Shinco SPF1-08C Review
Initial Analysis
Cooling Capacity
The Shinco SPF1-08C is an 8,000 BTU portable air conditioner according to ASHRAE guidelines for measuring cooling capacity.
It is only a 4,550 BTU air conditioner according to newer stricter US DOE guidelines. We could also say that it has 8,000 “traditional” BTUs and 4,550 “SACC” BTUs.
In our tests, the Shinco performed quite poorly. It performed much more like a 4,550 BTU air conditioner than it did like an 8,000 BTU air conditioner.
In our first cooling test we measure how long it takes the air conditioner to lower room temperature from 86° F down to 72° F with an outdoor temperature of 83° F (this test is conducted in the morning).
In this first test it took the Shinco 42 minutes to lower room temperature from 86° F down to 73° F. Even after one hour it could not achieve a room temperature of 72° F.
For comparison, top rated small AC units we recommend – models like the Black+Decker BPACT05SM and Dreo AC318S took roughly the same amount of time to lower room temperature but were able to get the room down to 72° F.
In the second test we take the same measurements with an outdoor temperature of 89° F (this test is conducted in the early afternoon).
In this test, the Shinco took 28 minutes to lower room temperature from 86° F down to 76.1° F. It again could never lower room temperature down to 72° F, even after 2 hours in this test.
The BPACT05SM took about 18 minutes in this test. The AC318S took 19 minutes.
We conduct the third and final test late in the afternoon at an outdoor temperature of 91° F. It took the Shinco 30 minutes to lower room temperature from 86° F down to 78.1° F in this test. Again, it could not lower room temperature down to 72° F.
The BPACT05SM took about 16 minutes and the AC318S took 22 minutes in this test.
As you can see, the Shinco was outperformed by competitor small AC units in all three tests, and not by an insignificant margin.
The bottom line – the Shinco was clearly a below average performer in our cooling test, even compared to other small AC units we tested.
Energy Efficiency
The Shinco is specified by the manufacturer to have a combined energy efficiency ratio of 6.0. For comparison, the Dreo AC318S has a CEER of 6.6 (Black+Decker doesn’t list CEER for the BPACT05SM). Top rated full size AC units we tested – models like the Midea Duo and Whynter ARC-1230WN – have a CEER over 12.
These manufacturer specifications perfectly match our own test results.
The Shinco (760 watts), Dreo (760 watts), and Black+Decker (783 watts) all have very similar measured power draw, but the Shinco is clearly less energy efficient because it performed significantly worse in our cooling test.
Noise Output
The Shinco was measured at 63.2 dB of noise output on low fan speed and 65.0 dB on high fan speed. These measurements are higher than those of top rated competitors.
The BPACT05SM, for example, was measured at only 57.2 dB on low and 60.2 dB on high (measurements were taken 2 ft. away from the portable AC unit).
The Shinco’s compressor is also clearly audible even on high fan speed. On top rated models the compressor’s cacophonous buzzing noise is mostly masked on high fan speed by more pleasant sounding fan noise. This is not the case with the Shinco. You can clearly hear its compressor even on high fan speed.
Other Factors
The Shinco is definitely more portable than most other “portable” AC units we’ve tested. It weighs only 55 lb. The top rated Midea Duo weighs 74 lb.
The Shinco is also smaller. It’s only 27” tall. The top rated Duo is 32.5” tall.
The Shinco SPF1-08C is also a good value, at least when you compare its SACC BTUs to its price. It offers 4,550 SACC BTUs and it’s usually priced around $210 which gives it a SACC/$ ratio of 21.7.
Top rated small AC competitors like the BPACT05SM (18.2) and AC318S (12.0) have significantly worse ratios.
