12,000 BTU (SACC) dual-hose portable air conditioner with heat
Hisense 6517277
Below average efficiency for its size: a CEER of 12.0 beats 21% of the certified 12,000 BTU or more portable air conditioners.
The Hisense 6517277 delivers 12,000 BTU of real cooling (SACC), enough for about 450-550 sq ft, draws about 1000 watts and costs about $135 a year to run at typical U.S. use and prices. A window unit that cools as much costs about $108 a year.
- CEER
- 12.0 Combined efficiency, higher is betterBelow average · beats 21%
- Real cooling
- 12,000 BTU/h (SACC)For about 450-550 sq ft
- Energy use
- 750 kWh/yrAbout 1000 W, at 750 hours a year
- Design
- Two hoses Draws outdoor air for its condenser
A good fit if…
- You want the better cooling design - with two hoses it does not pull warm outdoor air into the room to replace what it exhausts.
- You want one unit for cooling and some heat - it has a heating mode.
Think twice if…
- Running cost matters most - its CEER is below average for 12,000 BTU or more portable air conditioners.
- You want no drain to deal with - it uses a gravity drain you must run to a floor drain or a bucket.
- You have limited space - units this size are the largest and heaviest portable air conditioners.
Calculate my running costCheck the size for my room
Details
Certified ratings
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Real cooling capacity (SACC)Seasonally adjusted cooling capacity: what the unit delivers in the DOE test, after the heat it lets back in | 12,000 BTU/h |
| CEERCombined energy efficiency ratio, includes standby power | 12.0 |
| Power drawSACC divided by CEER | About 1000 W |
| Yearly energy use750 hours of cooling a year | 750 kWh |
| Design | |
| Hose design | Dual-duct (two hoses) |
| Heating | Yes (type not stated in the data) |
| Compressor | Not reported |
| Water removal | Gravity drain (hose to a floor drain or bucket) |
| Certification | |
| Certified model numbers | 1 (1 basic model) |
| Brands | 1 |
| Size class | 12,000 BTU and up |
Model numbers with these ratings
These model numbers are certified with the same capacity, efficiency, hose design, heating, drain type and compressor as the Hisense 6517277.They may be the same unit sold under several brands, or different products that test the same: the DOE data has no dimensions or noise figures, so check those with the maker. Ratings within about 2% in capacity and 0.3 in CEER are treated as the same; a model whose own rating differs a little shows it in brackets.
- Hisense6517277
How it compares with the other 12,000 BTU or more portable units
- CEER (class median 12.8)12.0, no ties
- Yearly cost vs. class median ($127)$8 more
- Efficiency rank among 14 rating profiles#9
- Models in the class with two hoses99%
- Window units with similar cooling (median CEER 15.0)$108 a year
Compared with every DOE-certified portable unit in the same size class (SACC). Each model number counts once. Yearly cost at 750 hours and 18.0¢/kWh.
Yearly running cost by city
This unit at each city's cooling hours and state electricity price, against a window unit that cools as much.
| City | Hours | ¢/kWh | Per year | Window unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 1675 | 15.5 | $259 | $207 |
| Houston, TX | 1400 | 16.0 | $224 | $179 |
| Miami, FL | 1750 | 15.4 | $270 | $216 |
| Atlanta, GA | 775 | 15.1 | $117 | $93 |
| New York, NY | 525 | 28.4 | $149 | $119 |
| Chicago, IL | 475 | 19.0 | $90 | $72 |
| Denver, CO | 350 | 16.6 | $58 | $46 |
| Seattle, WA | 125 | 14.2 | $18 | $14 |
Ranked around it in the 12,000 BTU and up class
| # | Model | BTU (SACC) | CEER | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 12,000 BTU dual-hose inverter portable AC with heat, 12.8 CEER | 12,000 | 12.8 | $127 |
| 7 | Serenelife SLACHT168 | 12,000 | 12.3 | $132 |
| 8 | Midea MAP12DV1XWT-A | 12,000 | 12.1 | $134 |
| 9 | Hisense 6517277 | 12,000 | 12.0 | $135 |
| 10 | Power Breezer H950SL | 13,600 | 11.4 | $161 |
| 11 | 12,000 BTU dual-hose inverter portable AC, 11.2 CEER | 12,000 | 11.2 | $145 |
| 12 | Tripp Lite SRCOOL24KE | 16,000 | 9.8 | $221 |
Questions
- What size room does the Hisense 6517277 cool?
