Well, it’s that time of year again. Summer is already here and it gets a bit warmer with each passing day. Many people already have air conditioners to help them escape the heat of the day, but if you don’t you’re probably wondering exactly which one to buy. There are so many air conditioners on the market today that it’s tough picking the best one for you, which is why we’ve put together a guide to the very best energy efficient air conditioners available today.
Small AC Unit (100 to 300 Square Feet)
A small air conditioner is ideal for single room use around a home and is exactly what you’ll want for the task of cooling a bedroom, dropping the temperature in a smaller living room or handling cooling tasks in any small to mid-sized rooms in general. The SPT WA-6022S is our top recommendation and offers excellent performance for the cost.
SPT WA-6022S
The SPT WA-6022S is a high-quality air conditioner that offers cooling for smaller rooms around a home. It puts out a lot of cooling power and is capable of dropping temperatures in a room quickly without using a lot of energy in the process. At 45 pounds this unit isn’t too difficult to install and it comes with a set of intuitive controls that make it enjoyable to use. There is a remote control that allows you to change the settings from a distance. This AC unit also has a dirty filter indicator, helping you decide exactly when the right time is to swap filters to keep the system running properly.
Mid-Sized AC Unit (250 to 400 Square Feet)
When it comes to cooling down a large single room there’s really nothing better than an air conditioner that puts out between 7,000 and 8,500 BTUs of cooling power. These units work well for living rooms, dining rooms, and other large spaces. The AEZ08LV from GE was our top recommendation for this category.
GE AEZ08LV
This high-powered AC unit is very energy efficient and offers excellent cooling power. It’s light for a mid-sized unit at 51 lbs. and offers simple digital controls, including a controller that you can use to adjust settings. It’s a bit noisier than we would like, but overall the air conditioner is one of the best mid-sized products you can get for the money.
Large AC Unit (300 to 700 Square Feet)
When it comes to cooling a few different rooms it’s important to get a cooling unit that puts out 9,800 BTUS to 12,000 BTUs. AC units of this size can handle large rooms or multiple rooms at the same time without an issue. The LW1216ER from LG was our top pick for this task.
LG LW1216ER
The LG LW1216ER is a true beast of a machine at 85 lbs. but it’s hard to beat the high-octane cooling power that it puts out. It’s capable of cooling a few rooms at a time and can even handle a small studio apartment. This unit comes with simple digital controls that are easy to manipulate and it transforms an uncomfortably warm room to a chilly sanctuary surprisingly quickly. It comes with a convenient slide-out chassis that improves the installation experience too.
Air conditioning is important in the summer time when temperatures climb but running an AC can be quite expensive. That’s why it’s so important to pick out an energy efficient unit that’s going to do the job. Each of the recommendations above fits that description well, so hopefully, you’ll be able to choose the best fit for your specific needs.