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When searching for the best window air conditioner, it’s important to find a unit that offers not only the functionality you need but also meets your budget. Window air conditioning units are the easiest way to stay sufficiently cool during summers without breaking the bank. Also, window AC units provide more floor space, greater energy efficiency, and lower costs.
Below, we will review five products that will get you on your way to finding the right window air conditioner for you.
Top Window Air Conditioners
Best Window Air Conditioner Reviews
1. Koldfront WAC10002WCO
Koldfront has been producing high-quality window air conditioners for almost 20 years, competing with some of the largest brands around. This proves they must be doing something right. They are known for offering functional and energy efficient models, and the Koldfront WAC10002WCO is no exception as it has a great energy efficiency rating.
Review
The Koldfront WAC10002WCO is a great all-around window air conditioner that has a lot of sought-after features for an incredibly competitive price. It has a BTU (British Thermal Units) rating of 10,000, which means that the unit can effectively cool an area of up to 450 square feet. This makes this window air conditioner great for large rooms or even multiple rooms in a small apartment.
This unit is designed to fit windows with a width ranging from 26 to 36 inches and requires a minimum height of only 15.5 inches. These small dimensions make it extremely versatile as it can easily be moved from room to room without the fear of it not fitting well.
Also, using a common refrigerant, HFC R-410A, if you ever need a repair or a top up, it’s readily available at most DIY stores. This helps to keep any future maintenance costs as low as possible and will save you time since you won’t need to visit store after store during those summer months.
To help you keep your expenditures down each month, the Koldfront WAC10002WCO has been developed with energy efficiency in mind and has an EER (Energy Efficiency Rating) of 12.0. This will help you make up the costs of your initial investment in this unit.
The unit also has a LED filter alert system and different modes including energy saving, sleep, and dry. For your convenience, a remote control is also provided.
Pros:
- Energy efficient
- High cooling capacity
- Easy to control and use
- Compact
Cons:
- Loud at higher settings
- Too basic design
2. Cool Living Star Window Mount Air Conditioner
The Cool Living Star Window Mount Air Conditioner is relatively unheard of, but it offers great features at a fraction of a price. The design could be a little friendlier on the eye, and there’s no doubting the functionality of this AC unit.
Review
If you’re searching for a window air conditioner with good features but more forgiving with the price tag, the Cool Living Star Window Mount Air Conditioner is a great choice. With an 8,000 BTU rating, it effectively cools an area of up to 350 square feet, which makes it great for a smaller room in your home.
This unit has features that will make your life easier including its digital interface that features a 24-hour programmable timer. It also includes an auto-restart function, so if there is a loss of power at any point, it will reactivate and return to your pre-programmed settings.
To help keep your monthly electricity bills as low as possible, this AC unit features three energy saving modes namely energy saver, sleep, and auto. It also uses an environmentally friendly refrigerant to help reduce your carbon footprint while also helping you stay cool during those long summer days.
Its remote control also allows full unit programming from across the room so that you can easily switch between the unit’s three oscillating fan speeds. Adding a little extra convenience on top of the remote, Cool Living has also designed this unit with an easy-to-remove, washable air filter.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Compact
- Easy installation
- Energy efficient
- Eco-friendly
- Multi-directional airflow
Cons:
- Out-dated design
- Noisy operation
3. SPT WA-1222S Window Air Conditioner
The SPT WA-1222S is a window air conditioner that cools not only large areas but also does such at an incredible rate. This is certainly one of the pricier units on our list. So does the high price tag matches its quality?
Review
The SPT WA-1222S is a high-output window air conditioning unit that is capable of cooling areas up to the size of 550 square feet. That is thanks to its 12,000 BTU rating. Not only can it cool rooms with ease but also it’s extremely user-friendly.
This unit includes a filter change alert system so that you would know when the air quality might not be at its optimal level. SPT also designed the filter to be easy to click in and out as well as washable, which significantly reduces maintenance needs.
With this unit, users can switch between four different modes. Auto, wherein the unit will automatically select cooling or fan mode, depending upon the room temperature. A cool mode, which is the primary air conditioning setting.
The dry mode that switches the unit into a dehumidifier with some element of cooling properties remaining. This mode is able to remove 3.2 pints of moisture from the air every hour. Lastly, the fan mode, which is great when it’s not overly hot, and you just want to increase air circulation.
The great thing is that all of the above modes can be run simultaneously with the thermostat-controlled energy saving feature SPT included with this model.
Pros:
- Energy efficient
- User-friendly
- Low maintenance cost
- Excellent dehumidifying capacity
- Very high cooling capacity
Cons:
- Slightly more expensive
- Low EER for the price
4. Haier ESAQ406T Window Air Conditioner
Seemingly expensive for its size, the Haier ESAQ406T made it to our top five list due to its incredibly quiet operation. Even when used on the higher settings, the noise level is almost totally ignorable. This makes it a great unit if you’re looking for a bedroom air conditioning unit.
Review
The Haier ESAQ406T is definitely one of the nicer designed window air conditioners available as well as extremely functional. This unit only weighs 55 pounds, making it fairly lightweight. Pair this with its quick installation, and you can set this up straight out of the box without additional help.
Although its BTU rating does only sit at 6,000, this unit has a 200 CFM (Cubis Feet Per-Minute) rate that allows it to pump cool air into the room at a very reasonable rate. It’s also able to dehumidify the air, leaving you feeling less irritable throughout the day. These two features make it a great window air conditioner for bedrooms.
For your comfort and convenience, this unit has four-way air direction control as well as a remote control that lets you change a whole host of settings. The auto cool and energy saver modes also help you limit your energy spending when using the air conditioner; thus, keeping your monthly bill a little bit lower.
Pros:
- Compact and lightweight
- Dehumidifying capacity
- Quick and easy installation
- Quiet operation
- Easy to use and control
Cons:
- Cools small areas
- Not overly energy efficient
5. Frigidaire FFRA1022R1 Window-Mounted Compact Air Conditioner
Frigidaire is possibly one of the most well-known brands when it comes to air conditioning, and the FFRA1022R1 is just another example of quality craftsmanship. This is a durable and well put together unit that is reflected in Frigidaire’s warranty policies.
Review
The Frigidaire FFRA10221R1 combines power with functionality. Boasting a BTU rating of 10,000, this unit can quickly cool a room of up to 450 square feet. Alongside this, it’s also able to remove 2.7 pints of moisture from the air every hour.
Featuring three different cooling and fan speeds as well as eight-way directional control, this unit will efficiently cool a room in no time. This is paired with a great economy mode where the unit will only operate when the temperature begins to rise above your programmed temperature setting.
Compatible with the HFC R-410A refrigerant, users can easily replace or top up the coolant when it runs low as this is a very common refrigerant and available at most DIY stores. Considering its very affordable price, this unit shares features with the pricey models available. Users will benefit from sleep mode, a 24-hours on and off timer, and a convenient remote control that actually comes with batteries.
Pros:
- High BTU rating
- Five-year sealed system warranty
- Compact
Cons:
- Not certified with the EPA
- Low energy efficiency rating
Wrapping Up
When deciding on the right window air conditioner for you, it’s important to consider the intended location of the unit, the size of the primary room it’s required to cool, and the running costs. There are many varieties of units available on the market offering an array of different features, and now that you know what features best fit your needs you can make an educated decision on what window air conditioner will best serve its purpose.