---
product_id: 10581839
title: "ARC-12SDH"
brand: "whynter"
price: "R$10982"
currency: BRL
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 7
url: https://www.desertcart.com.br/products/10581839-arc-12sdh
store_origin: BR
region: Brazil
---

# 96 pints/day dehumidifier capacity Heats & cools up to 400 sq ft 12,000 BTU cooling power ARC-12SDH

**Brand:** whynter
**Price:** R$10982
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> ❄️🔥 Stay cool, stay warm, stay ahead—climate control that works as hard as you do!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** ARC-12SDH by whynter
- **How much does it cost?** R$10982 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.br](https://www.desertcart.com.br/products/10581839-arc-12sdh)

## Best For

- whynter enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted whynter brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **4-in-1 Versatility:** Cool, heat, dehumidify, and fan modes with full thermostatic control from 61°F to 89°F
- • **Dual Hose Efficiency:** Maximize cooling power with patented dual hose system for faster, more effective airflow
- • **Whisper-Quiet Comfort:** Operates at just 51.5 dBA—stay cool without the noise disrupting your focus or sleep
- • **Complete Installation Kit:** Includes window kit, activated carbon filter, washable pre-filter, and storage bag for seamless setup
- • **Award-Winning Climate Control:** Good Housekeeping’s 2024 Best Portable AC & Heater—trusted performance for your space

## Overview

The Whynter ARC-12SDH is a powerful, award-winning portable air conditioner and heater combo delivering 12,000 BTU cooling and heating for rooms up to 400 sq ft. Featuring a patented dual hose system, it efficiently cools while operating quietly at 51.5 dBA. With 4 modes—cool, heat, dehumidify (96 pints/day), and fan—plus an activated carbon filter and washable pre-filter, it ensures superior air quality and year-round comfort. The unit includes a full window installation kit and storage bag, making it a versatile, professional-grade climate solution for modern living spaces.

## Description

Enjoy versatile and efficient climate control with the award-winning ARC-12SDH Whynter Portable Air Conditioner and Room Heater (12,000 BTU / 6,884 BTU SACC). This versatile portable AC heater combo unit cools, heats, dehumidifies, and circulates air effectively in spaces up to 400 square feet. This heater and air conditioner combo comes equipped with an activated carbon filter and washable pre-filter designed to provide superior air quality and features a sleek design. This standing AC and heater combo also boasts a dual hose system designed to maximize cooling power while blending seamlessly into any space.Choose Whynter, trusted in the cooling industry since 2006 for reliable, high-efficiency portable air conditioning, heating, and year-round climate control.