- 12,000 BTU of real cooling (SACC) suits about 450 to 550 sq ft with normal sun and two people (about 405-495 sq ft if very sunny), by the ENERGY STAR floor-area table. Size by SACC, not the larger BTU on the box.
- How many watts does the Hisense 6517277 use, and what does it cost to run?
- About 1000 watts at full power (12,000 BTU/h divided by its CEER of 12.0), roughly 8.7 amps if it runs on 115 V. At 750 hours a year and 18.0¢/kWh that is about $135, which is $8 more than the typical certified 12,000 BTU or more portable unit ($127). Its CEER beats 21% of the 147 certified models in its size class.
- Why does the Hisense 6517277 have two hoses?
- One hose brings outdoor air in to cool the condenser, the other sends the heat out, so no cooled room air is wasted. 99% of the certified 12,000 BTU or more models have two hoses, and at 12.0 CEER this one is below their 12.8 median.
- How does the Hisense 6517277 handle the water it removes?
- It drains by gravity: you run a hose from the unit to a floor drain, a sink or a bucket that stays lower than the unit. Do not coil the hose or lift it above the outlet.
- How does the Hisense 6517277 heat?
- It has a heating function, but the DOE data records only that it exists, not whether it is a heat pump or an electric element. Ask the maker: a heat pump gives more heat per kWh than a resistance element, which costs the same as any space heater. 33 of the 147 certified 12,000 BTU or more models can heat.
- Is the Hisense 6517277 as efficient as a window air conditioner?
- No. The 40 ENERGY STAR certified window units that cool about as much (within 15% of 12,000 BTU) have a median CEER of 15.0, against 12.0 here, and the best reach 16.8. At 750 hours a year a window unit with that median would cost about $108, $27 less than this one. ENERGY STAR window units are the more efficient part of the window market, so the gap to an average window unit is smaller. A portable unit makes sense when a window unit will not fit or is not allowed.
Running cost calculator
Pre-filled with these ratings. Pick your state and how many hours you run it, or see what portable units cost to run in every state.
Closest alternatives
Rating profiles with a similar CEER in the same size class, and what sets each one apart from the Hisense 6517277.
| Model | CEER | Compared with this one |
|---|---|---|
| Midea MAP12DV1XWT-A | 12.1 | 0.1 CEER higher, cooling only, inverter, self-evaporating |
| Serenelife SLACHT168 | 12.3 | 0.3 CEER higher, self-evaporating |
| 12,000 BTU dual-hose inverter portable AC with heat, 12.8 CEER | 12.8 | 0.8 CEER higher, inverter, self-evaporating |
| 12,000 BTU dual-hose inverter portable AC, 12.8 CEER | 12.8 | 0.8 CEER higher, cooling only, inverter, self-evaporating |
| 12,000 BTU dual-hose inverter portable AC, 11.2 CEER | 11.2 | 0.8 CEER lower, cooling only, inverter, self-evaporating |
See all 14 12,000 BTU or more portable air conditioners, ranked
Before you buy
- SACC vs. the BTU on the box
- Portable vs. window air conditioner
- Portable AC without a window
- All portable air conditioners, ranked
- Window air conditioners
The Department of Energy lists every certified model, including some no longer sold: check availability before you buy. Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Compliance Certification Database (portable air conditioners), updated 2026-10-14. How we use the data.