Since I did my Hitachi vs. Carrier Inverter Aircon post, some of you have been asking for a fuller review on the Hitachi Window Type Inverter Aircon.
I also have a review of our newer LG 1.5 Dual Inverter Aircon here: https://www.karenmnl.com/lg-dual-inverter-aircon-review/
Found an unexpected winner aircon, review here – Gree Window-type Inverter Aircon – really cold and much more affordable than the others!
HITACHI WINDOW TYPE INVERTER AIRCON 1.0 HP
The model we have is the RA10HVQ. The first one we bought was a couple of years ago, when this model was the only one available window type inverter aircon, and which can fit in our small “aircon hole” on the wall. I don’t know what it’s called, so let’s just call it the aircon hole.
It was recommended by a friend of my sis. The Hitachi replaced a 0.75HP LG aircon (that’s why we have a small aircon hole on the wall). The room it’s in is around 12-15 sqm. Fortunately, the compact Hitachi just fit our aircon hole exactly so we didn’t need to do any major installation work.
You can check this guide on what aircon to get depending on room size: https://www.doe.gov.ph/sites/default/files/pdf/consumer_connect/properly_sized_room_air_conditioners.pdf
We bought the Hitachi for P26,000 at that time, and it came with a free stand fan. The stand fan brand is Union, it is nice and has a remote! It still works until now, so matibay naman. It’s not flimsy.
When the aircon was delivered, it came in a box and we were on our own when it comes to installing it. Fortunately, we were referred to this installer who did a better job compared to the previous installers we’ve had who would just shove foam around the aircon to seal the hole (bara-bara lang). More on that below.
THE UNIT
I’m not going to go through the technical specs, because I’m not an expert at any of that. You can just google the technical specs. I’m going to review this as a user 🙂
This is what it looks like in front. The aircon is off, but you’ll still see the temperature. This is the temperature of the room, I guess.
You push the “door” at the top and bottom to open it. When you open it, you’ll see the filter / screen. Sorry about the dirty filter, I really need to clean it. You push up the handles and take this out and clean it with water and maybe some mild soap whenever it’s dirty. I like that the filter is easy to get to and easy to return.
This is actually the first time that I am noticing the yellow foam on the left side. It’s not visible normally, but the camera angle picks it up.
The unit seems solid, although there is an area inside that is styro, but all the other stuff seems to be made of metal.
This is what it looks like outside. It’s a bit dirty, but this is real life 🙂 My uncle likes to put a strip of cloth on all our aircons to help the water drip down, and there’s a pail under it to collect the water that can be recycled for watering the garden, cleaning outdoor floors, etc…
It comes with a remote, but no remote holder, so we just put velcro.
Here are some pics of the installation (with sealant):
COOLING EXPERIENCE
With the newer aircons, there’s no need to go to Fan mode first before going to cooling.
We usually set the temperature to 22 or 23 C to save on electricity. It takes a while for the aircon to cool the entire room, but I find that it depends on whether the aircon is clean or not. If it has just been cleaned, the aircon cools the room very fast. If the aircon is dirty, it takes a longer time. Make sure all the windows are closed and that any holes are sealed. Generally, it takes us 1-2 hours at night to reach temp (starting from 30 or 29 C to go down to 23 C).
To make the room colder faster, we turn on an electrical fan to help circulate the cold air. A less crowded room will cool faster, obviously, since there are less things to cool down. Also, reduce heat-generating items in the room to help it cool faster – turn off lights if you don’t need them, etc…
However, once the desired temp is reached, it’s pretty stable. Even if I set it at 23 C, by around 4am, I am very cold. The aircon thermostat says 23 C, but it feels like 16 C!
On really hot summer nights, I still turn on an electric fan to help make the room feel colder, although I feel that the problem is because the aircon is dirty and needs to be cleaned. I turn off the fan when it gets cold.
BUT, if I turn on the aircon, turn the lights off, leave the room, close the door, leave it alone, the room cools down faster. Like, if I start at 30 C, I come back around 20 mins later and the room is cool at 25 C. So if you want it to cool faster, you can do this.
Hitachi aircon #2 is kept at 25 C. It’s a nice and comfortable temperature, and whenever I enter that room it’s always nice and cool. This one is rarely turned off, so matibay naman, it’s almost 2 years old and it’s turned on 24/7. It just needs to be cleaned more often.
Usage
In terms of usage, we don’t have any problem with them. The remote control needs to be pointed at the aircon to work, that’s all. Our older LG aircon remote will work even if it’s pointed somewhere else.
