TOSOT Portable Air Conditioner Review

The TOSOT portable air conditioner is made for cooling on the go. How well does it really work? We’re finding out now.

Let’s go!

Pros

• Cools rooms up to 300 sf.
• Good cooling performance during our tests
• Large digital displays

Cons

• Lengthy setup and install process
• Although it is on a wheeled based, the unit is quite heavy

TOSOT AC Design

The TOSOT AC unit is designed to be portable and used in any room with a window. Here’s how it works.

1. Install the unit, butted up to an exterior window
2. Seal the space separating interior and exterior. (Note: A better seal job results in a more efficient unit)
3. Plug it in and turn it on.
4. Use the remote control or digital controls on top of the unit to adjust the settings until the room is comfortable.

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The Controls

The TOSOT air conditioner has a series of digital controls located on the top of the unit.

1. Adjust fan speed (Low, medium, high, or auto)
2. Set sleep mode
3. Power the unit on / off
4. Set times
5. Change mode (cool, dry, fan)
6. Set target temperature

If you aren’t right at the unit, you can also use a remote control to change the settings. The capabilities of the remote controls are similar to those on the unit itself.

Remote Control

The remote control allows you to:

• Turn the unit on / off
• Adjust fan speed
• View current temperature
• View target temperature
• Activate sleep mode
• Set a timer
• X-Fan

What is the X-Fan?

This unique feature will keep the fan spinning at a slow speed to dry residual water in the unit and the air exhaust hose to help discourage and prevent mold growth.

How does it work?

The TOSOT portable AC unit works by cooling the air inside the room and pumping hot air through the exhaust outside of your home.

Basically, the unit pumps cooled air into your room, while pumping hot air through the exhaust host and out of your room.

Operating Modes

The TOSOT portable AC has a variety of modes for different uses. Modes include:

• Cooling
• Fan
• Dehumidifying
• Super Quiet
• Auto-Evaporation System
• Sleep
• Timer

This AC unit can adjust the target temperature from 61-86°F.

Size & Dimensions

The size of the TOSOT AC unit is comparable to a standard large / mediu-sized air purifier, like the Dyson TP04. It is tall and decently wide, designed to sit flat on the floor.

The exact dimensions are listed below:

• 11.8″ wide
• 15.4″ deep
• 30.4″ tall
• 65 pounds

This medium-sized unit is designed to cool rooms up to 300 sf. with a max airflow of 350 m/h.

Accessories & Parts

The TOSOT comes with a basic assortment of parts and accessories. The majority of the parts are used for install.

What’s in the box?

• TOSOT portable AC unit
• Adapter pieces for install
• Foam tape (for sealing edges)
• Remote control

TOSOT Performance

To evaluate the performance of the TOSOT, we ran it through a series of tests to see how well it could cool down the space.

All of these tests took place under the following conditions:

• Location: Phoenix, Arizona
• Building: Frame construction, foam roof, fiberglass insulation, stucco exterior, built 2007, renovated 2020, 950 square feet.
• Room: Testing room is a ~10’ x 14’, vaulted ceilings

Here’s a quick summary of how each test broke down.

• 4-hour span within the same day
• Internal & External temperature
• Internal & External humidity
• AC Unit running constantly, attempting to achieve temperature of 72° F

As mentioned above, both days that we tested were under a heat advisory. As a result, the TOSOT really had its work cut out in order to cool the space.

A portable AC unit used in the desert in the heat of the summer really is up for an epic battle.

This unit installs into a window so (1) the outside heat and (2) how well it is insulated between the window are two of the biggest factors that can affect performance.

Disclaimers aside, here is how the TOSOT performed:

Test #1

• Date: August 26, 2020
• Time: 5 hours (10:20 am to 3:20 pm)
• NOTE: There was an excessive heat warning on this day.

• Hour 0 – 84.1° F, 39% humidity (inside), 100° F, 23% humidity (outside)
• Hour 1 – 80.4°F, 38% humidity (inside), 105° F, 19% humidity (outside)
• Hour 2 – 79.3° F, 40% humidity (inside), 106° F, 18% humidity (outside)
• Hour 3 – 78.6° F, 38% humidity (inside), 107° F, 17% humidity (outside)
• Hour 4 – 78.6° F, 40% humidity (inside), 110° F, 15% humidity (outside)
• Hour 5 – 76.5° F, 39% humidity (inside), 111° F, 15% humidity (outside)

Test #2

• Date: August 27, 2020
• Time: 4 hours (8:40 am to 12:40 pm)
• NOTE: There was an excessive heat warning on this day.

