Dimplex DC15
Verified15 reviews
Good Unit, Despite Some Flaws – If you read this and you have any experience with other portable units, I’d really appreciate any input on some actually decent ‘quieter’ models you may have come across! Okay, buckle up, this is going to be a long one. It's been a long time, but believe I paid around $500 2nd hand for this unit 7 or 8 years ago. The model I’m reviewing is the… Read more · 2
‘older’ DC15, the one with both intakes and filters on the BACK of the unit.
_____________________The Categories_____________________ »Build Quality« It’s good as a unit, it’s just difficult to work on/service.
»Value for Money« Personally it’s quite high, however I bought 2nd hand and was willing to do my own services. Without that it’d come in a bit lower (as reflected)
»Ease of use« Really zero complaints. Personally set and forget for the entire summer season
»Cleaning & Maintenance« It’s difficult to take apart for a full service if you’re up for that kind of thing. HOWEVER for most it’s easy and less likely to need taking apart if filters are looked after. I’ve never had to stop using it to drain water etc. and the rest is pretty much wipe-down.
»Noise level & cooling detailed below«
»Portability« it’s generally good, the pipe just folds up into the unit easily, but the castor wheels can be a bit stiff when changing direction. There’s no spot to wrap up the power cable and still have the usual lugging/install of the window blocking kit.
_____________________The Review_____________________ First off, I’ve had a few portable units now – They are pretty much all ‘loud’ to some degree. Unless someone’s owned a couple of these kind of units and subsequently found a quiet one, I’d take their opinion(s) with a grain of salt. Also depends where and HOW it’s ‘quiet’.
All self-contained exhaust hose portables in Australia have the weakness of creating a room ‘vacuum’ and ‘sucking in’ warm air from outside the room through any gaps or cracks. This and other factors, like insulation, mean diminishing returns the hotter the weather gets and the larger the room.
That said, this thing is a beast. Can generally cool a large bedroom really quickly. The Turbo mode is good and not just a gimmick. There are dust filters for the top AND bottom air intakes. A lot of models do not have a filter for the bottom/’hot side’ of the unit and dust just coats the inside. The filters on the DC15 don’t stop that entirely, but they do a properly good job of catching most of it – don’t be like me and everyone else, seriously give these a vacuum every couple of weeks in summer – this thing moves a LOT of air.
Okay, the noise. The answer is it kind of depends. Running flat out with the compressor on, it’s loud. Not the best I’ve heard, but not the worst either. It’s more of a lower pitch and less noticeable/annoying than the Kambrook KFA423BLK metal blade ‘industrial’ style fan I have, that has a high pitched whine.
HOWEVER – The fan of the DC15 on it's lowest setting is basically inaudible. So if the room/weather cools enough overnight that the compressor/cooling doesn’t need to turn on any more, it’s nice and quiet for the rest of the night.
The turning on/off – pretty much all AC units do this when you set the temperature. The portable ones are just more noticeable because all the noisy outside stuff is in your room. This one is no exception. Like the others, it’s also the most noise it makes as it’s a bit of a ‘thump’ to start the compressor. It might seem a bit more shocking because of how quiet the fan is on low speed though.
The top panel is illuminated blue LED and reasonably bright. I ended up putting some tape over the numbers etc that showed and was fine for me. Got used to the very few button presses needed to turn it on/set up for summer, after that it remembers the settings and it’s literally on or off. (or use the remote if you have it)
_____________________Servicing and Maintenance_____________________ It has died on me once and made a big wet patch twice. Difficult to explain, but basically the drain from the water at the top goes directly onto the big hot radiator at the bottom – because these little drain holes sit RIGHT ON TOP of the bottom radiator, they can eventually clog up with dust – eventually it wets the floor. Thankfully nothing more serious, like leaking on the electronics, at least in my case. The first time was shortly after buying 2nd hand (assuming previous owners didn’t clean filters enough) 2nd time was me getting lazy over the years, where both filters were BAD, particularly the top one that looked like a clothes dryer lint trap after doing a full load of towels/linen.
The ‘dead’ incident was recent and coincided around the 2nd wet floor, unit is probably 10+ years old by this point. Was still working, aside from it ‘trying’ to start the compressor but just wouldn’t run – essentially working as a fan. The main capacitor was DEAD as a doornail – 0.06% of what it should be. Replaced, working fine. Full clean and service as well – back to new. Working on this thing is no joke and not for the feint hearted. The back is easy enough to get off, but the screws for the front are accessed THROUGH the back of the unit. By the time you have the unit stripped down for decent accessibility, it’s pretty wobbly. Recommend doing this somewhere that you’re not needing to move it to clean etc.
