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I am reviewing the Frigidaire FRA086AT7 8,000 BTU Mini Compact Window Air Conditioner. I am giving this AC a good review, but will mention a few things I didn't like about it. All of the complaints are minor, except for one, which was a problem for me, but might not be for you. I'll start with the background information, then list the features, and then list the good points and bad points.
Background Information:
This is a great AC with many features, good looks, digital display, remote control, and it cools the room very well. I'm using it installed in a window for my bedroom. Mine is 8,000 BTUs, but Frigidaire has similar models with different BTUs. It only comes in White. Even though it is described as "Mini Compact," it appears very sturdy and well-made and isn't really that small. Installation was a breeze because the unit weighs only about 50 lbs. It comes with the AC unit, a window installation kit, a nice manual, foam that you can put between the windows, and self-adhesive weatherstripping to cover any openings. All hardware is included. You just need a Phillips screwdriver to install it and a drill if you want to screw the top of the unit into your window. It is Energy-Star Compliant. The warranty is ONE YEAR Full Coverage and FIVE YEARS for the AC compressor.
Features:
* It has a green LED digital display with membrane button controls. You press buttons to control the unit. There are no knobs. Membrane means that all the buttons are covered by hard plastic and you press the label on the plastic that covers the buttons underneath. Each button press emits a beep, but if you hold the temperature/timer button down, it scrolls faster and only beeps once.
* It has buttons for On-Off, Mode, Fan Speed, Temp/Timer Up, Temp/Timer Down, Timer, Sleep, Filter Reset, and Clean Air.
* The Green Digital display shows the Temperature and Timer. Normally, when the unit is on Cool or Econ, it shows the temperature you have set, like a thermostat. However, when the fan only is on, it shows the actual temperature in the room. When you are setting the Timer, it displays the count-down timer.
* It has green LEDs for the 3 modes, the 4 fan speeds, whether the digital display is showing Fahrenheit, Centigrade, or Timer, Timer On, Sleep On, Filter Reset On, Clean Air On, and Remote Sensing On.
* You turn the unit on and off and it remembers your last settings. You press Mode to select from Cool, Econ, or Fan Only. Econ is Economy Mode that cycles the AC compressor on and off, once it reaches the set temperature, to conserve energy.
* Fan Speeds are Low, Med, High, so you have 3 speeds for both the AC and fan. The AC also has Auto Fan, which regulates the fan speed automatically for you. It comes on full blast when you first turn it on, then gradually lowers the fan speed as it reaches your desired temperature.
* The Up and Down buttons are used to set the temperature on the digital display. You can set it from 60 degrees to 90 degrees and display it as either Fahrenheit or Centigrade. These buttons are also used to set the Timer.
* The Timer button allows you to program the unit to either turn on or shut off one time over a 24 hour period.
* The Sleep button raises the temperature you have set by 2 degrees, one half hour after you activate it, and then by another 2 degrees, half an hour later. Then it keeps this temperature for the next 7 hours. It sounds more confusing than it is. Basically, you can activate the Sleep feature when you go to sleep. It assumes an 8-hour sleep cycle. So if you set the temperature for 72 degrees, then an hour after you go to sleep, it will be set for 76 degrees for the next 7 hours, and then go back to 72. The theory is that it you can fall asleep with the temperature you have set, and it can gradually get a bit warmer during the night, without it disturbing you, plus, it will prevent you from becoming too cold.
* Filter Reset has an LED that lights after every 250 hours of use. When it lights, it reminds you to clean the filter. After you clean it, you press the button to turn off the LED and reset it. Then it will remind you after the next 250 hours of use.
* Clean Air is a built-in Air Ionizer and Purifier. If you turn it on, it will automatically remove dust and impurities from the air while either the AC or fan is running.
* It has two separate air vent openings at the top that can be controlled independently.