Review: Whynter 12,000BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner, Frost White (ARC-12SDH) - After extensive research, reading customer reviews, professional reviews and pricing at my local appliance stores, I broke down and bought two of these units, 2 weeks apart. My son and I moved in with the elderly 'rents to look after them. They keep the central AC at 80 and watch TV with wool caps, slippers and lap blankets... yes, in the middle of the Florida summer! To say the least my son and I were sweatin' it out at night. I got only one portable AC (PAC) at first because of some of the negative reviews, large investment on something I wasn't too sure was going to work well for us, problems with the drainage, etc... I didn't want to invest in two, if one didn't work. The room I am cooling is approx. 12x 12. I probably got too much in the BTU department, but I wanted to be sure that it would do the job. It ABSOLUTELY DOES THE JOB AND THEN SOME! I did get the second one. The PAC came in a large box, packaged well. Easy to disassemble, box was taken away by recycling. All good. My brother-in-law set the PAC in my bedroom. I only have a sliding glass door to work with, so he needed to do some modifications and adjustments. All of the parts were in the box and easily assembled. Follow the directions (and pictures) and all should match up well. I went to Home Depot, purchased a 4' x 8' piece of AC insulation board (foam in the middle and covered with silver foil on the outside...cuts easily with a utility knife), a roll of AC duct tape (not duct tape, but the kind that is foil and used for AC duct work), 2 packages of 1" x 1" foam weather stripping, and 3 feet of 1/2" diameter tubing. ($30-$40 all together). The tools that my brother in law used were a drill to make a 1/2 inch hole in the insulation board, a utility knife, and a measuring tape. I'll tell you how he put it together and the reasons for doing it the way he did... after all, he is a clever guy and he saw a design flaw here or there... First, he measured how wide he would need the insulation board to be. Remember, it went into a sliding glass door, which would render the slider useless, once the PAC was installed. (I didn't care, I NEEDED the AC). He cut the insulation board 4" wider than the width of the plastic window kit (comes with the unit, has 2 holes to attach the duct hoses). Of course, the height of this piece has to fit into the door. Next, he decided where he wanted to put the plastic window kit in the insulation board. He centered the plastic window kit vertically and pressed it into the insulation board to leave an imprint in the board. He used the utility knife, followed the straight lines of the impression, to cut out the shape of the plastic window kit. He used the AC duct tape to tape the window kit into the insulation board, front and back. He next taped this, (the piece of insulation board with the plastic window kit taped into it) into place in the door jamb/frame of the slider. All taped in. It doesn't look pretty, or it looks as good as it can for being what it is, but it certainly is functional. He then attached the exhaust hose to one of the round circles (4" hole on the plastic window kit) and put one of the caps (provided) on the other. ***HERE IS WHERE HE THINKS THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW, AND WHY HE DID NOT ATTACH THE SECOND HOSE TO THE SECOND HOLE. The directions and the whole idea of the DUAL HOSE SYSTEM is to blow out the hot exhaust through one of the hoses and then to draw in cool air, from outside, through the other hose. This is the problem with this idea (according to my brother in law): "THE TWO HOSES, WHEN CONNECTED TO THE WINDOW KIT, ARE ONLY 1 1/2"-2 " APART. HE DOESN'T BELIEVE IT'S POSSIBLE TO DRAW IN "COOL" AIR FROM THE OUTSIDE FOR TWO REASONS: IT'S HOT OUTSIDE, HENCE THE NEED OF THE AC AND BECAUSE THE INTAKE IS GOING TO 'SUCK' THE HOT AIR IN FROM THE EXHAUST BECAUSE IT'S TOO CLOSE TO THE INTAKE." So, the intake hose is attached to the unit, but not to the vent hole. It's simply leaning up against the door, out of the way, sucking in the cooled air from inside the room. When I explained what I was doing to the Home Depot guy, he reminded me that once that sliding glass door was opened a few inches, there would be a gap between the two doors... in the middle, if you will. Simple solution was to stuff the foam weather stripping in there! Done. I was concerned about the drainage issues... Florida is HUMID! I read on some reviews that the unit would shut down in the middle of the night because the drip pan was full... Again, my brother in law to the rescue!!! He removed the plug, drilled a hole in the insulation board at the same level or height of the drain. He attached the tubing to the drain on the unit, and threaded it out through the insulation board to the outside. Problem solved! After he installed the unit, I noticed that there were tiny little gaps in the plastic window kit, around the circles... I could see light shining through. I ran a bead of caulk around it. No more light, no air escaping and no ants getting in. I turn the PAC off when I'm not home. Remember, the central AC is set at 80 degrees and the outside temperature, at this time of year, during the day is between 90 and 95. When I return, I turn the PAC on and set it at 74. Within 15 minutes, the room is cooled down to 74. (I have a separate thermometer and wanted to make sure that it was cooling to what I had it set at.) As I type right now, my fingers and toes are cold! I'm comfortable... I might even have to turn it a little warmer! Some reviews mentioned that it is a loud unit.... I don't agree... it is no louder than a window shaker! I would definitely recommend this unit. So far, so good! It's only been three weeks, but I am optimistic that it will continue to work well. (I waited 10 days or so to order one for my son and he, too, is now comfortable in his room. It's about the same size as mine.)
