India, June 12 -- When Sharp announced its return to India's AC market in March 2025, I was cautiously hopeful - especially as someone who's long preferred energy-efficient appliances and has a soft spot for the brand's reliability. The promise of Japanese engineering built for Indian summers sounded good on paper, but I was about to find out if it held up in the real world, especially as record-breaking temperatures hit Delhi and neighbouring regions.

The unit arrived stylish and modern, its neat white finish melding with my living room without a fuss. Installation was smooth, but on the first day, I hit a snag: the AC refused to cool. I'll admit, I felt a pang of disappointment - after all the anticipation, was this going to be another...