, it's projected to consume 1512 kWh and approximately $244.04 in electricity costs.
Convenience
The Frigidaire FHPH142AC1* was well above average in this metric. The vents are adjustable up and down with a decent range of motion, and there is also the welcome option to turn on the "swing" function to have the unit automatically operate the vents to distribute the cool air through the room more evenly. Some other things we appreciated about the Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 were its modes. It has a greater variety than most other units, including Dry and Heat modes. Temperature and settings are easy to read on the green-illuminated display screen, and we liked the way the timer and child locks were implemented on this unit.
The Frigidaire managed to drop the temperature by 7.6 degrees in our hour-long test.
Credit: Austin Palmer
Should You Buy the Frigidaire FHPH142AC1?
We don't recommend the Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 for most people. Unless you are specifically keen on its dehumidifying or ionizing capabilities, it can't compete with the top units in this segment, especially at its higher price point and considering the increased cost of operating it over time due to its heavier power consumption.
Frigidaire FHPH142AC1 a is a high performer with extra features and nice-to-haves but is also expensive and heavy.
Credit: Brian Walker
What Other Portable Air Conditioner Should You Consider?
If you're looking for tons of features and excellent cooling power, you can't go wrong with the powerful Whynter ARC-1230WN. If you don't need to bring the arctic air to your small space, check out the budget-friendly SereneLife SLPAC10 SLPAC for its high portability and easy setup.
—
Austin Palmer and Adam Stout
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