* The enclosed remote (2 AAA batteries included) has an unlit LCD Display that shows the actual temperature at the remote, presumably that is where you are sitting. You can control everything from the remote, except the Filter Reset and the Clean Air Filter. A red LED blinks when you press a button. You can also turn Remote Sensing on and off from the remote. When it's on, a corresponding LED blinks on the AC unit to show it's activated. Normally, the unit controls the temperature, based on what the temperature is at the AC unit itself. When Remote Sensing is on, the unit then controls the temperature based on what the temperature is where the remote is located.
Good Points:
* Cools fast and extremely well.
* Very quiet.
* 6 foot long, 3-prong power cord, so you probably won't need an extension cord.
* Remembers your last settings, even if the unit is shut down due to a power failure.
* Auto Fan speed is very nice and is similar to digital climate control in a car, plus you have the other 3 manual fan speeds.
* Sleep feature is a nice touch to prevent you from getting too cold while sleeping.
* Reminds you when to clean the filter.
* Air ionizer is a good idea and makes you wonder, why didn't someone think of this before.
* Very attractive looking unit.
* Remote control adds a level of convenience, but it is the temperature display right on the remote that is an added bonus. Plus, having the unit control the temperature right where you are with the remote is very nice.
* Small and easy-to-remove air filter. It slides out from the top.
* Very energy efficient and the increase in my electric bill is much less than with other AC units I have owned.
Bad Points:
* Can't speak French. (Honeymooners' reference.) ;)
* It's slightly annoying that if the AC is on, you have to cycle it to Fan to display the actual temperature in the room, and then set it back to AC. There should have been a separate toggle button that would allow you to view either the temperature you set or the room temperature right on the AC unit itself. There is a temperature display on the remote, but when I am closer to the unit than the remote, I often use the unit to see what the temperature in the room is.
* The vent is always closed. It's the first AC unit that I've owned that strangely doesn't have a Vent Open and Vent Closed control. A number of my other ACs have Vent Open, Vent Closed, and Exhaust controls. It's not that big a deal, but with all of its other features, I wonder why this very basic control was left out.
* When you press a button on the unit, the beeps are very loud.
* For many people, the Timer feature will be a great thing, but I have been spoiled. The Frigidaire unit I am reviewing is replacing a Carrier AC that lasted me 21 years! The Carrier worked perfectly from 1988 until the end of summer 2009 and then it broke. I replaced it with this unit.
The Carrier was ahead of its time and it also had a timer. It was an analog timer, but it allowed you to turn the unit on or off, at hour intervals, as many times as you wanted over a 24 hour period. That might sound like overkill, but I would use it to turn the AC on one hour before I came home from work and then shut off 2 hours later, just in case there was some emergency and I didn't make it home right after work. Normally, I would come home, the room was nice and cool, and then I would turn the timer off. But just in case, I had the peace of mind knowing the AC would shut off in 2 hours, instead of staying on all night, if I didn't make it home.
You can't do that with the Frigidaire. You simply set a countdown timer and when it reaches zero, the unit will turn on, if it is off, or turn off, if it is on. Also, you have to set the timer every time you use it. With the Carrier, you could set the programmed times once, and then just turn the timer on when you wanted to activate it. Again, this is not that big of a deal and many people may not even use the Timer.
* The major drawback for me and the only thing that prevented me from giving the unit a 5-Star Rating was that the air-directional controls are absolutely horrible. I'm talking about the opening at the top of the unit where the air blows out from. I honestly can't understand how such a nice unit could be so deficient in this regard. They really missed the boat on this one.
All the ACs I've had over the years had very similar air-direction controls and they all worked great. Basically, they all had little handles, where you could rotate the vent flaps either left or right. Then there were also up/down flaps, where you could direct the air to blow upward. The bottom line is that you could control the direction of the air flow beautifully.
With the Frigidaire, they advertise it as 8-way air control. If you look at the picture you can see that you can control the left and right vents separately. So the left vent can be controlled left-right-up-down and that's 4 ways. Then the same for the right vent, makes 8 ways. Well, it sounds good on paper, but the vents simply do a bad job of controlling the direction of the air flow.
