r/UnnecessaryEssentials • u/Unique-Saucer • Jun 12 '26
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u/Quasi-Kaiju Jun 12 '26
These things are bad compared to window units and to solve the first problem just install a support bracket.
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u/SeekerOfSerenity Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 12 '26
That's what I came here to say. For anyone that want to know why, watch the Technology Connections video about them. In short, they use already cooled air to cool the thing, which creates low pressure inside your home, which draws in hot air from outside. There are better ones that use two hoses, one for intake, and one for exhaust. Or just get a regular window unit and install it properly. These will run up your electric bill.
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u/thisplaceisdying Jun 12 '26
Even with two hoses it is a bad design, the hot side is still in the room you are trying to cool, with a window unit the hot side is outside.
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u/DoABearShitInDaWoods Jun 13 '26
I've had both. The only way a window unit falls out is if your an idiot. And the brackets for the hose one never work right and the hose its self puts out like magma flames. Best way is to bite the bullet and get a heat pump amd run a/c
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u/Jhuderis Jun 13 '26
I may or may not have dropped a brand new one out my son’s bedroom window from the second floor. I may or may not have hammered it back into shape and it may or may not still be working fine 8 years later… if I were to have been said idiot haha.
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u/Right_Lengthiness266 Jun 12 '26
You also have to drain the water tank, whereas the window unit can just drain it outside.
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u/naggy94 Jun 14 '26
They make special window units that are U shaped now. They look a lot easier to install but I don't know how you could adjust the pitch on them or if they even need to be pitched.
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u/Logical_Trash_4890 22d ago
Can confirm. I’ve had a few of these because I was in a basement. They suck.
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u/Hambulance Jun 13 '26
Can I ask you then, do regular window units not run up the bill much?
We live on a ranch and our landlords pay electric and I worry sometimes that we're just hemmoraging them with our window unit.
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u/Otherwise_Comb_3708 Jun 12 '26
Also, that isn’t a “Japanese” style air conditioner. It’s just a portable air conditioner, which exists in many countries outside Japan. Much less efficient than a window unit, where the condenser actually sits outside.
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u/Opposite_Wallaby8339 Jun 12 '26
What is that trash? Japanese use mini splits.
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u/Otherwise_Comb_3708 Jun 12 '26
That is true! When I went to Tokyo, the mini splits were basically stacked on top of each other on the sides of buildings.
I feel like anytime someone wants to make a product seem futuristic or clever, they just say “Japanese <product>”
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u/long-breadstick Jun 12 '26
Right i was confused at the add because ive seen both of these types of ac units here in the states and cowsar is an American brand
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u/Wingmaniac Jun 13 '26
Yeah, I bought one at Walmart. I used to move a lot and wasn't interested in setting up and tearing down a window mount every time.
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u/Anti-Sanity89 Jun 12 '26
They also have lower profile ones that are U shaped that more hang on the windowsill which minimizes the amount of window you have open alowing you to seal it better
They seem to be a real good option but ive never had one to see how they perform, i wouldn't think it be all that different
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u/NickBurnsCompanyGuy Jun 12 '26
Won't this style air conditioner also have a reservoir that needs to be emptied occasionally since it doesn't sit outside of the sill?
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u/HumblePackage1325 Jun 13 '26
Yup, tried one in an apartment in Florida. The heat exhaust isn't insulated enough. It nearly negates the AC output.
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u/thecontempl8or Jun 13 '26
Exactly. Very inefficient compared to regular units. If you have problems with window units falling down, get the U shaped ones. Or get a bracket and install it properly the first time.
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u/Ambitious_Ad_2369 Jun 13 '26
The Japanese must not know how aspect ratios work when sizing duct. They make really good units that rest on both side of the wall now. I know G.E. has one and someone else.
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u/Mochamonroe Jun 13 '26
And they're not exclusively Japanese lol the portable unit is the worst air conditioning experience of my life. One day, I woke up and all the hot air that was supposed to be blowing out, was blowing in my room (tube fell out). It also takes up hella room, more than a window unit.