Review: ARC-131GD comparison to ARC-12SD - I have been using this for about 2 weeks. I bought this for my master bedroom which is about 23x16 (368 square feet) and has vaulted ceilings. It was to replace a Whynter ARC-12SD which was working great but was going to be moved to my wife's office. Not to make this a review about the ARC-12SD but comparing it to the ARC-131GD reveals the latter's pros and cons. The ARC-12SD has been in use for about 1.5 years and has performed great. It had two downsides. Its first downside may not be a downside depending on the room you place it in. It has a bright blue led display and several other led indicators that could not be turned off. At night, in a bedroom, the led's are quite bright. We taped a credit card over the main display. The card blocked most of the light at night and we could flip it up if we wanted to see it if we wanted. The ARC-131GD has a remote control that contains the display rather than having it on the air conditioner itself. My wife and I both like that. There is a spot on the unit to store the remote but my wife keeps it on the nightstand. The ARC-131GD does have a blue led on the front of the unit but you can turn it off. Again, depending on the room you are putting this in, either may work for you. We only realized the ARC-12SD's second downside when we started to use the ARC-131GD, The ARC-131GD is quieter than the ARC-12SD. The compressor seems to quietly engage in the ARC131GD whereas the compressor on the ARC-12SD seems to be more abrupt and noisier. Although I do remember hearing the ARC-12SD cycling at times (I guess it woke me up), I have not noticed the ARC-131GD cycling at night (I guess it does not wake me up). On paper, the ARC-131GD is ever so slightly better suited for a larger room. The ARC-12SD is rated for 400 square feet while the ARC-131GD is rated for 420 square feet. After reading a few reviews it seemed like the ARC-131GD was slightly more efficient than the ARC-12SD. Believing that the ARC-131GD was more powerful and more efficient lead me to consider the ARC-131GD rather than just getting another ARC-12SD. Price wise, it seems that the ARC131-DG is generally available at a lower price than the ARC-12SD. When the ARC-131GD dropped to a particularly low price, I jumped on it. The first night with the ARC-131GD revealed just how quite it is. Of course you can hear the fan, similar to, but slightly quieter than the ARC-12SD's fan. From a cooling perspective, the ARC-12SD cooled the room faster. Not sure why this is but...every night the ARC-131GD is slower to cool then the ARC-12SD. Both were set to maximum fan speed. During the night, both cooled the room fine. Neither my wife nor I have been uncomfortable. We both notice the room cooling slower with the ARC-131GD as compared to the ARC-12SD. The ARC-12SD does have adjustable vents while the ARC-131GD does not. We used to point the vents on the ARC-12SD as high as they would go, almost vertical. Since hot air rises, it seemed like a good idea to push the cold air towards the ceiling. The ARC-131GD pushes the air out at a more horizontal angle. Maybe if it could push the cold air towards the ceiling, it would do an better job at cooling the overall room faster. This may only be an issue with a room with a vaulted ceiling. Would I buy another ARC-131GD? Based on the price I got it for (much less than the ARC-12SD) I would say yes. How much am I saving in electricity using the ARC-131GD in comparison to the ARC-12SD? If your requirements are for the room to be cooled a bit more quickly than the ARC-12SD may be better choice. If you have to run the ARC-131GD 20 minutes longer a day to get the room to a specific temperature, does its slightly better efficiency pay off? If the ARC-131GD is priced the same as the ARC-12SD, I would get the ARC-12SD. If the ARC-131GD is at an all time low price-wise, I would get the ARC-131GD again. It has its pluses and minus's (both of which depend on where it will be located and your personal preferences). A couple of additional points. The ARC-12SD has an intake and exhaust hose. Both are the same diameter. The ARC-131GD intake hose is the standard size. The exhaust hose is smaller. The connectors are standard as far as connecting to the air conditioner or window vent but the tube connections are different sizes to match the hoses. The tube lengths on the ARC-131GD are about 8 inches shorter than the ARC-12SD. Whereas I could maneuver the ARC-12SD away from the window and point it an any direction I wanted, the limited hose length on the ARC-131SD did not allow for this. I had to place the air conditioner as close to the wall as I could. Although I had standard replacement hoses which were longer, I could not utilize them because of the non-standard exhaust hose connector of the ARC-131GD. My solution, buy 2 more standard connectors. I live in FL. My back yard, which is where the air conditioner cooling intake pulls air in from, is basically a jungle. The air being pulled in is extremely humid. When I hooked up the new air conditioner, I replaced both the intake and exhaust tubes. The intake hose I was replacing was full of a very light coating of mildew. Yuck! Even given those conditions, I never had a problem with the ARC-12SD filling up with water. I have read other reviews of the ARC-131GD and some have reported problems with the unit filling with water. So far (2 weeks) I have not had a problem with the unit filling with water even with the very high humidity.