_____________________Comparisons_____________________ »Dimplex« I had another small Dimplex right before this one – chunky square silver thing. The DC15 is kind of similar overall, just works waaay better (the older one was 2.5-3kw, can’t remember exactly) and from memory this one is slightly quieter.
»Delonghi PAC W160B« Loved this unit. Was much quieter, just as good at cooling BUT it was difficult to settle on a temperature – 24C was COLD and 25C was kinda warm. Could not recommend this unit at all though. Pretty much this whole product line from Delonghi is really easily susceptible to rusting and corroding the ‘hot’ side radiator of the unit. This one perished while in storage and corroded badly enough that, I’m presuming, the gas leaked out, as it just had no cooling even with the compressor running.
»Delonghi PAC CN86 Silent« ‘Silent’ hahaha. Way more annoying and perceptibly loud than any of the others on low when using it’s ‘Silent’ mode. High pitch, whiny, awful. Louder, but less annoying on higher fan speed. Compressor noise overall on the Dimplex is probably louder, but the CN86 ‘Silent’ has a lot more clatter and rattle which IMO is more annoying. 2.4KW – was enough for my room JUST.
»Delonghi PAC T130ARC« Bought to attempt the ‘two hose’ install. Granted these are old, but I completely cleaned and serviced as best I could – made it function and cool much better, but still didn’t hold a candle to the Dimplex. Fan motor is too weak on max setting, even after clean and servicing, particularly for something that’s supposed to be 4.1KW. Again, on low setting fan is way more annoying than higher speeds, has some of the ‘whistle’ but also a boomy humming sound.
While the Dimplex DC15 is far from perfect and needs some attention over the years, I haven’t come across something else that I’d happily replace it with. Having said that, I can sleep fairly heavily and would rather the cool and noise this unit makes over the silence.
Dimplex dc15 crudd – The dc15 works great for the warranty period but must be designed to last only two summers great investment if you want a $800 paper weight because you cannot get these repaired if no when they break I have an epileptic son who is very temperature sensitive so I haven't been able too work as im a full time career I cannot afford too fork out $800… Read more
every 2 years for something that should last at least 5 years or at least give me the oppertunity to fix my unit thank you for making life that little more difficult
Complete Waste Of Money! – Always cutting out even when it hasn't hit the temp I selected. Noisy as hell. If I could get my money back I would. I'm angry I wasted money on this pointless thing. Never go with this brand! Was told it was the best on the market, my brother brought a different brand for half the price and it does a better job.
Made by a rubbish company, and made for the rubbish tip, – Noisy, and way over claimed in it power and capability. Used it under 10 times and it broke, then when I refer it for a warranty repair it took over 6 months to come back and with no assistance from customer service. That is over 50% of the warranty period! What a joke! Waste of money and made me more hotter and more angry than not having it.
My expectations have been exceeded – In Dec/2013 bought the Dimplex 4.4kW DC15 first for large upstairs lounge worked so well, in Jan/2014 purchased Dimplex 3kW DC10RC for my daughters bedroom 4m x 5m, also in Jan/14 purchased Dimplex 3.5kW DIMC12RC for my bedroom 5mx6m upstairs gets a lot of sun, I work night shift and this allows me to sleep comfortably on the hottest days. Very… Read more
happy with products but agree they can be noisy not to bad when on night setting dosnt stop me sleeping.
Noisy and dangerous – We bought this portable air conditioner to cool down our bedroom at night as the lounge room one does not suffice, but it's not meant for that purpose. It is bulky, extremely noisy and turns itself on and off continuously waking us up. On top of that, the window outlet isn't securely fixed to the base and always detach few hours on blowing hot… Read more
air in the room. I find it very dangerous to wake up in the middle of the night when the room is boiling hot especially if the tube falls on the floor, curtains, etc.
It may be a temporary alternative for someone who does not have air conditioning in a main room, during the day when it is supervised, but very inconvenient and unsafe in a bedroom during the night.
It's seems to be a safer option to pay more and get the proper wall outlet installed or opt for a ceiling fan.
