The De'Longhi Pinguino Compact PACEM360-6ALWH is a single-hose portable A/C designed for small to medium-sized rooms. It has an advertised coverage of 400 ft² (37 m²) and an advertised capacity of 6,000 BTU/hr. It features a dedicated dehumidification mode, and you can operate the unit with the provided remote control. That said, it lacks Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can't use your smartphone to control it while you're away from home or operate the unit with voice commands made with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant devices.
Our Verdict
The De'Longhi Pinguino Compact PACEM360-6ALWH delivers middling performance in large rooms. Put simply, its capacity isn't sufficient to reduce the temperature in a large space to your desired setpoint within a reasonable span of time. Its single-hose design isn't particularly efficient. While its compressor is a little on the loud end, it also isn't unbearable when set to its highest cooling setting, but it can be drowned out if you crank up the volume on your TV or speaker by a little bit.
Not unusually noisy at higher settings.
Compressor is relatively noisy at lower settings.
Very low overall cooling capacity.
Constant running in oversized spaces results in increased wear and tear.
Poor efficiency in cooling and maintenance phases.
The De'Longhi Pinguino Compact PACEM360-6ALWH is an okay option for bedrooms and other small rooms. It's a relatively compact unit overall and can be squeezed into a closet when not in use. Noise output is a little on the high end: if you've lived on a busy street before and have grown accustomed to that level of white noise, it won't be too distracting, but light sleepers might want to look elsewhere.
Maintains consistent temperature and humidity levels.
Decently compact overall.
Not unusually noisy at higher settings.
Compressor is relatively noisy at lower settings.
Poor efficiency in cooling and maintenance phases.
The De'Longhi Pinguino Compact PACEM360-6ALWH's overall efficiency is poor. Its single hose design allows warm air to leak into the room it's cooling, forcing it to work harder and resulting in high energy consumption relative to its cooling capacity.
Poor efficiency in cooling and maintenance phases.
Due to its modest capacity, the De'Longhi Pinguino Compact PACEM360-6ALWH isn't likely to be oversized for many spaces. Its modest capacity forces it to run almost constantly, even in modestly sized spaces, so there won't be any major swings in the desired temperature or humidity level while the unit runs. That said, this constant running will put more wear and tear on the unit, resulting in unnecessarily high energy consumption.
Maintains consistent temperature and humidity levels.
Constant running in oversized spaces results in increased wear and tear.
The De'Longhi Pinguino Compact PACEM360-6ALWH is a moderately noisy A/C unit. Its compressor is somewhat loud, with little difference between the unit operating at its highest and lowest settings.
Not unusually noisy at higher settings.
Compressor is relatively noisy at lower settings.
Performance Usages
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The De'Longhi Pinguino Compact PACEM360-6ALWH is only available in one color variant: 'White'. For those interested, here's the product label for our test unit.
Let us know in the comments if you come across another variant of this air conditioner.
Popular Air Conditioner Comparisons
The De'Longhi Pinguino Compact PACEM360-6ALWH is a single-hose portable A/C designed for small spaces. It competes in a crowded segment of the market against alternatives like the Black+Decker BPACT12HWT and SereneLife SLPAC8. It does little to set itself apart from that pack, with very low cooling capacity, poor overall efficiency, and somewhat distracting compressor noise. Like many single-hose portable models, it should only be considered over a basic window A/C with similar capacity, like the Frigidaire FHWC054TE1, if you're totally unable to make the latter work for your living situation. Single-hose portable A/Cs such as this consume more power and are less effective in cooling a comparably-sized space.
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.
The SereneLife SLPAC8 and De'Longhi Pinguino Compact PACEM360-6ALWH each have their own strengths. The SereneLife is a little more compact and is marginally more power efficient when it comes to cooling and maintaining a setpoint. However, it's still far from spectacular in this respect. Meanwhile, the De'Longhi runs noticeably quieter, especially at its lowest cooling setting.
Test Results
This air conditioner's cooling capacity is sub-par. It'll take quite a long time to cool even small spaces, and you won't be able to reduce the temperature in bigger living rooms or play areas to a desired setpoint within a reasonable span of time. This unit was unable to reach the desired 21 °C (69.8 °F) target from a 28 °C (82.4 °F) starting point in our maximum time allotment of 70 minutes.
The De'Longhi Pinguino Compact PACEM360-6ALWH's efficiency while cooling is poor. Its single-hose design is inherently inefficient, as it intakes indoor air while operating, which also serves to chill its condenser. This draws in warm outside air, forcing the unit to work harder. A window unit that draws in outdoor air instead and places its heat-generating components outside of the room it's trying to cool is far more efficient while in operation.
The De'Longhi Pinguino Compact PACEM360-6ALWH's temperature maintenance efficiency is poor. Its single-hose design intakes indoor air while operating, generating negative air pressure and resulting in warm outdoor air leaching into the space it works in. This, in turn, requires the unit to work harder to offset this added heat.
This unit is impressively effective at keeping a steady humidity level. However, due to its low capacity, its compressor needs to run constantly to cool even smaller spaces. This minimizes any swings in humidity levels but also puts more wear and tear on its compressor.
