Air Conditioner Reviews and Buying Guide:

When it comes to air conditioning, there is no denying you can't live without it in certain cities across America. Temperatures regularly go over 100 degrees in Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Phoenix, and most of the central valley in California. Although there are central air conditioning units produced by Carrier, Bryant, Trane, etc., we will focus our attention and reviews to the room size air conditioners that fit into windows. The National Association of Home Builders says that the average air conditioner will last you roughly 10 years. Over the last decade prices have dropped about 50% on all AC units for homes and technology has made them quieter, smaller, lighter, and safer to run. We've all slept in a hotel room with an air conditioner that runs all night and is so loud it's hard to sleep. Many of the home air conditioners you can buy are now extremely quiet, but many are still rather noisy and can be a nuisance. The other good news, is that all the newer models have great energy efficiency ratios (EER) that will save on your energy bills.

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Buying an air conditioner with an Energy Star rating is the way to go if you want to help conserve energy while staying cool. One thing to keep in mind is that some AC units don't run well when "brownouts" occur. A "brownout" is when your local utility company reduces voltage at peak hours of the day to conserve energy usage and this can directly effect an air conditioning unit. The key to choosing the correct air conditioner for your house is to know the exact square footage of the area or room it will be placed in. Experts say if you choose an air conditioner meant for a 700 square foot room and put it in a 400 square foot area you will not get efficient use from it. Make sure you have the measurements of any room you want to put an air conditioner into and then talk with a qualified sales rep at your local department store to get the best model. Installing the heavier units can be a bit tricky, so look for larger air conditioning units that have "slide-out" chassis. These units allow you to secure the chassis to the window and wall and then just slide in the AC unit (some weigh as much as 92 lbs). Try placing the air conditioner in a window that is central to the room for maximum efficiency (when more than 1 window exists). Many of the current models have digital displays and remote controls which can be very useful. Consumer Reports makes a good point in their latest issue on AC units in that you need to be able to read the digital display and see the controls even in a dark bedroom. The Internet has made it very efficient to find reviews of air conditioners online. Sears carries a lot for Kenmore products, while Amazon.com, Lowes.com, HomeDepot, and Target.com also have customer feedback to help guide your decision. The most comprehensive study we came across was done by Consumer Reports of course and they broke the different models down by BTU and room size or square feet. CR rated the air conditioners on comfort, indoor noise, ease of use, air direction, price, BTU, and EER. As usual Consumer Reports may rate one model higher than another, but the one with the lower overall score may get their "best buy" award because it's a better value. In any event, we have tried to break down the best air conditioners based on square footage and noise levels down below. The top air conditioner manufacturers are GE, LG, Frigidaire, Sharp, Haier, Whirlpool, Kenmore, Goldstar, Samsung and Panasonic. In many reviews we found the GE air conditioners got the best rank, but they were also the most expensive. In several situations, the air conditioner that gets recommended to customers the most are those that rate high in many categories and are mid-range in price.

Small Air Conditioner (Around 200 Square Feet):

I live in an air conditioned home, but there is one room on the second story that gets extremely hot during the peak summer months. The heat is unbearable up there even when the downstairs is at like 72 degrees. I only have the air conditioner on the lower level so my upstairs can get hot. I decided to get a small air conditioner just for that 1 room and it does work great. It's a little noisy, but it keeps the room cool and at a reasonable temperature. I went with the Frigidaire FAA067P7A ($150) that Consumer Reports recommended for smaller sized rooms and areas. At 6000 BTU and an EER of 10.7 the unit does an excellent job and it fits in a window width of 23-26 inches. In terms of the overall best rating, the GE ASM06LK ($200) received the top rank from CR, but they said the GE ASM05LK ($180) was a "best buy" because it is very quiet and a great value. Shop around in the off-season for a good air conditioner since they will be on sale at that time. Prepare for summer early by saving in the off-season.

Best Midsized AC Unit:

Once again GE comes out on top with their GE ASM08LK ($260) unit per Consumer Reports. GE rates very high for quiet air conditioners and at 8000 BTU and an EER of 10.8, this GE does well. The GE Energy Star Deluxe has a slide out chassis, remote control, an electronic thermostat, a delay timer with 24-hour on/off, 3 fan speed selections, and an EZ mount installation. Perfect for "great rooms" now found in homes that are 300-400 sq ft.

Best Value on Air Conditioner for 400 Square Feet:

If you are willing to sacrifice a bit on noise levels when the unit is on high, consider the much cheaper Kenmore 76081 (Sears) ($200). The Kenmore air conditioner delivers the same performance features but it gets low ratings for noise levels. Midsized air conditioners are best for rooms or areas in your home/condo/apartment that measure from 250 to 550 square feet. You can find our more details online at Sears.com with all the various Kenmore models available. The 76081 is Energy Star qualified and offers EZ-Out reusable filters, 4-way adjustable air direction control, and a quick mount window installation. Has electronic controls and display, 3 cooling speeds, 3 fan speeds, and a delay timer as well with 12 hours on/off. Many of the user reviews on Sears say this model rates just as well as other higher priced competitors and they are happy with their purchase.

Top Rated Large Air Conditioner:

Do you need to keep more square footage cool in your home/condo/apartment? Consider the larger air conditioners from GE, Haier, or Frigidaire. They can accommodate up to 950 sq ft and they all do an excellent job of cooling off rooms. The GE ASM10AK ($300) gets the best rating from Consumer Reports but their "best buy" awards go to less expensive models from Haier and Fridigaire that provide similar features for a discounted price. The Haier ESA3105 ($250) is the best large air conditioner in terms of noise control. At 10000 BTU and an EER of 10.8 you get similar performance compared to the others in this class. The caveat to all consumers is not to buy a large AC unit for a small room. Experts say you are not only wasting money up front, but you are also going to end up with a cold, damp room.

Low Profile Air Conditioner:

We kept reading in online forums that people wanted "low profile" air conditioners in their windows. The LG LP6000ER ($300) rates as a top seller for low profile air conditioners. It has a very low height of just 12" which lets more light in through your window. The LG air conditioner can handle about 200 square feet of space when cooling. Some specs are 6000 BTU, 10.7 EER, Energy Star qualified, remote control, and you get a great warranty of 5 years on parts, labor, and compressor.

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