The ac has a timer function up to 24 hours, you can adjust the temperature to what you like and the ac will work to reach that temp.
I usually just set it on Auto and on Auto Swing. We’ve never had any of them repaired, just cleaned.
Noise
It will have the typical window-type aircon noise, although it’s not as loud the older generation aircons. It sounds like air being sucked in or pushed out, a gentle whoosshhhhh. There shouldn’t be any rattling sounds. If you hear any high pitched sounds or rattling, have it checked or replaced if it’s still brand new.
EFFECT ON ELECTRICITY BILL
When we got our first Hitachi inverter aircon, the effect on our Meralco bill was an almost 1/3 slash. Our electricity bill became 2/3 of what it used to be.
After we got our other inverter aircons, it became harder to estimate how much we saved, because knowing that they were cheaper to run, we tended to use them longer. Whereas before, we timed it to stop at 6 hours or 8 hours, this time, we let it go for up to 12 hours.
Even with the added usage and the increase in Meralco prices, our electricity bill remained lower than before we bought our first inverter aircon 2 years ago.
How much you save depends on how much you were using your non-inverter AC before you switch to inverter. But switching to inverter definitely, definitely was a big factor in reducing our electricity bill. If I had to guess, I would say maybe P2-3k savings per aircon per month.
CLEANING
The filter should be cleaned often, maybe once a week. At least once a month. It depends on how dusty your air is. Just take out the filter, gently clean it, then put it back.
When you remove the filter, you’ll see some metal fins, and if they look dirty, it’s time to have the aircon professionally cleaned. If you feel like the aircon is not performing as well as it used to, it’s probably time to have it cleaned, as well.
Ideally, the aircon should be cleaned often. A dirty aircon is very inefficient and uses up more electricity daw. We clean ours around every 3-6 months, but the other aircon gets dirty very quickly, so that should be cleaned every 2 months, ideally. However, sometimes it’s a bit of a hassle to call for a cleaning appointment, then wait at home during the cleaning process, and make bantay. The cleaning process takes around 30 mins to an hour per aircon. Try to have the aircons cleaned at the same appointment so it’s less hassle for everyone. Cleaning costs around P450-500 each for window type aircons. They usually give some discount if you clean more aircons.
You’ll need to provide an area where they can do the cleaning, like in the driveway, garage, etc… preferably somewhere near a faucet and where the dirty water can drain.
You can clean the aircon yourself if you know what you are doing and have a power washer. J cleans his aircon himself and I was shocked he could carry the whole aircon by himself. It’s easier daw to just do it himself than to schedule and wait 
His aircon is a Hitachi just like this one, too. His old LG aircon died and he bought this Hitachi because of our experience with them na so far, no issues naman. His Hitachi aircon does not have any problems, as far as I know, and his electricity bill was also cut by a lot since he switched to inverter.
SUMMARY
This post was not sponsored by Hitachi, sana it was 
It just so happened that my sister’s friend recommended it to us, we tried it, and then refer refer and that’s how we all ended up with this aircon.
PROS:
- compact size can fit into smaller ac holes
- durable (matibay naman), we’ve never had any of them repaired so far, even with constant daily use
- it was the most affordable window-type inverter aircon at the time
CONS:
- if people are in the room and lights are on (LED), it takes 1-2 hours before it reaches desired temp; however, with no one in the room, lights turned off, it took less than 20 minutes to go from 30 C to 25 C
- 1.0 HP is the lowest HP available, there’s no 0.75HP
- no accessories included: no remote holder,
brackets, etc… Brackets are included.
ABOUT THE INSTALLATION
For those asking about the installation, we got e-5 Air-Condition & Electronics Service Center, # 254-8361, 711-8506, 711-8987. They are located in Sta. Cruz, Manila. We ask for Daniel (0905 857 3498 – he also does aircon cleaning).
Mounting (salpak), P650
Brackets, around P450
Sealant, around P250
Any adjustments like making the hole size bigger, P250 (they have a grinder)
Those were the prices for our location, they might charge higher if you are located farther.
We don’t buy aircons that often, but when we do, they are the ones we get because their work is much more professional looking than the ones we got before na mukhang bara bara talaga and only use L-brackets.
Check that the aircon is angled slightly downward at the back, so that any water that condenses can drip down.