Each vent has a knob that you rotate to presumably control the left-right air flow. Then, you can also click each vent either up or down. Well, if you look at the picture you can see that a plastic rod with small plastic circles on it controls the left-right air flow. The problem is that these plastic circles don't go all the way to the top of the unit, so air ALWAYS blows straight ahead, no matter how you adjust the controls. If you adjust them full left and full right, some air will be directed left and right, but the majority of air will still blow straight ahead. To add insult to injury, the up/down controls are totally useless. They don't swivel, allowing you to position them at numerous up/down positions. There are only 2 positions. Straight ahead or you can click them up one notch, which raises them up about a quarter of an inch. They are useless because they only vary the up/down air flow by about 6 inches.
I made a big deal about this because I'm using it as a bedroom AC and it affects me when I'm sleeping. Truth be told, in most circumstances, the air-direction controls of an AC are not that big of a deal. If it's not used in a bedroom, or if it's installed high in a wall or even in a window that's not next to a bed, this should not create a problem for you.
However, as fate would have it, the unit is installed in a window located to the side of my bed. That's where the Carrier AC was installed and when I adjusted its vents, the air would blow upward and to the sides, so it NEVER blew directly on me while I was sleeping. With the Frigidaire unit, no matter what I try, the AC always blows directly on me while I am sleeping and I don't like that. So the bottom line is that this may not apply to you, but it's something you should be aware of. It's really quite annoying that I can't adjust this unit so it doesn't blow on me while I'm sleeping.
Conclusion:
This is a great unit and I highly recommend it, but with one reservation. You virtually cannot control the direction of air flow and it always blows straight ahead. Depending on your circumstances, this might not matter. However, if the unit will be installed in a window next to your bed or next to where you will be sitting, be aware that it will blow directly on you.
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The best thing about this little AC unit is the "remote sensing" feature. It has a thermometer on the remote control and can use that as the input for the thermostat, set the remote in the middle of the room and it will keep it at an even temperature. It also has an "econo mode" setting and a "clean air" ionic air filter. It is small, relatively quiet, and the 8000 BTU's do a fantastic job keeping the place cool (it hardly ever runs in econo mode but still keeps it cold). This unit was only $10 more than the equivalent 6000 BTU Frigidaire unit.Best Deals on Frigidaire FRA086AT7 8,000 BTU Window-Mounted Compact Air
Ok, I did my research before I bought this unit. It seems like the most bang for your buck. Amazon.com was VERY fast shipping this to me! I was shocked how fast.The manufacturer claims that it uses only $59 of electricity a YEAR on average. We'll see. I haven't gotten the bill yet.
The unit has an ionizer and here's what I found about them:
"An air ionizer is a device that is intended to purify the air. As its name implies, instead of using fans and filters, an air ionizer creates ions which remove microscopic particles from the air. Rooms are healthier for those suffering from asthma, allergies, impaired immunity, or respiratory ailments, without as many allergens circulating in the lungs. Dust and mold collects inside heating and air conditioning ducts. Higher humidity inside allows bacteria to thrive. An air ionizer addresses these home and office sources of pollution and odor. The ozone that is created when negative ions are generated battles pollution by breaking it down into smaller, harmless components. Published research shows that high levels of negative ions are a useful treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder."
Then again, a new study conducted by Consumer Reports indicates that ionizers also create ozone that isn't good for you. So who knows? I've been using it.
Pros
* Cools great! Cooled my whole apartment!
* Remote control
* Can use the remote for sensing the temperature instead (nice)
* Easy to install (took me an hour)
* Has an ionizer on it
* Lots of features
* I personally love the sound of the fan. It sounds a lot like a really nice box fan. I sleep like a baby and it downs out the noise from outside since I'm off a busy street. (people pay a lot of money for white noise machines!)