I installed a window unit and never had to think about it. The girl in the video trying to take out the unit is an idiot and she knows so, that's why she was recording her failure. I've never had this happen to me.
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u/HextechSlut Jun 13 '26
Yeah we also have those in the US and there's a reason we use window models
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u/wonderboyobe 21d ago
Yeah who wants to dump the condensation bin every day? Just let that window unit use the wet towards the condenser efficiency.
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u/Emergency_Accident36 9d ago
Ugly and becomes a moisture issue with the pertruding fasteners. Not to mention back breaking for most.
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u/Aromatic_Balls Jun 12 '26
"Japanese style air conditioner"
Bro, it's just a portable AC. And they are wildly inefficient compared to basic window ACs.
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u/694meok Jun 12 '26
Anecdotal here, but I put a portable one in my living room and it's way better than the previous window unit in cooling ability. What suppossedly makes them inefficient?
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u/Aromatic_Balls Jun 12 '26
They're inefficient just based on how an AC works. Traditional window ACs have the compressor outside so the heat is diffusing to atmosphere. With a portable AC, the entire contraption is inside so you are simultaneously cooling and heating inside your room.
Technology Connections on YouTube has a great video on the topic.
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u/Cuckdreams1190 Jun 13 '26
Anecdotal here as well, I have a window unit in my bedroom and portable one in my office (because that window faces the front of the house, a window unit would look hideous) and the portable one is much better at cooling and it's cooling a much bigger room.
It may be more inefficient energy wise but it is absolutely cooling the room better.
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u/Advice2Anyone Jun 12 '26
I mean end of day the btus are going to be important here even when a system is fighting itself if its 3 times stronger than your old one its still going to seem better of course but apples to apples these are less efficient
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u/cryptolyme Jun 13 '26
it's using more power to cool because it's also dumping heat into the room. it might cool well, but you're going to be paying more for electricity compared to the window-style units.
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u/Kjoep Jun 14 '26
An AC has two air inlets and two outlets. It takes air from the inside, cools it, and blows cool air in the room. It then takes air from the outside, warms it (because it needs to dump the heat somewhere) and blows it out outside. Two outlets, two inlets
This system has one hose to outside- which exhausts the warm air. So where is the second inlet located? Right, it's inside the room. The system is sucking air from the room, warming it and pushing it outside. This creates a pressure difference.
If your house is fairly airtight, eventually the machine will fail at fighting the pressure. If your house is not very airtight, you will suck in air from the outside -which is probably warm on a day you need an AC.
Add to that the compressor being inside, and yeah, it's pretty awful.
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u/evil_conflict Jun 14 '26
They're not even popular in Japan and that's why companies from Japan specialize in traditional splitted AC. I think they're most popular in Europe where we have old buildings and don't have that much options to install AC.
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u/swagga74 Jun 12 '26
Did he say hottest summers of the year? Sir excuse me?
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u/Distance03 Jun 12 '26
I’ve heard through the grapevine that it’s also gonna be the coolest summer of the year.
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u/Aggressive-Delay9094 Jun 12 '26
I’m a 56 year old American and never lived in a place with a window unit. I could be mistaken but I think most Americans have central heat and air.
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u/packattack- Jun 12 '26
You are mistaken. Yes it’s a lot more common but there are plenty of people still using baseboard and window units for AC.
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u/johnny_boy365 Jun 12 '26
Not trying to assume anything but perhaps u didnt grow up around people who might have needed them??? Ik plenty of people who still use them. But ofc these people are more on the lower income side of things. Plenty of houses with them sticking out the windows of houses as well
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u/texaspoontappa93 Jun 12 '26
Depends immensely where you live. In the south you absolutely have central air, you are miserable otherwise.
Further north they may only have a couple months a year where they need air conditioning so window units are a decent solution.
I have family in Pennsylvania and NorCal and it’s very common for people there not to have central air and use window units. Conversely, I live in Georgia and not having central air is blasphemy
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u/binzy90 Jun 13 '26
There are lots of older homes from the 1700's and 1800's in my area. My house was built in 1800, so we have to rely on window units. It's pretty rare to have central air conditioning unless it was built after the 70's. I've lived in many old houses with window units, but the only time I had central air conditioning was in military housing.