Simple yet effective to suit one's needs – With summer just starting, and my old Convair (Supercool TBR) springing a leak after 5 years+ of use (I got sick of sponging up the puddle off the floor in the past week) I decided to get a new cooler. I went to my local store, and spoke at great length to a salesman who was more than helpful - he explained it made better sense to get the 4.4.kW… Read more · 1
model rather than a smaller one. The only thing he didn't do was demonstrate the display model (which would have helped since the instruction manual does not mention what each function icon is on the panel display - so it's a bit of guesswork on first run). Fortunately, because I'd gotten used to the old Convair and its modes, this one might prove to be fairly straightforward (snowflake icon = cooling mode (these light up while the unit is on so they'll be easier to see) while sun icon = heating and so on). I don't plan to use this as a heater (and I didn't want a heater) so cooling during summer is what I'm after, and this offers it.
I have read other reviews about this (and similar models) and judging by those reactions, the biggest complaint seems to be fan motor noise and/or cutouts+restarts. I can tell you this is no louder in terms of fan (at low speed) than the Convair Supercool TBR on the same setting and as for cutouts - it's a matter of seeing how it goes. It may happen for me, it may not. Either way I took advantage of the store's extra warranty plan (meaning I not only get the 12 months from the manufacturer, I also get an extra 4 years on top). I advise you that if you do get this unit, and an extended warranty is on the table, take it. It makes more sense to hold the manufacturer liable for quality and performance of their products rather than just toss them out after 12 months is up. Either way it won't cost much extra (if anything at all).
The specifications which clinched the deal included:
• On/Off Timer - while unit is on, you can set the timer to turn unit off automatically. While unit is off, the timer can be set to turn it on.
• Self-evaporative cooling function - no water/drain hose needed (except for dehumidifying mode)
• 4.4kW reverse cycle heating and cooling capacity
• 2-tone black and white finish
• Slimline design - fits in smaller spaces compared to older bigger models.
• Remote control
• Window kit is included to suit most sliding and sash style windows (may require some skill or help to install)
• 12 month manufacturer warranty - with optional extended warranty plan available.
** easy to clean and maintain - with removable filters and grilles **
The new Dimplex was delivered, while the old Convair was collected and taken to be dumped. I hope this lasts the whole summer. I rent my place so a more permanent fitted window model is not an option.
I recommend setting the cooling temperature between 22 and 24C; no lower, and no higher. This range should not affect your electricity bill too much and yields reasonable results.
Don't buy this! – This unit cools down a room within seconds! Used it for my 9sqmetre bedroom and perfect, super cold. it is noisy but not too bad. HOWEVER, I used it for the first time continuously one night and it ran for 2 hours, then cut out, then started again for another hour then cut out, then started up again for 45mins then cut out then stopped and started… Read more
every minute for the rest of the night (8 hours in total)! it drove me bannanas! Used it a second night a week later and it did the same thing again with eventually cutting out every 30 seconds, then on again for another 30 seconds, the cutting out again every 30 seconds. I used it again a few days later, did the same thing and the fourth night (nights were not in a row) it was every 5 seconds on and off. I had had enough and took it back to the shop. They offered to repair it but Dimplex didn't have the parts so got a full refund thank god. Very disappointed as it was a powerful, cold machine. Very cold all of the above!
It's ok – I brought my original unto 2yrs ago, this first one went crazy with it self just before Christmas! My original was like a jumbo jet taking off....hated it!! So when it stopped working I wasn't fazed lol due to it being a piece of shot they sent me a new one which is the same as the picture above! It's not as noisy as my old one, but I find that in… Read more
the middle of the nite it turns off and on a lot...cooling to fan even if the room isn't at the temp ur after!
On 40* days it struggles abit, my room does get direct sun light so it is the hottest room in the house...but it's way to big for my room anyway so it should be smashing it to a cool temp in my eyes!
Loudish and switches on and off on its own
Great portable aircon – I've spent many months refusing to get a portable aircon because of all the bad reviews. Finally, I couldn't deal with sleeping in 38 degree weather so I chose the Dimplex DC15 and I'm glad I did. Whilst the window kit isn't the greatest, I managed to use some skills of my own and fix it up so no hot air gets into my room due to the kit not… Read more
fitting properly.
