SereneLife SLPAC10 Review
Our Verdict
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 This Product
SereneLife SLPAC10 | |||||
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| Awards |  Best Buy on a Mid-range Budget |  Best for Large Rooms | Best Buy on a Tight Budget | ||
| Price | $472 List Check Amazon (on sale!) | $660 List Check Price at Amazon | $428 List Check Amazon (on sale!) | $320 List Check Price at Amazon | $280 List Check Amazon (on sale!) |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This budget-friendly and highly portable air conditioner has a great window kit design that sets up in minutes | This excellent portable air conditioner is second-to-none in cooling power and convenient features to help keep your space icy cool throughout the summer | A light and power-efficient model that is sufficient for smaller rooms | A wallet-friendly portable AC that's a bit loud and slower to cool, but easy to install | This single-hose air conditioner is designed to accommodate smaller spaces while providing excellent cooling power at an affordable price |
| Pros | Built-in lock tab for easy installation of window kit, auto-swing airflow direction option, good value | Dual hose design, superior cooling capability, inverter technology, good mobile app | Inexpensive, relatively light, easy to move around | Affordable, lightweight, decently portable | Effective cooling for smaller spaces, fantastic portability, helpful rear plug slot |
| Cons | Single hose design, doesn't come with foam to seal window | Heavy, hard-to-read display, requires a larger installation window | Only one hose, limited airflow adjustment | Loud, not the most powerful | Struggles with higher temperatures, awkward handle placement, on the louder side |
| Rating Categories | SereneLife SLPAC10 | Whynter ARC-1230WN | Black+Decker BPACT08WT | Shinco SPF1-08C | Costway 22783 |
| Cooling (35%) | |||||
| Installation & Portability (25%) | |||||
| Noise (20%) | |||||
| Energy Consumption (15%) | |||||
| Convenience (5%) | |||||
| Specifications | SereneLife SLPAC10 | Whynter ARC-1230WN | Black+Decker BPACT08WT | Shinco SPF1-08C | Costway 22783 |
| Measured Noise Level | 61.0 dBA | 58.4 dBA | 58.6 dBA | 61.0 dBA | 59.1 dBA |
| Temperature Drop | 6.3°F | 11.9°F | 7.0°F | 6.1°F | 4.8°F |
| Measured Power Consumed | 0.96 kWh | 1.24 kWh | 0.88 kWh | 0.81 kWh | 0.84 kWh |
| Estimated Summer Cost | $175.01 | $226.06 | $160.43 | $147.76 | $153.14 |
| Measured Weight | 52.3 lbs | 75.3 lbs | 46.0 lbs | 41.8 lbs | 43.8 lbs |
| BTU SACC (DOE) | 6000 BTU | 12000 BTU | 4000 BTU | 4550 BTU | 5000 BTU |
| BTU ASHRAE | 10000 BTU | 14000 BTU | 8000 BTU | 8000 BTU | 8000 BTU |
| CEER | 6.6 | 12.3 | 5.4 | 6 | 6.1 |
| Energy Star Certified | No | No | No | No | No |
| Single or Dual Hose | Single | Dual | Single | Single | Single |
| Cooling Area | 450 sq ft | 600 sq ft | 150 sq ft | 200 sq ft | 230 sq ft |
| GearLab Installation TIme | 5 min | 10 min | 10 min | 5 min | 25 min |
| Wi-Fi / App Enabled | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Modes (fan speeds) | - Cold (1-3)
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- Cold (1-3 + Auto)
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- Cold (1-3 + Auto)
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- Cool (Low, High)
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- Cool (Low, High)
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| Control Type | Button | Button | Touch | Button | Button |
| Child Lock | No | Yes, for the remote only | No | No | No |
| Manufacturer Dehumidify/Moisture Removal | 3.1 pt/hr | 3.6 pt/hr | Not Specified | 1.7 pt/hr | Not Specified |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The SereneLife SLPAC10 is a solid 10,000 BTU portable air conditioner with a much better window interface kit for its hose than other units. Setting this thing up and taking it down is a breeze compared to nearly every other portable AC we tested, and thanks to its relatively low weight, excellent handle placement, and smooth-rolling wheels, it's easy to move anywhere needed.