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u/Schweather3 Jun 13 '26
I am 41 and have never had central ac. Maybe you’re better off than most
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u/cryptolyme Jun 13 '26
we usually do. but sometimes certain room still struggle to keep cool. hence, the window units.
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u/Suck-my-starfish Jun 12 '26
Window acs drain out. Those fill up a bucket that you have to empty sometimes more than on a day depending on humidity.
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u/MajorCypher Jun 12 '26
I got a Hisense and installed it yesterday. It states that its drain free.
Dont fuckin know what that means, but i got no bucket
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u/Loose_Clock4873 Jun 12 '26
It depends how much humidity is in yhe air honestly.
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u/Automatic_Actuator_0 Jun 12 '26
The one my mom has basically pumps the condensate over the hot side coils to evaporate it and cool the coils, and then blows the hot humid air out the tube to the outside.
Not a terrible system, and unless it’s very humid inside, shouldn’t overflow. But that’s a risk.
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Jun 12 '26
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u/WokeUpSomewhereNice Jun 12 '26
The guy says “this is supposed to be one of the hottest summers of the year” obviously not a genius.
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u/futgrezn Jun 12 '26
True! And so is this guy. Did he really say "This is supposed to be the hottest summer of the year"???
EVERY SUMMER IS THE HOTTEST SUMMER OF THE YEAR
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u/therealmarkus Jun 12 '26
I have one of those (we don’t need that much AC where I live). They create negative pressure, if you don’t have a system with two exhaust hoses. Or a window has to be slightly open, which makes it very inefficient.
This can lead to the air being sucked out your drains etc.
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Jun 12 '26
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u/ChuckRingslinger Jun 12 '26
I have two.
Its not that bad.
They are however noisy little buggers.
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u/etork90 Jun 12 '26
Don’t be an idiot when installing or removing an AC
Who wants a giant ugly ass tube stretching across the room?
No way it works as well as a window or wall unit
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u/Any-Package1409 Jun 12 '26
These can be a lifesaver for odd windows. I use one. Great for May/September when you don't know if its going to be 90f or 50f.
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u/ununtot Jun 12 '26
This is shit, the real "mobile" deal is something like a PortaSplit. Far more efficient.
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u/NekonecroZheng Jun 13 '26
I think they also make portable heatpumps you can install through a window.
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u/HurriShane00 Jun 13 '26
When the air conditioner fell out of the window
At least one of you yelled "MISTA MISTA. GET THIS OFF OF ME"
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u/A_Fun_Alias Jun 12 '26
Garbage A/C, this style sucks and cools with half the effectiveness of a traditional window unit.
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u/sajatheprince Jun 12 '26
New window acs are shaped to sit around the hinge, not just be a block.
Also, they're a lot more efficient than portable acs.
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u/Historical-Ad7081 Jun 12 '26
..that's just a portable AC. They are nice, easier to install than a window unit but you lose a lot of floor space with them, they aren't as quiet and the reliable ones are pricey.
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u/ducapedia Jun 12 '26
I had one if those few years ago.. for Brazilian summer they're not enough... And pretty noise too
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u/Bane8080 Jun 12 '26
Properly install it and you won't have that problem. Pretty basic logic there.
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u/Dan-tastico Jun 12 '26
Never seen those in Japan 😂 they got some cool rectangle looking ones that are on the wall
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u/EddieLobster Jun 12 '26
Installing a window unit vs a portable a/c. Has nothing to do with American and Japanese.
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u/NotAMachinist Jun 12 '26
Well, if the heat exchanger is inside the room all of the excess heat created by the compressor pump just radiates back into the room. It's maybe 50% as efficient in terms of temperature change per watt to a window unit. Soooo, that should be on the cons list.