50 responses to “Hitachi Window-Type Inverter Aircon Review (Compact)”
Hi! I would like to ask if you had a separate breaker for this aircon. I just bought mine and will have it installed soon so I am asking around if there is a need for a separate breaker. Thanks!
Sorry, I’m not really sure what you mean because I’m not into electrical stuff. But in the fuse box, each ac has a different switch.
Yes, you need a dedicated line for your air conditioner (regardless of brand). Although the amperage of your breaker depends on the size of your unit, most electricians will allocate a 20 ampere breaker. This can support an aircon unit with load of around 3520 watts (or 80% of the line’s theoretical 4400 watts [20 amps x 220 volts = 4400 watts]). Your aircon should never be plugged-in to any of your standard household sockets because most of them are usually connected to a single 15 amp breaker. Doing so might overload the line if the total wattage of your aircon + other appliances sharing this line exceed 2640 watts (15 amps x 220 volts x 80%).
Hi karen. Matagal ba talaga syang lumamig. bought 1hp inverter ac 3 days ago and its not cooling properly. set temp @ 18 deg after 8 hrs temp is still @ 23. room is about 12sqm only. What’s the problem kaya?
It is most likely doing it’s job pero underpowered ang unit mo. Due to climate change ang 1HP ngayon nasa maximum 10-11sqm nalang talaga ang kaya, factor in yung ceiling height, sunlight, insulation and number of windows sa room as well as air leakage.
You probably should have gone for a 1.5HP.
Agree with KG. It also depends if you have a lot of stuff in your room. More stuff, more things that the aircon needs to cool. Less stuff, less work for the aircon. For our Hitachi, we usually just set it at 23 and then use an electric fan. When the lights are off, especially around 2-4am, the room gets really cold using this method that I sometimes have to get an additional blanket.
It’s cheaper to use a little “help” from the electric fan to circulate the air rather than to set the aircon at 18 and let the aircon use up a lot of energy to try to achieve 18 C, lagot sa Meralco bill.
Our walls are cement and I think that helps make the room cooler because they retain the cold much longer.
Might I ask where exactly did you buy the Hitachi aircon? We are looking for one, I have seen Lazada, Twin Marks, Abenson, etc. But I am looking for a seller that can be trusted with the Hitachi warranty. Or do you contact Hitachi directly in case there are broken parts? I am looking to change our aircon for twenty years, it has always been trusty but it is reaching the end stage of it’s life span. Our room needs 1.5 HP. Thanks in advance for the reply.
Correction: its life span
Hi, warranty is handled by Hitachi, I think. Have not had occasion to contact them, though. We bought ours from Welcome Appliances in Binondo because we were refered by a friend and they had the free stand fan promo at the time.
Noted, thank you! Another question though if a Hitachi inverter turns off itself when the room is already cold, is there a way to change the setting or is it because of the type of aircon?
Hi Shadia, it doesn’t turn itself off talaga. It’s still on. It just stops using more power because it doesn’t need to anymore. It just uses the minimim power just to maintain the ideal temperature. That’s how it works. You can set the ideal temperature. If you want it really cold, you can set it to the lowest temp, can’t remember if it’s until 18 C or can go lower. I’ll check tonight.
Each degree lower uses more electricity. So to save electricity, you can set it to something like 25 C and then just help circulate the cold air with an electric fan. That will save more electricity than setting the temp to 18 C.
Hi Karen, nice review :).
I recently had my Carrier 2HP Window Inverter refunded by Abenson (and after directly contacting Concepcion-Carrier) after around 10 months of use and opted for the 2HP variant of their Hitachi Window Inverter (RA-20HV). It also came with two free cleaning appointments for the first year. Installation was made by e-5 Air-Condition & Electronics Service Center and I’m very satisfied with their workmanship. They had to increase the window size to accommodate Hitachi’s dimensions. P650 for installation, P750 for enlarging the window hole, and P200 for the sealant. Total service fee is P1600.
I’m very satisfied with how it looks compared to Concepcion-Carrier’s cheap-looking frame. It also runs quietly especially once the set temperature has been reached. I also noticed that the unit has two separate fans – one each for the front and back, so that may be the reason why it sounds less audible.
My overall impression is that It’s a solid unit. So far, so good.
Hi, Karen. Just want to ask something. I bought my Hitachi window ac three weeks ago and I have a strange feeling… if there is something wrong with my ac. Is it normal kung walang nalabas sa tubig from the outside tube? Thank you.
Hi Jennifer, normally may water na lumalabas at the back of the ac because of condensation. Check mo baka mali yung angle ng pag install ng ac kaya di nagfloflow down yung tubig.
