Last Updated on March 24, 2021 by HVAC

The Best Window Air Conditioner Reviews And Ratings Guide

In this article we’re going to be taking a look at what makes the best window air conditioner such a good deal. Both portable air conditioners and window air conditioners have their place in a home, and it’s up to you to figure out which kind will work out best for you.

Overall, people seem to favor window air conditioners because they seem to do a better job of cooling a room. They are powerful and can be energy efficient to save money.

This page is also going to outline the three best window air conditioners we could find according to cost, features, and overall quality.

Portable vs Window Air Conditioner

When it comes to the temperature and humidity of your home, you want the very best. So as a consumer, you need to decide what will be best for your home.

What are the advantages of a portable air conditioner? How about the advantages of a window air conditioner?

In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at the advantages of both and help you decide which kind will be best for the area you live in.

Advantages Of A Portable Air Conditioner

With this type of air conditioner, you can take it to any room in the house and enjoy cool comfort all day long. Portable air conditioners come in more than one configuration, including single and dual exhaust hose models. Some people really prefer the single exhaust hose models because it uses the air in the room to keep the unit operating cool.

With a dual exhaust portable air conditioner, you’re using the air from the outside to cool the unit. This can create quite a problem because sometimes the air outside is very hot. This means the unit won’t cool itself correctly. Climates like Arizona and Nevada would be better off using a single exhaust PAC.

Some portable air conditioners use a battery instead of an outlet to power the unit. That means you may not need an outlet source to keep an area cool. Some portable air conditioners will also act as a dehumidifier to cut down on excess moisture in a room. This is great for super humid climates. A PAC will also use less energy than a window air conditioning unit.

A portable air conditioner can come in a variety of BTU, from 5,000 to 25,000 BTU.

Advantages Of A Window Air Conditioner

Window air conditioners are a lot more powerful than portable air conditioners. This has been well documented. They are also a lot cheaper in terms of total cost.

If you compare the prices of the two, you’ll see that you can get a much better deal with a window air conditioner than you can get with a portable. For people who don’t need to move their air conditioner to other rooms of the house, a window air conditioner makes the most sense.

There are also no exhaust hoses with a window air conditioner. That means you’ll be able to run the unit without having to have an exhaust pipe running to the outside window. It fits inside the window and is able to use an exhaust system in that way. This is ideal for smaller rooms in the house or additions that don’t have central air duct work running through them.

Another plus is if you use these in your bedrooms, each person can regulate the temperature themselves rather than relying on a central AC unit to cool everyone according to one temperature. Archers recommends using these types of units in all bedroom both for convenience and electric savings.

Despite popular belief, a compact window air conditioner can be moved and installed very easily into other windows. You just have to familiarize yourself with moving the unit and installing it, and no specialty HVAC tools are required, perhaps you might need a drill.

A small window air conditioning unit will still use MUCH less power than a house’s central cooling system. They can help save a lot of money over the cost of cooling the entire house.

Similar to portable air conditioners, the BTU of window air conditioners can range from 5,000 to 25,000 BTU.

Our Top Reviews for the Best Window Air Conditioner

Frigidaire 8,000 BTU Window Air Conditioner Review

This is one of the best window air conditioners that you can buy. 8,000 BTU of cooling power makes sure that your room stays just as cool as you want it. If your room is 350 square feet and under this unit will work great. It looks quite stylish and modern and does an effective job of cooling medium sized rooms.

This specific unit is very quiet, even when running at high speed. This is an Energy Star unit that conserves power as it’s running, saving you much more than older units. The design is compact but easy to install with the installation kit. It comes with an ionizer and antibacterial filter.

It also comes with a temperature sensing remote, so no matter where you are in the room you can get an accurate reading of the actual temperature and run the unit accordingly. 3 cooling speeds and 3 fan speeds makes adjustments for comfort easy.

Product Features:

1. 115-volt window air conditioner with 8,000 BTU of power
2. Dehumidifier feature removes 1.7 pints of water per hour from up to 350 square feet of space
3. Ionizer feature removes dust, impurities, and pollen for allergy sufferers
4. Auto cool mode automatically adjusts as the temp changes
5. Energy Star rating ensures that you save money on your energy bill
6. Tilt out mesh filter with antibacterial action

7. Temperature-Sensing Remote Control

Final Analysis:

Pros: Medium to large rooms will get the most benefit from this Frigidaire window air conditioner. It saves a lot of money with the Energy Star rating and does a great job with cooling rooms. The dehumidifier feature works great and removes a lot of excess moisture from the air.

This unit comes with a 1 year full coverage and 5 year AC compressor replacement warranty. Next, the digital display is easy to read and understand. It only weighs about 50 lbs, which will make installation a breeze.

Your room will stay cool and crisp and you can use the timer button to adjust room temperature and save money so it isn’t running 24/7. After 250 hours of use this unit automatically tells you to clean the filter.

It has a 6 foot long cord so you don’t even need an extension cord to use it. It’s a very modern design and will look great in any window. Overall the 8,000 BTU of power is plenty for a medium sized room.

The temperature sensing remote is a real plus and gives very accurate readings of the true temperature of a room. Overall this is a great window air conditioner for the price and will give you many years of trouble free service.

Frigidaire is a brand name with many years of producing quality products and is a name you can put your trust in.

Cons: This unit could be a little cheaper, but with the Energy Star rating, you’ll save a lot over the cost of running an older unit and be able to recoup the costs. A 500 foot room is just too big for this air conditioner, so you’d have to find a Frigidaire in a bigger BTU for a room of that size.