Everyone has said this is so noisy etc, I find that it is really tame. The thing that put me off most was that people said it's like a freight train. IT ISN'T. Obviously it's a little noisy but it certainly isn't unbearable. It sounds slightly louder than having my pedestal fan on the highest setting. Cools room well, not excessively loud, stylish design window kit isnt great
Absolute rubbish – Complete waste of money. Ventilated heat leaks outside the hose which is attached to the unit, as though you've got a heater on at the same time as an air conditioner. The machine stops every thirty minutes to be drained and it's noise is like living next to an airport. Also, the window kit is only adjustable to 1200mm. I am more annoyed at myself… Read more
for having taking the notion of this machine seriously. It has put me off portable air conditioners for life and I'll never buy another no matter what the brand.
Loud as hell and leaks hot air where the hose is attached to the unit. Requires draining every thirty minutes or so. Useless machine only good for trailer trash.
excellent – Product really surprised me with it's effectiveness. I rent my home and have always thought portables were no good, but after a week of over 40c temps, I had to do something! Not as noisy as I thought it would be and cools kitchen, dining and lounge room very quickly. It looks good and works well Horrible window kit - am looking at doing some 'home engineering' on it with foam.
Satisfactory – This, like any other portable air conditioner I would imagine, has its drawbacks. It may be the best available, but still doesnt come close to a wall installed air conditioner. I'm currently sitting upstairs and its been 45 celcius today in Melbourne. Current temperature outside is 41.5 celcius. Ive had the unit on full blast for a good hour and a… Read more · 1
half. The room is bearable, but not as cool as I expected it to be. Im still sweating if that gives u a clue.
Now, in all fairness to the product, I'll point out some things that may be detracting from a better result. I have slim line venetian blinds on the window, and the window is a slide open window. So to have the air hose mounted up against the window as per instructions, the venetian blind is raised up about 20cm on one side. It just so happens that the sun is going down on the same side, so the heat of the sun is coming through, although my 27 inch iMac is blocking some of it, being in front of the window.
The other thing to consider is that the air hose is extended almost fully, and since hot air is being exhausted through the air hose and therefore heating the air hose at the same time, I have a nice long 'heater' working against me. The tip is to have it as close as possible to ur window so that u can shorten the air hose and therefore reduce the amount of heat that radiates from the hose. I currently can't do that since my computer desk is right in front of the window and I don't want to relocate it.
Another thing to consider is that I'm a little suspicious of the quality and the integrity of my roof insulation, considering how hot it gets in my upstairs level. The house is 13 years old, but maybe the insulation isn't effective enough. Just a thought.
Another drawback is the cost to operate. Since its on full blast but not cooling sufficiently, I imagine that the cost of running it would be considerably higher than a wall mounted unit that could run more efficiently and cost effectively.
Another thing that I read about that goes against this and any other portable air conditioner: since its EXTRACTING air from ur home and EXPELLING it out ur window, air is therefore being sucked into ur home through crevices, vents etc from outside, and of course the air outside is stinking hot.
All in all, I'll make use of it on those balmy nights when I simply can't sleep upstairs due to the heat. I'm sure it will do a fine job under those circumstances and so I guess I'll get my moneys worth of use, but at some stage I'm still going ahead with a wall mounted split system in the bedroom and I'll use this Dimplex unit for the computer room, though I guess I'll have to run it full blast on a hot day. Looks nice. Blends with my decor :) Not as noisy as I expected after reading others reviews. Apparently the best on the market (?) PORTABLE! High power consumption compared to actual effectiveness. Difficult to get perfect seal in window. Hose acts like radiator. Cost is high when u consider the cost of getting a more efficient unit installed.
Find out how Dimplex DC15 compares to other Portable Air Conditioners
Know better, choose better.
Good cooling but noisy and hard to hook up – This product cools well so its great for those really hot days. There are a couple of big drawbacks with this unit though. It is quite noisy when operating. It is also quite difficult to hook up the outlet tube. If you have sliding windows the fitting provided should work fine, but if you have windout windows like me you'll have trouble finding a… Read more · 1
solution. For extremely hot days it's great, but otherwise its too much trouble to hook up. Cools very well. Hard to hook up, fiddly outlet tube and very noisy when operating.
This unit is AWESOME! – Ive owned 6 portable air con units until my land lord finally decided to install a split system and at my 6th one which was this particular model, i stopped, as its the best one ive had so far. this unit is pretty cost effective, its quiet in comparison to other portable air cons, and its pretty cold as well its pretty heavy, but has wheels to easily slide from one room to another
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