Ganyan din yung sakin and I bought it more than 2 years ago. .8HP yung sakin and medyo kulang nga yung angle ng pagkakainstall. Di naman daw major issue sabi ng mga tech saka ng authorized tech ng Hitachi. Nung bago wala talagang lumalabas na tubig pero after a couple of months okay na. Sobrang lakas at lamig so naka set lang kami sa 25. I work sa gabi so morning ang gamit ko.
Napansin ko lang after several cleaning jobs is nagiba na ang performance. Di na ganun kalamig at di na din naglalabas ng water. Tinatanong ko naman cleaning crews sabi nila di pa naman kelangan recharge and free-on.
Now the problem is nung 1 gabi lang bago ako gumising is namatay siyang mag-isa. Akala ko power surge lang kaya pinabayaan ko na. Then kaninang umaga after an hour of sleep namatay nanaman kaya nagising ako, I turned it on but after a couple of minutes namatay nanaman and nafiflicker na yung front panel kaya hinugot ko na. We tried it one more time pero ganun pa din. I called the tech na huling naglinis so hopefully maayos naman later.
Ito lang din ang available na window type AC at that time kaya ito nakuha ko. Sobrang happy kami sa performance until now. Ang hirap lang magpaschedule ng appointment sa authorized Hitachi service centers. We live in Rizal so Marikina yung nirecommend samin. Anung araw pa lang ngayon and next week pa daw available. Too bad.
Mahirap talaga mag schedule kasi first, tatawag ka sa Hitachi, then si Hitachi tatawag pa sa mga authorized service center maghahanap pa ng available… pag napansin mo maayos naman yung trabaho nung technician, hingin mo number niya para next time, text mo na siya diretso 🙂 Baka may discount pa 🙂
Anyway, pag dumating na yung technician to fix yung namamatay na aircon, make sure alamin mo kung ano yun naging problem – may nagkamali ba sa cleaning kaya nasira? Mali ba pagkabit? Para next time alam mo na so you can avoid the issue. Pls share din dito kung anong update. Thank you 🙂
Got my Hitachi Ra-10HVQ (compact model)replaced exactly a month and a half ago which replaced my Carrier Optima 1HP which cools really well but is insanely LOUD and VERY CHEAP build.
Meralco bill usually sits around the 4XXX peso mark, a month before I got the Hitachi my bill was 4390 pesos usage ko was 10-14 hours a day temp set at level 5 out of 9 (cool enough), this month (June) my Meralco bill went down to just 4190.87 pesos with the temperature set usually around 23-24 at night and 25 celsius at daytime—the unit is on almost 24/7 rarely turned off unless kakain ako or may lakad sa labas.
Considering the extended use and my consumption still went down, I’m pretty happy. Yung level of comfort kasi it’s very quiet and constant yung temperature is well worth the price I paid for it.
Still contempating whether to get the full sized unit for our new house (1HP and another 1.5HP) or to go full blast and splurge on a Daikin D Smart series of the same cooling power for the other two rooms. Worry ko kasi maintenance cost pagpapalinis twice a year.
Already bought a Daikin D Smart 3HP for our living/dining area but since di pa natatapos bahay di pa na iinstall so I can’t comment on it however we have two 1.5HP installed sa living/dining area sa home sa province. It is VERY COLD and we rarely turned on the second unit so performance wise Daikin but I’ve noticed that he outdoor units are not that quiet.
I guess I shouldn’t mind it that much, worry ko lang mag reklamo kapitbahay kasi lilipatan namin na bahay medyo magkakalapit mga houses lalo pa at very particular ako sa noise.
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Regarding your technician, e-5 Air-Condition & Electronics Service — Are they an authorized installer or cleaner of Hitachi? I’m just worried that it might void Hitachi warranty if I have it installed by a 3rd part service. Planning to buy the Hitachi 1.5 HP window inverter. Let me know.
Also, can you advise where you bought your Hitachi aircon? I’m looking for the best deals.
Would like to know the response on Hakubi’s comment. I, as well, am planning to buy hitachi 1.5hp inverter window type ac. I am also considering the services of e-5 service center. Are they authorized to install the ac or it does not matter since it’s just a window type ac. Looking forward for the response.
Hi @Hakubi and @Jed
We bought our Hitachi 2-3 years ago so deals have most likely changed. We bought it from Welcome Home Appliances Binondo in Escolta. My sister’s friend bought one and referred us so we got the same deal. Price at that time was 26k and we got a free stand fan with remote. I expected the fans to not last very long but they’re still alive and working after 2 years!