Friedrich Chill 6000 BTU Window Air Conditioner Review

This is one of the most economical choices you can make. With 6,000 BTU of power, you can be sure that your room will stay cool all summer long. The estimated yearly cost of running this unit is only $45, which is cheaper than most other models.

The Energy Star rating really helps to save on operating costs. Temperature ranges from 62-86 Fahrenheit are possible with this unit. It has 3 fan speeds and a washable filter that makes maintenance incredibly easy.

The installation kit makes putting this window air conditioner to use very easy. It will work for most every window out there. As far as cooling performance goes, this is a top of the line air conditioner. It will do the job of cooling the room to an exact temperature at an affordable cost and even comes with a pleated filter.

This is not a cheaply built machine. It seems to stand up to even the most grueling conditions. People who want an Energy Star compliant machine that’s also cheap to buy will find a great deal in the Friedrich Chill CP06G10B 6000 BTU Window Air Conditioner.

Friedrich has proven themselves as a quality air conditioner manufacturer in recent years. Quality products at a price everyone can afford.

Product Features:

1. A True Energy Star Compliant Air Conditioner – Save Money On Operating Costs
2. 6,000 BTU Of Power – All The Power You Need to cool a 258 square foot room
3. Operating Cost Of Only $45 Per Year
4. Great Quality Plastic Flexible Window Extensions For A Perfect Fit
5. You can have the power cord from the top or side of the machine

Final Analysis:

This window air conditioner is truly a good buy for the money. In a matter of minutes, a medium sized room can go from hot to well chilled. You can’t really ask for more as far as getting a good bang for your buck.

This machine is well constructed and will give you years of trouble free use. It will cool rooms to within 1 or 2 degrees of the set temperature, making for a window air conditioner that’s high performance and cheap enough for everyone’s budget.

This unit has 1,000 more BTUs of power than other units that cost more! Buying this will be a purchase you can be proud of. Not only will it last through hot and humid seasons, it makes perfect sense to own one!

Great cooling capacity and it’s cheap to operate. These are a few of the main reasons many people are choosing this HVAC equipment over the competition. 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com.

LG 7,000 BTU Window Air Conditioner Review

If you need both a heater and an air conditioner in one window unit, the LG LW6017R Heat/Cool window air conditioner will be perfect.

LG has always produced quality products, and this one is something you can really appreciate.

With a plasma heat exchanger strip, you can be sure that this will do an adequate job of heating an area.

7,000 BTU is plenty of power for a medium sized room. It has an energy saving feature that automatically turns the unit off when the desired temperature is reached. After that point, it checks every three minutes for temperature changes.

The total cost of operating this unit is much less than you might expect. Most homeowners don’t notice much of a difference in their utility costs from operating it. It comes with a remote control for easy temperature and fan speed adjustments.

Total weight of the unit is a surprisingly light 69 pounds. It comes with 4 way air deflection that allows you complete control over the air flow in the room.

The best part about this unit is the use of great technology. Most other window air conditioners don’t come with a heater feature, so that really makes the value you get with this machine top notch. It’s an Energy Star device that will also help you save money over the cost of older units.

Product Features:

1. Energy Star Compliant For Energy Saving Performance
2. Auto Restart Feature
3. 4 Way Air Deflection For Complete Air Flow Control
4. Heats AND Cools Medium Sized Rooms
5. Additional Energy Saving Features
6. Remote Control

Final Analysis:

Pros: As far as cooling performance goes, this LG is one of the best window air conditioners out there. LG really did a good job with the design and performance of this heater/air conditioner.

One thing to remember is that you need to install it correctly. It will work well in nearly every application you have for it. As long as the room is medium sized, you shouldn’t have any problems keeping the area cool or warm.

This unit was built to exacting specifications direct from the LG company. You can put your trust in LG, as they have an outstanding line of quality air conditioners to choose from.

Cons: It’s a little more expensive than other window air conditioners out there, but it comes with a heat feature, so it’s actually worth the extra cost and some people found the directions a little confusing.

How to install a window air conditioner

 

Installing a window air conditioner is pretty easy stuff. Most people can do it themselves with a few simple tools. They are heavy, so ask someone to help if you’re planning on not using someone to do the install. And use a wet dry vac to clean up after you’re finished.

Instead of explaining step by step how to do this, I just added the video above instead. It’s a clear video and should be all you need to show you how it is done.

Central Air vs Window AC

Which Saves Most?

It’s hot and you want to cool your house. But which cooling method should you choose? According to experts what really matters is the climate where you live (hot and humid Houston versus dry Denver), how your home is insulated, and what your personal preferences are.

Let’s break it down and examine each factor:

1) Climate. If you live in a hot and humid climate, your best bet efficiency wise, is Central AC using plenums. Window units might suck in humid air from the outside, especially if they are not sealed properly. But if you live in a dry climate, a window unit on each floor will be sufficient. Just figure which AC you need based on the size of your room.

2) Insulation. It’s not only in your walls. Make sure your windows are insulated, and even your attic. In hot summer days, the heat in the attic can soar to more than 140 degrees. That’s no joke! Heat from the attic will heat the rooms beneath it, so insulating your attic will help your bedroom stay cool.

3) Personal Preference: How many rooms are you trying to cool at once? If you don’t mind moving to one or two rooms when it is hot, or if it gets very hot not very often, you can get by with a window unit. If you end up purchasing several window units for your home, you might as well switch to Central AC. If one or two window air conditioners are enough, the Window AC is more cost effective and will use less energy. If you have an energy efficient house, or a small house, a Window AC is perfect.