We tested Frigidaire’s Cool Connect Portable Air Conditioner—here are the pros and cons

With the hottest month of summer upon us, you may be wondering how you can crank up the AC in your house, office, garage—wherever you’re going to be spending any amount of time this season. If so, you’re in luck because the Frigidaire Cool Connect Portable Air Conditioner could be a real lifesaver.

If you don’t have air conditioning or are looking for a little extra boost of cool air in a certain room of your house, this is a good option to consider. It’s not super affordable, but it is likely cheaper than adding an entire central air conditioning system and may deliver AC faster than a repair man could, depending on the issue.

I had the chance to test out this Frigidaire model, and after my initial impressions, I’ve got to say—I’m pretty impressed.

Here are the most noteworthy pros and cons to consider before making a purchase:

Pros:

•  You can have AC almost anywhere. OK, so you can have air conditioning anywhere that has a window that slides open and closed. This has to be vented outside of the window, so some modern window models won’t accommodate this set up. It also has to be plugged into a wall outlet. Getting started isn’t quite as easy as pressing a button, but it’s manageable.
• There’s an app. The unit is wifi-enabled and can be controlled through an app, and that’s a definite plus. Through the app, you can even set the AC on a schedule, so if you need it to switch on every day at 3:30 p.m. so that your space is cool by the time you get home from work, you can easily do so. Pretty cool, huh?

• It comes with a remote control. Controlling this thing through an app is convenient, but to add to the convenience factor, there’s also a remote control, so you can have AC with the push of a button.

• It cools quickly. Another great feature of this air conditioner is how quickly it cools. It’s recommended to use this in a space of up to 550 square feet. I tested it in a space of about 225 square feet, and it cooled from about 84 degrees to the low 70s in about 30 to 45 minutes.
• It’s not noisy. Of course, there are slight noises, as with any kind of air conditioning system, but these are not disturbing at all.
• The design is nice. For an air conditioner that will be on display, this one is not bad to look at. So, don’t worry about it clashing with your interior design too much.

• There’s an Eco-Mode. The unit will turn on and off in intervals to keep the room at the desired temperature, saving energy while keeping you cool.
• It’s air-purifying. It’s equipped with an electronic air purifier that removes pollen and other impurities from the air as you use it.

Cons:

• It’s not quite as “portable” as you might think. Considering the unit must be by a window and an outlet, it’s not necessarily easy to move, although it’s definitely not impossible, either. You might need an extra set of hands to help you move it, too, because the thing is actually pretty heavy.
• It is somewhat tricky to set up. As I mentioned, a “pro” is the ability to have air conditioner in almost any space. But, the window-venting issue can make setting this up in your office, for example, a bit tricky, so that’s something that could pose a problem, depending on where you’re hoping to use the air conditioner.

• It will affect your electric bill. Because this AC running on electricity, you’ll also have to keep in mind that it will probably affect your monthly bills. It’s similar to running a small window unit, which costs about $36.26 per month, according to The Nest.
• It’s not inexpensive. Retailing for $649 on the Frigidaire website, this AC isn’t super affordable, but it is cheaper than paying thousands of dollars to have central air conditioning installed. And it’s a great option for when you have no control over the air conditioning, at your place of work, for example.

As you can see, the pros outweigh the cons with this product. So, if you’re burning up right about now—you may consider adding this luxury item to your cart. A cooler summer is just a click away!