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) Mon, 08/23/2010 - 09:49

i have two units and they work well for me as i stated once before i am checking them out as i see it they will do fine for my aplcation i live just outside of dallas area texas that is we just broke the avrege high temp recorded the recored was 91.somthing this year we avreged 101.5 for the month of augest so you know what my electric bill looks like my house is 75x39w/sloped celings from 7.6f to 9f i use the units in my tv room and office two of the smalest rooms about 14x22 the units give me a brake irun the centrel on 85degrees fin the daytime im home all day 7 days a week i have 40plus fish tanks in my shop area w a8000btu unit running at77d /f my energy bills runjust over 359month in summer

Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 09/03/2010 - 10:22

I ordered the buy "one get one free" scam plus remote for $414 last Sunday. Then I read about the scam and immediately called the company 20 minutes later to cancel. They said they couldn't until the following day. I called at 5:30 a.m. my time the next day(they said they open at 8:30 a.m. EST). Instead of canceling the order, they put in a pending PAYMENT from my credit card for ANOTHER $414!!! The first $414 already went through even though I cancelled it...and now another pending payment/no credit. It has been pending for 5 days! Has anyone else had that happen? How do you cancel a pending payment when the company doesn't respond to your phone calls?

Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 09/17/2010 - 15:03

I was one the people that work in the call center and took your calls after you thought you would be getting one Free. Like most people very few callers read the fine print. You call I would get your name, address, your email and I would act like you were getting a free cooler. Then I would get you Credit Card and you would think that you were getting a free unit, But I was getting you for $396.00 or $792.00. I could care if the unit worked my job as the manager of the call center said TAKE THE CALL AND SELL IT OR LOOK FOR ANOTHER JOB. The problem is the add, Why do the newpaper allow this add to run. Do they need the money that bad? Why is that these units cant be sold in certain states, being the states Attorney General has put a stop to this Mira Cool or what other name they may be under? This a unit that might work for some people, but to get peole to call in on the idea that the unit is free is wrong.

Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/01/2010 - 18:34

Wow I'm glad I looked this up. Like other people have been saying the article looks like an official article. A whole two page spread think the news paler should be held accountable for something like. What are you guys opinions.

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/10/2010 - 16:31

Yes I fell for this too. I have crank out windows and can not use those other portable air conditioners. I did receive my units and I have been using them...my biggest complaint is the very small freeze packs. The idea is just like your AC at home...blowing air over a frozen coil...this blows air over cold water...the freezer packs don't last the 4 hours like they say. I have also tried to freeze water in a container to have one big solid piece of ice...I found that works the best. I only need to my bed room for sleeping. I do have AC in my house but the bedrooms are the warmest in the house. Right now I have 3 fans in my room. When I use the mira-cool I can turn off 2 of the 3 fans...but remember I do have the AC running...I don't think it would work if the room was hot, the ice would melt too fast. They don't work like they say they would but they did work just a little better than just a plain fan. It did cool down my bedroom enough for me to sleep...But just barely...If you can return it, do...if you can't try using a block of ice in stead of those ice packs they send you.

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/24/2010 - 00:16

I read all these reviews and freaked out. I too ordered the buy one get one free unit. The article really seemed legit. It read as if the paper endorsed the product because it appeared as if it was an interview. I called and cancelled after payment posted on my credit card. I also called my bank who stated they (MIRA _COOL) have no idea of whom they are dealing with. I felt relieved that my bank would handle them. Mira- cool stated it had not yet been shipped , so I told them to cancel everthing and refund all monies. I was desperate for cool air in El PAso, Tx, and thought if I could find fair reviews I might keep the product. Don't really want to go through the hassle, so I cancelled. All reviews are poor!!!

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 08/05/2010 - 17:29

For those of you that are getting refunds, what number are you calling? My son ordered 2 of these on July 21st or 22nd and got charged $486 on 8/3. I told him it was a scam, but what do mother's know?

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 08/19/2010 - 11:58

Jwlz - What happens in regards to returning the units through the BBB?

Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/30/2010 - 20:46

After finding out that this Mira-Cool A/C could possibly be a hoax (scam), I finally got through to customer service to cancel the order I placed earlier this morning, and after being on hold for more than 50 minutes, after speaking with a customer service rep, I was connected to the Rentention Dept. and got my order cancelled. It took forever, but I "got it done", after a total time of 70 minutes of having my phone glued to my ear. If you're not sure about something like this, then make damn sure you don't order anything like this without checking it out/researching it prior to placing an order. There's too many loop holes to have to jump through to make it right later.....I know for sure! WHEW!!! Thanks for reading this comment.

Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/30/2010 - 10:52

I had read the misleading ad in the virginia pilot newspaper. I called the number thinking that I would get a free unit,"thought maybe I would have to pay shipping". The sales person really tried quickly to sell me these things for 400$ for two units. Once I said that I wanted to do some research on it and would call her back she said that they would probably be gone, and that the special was only running for 48 hours. I could not spend that much money without research, I just hung up the phone. After reading all the bad press I'm glad i did. Thanks everyone.

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