## Features

- Award-Winning Portable AC Unit: Awarded Good Housekeeping's 2024 "BEST PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONER AND HEATER," this powerful yet quiet portable air conditioner provides powerful cooling over large areas up to 400 sq. ft.
- Powerful Yet Quiet: The ideal AC unit for bedrooms, this 12,000 BTU ASHRAE (6,884 BTU SACC) indoor air conditioner operates at 51.5 dBA at low speed and helps you stay cool while your limiting energy consumption
- Built-In Dehumidifier: This dual-hose portable air conditioner features a patented auto drain function that automatically exhausts all condensate in most environments; 96 pint/day dehumidifying capacity; 320m3/h / 188CFM airflow
- 4 Operational Modes: This stand-up air conditioner features 4 settings: cool, heat, dehumidify and fan (3 speeds), plus full (61°F – 89°F) thermostatic control; Max. 1100 W / 10.5 A power consumption
- Includes: A 20″ W x 16.5″ D x 34″ H indoor AC unit, an extendable (up to 59") 6.0" diameter exhaust hose, a 6.5″W x 26.75″ (min) / 82″ (max) L window kit, an activated carbon air filter, and a washable pre-filter

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN | B003MQDGIW |
| Additional Features | Portable |
| Air Conditioner Application | Indoor |
| Air Flow Efficiency | 165.45 Cubic Feet Per Minute Per Watt |
| Annual Energy Consumption | 1100 Watts |
| BEE Star Rating | No Energy Star |
| Best Sellers Rank | #765,392 in Home & Kitchen ( See Top 100 in Home & Kitchen ) #401 in Portable Air Conditioners |
| Brand Name | Whynter |
| Capacity | 96 Pints |
| Color | White |
| Compressor Type | rotary_scroll |
| Control Method | Remote |
| Controller Type | Digital Control, Remote Control |
| Customer Reviews | 3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars (1,235) |
| Efficiency | High |
| Filter Type | Activated Carbon Air Filter and Washable Pre-filter |
| Floor Area | 400 Square Feet |
| Form Factor | Portable |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00891207001972 |
| Included Components | Window installation accessories, remote, and storage cover bag with pocket |
| Installation Type | Window Vent Installation |
| Inverter Type | No Inverter |
| Is Outdoor Unit Required | No |
| Is Product Cordless | No |
| Item Dimensions D x W x H | 16.5"D x 20"W x 34"H |
| Item Type Name | Whynter ARC-12SDH 12,000 BTU (6,884 BTU SACC) Dual Hose Cooling Portable Air Conditioner, Heater, Dehumidifier, and Fan with Storage bag, up to 400 sq ft in White |
| Item Weight | 78 Pounds |
| Manufacturer | Whynter |
| Model Name | ARC-12SDH |
| Model Number | ARC-12SDH |
| Noise | 51.5 Decibels |
| Number of Heating Elements | 1 |
| Number of Power Levels | 3 |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Refrigerant | R-410A |
| Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) | 6.97 |
| Start Year | 2010 |
| UPC | 891207001972 |
| Voltage | 115 Volts |
| Warranty Description | 1-year limited manufacturer's warranty and 3-year compressor warranty. |
| Warranty Type | Limited |
| Wattage | 1100 watts |
| Window Opening Maximum Height | 46 Inches |
| Window Opening Maximum Width | 46 Inches |
| Window Opening Minimum Height | 20 Inches |
| Window Opening Minimum Width | 6.5 Inches |

## Product Details

- **Brand:** Whynter
- **Capacity:** 96 Pints
- **Color:** White
- **Noise Level:** 51.5 Decibels
- **Product Dimensions:** 16.5"D x 20"W x 34"H
- **Refrigerant:** R-410A
- **Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER):** 6.97
- **Special Feature:** Portable
- **Start year:** 2010
- **Voltage:** 115 Volts

## Images

![ARC-12SDH - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61affwBcjbL.jpg)

## Available Options

This product comes in different **Size, Style** options.

