Black + Decker BPP10WTB Review

Initial Analysis

The Black + Decker BPP10WTB has two listed cooling capacities:

• 14,000 ASHRAE BTUs and
• 10,000 US DOE or SACC BTUs

It has 14,000 BTUs by older ASHRAE guidelines for testing for cooling capacity. It has 10,000 BTUs by newer stricter US DOE guidelines for testing for cooling capacity.

Our testing showed that the latter number – 10,000 SACC BTUs – is much more indicative of the actual cooling capacity of a portable air conditioner.

We tested several 14,000 ASHRAE BTU units, and units with higher SACC BTUs performed dramatically better in our tests.

Units with more than 9,000 SACC BTUs (including the BPP10WTB) cooled our 150 sq. ft. test room from 90° F down to 80° F in about 10 minutes and down to 75° F in about 30 minutes.

Units with less than 9,000 SACC BTUs took at least 30 minutes to cool the room from 90° F down to 80° F and close to two hours to cool it down to 75° F.

The BPP10WTB draws 1250 watts of power. Most competitors in the 14,000 ASHRAE BTU size class draw just about the same amount of power (in the 1200 to 1300 watt range).

The BPP10WTB is more energy efficient than most of these competitors. Taking its SACC (10,000 BTUs) and dividing it by its power draw of 1250 watts, gives it a SACC/watt ratio of 8.0. Most competitors have a SACC/watt ratio closer to 7.0.

The BPP10WTB is just about as noisy, large and heavy as most of its competitors. Where it separates itself from the competition is with cooling capacity (high SACC), energy efficiency (high SACC/watt ratio), and value.

This is one the best value portable air conditioners on the market. At its regular retail price it has a SACC/$ ratio of 22.2. This is the highest ratio of any portable AC unit we’ve tested.

Pros and Cons

The BPP10WTB's evaporator (1/6). Scroll to the right to see more.

The grille covering the unit's evaporator (2/6)

The unit's condenser (3/6)

The grille covering the unit's condenser (4/6)

The condenser grille is secured using screws. The evaporator grille uses plastic clips (5/6)

Another view of the condenser compartment and the grille that covers it (6/6)

Conclusion

The Black + Decker BPP10WTB is the best value portable air conditioner on the market. It’s not quite as powerful and it’s not as energy efficient as the top ranked Midea Duo. But it still cools very well, it still offers above average energy efficiency, and it’s often several hundred dollars less expensive than the Duo. So, if you don’t quite have the budget for the top ranked Duo, this is the model we recommend.

Note: other Black + Decker "BPP" series models, including the BPP08WTB, BPP06WTB, and BPP05WTB have a very similar design to the BPP10WTB, but they don't have as much cooling capacity and aren't as energy efficient as the BPP10WTB, and so we generally do not recommend them.

We also generally do not recommend the very similar Black + Decker "BPACT" series of portable air conditioners (the BPACT14WT, BPACT12WT, BPACT10WT, and BPACT08WT) for the same reasons. They don't cool nearly as well and aren't nearly as energy efficient as the BPP10WTB.

Additional specifications and notes

The two window sliders included with the BPP10WTB (1/5). Scroll to the right to see more.

The sliders connected to each other (2/5)

How the sliders connect to each other (3/5)

How the sliders connect to the unit's exhaust hose (4/5)

Included weather stripping (5/5)

Window Kit Included Parts – 2x window sliders (primary bracket and extension), 2x locking screws (to secure brackets to each other)

Window Kit Adjustment – holes are 3/8" apart (holes in which you can put screws to secure length)

Window Kit Min. Window Width - 27.5”

Window Kit Max. Window Width – 47.2”

Weather stripping included – yes - 1x non-adhesive thicker foam, 2x adhesive thin

Notes

This is definitely a point of weakness for the BPP10WTB. Top ranked competitors can be installed into wider and/or narrower windows, and have much more weather stripping included.

The exhaust hose attached to the back of the AC unit (1/6). Scroll to the right to see more.

The exhaust hose removed from the back of the AC unit (2/6)

A wider angle of the back of the AC unit (3/6)

The exhaust hose fully compressed standing up next to the AC unit (4/6)

Another view of the hose (5/6)

Another view of the hose, connected to the AC unit (6/6)

End Adapters – pre-installed? - yes
AC Side Hose Connection – rotate and push hose into place
Window Kit Side Hose Connection – align tabs on end adapter of hose with slots in window bracket, push in to lock in place
Hose Length Min/Max – 14 to 61"
Hose Diameter – inner diameter was measured at 5.5”

Notes

This unit’s hose length and diameter are fairly standard for a portable AC unit. So are its hose connections (to the AC unit and to the window bracket).

The unit's control panel (1/3). Scroll to the right to see more.

What the control panel looks like in the dark (2/3)

The included remote control (3/3)

Modes – cool, dehumidify, fan
Set temp range - 61 to 88° F
Fan speeds - low, med, high
Timer – can be set in one hour increments up to 24 hours
Lights turn off - yes, button on remote turns lights off

Notes

Again, all specifications listed here are fairly standard for a portable AC unit.

The unit's top drain outlet (1/5). Scroll to the right to see more.

With the drain cap removed (2/5)

The unit's bottom drain outlet (3/5)

With the cap and plug removed (4/5)

The included drain hose (5/5)

Dehumidifier mode pints/day – 90 pints/day
Drainage options - 2x drain outlets - one higher up on the back of the unit is the “dehumidification drain” (used only on dry mode) and one towards the bottom of the back of the unit is the “condensation drain” (if the unit’s self-evaporative feature is insufficient in especially humid conditions, you will need to drain from this outlet on cool mode).

Drain hose – included (length is 40")

Top filter (over evaporator) - very easy to remove – clips in with no screws
Bottom filter (over condenser) – more difficult to remove – multiple screws