The Black+Decker BPACT12HWT is a basic single-hose portable A/C designed for medium-sized rooms. It has an advertised coverage of 350 ft² (33 m²) and a capacity of 6,000 BTU/hr. It has separate dehumidification-only and heating modes and is bundled with a remote control to operate the unit without getting close. It's worth noting that, unlike many other newer models, this A/C uses R410a refrigerant instead of R32, which incurs a higher environmental footprint than the latter.
Our Verdict
The Black+Decker BPACT12HWT is only alright for use in large rooms. Its capacity is a little too low to effectively cool large living areas or open-concept spaces. Its single-hose design is also quite inefficient, so if lower power consumption is a priority, it's worth investing in a dual-hose portable unit or, if possible, a window AC. On the upside, it runs pretty quietly, and it won't be too much of a distraction if you have it set up in a living or dining room.
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Fan is amazingly quiet.
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Inefficient single hose design.
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Capacity isn't sufficient for effective operation in large spaces.
The Black+Decker BPACT12HWT is only a passable choice for use in bedrooms and other small rooms. It's decently compact, so you can set it up in the corner of smaller bedrooms without too much fuss, or stow it away in a closet in cooler months. It also runs fairly quietly, so it won't wake you in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, it's a highly inefficient unit, requiring far more energy to cool an equivalently-sized space versus a dual-hose portable unit with similar capacity. Its infrequent compressor cycling also results in sudden spikes in perceived ambient humidity, leading to brief periods where the air in your room may feel unpleasantly clammy.
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Fan is amazingly quiet.
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Decently compact size.
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Capacity is good enough for smaller spaces.
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Does a poor job of maintaining ambient conditions.
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Inefficient single hose design.
The Black+Decker BPACT12HWT's overall efficiency is bad. As a single-hose unit, it intakes and cools indoor air, generating negative air pressure and drawing in warm outside air, thereby forcing the machine to work harder to offset this added heat.
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Inefficient single hose design.
Due to its limited overall capacity, the Black+Decker BPACT12HWT isn't likely to be oversized for many rooms, but it does a poor job of maintaining ambient conditions while running. Its infrequent compressor cycling allows condensed moisture to reevaporate into the air, resulting in sharp spikes in the room's ambient humidity.
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Does a poor job of maintaining ambient conditions.
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Inefficient single hose design.
The Black+Decker BPACT12HWT is a pretty quiet unit overall. There's very little difference in operating noise between its compressor at the low and the high end, so you're best off leaving it at its highest setting, even if you're a little sensitive to noise: you can drown out that operating noise by leaving the TV at a normal volume. Its fan is also incredibly quiet, to the point where it's barely audible at its lowest speed.
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Fan is amazingly quiet.
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Only negligible difference in compressor noise between high and low settings.
- 6.6 Large Room
- 6.6 Bedroom/Small Room
Performance Usages
- 4.3 Combined Efficiency
- 5.8 Oversizing Tolerance
- 7.7 Noise
Changelog
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Black+Decker BPACT12HWT is only available in a single color variant: 'White.' For those interested, here's the product label.
Let us know in the comments if you come across another variant of this air conditioner.
Compared To Other Air Conditioners
The Black+Decker BPACT12HWT is a basic single-hose portable humidifier, best used in smaller rooms like bedrooms or offices. It offers more actual cooling capacity than similarly-sized alternatives like the LG LP0721WSR, and as a result, will cool a comparably-sized space a little faster. That said, its infrequent compressor cycling means you'll experience greater fluctuations in the setpoint temperature and ambient humidity level compared to some rivals, like the De'Longhi Pinguino Compact PACEM360-6ALWH or aforementioned LG. In real-world terms, you can expect to feel swings in perceived humidity, so your room can sometimes feel cold and clammy when the unit's running. Also, like any single-hose portable unit, it's terribly inefficient.
Neither the LG LP0721WSR nor the Black+Decker BPACT12HWT are especially noteworthy A/C units, but if you're in need of a single-hose portable unit, they've each got their own strengths and weaknesses. The Black+Decker offers greater cooling capacity and will chill the air in a comparably sized room faster. That said, its compressor cycling will result in more noticeable swings in temperature and humidity compared to the LG. It also uses R410a as a refrigerant, which incurs a higher environmental footprint compared to R32, used by the LG and other newer A/C units.
The Black+Decker BPACT12HWT is a better portable A/C unit than the SereneLife SLPAC8 for the most part. The Black+Decker offers significantly more cooling capacity in a roughly similarly-sized package, all the while producing less noise. The SereneLife's lower capacity can work to its advantage in oversized spaces, in the sense that its compressor being forced to work constantly will minimize swings in humidity and temperature. However, this also increases energy requirements and places more wear and tear on the unit.
The Black+Decker BPACT12HWT and Whynter Elite ARC-122DS are pretty evenly matched portable A/Cs. While the Whynter has an on-paper edge in cooling capacity and efficiency due to its dual hose design, both models are similarly mediocre in terms of performance. The only area where the Whynter pulls ahead is in its lower operating noise, and even then, it's only by a slim margin.
The Black+Decker BPACT12HWT outclasses the De'Longhi Pinguino Compact PACEM360-6ALWH in most respects. The Black+Decker has a higher cooling capacity, allowing it to cool a comparably sized space in less time. It's also slightly quieter while running, especially when it comes to fan noise. Unlike the De'Longhi, it also has a heating mode. That said, it's worth noting that the Black+Decker uses R410a as a refrigerant, which incurs a higher environmental footprint and slightly less efficient operation compared to the De'Longhi.
Test Results
The Black+Decker BPACT12HWT has alright cooling capacity. It'll do fine in the vast majority of offices, bedrooms, and playrooms, but it'll struggle to cool anything larger than that in a time-efficient manner.
This unit's efficiency while cooling a room is poor. This is a single-hose unit that intakes air from the room it's attempting to cool, which also serves to chill its condenser. This generates negative air pressure that draws warm air from outside, requiring the unit to work harder to cool the space. As a result, this unit's energy demands are much higher than a dual-hose unit with comparable capacity.
This unit's setpoint maintenance efficiency is bad. It works very hard due to its single-hose design, which doesn't provide an energy-efficient way of keeping its compressor cool while in operation.
The Black+Decker BPACT12HWT does a middling job of maintaining a stable humidity level. Its compressor seldom cycles off, but when it does, it allows any condensed moisture to reevaporate very quickly, resulting in a sharp and sudden rise in ambient humidity. In real-world terms, this means that your room can go from feeling comfortably cool and dry to slightly clammy as it runs.
Unlike newer portable units that use R32 refrigerant, this A/C uses R410a, which incurs a higher environmental impact and results in lower power efficiency when used in an A/C.
