Meaco Air Conditioner Review: We’re chilling in the summer heatwave thanks to the MeacoCool MC Series 7000
IF you’d said to me even a few years ago that an air conditioner would become an essential part of summer living I think I’d have laughed.
Now though, I would have to agree with you – and I live in the north of England, a region not particularly known for its balmy weather.
When I was asked to do this Meaco air conditioner review I did hesitate. Teesdale lies within the North Pennines AONB and while it's undoubtedly beautiful, it is high and subject to a microclimate that in my limited experience, makes it colder than other parts of the region. I mean we have snow gates on the A66 for goodness sake!
The weather is stormy, snowy and even when the south of the country and Yorkshire were baking, I was huddled up in jumpers willing the sun to appear. Then it did. And boy was it hot.
It was at that point I realised an air conditioner was a good idea.
- MeacoCool MC Series 7000 Air Conditioner, £299.95 from Amazon –
Meaco Air Conditioner review: quick summary
I reviewed the model and I’m impressed by its power and capability to reduce the heat levels in my living room quite quickly.
It has a fan function that is useful if you feel that the air is stuffy, but it’s not warm enough to want cold air blasting out. The fan function is rather noisy and my dogs were frightened by it at first, but they did get used to it.
The air conditioner is on wheels, which is a good thing because though it’s billed as portable, it is heavy and I wouldn’t have been able to move it if it wasn’t mobile. For that reason also I only used it downstairs as there’s no way I would have been able to carry it upstairs.
Set up was a little overwhelming at first, but that’s probably because I’m not the most technical person. A few YouTube videos watched on repeat really helped me understand how to attach the window kit to the window and then position the tubing to vent the hot air from the air conditioner through it.
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Pros:
- It’s on wheels so you can move it around
- Cools the air quickly
- Has a fan function that I’ve probably used more than the air conditioner function
Cons:
- Heavy
- The set-up instructions could be clearer
- Both the fan and air conditioner functions are quite noisy
- MeacoCool MC Series 7000 Air Conditioner, £299.95 from Amazon –
Meaco Air Conditioner review: full review
The model I reviewed was the , which costs £299.95 and is designed for rooms 12 – 22m² in size. Other versions are the 8000 BTU, 9000 BTU, 10000 BTU and 10000CH BTU.
Unboxing and setup
Freeing the air conditioner from its packaging was a relatively painless process; the main section of the box simply lifts off the product so all I had to do was manoeuvre it off the polystyrene base. Once I’d done that it wheeled easily across the carpet and into position by the living room window.
I then left it for the stated eight hours before switching it on.
The air conditioner comes with two window kits: one with solid plastic plates designed for sliding doors and windows, and another made from a nylon-type material that attaches to your window with sticky Velcro-type tape.
This is where I needed help from YouTube as the separate instructions that come with the flexible kit are not very detailed.
Once the window kit is installed you then need to attach the duct with the duct machine adapter and window adapter, then connect the duct to the air conditioner at one end and vent it through the window at the other.
Don’t expect the window kit to look wonderful. It’s functional but definitely not made for its looks – and attaching it to your window is a faff.
Design and features
Air conditioners are not the greatest-looking machines. They would fit right in with an ultra-modern or minimalist décor, or in an office setting, but in traditional living rooms, they seem out of place.
That said, they’re machines built to perform a function and the great thing about portable models is you can easily move them to an understairs cupboard when not in use or for hibernating over the winter.
The touch controls are simple to operate and there aren't many of them. There’s a power button, a mode button for the various functions (fan, dry, cool and on some models heat), an easy-to-read LED display, up and down arrow buttons to increase and decrease the temperature, a timer button (1 – 24 hours) and a speed button so you can have the fan blowing high or low.
You can also set a sleep timer with the accompanying remote control.
- Shop Meaco cooling and heating
Performance: cooling
You can adjust the desired temperature of the Meaco air conditioner between 16°C and 32°C. The front of the machine has two sets of louvres that you move up or down and left to right, giving you lots of control over directing the airflow.
The area around the air conditioner cooled down within minutes and I could feel a noticeable reduction in temperature across the room in around 10 minutes.
My room is just under 19m² which is towards the top end of the scale for this size model, so I was impressed at how little time it took to reduce the stuffiness and temperature of the room. I did run it on top speed though and set the temperature to the minimum of 16°C.
When I ran the air conditioner on the lower speed it took longer to feel the difference in temperature, but it was still effective.
The MeacoCool was wonderful for the one or two really hot weeks we’ve had here so far this summer and I’m hoping for the same kind of temperatures again before autumn rolls in.
Performance: fan
The fan is handy if it’s warm, but not too warm. It circulates the air, which in itself helps keep you cool.
This is the function I use the most because those heady, really hot summer temperatures don’t happen very often here.
Performance: dry and heat
Dry mode removes moisture from the air, like a dehumidifier. The drainage hose should be attached when using this function so any water collected from the air drains away.
Some models also have a heat function, which could be handy during the winter (the model I reviewed does not have a heat function).
Where to buy Meaco air conditioners
Buy your MeacoCool MC Series Air Conditioner from the or from .
MeacoCool MC Series 7000 Air Conditioner review: the verdict
This is the first time I’ve used an air conditioner and I really like it. I was a little unsure beforehand because my experience to date has been in offices where the central air conditioning is so cold you can’t feel your fingers.
The great thing about a portable home version though is you can use it only when you want to and at the temperature you want to.
The price is reasonable for something that works as well as this does and the two-year warranty is reassuring.
At low fan speed, the noise is comparable to that of a quiet dishwasher or washing machine, so not annoying – though I’m not sure I could sleep through it.
If you have pets it may take a little time for them to become used to the noise, but I didn’t find this too much of a problem with my guys, they pretty much took it in their stride after their initial shock.
The only thing I’m not sure about is the flexible window kit. I’ve left the sticky tape around the frame and window so I can attach the kit easily, but I think it looks a bit of a mess. I’m not sure if there’s a better solution for windows that open outwards rather than slide?
Still, if you live in a part of the country where the summer temperatures are just becoming too much to bear then I don’t think you’re going to be worrying about that too much. On the contrary, the MeacoCool MC Series air conditioner could well become your best friend for half the year.
- MeacoCool MC Series 7000 Air Conditioner, £299.95 from Amazon –
Do you need an air conditioner?
Whether or not you need an air conditioner depends on where you live, how hot summers are in your region and how well you tolerate high temperatures.
They’re definitely a good buy for people who can’t stand the heat and portable versions are easy to move around within the home.
They are available at a variety of price points so there’s something to suit all budgets – and some models offer multiple functions, so doubling up as dehumidifiers and heaters, meaning you can use them throughout the year, not just during the summer.
Read More on The Sun
Meaco has created a guide to its different cooling products, including air conditioners. This useful document details how to get the most out of its products, what size model you need to suit your home and how much an air conditioner costs to run. You can from the Meaco website.
- MeacoCool MC Series 7000 Air Conditioner, £299.95 from Amazon –