Top rated models overall like the Midea Duo (19.7) and Whynter ARC-1230WN (19.7) also have worse ratios.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Highly portable – lighter and small than most other portable AC units we’ve tested
- Good value – has a good SACC/$ ratio
- Extra features – has most of the same functionality as other more expensive units including a “dry” mode (dehumidification) and a fan only mode
Cons
- Low cooling capacity – only 4,550 SACC BTUs
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Poor cooling performance – the Shinco took could never achieve a room temperature of 72° F even in a very small room (100 sq. ft.) and even at very reasonable outdoor temperatures (83° F). It also took significantly longer to cool than top rated small AC units we recommend.
- Poor energy efficiency – the Shinco doesn’t draw more power than other small AC units we tested, but it performed poorly in our cooling test, which gives it poor energy efficiency overall
- Noisy – the Shinco was one of the loudest portable AC units we tested. It also was unable to mask its compressor’s buzzing noise with more pleasant sounding fan noise, even on high fan speed
- Limited window kit – the Shinco comes with only two window panels, and so you’ll likely have to cut one of the panels to fit them properly into your window
Conclusion
The Shinco SPF1-08C is a full-fledged portable AC unit that’s highly portable and highly affordable. But that’s about all that we can say positively about it.
Otherwise, it performed very poorly in our tests. And we definitely do not recommend it based on its performance in these tests.
If you’re looking to buy a small inexpensive portable AC unit we would recommend the Black+Decker BPACT05SM instead. It performed much better than the Shinco in our cooling test, it’s much more energy efficient, it runs more quietly, and it’s usually only slightly more expensive.
The best portable AC unit we’ve tested overall is the Midea Duo. The Duo is a significantly better portable AC unit than the Shinco and the Black+Decker, though it is considerably more expensive.
Additional specifications and notes
Window Kit
Number of Window Panels – 2 (primary panel with hose cutout + one extension)
Minimum Window Width (one panel) – 26 9/16” (length of primary panel)
Minimum Window Width (two panels) – 36 7/8” (primary panel + extension)
Maximum Window Width (two panels) – 50” (primary panel + extension)
Weather stripping included – 2x long pieces of adhesive soft foam
Notes
If your window is less than 26 9/16” wide you will have to cut the primary panel to make it fit.
If your window is between 26 9/16” and 36 7/8” you will have to cut the extension panel to make the combination of panels fit.
Top rated competitors have a shorter primary panel (to fit more narrow windows) and multiple extension panels of different lengths to fit a variety of different size windows without needing to cut any panels.
The Shinco does come with 2 long pieces of foam but top rated competitors also come with a more extensive collection of weather stripping – soft and hard foam, adhesive and non-adhesive foam, etc.
Hose Connectors
End Adapters – pre-installed? - yes
AC Side Hose Connection – rotate and push hose into place
Window Kit Side Hose Connection – push hose into window panel and pull to side to lock into place
Hose Length Min/Max – 16 to 60"
Hose Diameter – inner diameter was measured at 5.25”
Notes
The Shinco’s hose can be extended up to 60”. This is a fairly standard length for a single hose portable AC unit. Dual hose units do tend to have shorter hoses. The GE PPHH12WWF, for example, has two hoses that only extend 50.5”
Control
Modes – cool, dehumidify, fan
Set temp range - 60 to 86° F
Fan speeds - low, high
Swing – no
Smart – no
Notes
The Shinco only has two fan speeds. Most other budget options also only have two fan speeds while most more expensive models have three. The Shinco also doesn’t feature a “swing” setting – i.e. there’s no setting to automatically rotate the air exhaust vent up and down. The Shinco can also not be controlled remotely via an app on your phone. This is again a feature that’s commonplace among more expensive models.
Condensate
Dehumidifier mode pints/day – 41 pints/day
Drainage options – one drain outlet at the bottom of the back of the unit
Drain hose – included
Notes
The Shinco can absolutely be used as a dehumidifier. All you have to do is set it to “dry” mode and connect a hose to the back of the unit. It cannot collect condensate in a bucket because it doesn’t have a bucket like a traditional dehumidifier.
Filters
Top filter (over evaporator) - none
Bottom filter (over condenser) – pulls out toward the side of the unit
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