Portable AC comparisons
Danby DPA080B1WDB-6 vs DPA080E3BDB-6 vs DPA080E3WDB-6 vs DPA080HE3WDB-6
Danby’s current U.S. portable-air-conditioner category includes four related DPA080 configurations that are easy to confuse from their model names: the B1WDB-6, black E3BDB-6, white E3WDB-6 and heat-pump HE3WDB-6. They all document 8,000 BTU/h SACC cooling and a single exhaust hose. That shared cooling tier does not make them interchangeable: one exact model adds heat, two source records conflict about nominal capacity or area, and the manual treats drain-hose accessories differently for cooling-only and heat versions.
Start with SACC, not an area slogan
Every one of these four products is listed at 8,000 SACC. None meets a 10,000-SACC requirement. The DPA080B1WDB-6 page says 12,000 BTU and 350 square feet, but the same model’s technical table says its cooling area is 250 square feet. The black DPA080E3BDB-6 page advertises 12,500 BTU and 400 square feet; its sheet’s detailed table instead says 13,000 BTU and 350 square feet. Those exact-source contradictions leave the area and ASHRAE fields unconfirmed for those two exact products.
The white DPA080E3WDB-6 has a more consistent page and specification table: 13,000 BTU and an up-to-350-square-foot estimate. The heat-pump HE3WDB page and sheet state 12,500 BTU and up to 350 square feet. Even consistent square-foot labels are not a guarantee. Direct sun, high ceilings, a leaky room, an open doorway or heat-producing appliances can change the load. Use an 8,000-SACC minimum if it is your documented threshold; choose another capacity class if your calculated need is above that.
Choose the exact function and cabinet
The two E3 cooling-only models—the black BDB and white WDB—are each 17.13 by 14.17 by 28.35 inches and 66.8 pounds. The white E3WDB is the clearer choice when consistent 13,000/350 nominal claims matter; the black E3BDB’s conflicting specification should not be merged as a finish-only twin. The older-looking B1 model is 17.87 by 14.37 by 27.56 inches and 73.9 pounds: it stands 0.79 inch shorter but is wider, deeper and heavier. The HE3WDB shares the E3 body dimensions but weighs 74.7 pounds because it is the heat-pump configuration.
Only the HE3WDB in this four-model group documents Heat. Its stated 55–81°F range is an indoor thermostat target, not a minimum outdoor temperature. Danby does not provide a confirmed outdoor ambient limit or heating BTU output in the exact sources reviewed. If your winter requirement is a particular outside temperature, request the model-specific heating data before choosing. The cooling-only B1 and E3 configurations fail a heat-essential filter; do not infer heat from their shared E3 manual cover.
Measure the opening and map condensate
Each product page identifies a single-hose exhaust and window kit. The B1 and E3 manuals show hung and sliding window arrangements and allow trimming some slider pieces, but no numeric standard span or guaranteed trimmed minimum is stated. A panel included in the box does not prove it covers your exact clear opening. Measure the opening, confirm whether the kit is complete in the exact offer and follow the model manual’s installation clearances. Do not extend or sharply bend the supplied exhaust hose.
Drainage is another genuine difference in the package. The B1 manual lists an included gravity drain hose for Dry mode, says no drain pump is present and documents a separate manual pan-drain procedure. The shared E3 manual says the hose is included only on heat models. Thus, the two cooling-only E3 products may need a separately sourced compatible hose if you intend continuous gravity drainage in Dry mode. The HE3 heat version comes with a drain hose and documents gravity drainage; the manual says it may be needed in Dry and should be used in Heat. It is not an upward-lifting pump. For all four models, a pump requirement should disqualify the configuration; unknown pump performance should not be treated as a yes.
Power, efficiency and care
Each exact EnergyGuide reviewed lists CEER 7.2. That standardized label helps compare the appliances, but it cannot predict a household’s bill. The B1 specification lists 115 V, 11.9 A and 1,330 W; the E3BDB/WDB tables list 115 V, 11 A and 1,250 W; the HE3WDB lists 115 V, 12 A and 1,250 W. Use a grounded receptacle and the exact nameplate/manual; Danby’s manuals prohibit extension cords. The product pages list a 24-month parts-and-labor warranty with in-home service. The owner manuals specify filter cleaning every two weeks, which remains a recurring ownership task even though the filter is washable.
For a height-constrained room, the B1’s 27.56-inch body may clear a 28-inch cabinet opening while the E3 bodies at 28.35 inches do not. For a lightest-in-this-set priority, the two cooling-only E3 bodies are 66.8 pounds. For heat, accept the HE3’s 74.7 pounds, gravity-only drain and unknown outside-temperature limit. In all cases, app control, inverter operation and numeric panel span are not established for these exact models. Leave those answers unresolved rather than letting similar model codes fill the gap.
In short: compare the B1 when its shorter case is useful, the white E3WDB when cooling-only with a consistent 13,000/350 specification best fits the need, the black E3BDB only with its unresolved headline conflict in mind, and the HE3WDB when heat is essential and the drain/ambient limitations are acceptable. Read the exact review before buying: DPA080B1WDB-6, DPA080E3BDB-6, DPA080E3WDB-6 and DPA080HE3WDB-6.
Sources: Danby’s exact B1, black E3, white E3 and heat-pump pages; the model-specific B1 owner manual; the E3 family manual; and exact EnergyGuides for the four model codes.