## Questions & Answers

**Q: When using the heater, must you vent it to the outside?**
A: I find that it will run on high-speed (and basically maximum heat output) down to about 45 degrees ambient, then to maintain the warmth of the output air is drops to medium fan automatically.  It then drops to low speed somewhere between 35 and 40.  I'm using it in a much larger space than it is rated for, at least 650 square feet, and it will keep the furnace off until the ambient temp drops to about 37 degrees... and it will actually produce heat for another 10 below that.  For a smaller room it could well be adequate even at that temperature, and it's important to remember that it only consumes 1,000 watts.  Portable electric resistance heaters are typically 1500+ watts and are only rated for 200-250 square feet.

**Q: I have an unit that I can connect a small tube/hose to and drain accumulated water directly outside the window, is this possible with this unit.**
A: The manual for this product (http://www.whynter.com/Upload/ProductManuals/Whynter_ARC-12SDH_User_Manual%202014.pdf) shows a drain port in the middle of the back as well as the drain at the bottom. Maybe this is a recent modification. The manual says, for continuous drainage (ie in high humidity cooling or dehumidifying): "In COOL or DRY modes, remove the upper drain plug from the back of the unit and put a container under the drain port to catch the water. Or install the drain water hose and place the open end of the hose to a drain area."I am noticing that several of the 12,000 BTU models now have upper drain ports, while the 14,000 BTU model still does not.

**Q: Does this unit have wheels?  How portable is it?**
A: It has wheels and can be rolled on a hard surface.  It is quite heavy and is NOT portable going up and down stairs.

**Q: what electricity is needed 120or220**
A: 120V - Regular grounded, 3-prong, 15-amp outlet.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Whynter 12,000BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner, Frost White (ARC-12SDH)
*by F***L on September 3, 2012*

