Summer's coming - and coming FAST... Thank god too, we had one hell of a winter here in NY and on the East Coast, but thankfully it looks like spring is here to stay, and with that though, let the air conditioner shopping begin!
Last season I reviewed fantastic little Sharp unit, the SHarp AFR80BX (please see review here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_72394182276
The 80BX is middle brother to the AFR60BX- both belong to an entire family of AFR-BX series Sharp Air Conditioner units which are remarkably quiet and efficient, cool effectively and are priced very reasonably. The 60BX throws 6500 BTU's and like all the BX units, the 60 also comes with a remote control -- thus the "American Style" title. Given the value and quiet yet effective operation of these units, I can't say enough good about the whole Sharp line, especially in the value department. The only downside to the 60 is the lack of oscilllation, which quite honestly is probably not even necessary given the intended square footage for operation- the thing works great, even without it!
First, the AFR60BX is designed to be an efficient inexpensive solution to those summer dog-days without sacrificing features. The unit runs on virtually no power - just about 6 amps, which is extremely efficient and especially useful for those with power constraints. Most smaller aprtments can be touchy when it comes to drawing power. Alot of residential apartments, particularly, are built in a fashion where given the presence of a refrigerator and a few more larger appliances, the addition of an A/C may draw enough power to trip a breaker - however the draws so little this becomes a non issue.
In terms of noise, the little Sharp lives up to its name - the Ultra Quiet performs exactly in that fashion, it is almost non-detectable unless you are close to the unit. The noise level is low even when the compressor is on, which is excellent, because alot of other manufacturers advertise a quiet unit, but you later find out it is alot quieter when the compressor is off -- thankfully the Sharp does not fit in this category.
The remote control operates on/off, mode (1,2 or 3 power level) plus economy-mode on/off and the temperature cut-off (65 degrees and up) The temperature indicator does NOT control the temperature of the airflow - is simply acts like a thremostat in a home - it cuts the power at a certain level of ambient temperature. The unit does fine set at 68 or so - only on the extremely 102 days do I need to set the temp. to 65. ALso, by keeping the temp at 68 instead of 65 at times when 68 is fine saves energy and money - the unit is already efficient, so by maximizing operating efficiency, your electric bills won't suffer too much at all, which is a very good thing.
I purchased this unit after being so happy with my 80BX -- I use the 80 to cool my living/dining room and kitchen- the cool air usually is plenty adequte to travel through the hallway and help keep the second bedroom pretty cool in our condo also. The 60BX replaced an older frederich unit in our master bedroom - for the record, the frederich was a 9000 BTU unit which was infintely louder and tremendously inneficient. By swtiching to the 60BX, my power bills have gone down between 9 and 17 per month - very noticeable to say the least, and that was considering a fairly hot/humid summer last year. I bought the 60BX for only 219 from PC Richard (same as old one) and even received a 75 dollar credit for trading in the older frederich. I got a better deal because I'd just purchased the 80BX, however I got that for a steal too. I've seen the 60 in a range of 219 to 269 - Even at around 260, it is worth it - still cheaper than a "big name" with more value. For the record, the Frederich that I replaced with the 60BX was not that old- perhaps 6 years or so. It worked well, but was inneficient and LOUD - also, it didn't have a remote, and once you have a remote, you get spoiled - it sounds ridiculously American, but it is a nice luxury to be able to control the unit from bed without having to get up in the middle of the night if it is too cool or too warm.
Dollar-for-dollar, the Sharp may not have the brand recognition of some of the other more popular units, like Frederich, GE or Fedders, but I have found that it works even better, more quietly and more efficiently -- for the record, I compared the 80BX to my friend's Frederich of comparable BTUs- the Frederich (also bought brand new last year at the same time as I bought my 80bx and 60bx) was MUCH more noisy, didn't cool as well AND cost almost 80 dollars more! Sharp may appear to be at a disadvantage because of brand recognition, but it is evident that they've worked hard to build a superior unit at a much lower price. Kudos Sharp - With summer well on its way, you can't find a better way to keep cool!
The remote control
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