I can’t remember where we got E-5, if it’s a referral or what. Pero mas pulido sila mag install compared to our older aircons na iba ang nag install. We haven’t used their service in 2 years already so I don’t know if that has changed.
Hi Karen,
RA10HVQ uses 841Watts as input power. Possible from 30 degrees to 23 degrees. yan. I want to know if you have any idea how many watts it will use once it will reached its desired temp which is 23 degrees.
Thanks.
Hi Karen, I have bought an Hitachi 10RVQ and was installed by Daniel. I’m satisfied with the work of Daniel as in pulido no trace na may binawasan sya…Thank you again with the review
I am so happy to hear that! 🙂 Last time nagpa aircon cleaning kami sa kanya he told me he is only relying on his own customers because his boss was out sick daw or something and someone inside stole the company’s customers. It’s nice to hear that he did a great job on your installation and that he’s also getting more customers.
hi mam , normal po ba na nakaset ng 25 ang temp ko sa remote,pero umaabot ng 24 ang room temp
Yes. It also happens to us especially now na cold weather na. Kahit naka set ng 24, sometimes around 4am nagigising ako sa sobrang lamig kailangan ko mag double kumot 😀
I think it’s because naka electric fan pa kami and then the temperature outside also drops very low kaya ganun nagiging mas malamig than intended. Medyo good news naman kasi di naman nag eeffort yung aircon mo magpalamig pa so natural yung lamig and di ka gumagamit ng extra electricity 🙂
Yung temp na nasa aircon mismo parang thermometer lang naman yan. Sinasabi lang niya kung ano yung current temp. Yung pang set ng temp nasa remote pa rin naman.
ahh i see po ganun pala un hahaha malamig na sa 25 nasa settings, sa sobrang tahimik ng aircon napapatingin ako kung naka on pa hahah.
hi maam karen! question po bec i recently got the same ac unit. bakit po parang di gumagana yung timer and powerful buttons both sa remote and aircon unit?
di ko po tuloy alam pano mag set ng timer and Kung anong purpose ng powerful feature..hehe
thanks in advance!
good pm sir, baka naman po hindi nyo nakabit ung saksakan sa likod ng front cover. may sinasaksak po dun double check nyo po
Hi sir. salamat! naikabit ko naman po yung sa left side..i think di yata mag tuturn on yung unit if di siya connected. it turned on, however, di ko po mapindot yung powerful button sa aircon unit and sa remote (not responding din). same case sa timer function.
need nyo na po itawag sa hitachi service
I would like to know how the powerful button really works. And sometimes i think our remote is quite unresponsive coz we have to press the buttons twice to make it work. Any thoughts?
Hi Ynne,
I have the same issue with the remote. I think it’s because it is one of those remotes that you need to point at the aircon so the aircon can receive the signal from the remote. Thanks for bringing this up! I thought it was just me not pointing it at the aircon properly!
My older aircon’s remote (LG) is simpler, all buttons with no screen, yet it works much better and it will work even when it’s not pointed at the aircon.
As for the Powerful mode, it turns on when I use the remote to turn it on. But just pressing the Powerful button on the aircon doesn’t do anything. I noticed that when it’s on, the aircon sound becomes louder and it seems like the aircon is working more at cooling and it gets cooler a little faster, that’s all.
Same. Not also sure how that Powerful feature works. There are times the unit doesn’t recognize it if i press the ac button or the remote.
Hi 🙂 Please see my reply above.
do you have updated number nung nag cleclean ng aircon mo ?
Same pa rin 0905 857 3498 🙂
Kamusta po takbo ng hitachi 1hp window type nyo ngayon? Plano ko kasi bumili nyan.yung sa amin kasi inverter din di na lumalamig kahit may pinalitan na. Sayang ang pera
Thank you.
Yung sa amin, yung isa malamig pa din. Yung second okay naman pero parang mas malamig pa din yung isa.
Good as new pa din ung sa akin
hi, we recently bought hitachi 1hp window type inverter. 9sq.mt lng yung room namin pero bakit hndi sya umaabot khit 20 degrees na lamig? normal lang po ba yun? un iba nmin ac dati hndi gnito. ang mahal ng hitachi tpos hangang 23 degrees lng po ang pinaka sagad nya khit mdaling araw na. any suggestions and comments ano po dpt gawin. salamat