• Hour 0 – 89.2° F, 36% humidity (inside), 92° F, 34% humidity (outside)
• Hour 1 – 78.8°F, 41% humidity (inside), 97° F, 29% humidity (outside)
• Hour 2 – 78.0° F, 41% humidity (inside), 99° F, 26% humidity (outside)
• Hour 3 – 77.1° F, 41% humidity (inside), 100° F, 26% humidity (outside)
• Hour 4 – 77.7° F, 43% humidity (inside), 105° F, 23% humidity (outside)

The Takeaway

Overall, I was impressed with how the TOSOT performed, but it certainly wasn’t a replacement for a central AC unit. It took a significant amount of time to drop the temperature and even after 4 hours it wasn’t below 76° in either of our tests.

DID YOU KNOW? The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language identifies room temperature as around 20–22 °C (68–72 °F).

That being said, if you’re looking for something to supplement your central AC unit or if you don’t have central AC, the TOSOT can be a great option.

The TOSOT was able to lower the temperature 21.4° in test one (from outside to inside temperature) in four hours. In test 2, it was able to lower the temperature 11.5°.

NOTE: Test #2 took place earlier in the morning and had a lower starting outdoor temperature.

Setup & Usability

To get the TOSOT up and running, there is a bit of a process. It wasn’t necessarily quick, but it was straightforward.

There is quite a bit of assembly required before the unit is ready to start running.

The most complex assembly is installing the exhaust vent into your window.

To install you need to first install the self-adhesive foam insulation tape along the perimeter where the vent housing is going to sit. This protects the window but also helps better seal the area so you keep hot air out and cool air in.

Overall, I would say that the weatherstripping was pretty easy to install, even for a basic DIYer like myself. That being said, it wasn’t perfect and air did seep through after install.

If you imagine using this unit long term you may want to consider additional insulation tape or other insulating materials (foam, sealers, etc.)

Install took about an hour to install, but that did include a bit of re-reading to make sure I was following all directions exactly as required.

I would say most people could unbox and install this unit within about 30 minutes.

Once it’s installed using it is easy. On-board displays and controls are intuitive and easy to use. The remote control is just as intuitive.

TOSOT Maintenance

So let’s talk about maintenance.

Keeping this AC unit up and running really doesn’t take much. Here are a few of the features and factors to consider when thinking of the best ways to maintain the TOSOT portable AC unit.

#1. The Filter: It comes with a washable air filter that can be cleaned with soap and water, which helps to limit replacement costs.

#2. X-Fan: The X-Fan helps to dry out the inside of the unit which resists most growth or harmful bacteria or particulate.

#3. The Grills: Remember to wipe down the faceplates and grills to ensure clear and unobstructed airflow.

Is the TOSOT a good value?

All things considered, I would say that the TOSOT is a pretty good value.

Especially if you don’t need to run this AC unit every day of the year, it can be a great tool to provide a break for your central AC unit.

This portable air conditioner would also be a good option for regions that don’t have a lot of temperature extremes.

I suspect that this unit would perform better in conditions where outdoor air was not as hot as Phoenix (which is going to be most places in the world). Cooling that kind of air is a tall order for any AC.

TOSOT Portable AC Specifications

Should You Buy the TOSOT?

I would recommend the TOSOT portable AC unit to people looking for the following features:

• Window Mount: If you’re specifically looking for an AC unit that mounts to an exterior window, the TOSOT is a great option. It is a larger unit, but comes with quite a bit of hose for a more flexible install.
• Portable AC: While the unit does require a window install, it is still built on wheels and relatively easy to move around. This is a nice benefit if you want to be able to move it from room to room. Much better than a fixed permanent window unit.
• Remote Control: The controls on the TOSOT are intuitive and easy to understand. The digital controls on top of the unit respond immediately or you can also control with a physical remote. There is no wifi-based control with this unit.

To learn more or to buy the TOSOT portable air conditioner, check it out here.