Cooling
This metric evaluates the real-world cooling capability of portable ACs. The SereneLife SLPAC10 came in slightly below average as a medium-powered 10,000 BTU unit.
We installed the single hose window interface kit that came with the SLPAC10. After leaving it in an 82°F room on its highest settings for 60 minutes, the air temperature dropped to 75.8°F. That's a decrease of 6.3 degrees in one hour.
Portability/Install
There were hardly any other units that outshone the SereneLife SLPAC10 in this metric for its quick installation and excellent portability. For this metric, we tested each unit's ease of use in both portability and installation.
This unit weighed just over 52 pounds, and we liked the handle placement and depth. Although the weight of the unit is concentrated on the right side, it felt fine to carry, and we didn't have much trouble getting it upstairs compared to some of the more cumbersome units. Rolling on hard floors is smooth and free of any steering or tipping issues. The same goes for short to long pile carpet, but rolling resistance increases, as you'd expect.
Similar to its sister unit, the SLPAC8, installing the SLPAC10 is quite simple and can be completed in almost five minutes with just a few basic tools. The included instructions are a bit vague, but it's easy to look at the parts and pieces and figure out what they are talking about. We appreciated that we didn't need to trim any foam gaskets for this installation, but depending on your window length, you might need to trim the panel before sliding and locking it into place. The hose attaches to the window kit with one screw, although the manual failed to mention it.
We loved how easy and convenient it is to pack up the SereneLife SLPAC10 when ready to move it to another room or put it away for the season. Simply unlock the tabs on the window kit to remove it, unscrew the hose from the window panel, and then twist the hose to remove it from the back of the AC. There is no onboard storage for the window kit or the hose, just a bracket to wrap the power cord around.
Noise
The SereneLife SLPAC10 didn't wow us in the noise metric. On its highest setting, it was pretty loud.
Our SPL meter clocked it at 61 dBa when running the fan on high. The fan sounds average compared to other units, but the compressor sounded a bit annoying and contributed to the unit's lackluster score here.
Energy Consumption
The 10,000 BTU SereneLife SLPAC10 performed slightly above the average for all portable ACs tested in this metric.
Our watt meter tests showed that within an hour, the SereneLife SLPAC10 consumed .96 kWh of power. Over three months, with the assumption that a user would have their AC on for about half a day, that is a projected 1036 kWh of power used and approximately $167.34 in electricity costs. This places the SereneLife as a middle-of-the-road power consumer compared to the rest of the group, but slightly above average.
Convenience
This metric grades each portable AC unit on its features and interface that have a positive bearing on its ease of operation. The SereneLife SLPAC10 was fairly average in this regard.
It has all of the functions necessary to run it, like vertically adjustable air vents, including an automatic swing feature to move air around the room more evenly. It comes with common modes, a remote control, and a highly legible screen, but the SereneLife SLPAC10 is missing standout innovative features and conveniences that set apart the higher-scoring units in this metric.
Should You Buy the SereneLife SLPAC10?
As long as you don't need to cool down a very large or scorching hot space, the SereneLife SLPAC10 should meet your needs and then some. It's super easy to set up and take down and one of the easiest units to move around a home, but keep in mind that it works best with average-sized windows. Too large or too small, and the SereneLife SLPAC10's hallmark sliding window interface may be incompatible.
What Other Portable Air Conditioner Should You Consider?
If you've got a larger space to cool down or reside in a toasty climate, check out the powerful Whynter ARC-1230WN for its exceptional cooling power. If you want to keep a room crisp, cool, and conversational without needing to shout over gale-force air conditioning, then the whisper-quiet LG LP1022FVSM is the one for the job. Check out our full review of air conditioners, which also features the best window air conditioner units.
—David Wise, Austin Palmer, and Adam Stout
