Mira-Cool and Cool Surge: Too good to be true?

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.

Tags:

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Comments

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 08/04/2011 - 14:17

Well, Nick. It's like this. When products like Mira-Cool, Cool Surge, and ArticPro don't do what the company making and selling them claims they will do, and they keep on making the claims and selling the products, they know that they are cheating people out of their money. The products are not going to meet the claims and perform for some people and not perform the exact same way for others. The product(s) should perform the same way every time. So when people like yourself get on sites like this when they would have no reason to go looking for information on a company for a product that is working well for them, it throws up red flags. Follow that with the continued insistence that your unit does exactly what the company says it will do, even though the various testing groups, such as the Consumer Protection Agency, say that it doesn't, and those of us who know that it doesn't work and know that people who could ill afford it have spent their very hard-earned money because they trusted the newspapers that they saw the ad in, and trusted the company because of all the implied claims on the product, and were misled to believe that the product is a quality product made in the U.S., we get a little upset. Those of us with personal knowledge of this or who feel a sense of moral responsibility, just plain get angry about it and feel the need to respond. Some of us have such a great sense of what is right and wrong that we continue to speak up, even when we are attacked personally for doing so. People like me wonder why people like you continue to defend a lousy product unless you have something to lose if people stop buying it. That is why we assume that you have something to do with the company. There is no way for anyone on this site to look into whether or not you or anyone else is associated with the company....and you know that. If I were ignorant and retarded, as you say, then even a moron could figure out this is a lousy product and a lousy company. No one is stopping you from saying anything you want to say. No one is going to stop me from doing everything I can to shut down these legal scammers. Go enjoy your wonderful Arthur Middleton Capital Holdings, Fridge Electric product and consider yourself very lucky that you are so completely satisfied with how it performs for you. If you are not associated with the company in any way, what the rest of us think doesn't really matter, now does it?

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 08/04/2011 - 14:55

Who is getting scammed? Last time I checked this was America and if you are unhappy with a product you get your money back. I paid $6 for my Mira-Cool at Goodwill and if it wasn't the $300 to $400 air cooler/heater it is supposed to be I would have gone to get my measly $6 back for it. It is in mint condition, the air cooler has let me put my thermostat at 80 degrees in my nearly 1400 sqft condo in record heat here in St. Louis and I tested the heater and it is more powerful than heaters costing hundreds. The only thing is I wish the model I have also took ice packs so I could see how cold it can really make the air. Other than that it is perfect and anyone who doesn't think so can get a refund. End of story, Nick

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 08/04/2011 - 16:04

I read things like this all of the time. There is nothing but one bad post after another about the Riddex Plus and I have had those plugged in for years and they operate above and beyond. So I am familiar with these negative posts and I am certain in the case of this product the comments are coming from people like you who do not even have one in the 1st place. Nick

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 08/04/2011 - 15:19

You should go back and read this entire site. You paid about what it is worth.

ckmapawatt Thu, 08/04/2011 - 19:47

Nick, I think you said it all when you said you paid $6 for it. Would you be just as happy with it if you paid $300?

Anonymous (not verified) Sat, 08/06/2011 - 01:43

There are not many things I would pay $300 for because I am not stupid, therefore the point is moot. I will say that if something costs hundreds and I get one for a good deal I expect it to work like something costing hundreds and the Mira-Cool does just that. Example, the other thing I got the same day at Goodwill were 2 solid wood cabinets with a shelf on top perfect for a flatscreen TV and 3 cabinets below for componets. They were $70 each and it was Goodwill's 1/2 off furniture day. So I got both of them for $35 each. They are roughly 42'' H x 50'' W. Cabinets like these would cost in upwards of at least $350 and even though I paid 10 times less than that I still expect them to look at function as if I had bought them for $700, which I would never do, and they do. Nick

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 08/04/2011 - 19:05

Maybe people like me have had loved ones scammed by these people for this worthless product and they couldn't get their money back.

Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/05/2011 - 02:39

Bonnie you can KMA ,,never have you said anywhere that you OWNED one and hD. Proble With it.. Say I work/own the co all you want ,I can see that it matters not that anyone thT says these work are not ok with you..... You had a bad w/e from this co and now your on a personal mishion to ... well at this point I don't know what your prob is. I can however see you have way to much time on your hands to spend all this time trashing an item that (sorry if you don't like it) DO work for some. In this my last responce , I will say this,,,,,,get,,,a ,,,real,,,,life!

Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/05/2011 - 13:47

It works for some and not for others.....how interesting...I wonder if the portable air conditioners off the shelf in reputable stores work for some and not for others? Naaah....the stores would stop selling them if they did that.....but Fridge Electric just keeps on selling. Glad yours works.

Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/05/2011 - 17:12

NICK needs a barrel of ex-lax. Also, he's taking way too many tokes, sniffs, snorts!

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