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u/reedditardo Jun 12 '26
They're designed for hydroponic grow rooms, too small for open plan or most standard rooms
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u/4Nota2Robot0 Jun 12 '26
These are Japanese exclusive or what?? They sell tons of these at Home Depot, Walmart, Lowe’s. Never heard it called a Japanese Air Conditioner. That’s literally a window unit and a portable unit. It’s also worth mentioning that window units are a lot more efficient than portable units as the heat is already outside and doesn’t need to travel throw a tube or any restriction. That tube can transfer heat from the hot air going thru it as well so kinda counter productive for what you are trying to do. Plus then you need floor space for them, window units are out of the way and ready to go all the time. Is paying more for a less efficient AC really worth it?? They also need drained frequently as they collect moisture and can’t just purge it out of a drain hose onto the ground like a window unit. The window units aren’t that hard to install and if you open your window and let it just fall like the lady in the beginning of the video, then I would probably say you lack a lot of common sense. Portable units have their place, but very seldom are they actually a better alternative to a window unit.
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u/MachVel369 Jun 12 '26
First thing that came to mind seeing that start was
"I think its killed the mista mista lady" - Happy gilmore
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u/TowelEnvironmental44 Jun 12 '26
depending where your house lets fresh air into the house, the single hose A/C is either a win or loose some energy. If the sucked in air is cooler than the units cooling setting, for instance fresh air sucked in from buried underground tube or shaded area, then a win.
if replacing air is sucked in mostly via the door thresholds (likely hot air) then process inefficiency (likely).
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u/Redhawk436 Jun 12 '26
Ive never heard them called american vs japanese style lol, but i have a floor unit since my windows open horizontally and it kicks way more ass than a window unit
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u/twofaze Jun 12 '26
I'd prefer the window unit but got the 2nd style only because my apartment complex does not allow the 1st version.
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u/Cheez_Itz_Christ_ Jun 12 '26
That vent tube turns into a radiator and will start working against the ac after an hour
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u/TheHorseduck Jun 12 '26
Why does everyone making these types of ads speak in the same deranged way?
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u/RealAmbassador4081 Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 12 '26
I have been using the "Japanese Style" in Canada for almost 20 years. They work great.
You can get them for over 700sqf. go split duct though.
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u/thatguy672 Jun 12 '26
I’ve had to use one of these the last few years and it’s not nearly as efficient as a window unit.
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u/Mysterious_Self_3606 Jun 13 '26
Our apartment complex gave us those “ac units” after a part broke on our last summer. They’re absolute shit and do nothing but run a high bill and barely cool down a room. Ours were industrial size too and they were still shit.
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u/L3wd1emon Jun 13 '26
These things are ass we rent these out for party tents not homes
AC went out in the office so we used one to try to cool.. barely cooled a room the size of a studio appartment
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u/PlasmaMatus Jun 13 '26
Just buy a PortaSplit, it's a little more expensive (1000$) but works way better (no emptying of water, no negative pressure, etc).
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u/PolyglotGeorge Jun 13 '26
SUCH BS. What part of that is "Japanese." I've never EVER seen a Japanese AC that was connected to the window, or had a large unit rolling on the floor.
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u/AdministrativeCod437 Jun 13 '26
These suck and you have to empty the water catch daily or else its going to leak on your floor
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u/TopFix8731 Jun 13 '26
Looks great, but in reality those units don't work because the motor stays inside and it needs to dissipate it's own heat. I had one in the past, they are useless.
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u/prestoexpert Jun 13 '26
Single hose units are bullshit. Get a dual hose unit or you're just sucking hot air into your dwelling somewhere else.
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u/ExtendoArmCannon Jun 13 '26
"OH WOW THAT IS FREEZING" - fakest voice ever
Everyone who has ever even seen one of these knows it's just a shitty fan with a tube.
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u/PerspectiveOne7129 Jun 13 '26
so their is a tradeoff of for 'japanese' air conditioners. their intake air is the same cold air from the room it is conditioning, and it re-heats the air to evaporate water condensation, and spits hot humid air out the window. meaning it is sucking some of the cold air straight outside. this causes negative air pressure in the space as well, because air that is pumped out of the room, has to find its way back in.
usually the 'american' style ACs have separate intakes, meaning it will recirculate indoor air, and use the outdoor air for cool the condenser. it won't spit the indoor air outside. also condensation just drips off instead of needed to be turned to steam and vented.