After extensive research, reading customer reviews, professional reviews and pricing at my local appliance stores, I broke down and bought two of these units, 2 weeks apart. My son and I moved in with the elderly 'rents to look after them. They keep the central AC at 80 and watch TV with wool caps, slippers and lap blankets... yes, in the middle of the Florida summer! To say the least my son and I were sweatin' it out at night. I got only one portable AC (PAC) at first because of some of the negative reviews, large investment on something I wasn't too sure was going to work well for us, problems with the drainage, etc... I didn't want to invest in two, if one didn't work. The room I am cooling is approx. 12x 12. I probably got too much in the BTU department, but I wanted to be sure that it would do the job. It ABSOLUTELY DOES THE JOB AND THEN SOME! I did get the second one. The PAC came in a large box, packaged well. Easy to disassemble, box was taken away by recycling. All good. My brother-in-law set the PAC in my bedroom. I only have a sliding glass door to work with, so he needed to do some modifications and adjustments. All of the parts were in the box and easily assembled. Follow the directions (and pictures) and all should match up well. I went to Home Depot, purchased a 4' x 8' piece of AC insulation board (foam in the middle and covered with silver foil on the outside...cuts easily with a utility knife), a roll of AC duct tape (not duct tape, but the kind that is foil and used for AC duct work), 2 packages of 1" x 1" foam weather stripping, and 3 feet of 1/2" diameter tubing. ($30-$40 all together). The tools that my brother in law used were a drill to make a 1/2 inch hole in the insulation board, a utility knife, and a measuring tape. I'll tell you how he put it together and the reasons for doing it the way he did... after all, he is a clever guy and he saw a design flaw here or there... First, he measured how wide he would need the insulation board to be. Remember, it went into a sliding glass door, which would render the slider useless, once the PAC was installed. (I didn't care, I NEEDED the AC). He cut the insulation board 4" wider than the width of the plastic window kit (comes with the unit, has 2 holes to attach the duct hoses). Of course, the height of this piece has to fit into the door. Next, he decided where he wanted to put the plastic window kit in the insulation board. He centered the plastic window kit vertically and pressed it into the insulation board to leave an imprint in the board. He used the utility knife, followed the straight lines of the impression, to cut out the shape of the plastic window kit. He used the AC duct tape to tape the window kit into the insulation board, front and back. He next taped this, (the piece of insulation board with the plastic window kit taped into it) into place in the door jamb/frame of the slider. All taped in. It doesn't look pretty, or it looks as good as it can for being what it is, but it certainly is functional. He then attached the exhaust hose to one of the round circles (4" hole on the plastic window kit) and put one of the caps (provided) on the other. ***HERE IS WHERE HE THINKS THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW, AND WHY HE DID NOT ATTACH THE SECOND HOSE TO THE SECOND HOLE. The directions and the whole idea of the DUAL HOSE SYSTEM is to blow out the hot exhaust through one of the hoses and then to draw in cool air, from outside, through the other hose. This is the problem with this idea (according to my brother in law): "THE TWO HOSES, WHEN CONNECTED TO THE WINDOW KIT, ARE ONLY 1 1/2"-2 " APART. HE DOESN'T BELIEVE IT'S POSSIBLE TO DRAW IN "COOL" AIR FROM THE OUTSIDE FOR TWO REASONS: IT'S HOT OUTSIDE, HENCE THE NEED OF THE AC AND BECAUSE THE INTAKE IS GOING TO 'SUCK' THE HOT AIR IN FROM THE EXHAUST BECAUSE IT'S TOO CLOSE TO THE INTAKE." So, the intake hose is attached to the unit, but not to the vent hole. It's simply leaning up against the door, out of the way, sucking in the cooled air from inside the room. When I explained what I was doing to the Home Depot guy, he reminded me that once that sliding glass door was opened a few inches, there would be a gap between the two doors... in the middle, if you will. Simple solution was to stuff the foam weather stripping in there! Done. I was concerned about the drainage issues... Florida is HUMID! I read on some reviews that the unit would shut down in the middle of the night because the drip pan was full... Again, my brother in law to the rescue!!! He removed the plug, drilled a hole in the insulation board at the same level or height of the drain. He attached the tubing to the drain on the unit, and threaded it out through the insulation board to the outside. Problem solved! After he installed the unit, I noticed that there were tiny little gaps in the plastic window kit, around the circles... I could see light shining through. I ran a bead of caulk around it. No more light, no air escaping and no ants getting in. I turn the PAC off when I'm not home. Remember, the central AC is set at 80 degrees and the outside temperature, at this time of year, during the day is between 90 and 95. When I return, I turn the PAC on and set it at 74. Within 15 minutes, the room is cooled down to 74. (I have a separate thermometer and wanted to make sure that it was cooling to what I had it set at.) As I type right now, my fingers and toes are cold! I'm comfortable... I might even have to turn it a little warmer! Some reviews mentioned that it is a loud unit.... I don't agree... it is no louder than a window shaker! I would definitely recommend this unit. So far, so good! It's only been three weeks, but I am optimistic that it will continue to work well. (I waited 10 days or so to order one for my son and he, too, is now comfortable in his room. It's about the same size as mine.)

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ARC-131GD comparison to ARC-12SD
*by M***E on August 13, 2015*

