According to a May test report on 1.5-horsepower split air conditioners released by the Hong Kong Consumer Council, all 13 participating models carried a first-class energy efficiency label, yet their actual measured performance varied dramatically, with the largest gap hitting 33%. The energy efficiency label serves only as a reference; the true power-saving capability can only be verified through laboratory testing.
In this evaluation, a HK$4,890 Gree 1.5-horsepower model stood out across several core performance metrics. Its heating HSPF score ranked second among all samples, and its measured heating capacity even rivaled that of a premium imported unit priced at HK$19,000, delivering near-high-end performance at less than a quarter of the cost.
The report also cautioned that many consumers, when purchasing air conditioners, focus solely on the first-class energy efficiency label, which can easily lead to pitfalls. Even when models share the same energy efficiency grade, significant differences exist among brands in real-world energy consumption, cooling, and heating capabilities. Some products also showed discrepancies between their stated specifications and laboratory test results.
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