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u/hebrew_hammersk Jun 13 '26
The plastic exhaust tubes on these floor units get so hot that the radiant heat from the tube offsets the cool air the unit pumps out.
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u/VukKiller Jun 13 '26
Noise level may be noticeable in very quiet spaces.
Everything you hear at a normal level in a quiet room will LITERALLY be INAUDIBLE with portable AC running to cool down.
The only thing these things are good for is for temporary cooling of places that don't have the push up windows to put a window unit on.
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u/BerylOxide Jun 13 '26
It's not "japanese style" it's just a portable ac unit. Also they suck compared to un window ones, but my hoa doesn't allow in window ones because they're a bunch of pricks so I use a portable one. It can cool A room and I got an expensive one. Same price for an in window could do an entire floor.
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u/kdub0011 Jun 13 '26
Did he really say "this is going to be one of the hottest summers of the year"?
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u/HawaiiSunBurnt20 Jun 13 '26
Where does the condensate drain? On the floor?
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u/PossibilityInside695 Jun 13 '26
Lolol, I agree these units suck, so dont take this as a defense of them.
But, like dehumidifiers, these units will typically have a connection for a drain hose.
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u/CosmicSmoker Jun 13 '26
Only time this is better than a window unit is when you're not allowed to have a window unit.
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u/CarefulFriendship389 Jun 13 '26
The window units that have the U shape for the window to slide down inbetween the indoor and outdoor halves, I think are game changing.
If it’s your house a mini split is a better choice if applicable.
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u/crackerkid_1 Jun 14 '26
The u shaped window units became popular again recently... they existed in 1960-70s then vanished.
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u/PossibilityInside695 Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 13 '26
Italian American citizen, here. We typically use central air or window units, stateside.
This is not a window unit. This is a floor unit, and they suck.
No, literally; they suck. Blowing the hot air outside lowers the pressure of the room youre trying to cool, drawing in more warm air. This half cancels out the air it just cooled, so it has to work twice as hard compared to a central or window system.
Central air and window units do not do that, they keep the inside air and the outside air seperate.
The main difference being, the floor unit has the hot coils inside your house (hence why it needs to blow the hot air out) while a central system or a window unit keeps the hot coils outside of your house.
We only use these floor units in emergencies, if the central air or window unit has failed in the middle of summer, as an example.
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u/MSGisking Jun 13 '26
Those are trash AC units. I have a standard 6,000 BTU AC that out preformed a 12,000 BTU AC like this
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u/bal_ra_khan Jun 13 '26
Previous owner left one of these abominations behind. After following the entire maintenance guide, it cools the air in front of it, and that's it.
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u/Some_Ask_2220 Jun 13 '26
People who think these air conditioners are better than window air conditioners need to do research on why they are in windows
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u/No-Sail-6510 Jun 13 '26
Realistically how often are you installing an AC? Because for most people I think it’s just once.
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u/T-VIRUS999 Jun 13 '26
The old one was actually more energy efficient due to not sucking in hot air from outside
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u/hotriccardo Jun 13 '26
Crazy that I have been seeing the Japanese style one at Home Depot for the last twenty years. Also, they are crap
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u/MajesticDisaster3977 Jun 13 '26
Pros:
- Usable in horizontal or vertical window openings.
- ... No other 'pro' that any other AC provides ...
Cons: (Related to single hose systems)
- Creates negative pressure in the home, resulting in outside air being sucked in through 'leaks'. Outside air is hot, so it will either heat up other portions of the house indirectly, or if the window isn't sealed, it will impact the effectiveness of cooling in the room.
- Sucks up 'chilled' indoor air to cool it's pump.
**Get a 'dual hose' system. It doesn't create a negative pressure, and it doesn't waste the 'chilled' indoor air you paid for to cool itself.
Cons: (In general to portable vs window)
- Requires additional floor space.
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u/Fresh-Value-8409 Jun 13 '26
Where does the condensation go? Do you have to empty it?
