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It seems that once a company (this one being Fridge Electric) gets a "Don't Buy!" rating from Consumer Reports (for their Cool Surge evaporative cooler) they just figure they have to wait a summer and release it under a new name: Mira-Cool.  The Consumer Reports article on the air cooling unit opens with:

The Cool Surge might sound appealing when you consider the roughly 500 watts needed to run even a small air conditioner. Ohio-based Fridge Electric LLC, which markets the Cool Surge, has even offered a two-for-one deal in full-page ads in The New York Times and other newspapers. But our tests show that when it comes to cooling a room, the Cool Surge is likely to disappoint you at any price.

I first started researching the Mira-Cool product when I saw their full-page ad in USA Today.  I guess they decided to change the name of the unit after Consumer Reports suggested that nobody buy it.  From what I can tell, there is no difference between the Cool Surge and the Mira-Cool.

Their ad in USA Today starts off incredibly misleading with the title, "Public set to get free air cooling units" and goes on to say, "A new miracle air cooler is actually being given away free to the first 11,337 readers.."  Well, after further reading I discovered that it was really a buy 1 (at $298) get 1 free, but you still had to pay for shipping on both units!  But why who cares if you get both of them free if they don't work as advertised?

Any company that says this in their FAQ has to be joking:

Q: Can I leave it on when I'm not home?

A: It's recommended that you don't because when you get home, the MIRA-COOL can quickly blast out ice cooled air.

Unfortunately I don't think Mira-Cool and Fridge Electric is kidding even though their claims are a joke.  Whenever you read something that seems too good to be true...it probably is.  There are hundreds of companies out there trying to take advantage of the public's ignorance on energy issues.  Keep reading Mapawatt Blog (and keep your eyes peeled for other energy scams) and don't get taken advantage of!

P.S. : If you want to see the Mira-Cool product for yourself (and at your own risk) go to www.mira-cool.com and enter claim code MC1008.