I have been using this for about 2 weeks. I bought this for my master bedroom which is about 23x16 (368 square feet) and has vaulted ceilings. It was to replace a Whynter ARC-12SD which was working great but was going to be moved to my wife's office. Not to make this a review about the ARC-12SD but comparing it to the ARC-131GD reveals the latter's pros and cons. The ARC-12SD has been in use for about 1.5 years and has performed great. It had two downsides. Its first downside may not be a downside depending on the room you place it in. It has a bright blue led display and several other led indicators that could not be turned off. At night, in a bedroom, the led's are quite bright. We taped a credit card over the main display. The card blocked most of the light at night and we could flip it up if we wanted to see it if we wanted. The ARC-131GD has a remote control that contains the display rather than having it on the air conditioner itself. My wife and I both like that. There is a spot on the unit to store the remote but my wife keeps it on the nightstand. The ARC-131GD does have a blue led on the front of the unit but you can turn it off. Again, depending on the room you are putting this in, either may work for you. We only realized the ARC-12SD's second downside when we started to use the ARC-131GD, The ARC-131GD is quieter than the ARC-12SD. The compressor seems to quietly engage in the ARC131GD whereas the compressor on the ARC-12SD seems to be more abrupt and noisier. Although I do remember hearing the ARC-12SD cycling at times (I guess it woke me up), I have not noticed the ARC-131GD cycling at night (I guess it does not wake me up). On paper, the ARC-131GD is ever so slightly better suited for a larger room. The ARC-12SD is rated for 400 square feet while the ARC-131GD is rated for 420 square feet. After reading a few reviews it seemed like the ARC-131GD was slightly more efficient than the ARC-12SD. Believing that the ARC-131GD was more powerful and more efficient lead me to consider the ARC-131GD rather than just getting another ARC-12SD. Price wise, it seems that the ARC131-DG is generally available at a lower price than the ARC-12SD. When the ARC-131GD dropped to a particularly low price, I jumped on it. The first night with the ARC-131GD revealed just how quite it is. Of course you can hear the fan, similar to, but slightly quieter than the ARC-12SD's fan. From a cooling perspective, the ARC-12SD cooled the room faster. Not sure why this is but...every night the ARC-131GD is slower to cool then the ARC-12SD. Both were set to maximum fan speed. During the night, both cooled the room fine. Neither my wife nor I have been uncomfortable. We both notice the room cooling slower with the ARC-131GD as compared to the ARC-12SD. The ARC-12SD does have adjustable vents while the ARC-131GD does not. We used to point the vents on the ARC-12SD as high as they would go, almost vertical. Since hot air rises, it seemed like a good idea to push the cold air towards the ceiling. The ARC-131GD pushes the air out at a more horizontal angle. Maybe if it could push the cold air towards the ceiling, it would do an better job at cooling the overall room faster. This may only be an issue with a room with a vaulted ceiling. Would I buy another ARC-131GD? Based on the price I got it for (much less than the ARC-12SD) I would say yes. How much am I saving in electricity using the ARC-131GD in comparison to the ARC-12SD? If your requirements are for the room to be cooled a bit more quickly than the ARC-12SD may be better choice. If you have to run the ARC-131GD 20 minutes longer a day to get the room to a specific temperature, does its slightly better efficiency pay off? If the ARC-131GD is priced the same as the ARC-12SD, I would get the ARC-12SD. If the ARC-131GD is at an all time low price-wise, I would get the ARC-131GD again. It has its pluses and minus's (both of which depend on where it will be located and your personal preferences). A couple of additional points. The ARC-12SD has an intake and exhaust hose. Both are the same diameter. The ARC-131GD intake hose is the standard size. The exhaust hose is smaller. The connectors are standard as far as connecting to the air conditioner or window vent but the tube connections are different sizes to match the hoses. The tube lengths on the ARC-131GD are about 8 inches shorter than the ARC-12SD. Whereas I could maneuver the ARC-12SD away from the window and point it an any direction I wanted, the limited hose length on the ARC-131SD did not allow for this. I had to place the air conditioner as close to the wall as I could. Although I had standard replacement hoses which were longer, I could not utilize them because of the non-standard exhaust hose connector of the ARC-131GD. My solution, buy 2 more standard connectors. I live in FL. My back yard, which is where the air conditioner cooling intake pulls air in from, is basically a jungle. The air being pulled in is extremely humid. When I hooked up the new air conditioner, I replaced both the intake and exhaust tubes. The intake hose I was replacing was full of a very light coating of mildew. Yuck! Even given those conditions, I never had a problem with the ARC-12SD filling up with water. I have read other reviews of the ARC-131GD and some have reported problems with the unit filling with water. So far (2 weeks) I have not had a problem with the unit filling with water even with the very high humidity.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
*by S***N on July 23, 2017*

Works perfectly. Only small complaint is that the valve to drain excess water is in the dumbest place, right at floor level, so that it's virtually impossible to drain it without spilling water on the floor.

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*Store origin: BR*
*Last updated: 2026-04-26*