Cons (not enough to deduct a star though)
* No option to use vent to bring in outside air (on the bright side, bugs can't get in through the unit)
* On energy saver mode, it only checks the temperature every 10 minutes (it got up to 80 degrees in here in-between 10 minute checks)
* You'll need weather sealing tape for the side panels (so little bugs don't come in the sides and cold air gets out)
* Smelled a little metallic at first (I think it's the lubrication inside the unit)
Please note: You will probably want to weatherize the room (or your place) the unit is in. This is very easy to do (I put "high density foam tape" around the doors and "clear weather sealing tape" where air could come in around the unit) and makes a huge difference. If hot air is coming in and cold air is getting out, then no normal air conditioner is going to seem good enough. Plus, you lose a lot of money on wasted electricity. That's pretty common sense. If I can do it, anyone can.
CHECK WITH YOUR ELECTRIC COMPANY! I was eligible for a $30 dollar rebate on my electric bill for buying this "green" unit. Every little bit helps!
I found all the specifications before I bought the unit and thought I would share:
Plug Type (NEMA) LCDI 5-15P (Normal Plug)
18-1/2" W x 13-2/5" H x 18-1/8" D
Product Code: FRA086AT7
Product Type: Compact
Power Type: Electric
Installation Type: Window Mounted
UPC Code: 0-12505-27363-6
Color: White
Exterior Dimensions
Height: 13-2/5"
Width: 18-1/2"
Cabinet Depth (with Front): 15-1/2"
Performance
BTU (Cool): 8,000
Dehumidification (Pints/Hour): 1.7
Cool Area (Sq. Ft.): 350
Energy Efficiency Ratio: 10.8
Performance Certification: AHAM
Electrical Specifications
Voltage Rating: 115V, 60Hz
Amps (Cool): 7.0
Watts (Cool): 740
Horsepower (Cool): 0.99
Power Cord Length: 6' (6-1/2')
Plug Type: LCDI 5-15P
Controls
Console Location: Center
Sleep Mode: Yes
AC Specifications
Fan Speeds (Cool): 3
Fan Speed (Fan): 3
Low Voltage Start-Up: Yes
Auto Cool Function: Yes
Energy Saver: Yes
Filter Check: Yes
Clean Air Ionizer: Yes
Remote Control: Full Function / Remote Thermostat
Air CFM (High): 217
Air CFM (Med): 176
Air CFM (Low): 147
Motor RPM (High): 1,600
Motor RPM (Med): 1,500
Motor RPM (Low): 1,400
Air Direction Control: 8-Way
Noise Level dB (High): 60.9
Noise Level dB (Med): 56.6
Noise Level dB (Low): 52.5
Vents Closed: Yes
Filter Access: Tilt-Out
Depth: 18-1/8"
Cabinet Louvers: Yes
Window Mounting Kit: Yes
General Specifications
Filter Type: Anti-Bacterial Mesh
Warranty: 1 Year Full/5 Year Sealed System
Refrigerant: R410a
Window Height (Min.): 14"
Window Width Min. (Max.): 23" 36"
Product Weight (lbs): 46
Shipping Weight (lbs): 55
Exterior Specifications
Dealer Front Material: HIPS
Certifications & Approvals
ENERGY STAR® Certified: Yes
Safety Certification: UL/CUL (SA11087)
You can download all the guides that come with the unit:
Owner's Guide:
manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/Edison/2020211A1112en.pdf
Installation Instructions:
manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/Edison/2020211A1131en.pdf
Product Specifications:
manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/Edison/FRA086AT7_0411.pdf
Energy Guide:
manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/energyguides/RAC/FRA086AT_EG.PDF
Wiring Diagram:
manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/Edison/202021190024.pdf
I hope that helps others as much as it did me.
Honest reviews on Frigidaire FRA086AT7 8,000 BTU Window-Mounted Compact Air
I don't have a lot of experience with window a/c units, but this little guy seems to do alright. I moved to Brooklyn recently in the midst of mid-90s heat, into an apt with 0 a/c. Units were sold out all over town (except in overpriced specialty stores) so I had this unit rush delivered. The quality seems pretty good, given the relative low cost. I have this installed in my bedroom and it keeps the entire room chilly (68 F) on the lowest fan setting. Another plus is that I've not been bothered by any water dripping inside or out of the unit, which has been a problem of mine in other units.The one negative I have is the loudness of the lowest setting. I wish there was another setting lower that was a bit quieter.
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