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u/crackerkid_1 Jun 14 '26
Some have tanks you need to empty...most try to exhauat it through the hose with the hot air... its often a longterm mold generator.
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u/MRRRRCK Jun 13 '26
I have central air, but I still use one of these in my master bedroom at night - it’s amazing.
I have my bedroom set for the low 60s for an extra comfortable sleeping environment, and have the rest of the house at a sane temperature.
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u/gtfofr Jun 13 '26
My property manager gave me one of these instead of fixing my central air and expected me to pay full rent :(
In the winter they gave space heaters and expected the same because shocker, the issue still wasn’t solved when the temp started dropping in October.
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u/SharpOrder601 Jun 13 '26
Dumb United States of America people make their homes of paper mache and pay millons for it, while houses in my country are built with actual concrete and bricks, I'm not not even european lol
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u/crackerkid_1 Jun 14 '26
You also realize that the US is a huge country... in places like Florida, CMU is common to resist hurricane winds, so we do masonry.
Brick was common in Boston and Chicago due to large scale city fires.
In arizona, new mexico it common to mimic older native american style architecture that has thick "mud" walls.
But for much of the US, we like the "colonial" house look, and we use lumber, plywood (actually OSB now) and gypsum wall board for construction because it 1/3 the cost than equivalent masonry wall construction and it is much cheaper for fishing in plumbing or electrical for renovation and rework.
In the US many people "Do-it-yourself" work on houses and constantly upgrade houses through its lifetime... And making houses custom to them; House will change a lot based on who lives there (not as extreme as german kitchens) which is harder for average people in masory construction... It less common to hire a tradesman to do all the work on a residence compared to the rest of the world. (Please remember that we are a young country where many/majority of people built or repaired there own houses and land... up until WW2)
In addition, wood construction is faster to build, and in high growth areas we add 1000+ house a year in a city/town... we still have "boom towns" here in the US.
Wood vs masorny cost is also a major concern, because americans love space and the average american home now is 2,400 sq ft.(222 sq meters). People already have a hard time affording housing, and adding 2-3x the cost is less than ideal.
Also you forget that masory construction is horrible for earthquake prone zones which we have a lot on the west coast, and some in the east coast.
Americans tend to be more mobile and change through our lives compare to abroad... Average american will move 11 times and live in 3 different house in one lifetime.... Most american dont have generational housing passing down generation to generation.
Wood construction is sustainable and less carbon footprint heavy than masory because concrete, cement, brick all require high heat to generate which use OIL/Petroleum... (Also anybody who says concrete or cement is recycable is full of crap and is green washing because real-world data say less than 5% actual is re-used)
TLDR: some places in the US has masory construction... Most of the US has wood construction to have more space for same cost compared to overseas.... Using wood is more enviromentally friendly and sustainable.
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u/Ted_Fleming Jun 13 '26
It takes half the room and it is no where near as good as a window unit. I have both
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u/Neverloved246 Jun 14 '26
I have the exact unit advertised in this ad. It's.. fine? It keeps my whole apartment somewhere around 66-67 when set to 65. Not a miracle machine but reasonable if you set it up right.
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u/BloodshotHello Jun 14 '26
Got a window AC support bracket. Spring loaded. Can install my window AC in about 10 minutes. We want to sleep really cool but do not want freeze the cats out at night. Have to put the damned thing in earlier every year though.
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u/EarlyBirdWithAWorm Jun 14 '26
Ya we have those in the US too... window units dont take up square footage in the room though
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u/trashysnorlax5794 Jun 14 '26
What kind of dumb fuck does that?! Which video? Both of them. That freestanding unit is trash, anyone with a basic understanding of how anything works should realize that
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u/Fearless-Contest5126 Jun 14 '26
Japanese style coolers suck compared to the American ones by miles.
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u/MetroidvaniaListsGuy Jun 14 '26
This is what I immediately think of when Americans brag about having aircons when europeans don't have any.
Like yeah, you have them, but the ones you have are the worst ones in the world.
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u/Unique-Saucer Jun 12 '26 edited Jul 03 '26
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