Great weather and warmer temperatures are coming back, yippee! But when all the fan is doing is blowing warm air from the patio into the house, summer may not be as exciting anymore. If you live in a basement, great, you may never mind the hot weather, but if you apartment or room is located on a second, third or even higher floor of the building, you will quickly discover that hot air rises… As a matter of fact, the higher floor your room is located, the hotter it can become in the summer. And believe me, I’ve lived on the third floor of a beautiful house… Air conditioner was simply the only solution!
But choosing an air conditioner is not easy. Even though the cost of keeping your place cool is 50% less than it was years ago, air cons are still fairly expensive and this is why you should make a wise investment by doing some research instead of purchasing the first one on sale at the store.
For example, some air cons are extremely noisy, and it may not be the heat that will keep you up all night, but the noise! This is why we put together a top 10 list of the best air conditioners on the market.
But before purchasing an air con, it is important that you measure properly the area you want to keep cool. Indeed, air conditioners will work the most efficiently in areas that they were designed to cover. For example, when purchasing if you purchase an air conditioner that is marked 800 square feet, you will get the more efficiency (ratio energy used for cooling the entire area) on an 650-850 square foot room. The engine is not powerful enough to cool down a bigger room and is inefficiently used in a smaller 400 square foot room.
It is wise to read others’ reviews before purchasing your unit. Things you should be aware of: the price, the noise, ease of installation, ease of use, BTU, etc.
Best portable and window air conditioners for small rooms
| Over the last few years, I decided to quit my job and work from home. I decided to renovate the attic into a home office. Being on the third floor of the house, needless to say that in summer, the heat becomes unbearable over there! I do have central air conditioner in the house, but it does not reach this particular room. This is why I decided to purchase a small air conditioner for my office only. I decided to go for the Frigidaire FAA055P7A Compact Small-Room Air Conditioner with Remote Control, which is a fairly efficient and compact model. |  |
| But if you are looking for a portable model, the SPT WA-7500M 7,500-BTU Portable Air Conditioner with Manual Controls is an outstanding model that you will conveniently be able to move from room to room. |  |
Best portable and window air conditioners for medium-size rooms
| In the medium size room portable air conditioner range, Haier now makes some of the best models. For example, the well rated Haier CPRB08XCJ 8000-BTU Portable Air Conditioner is not only eco-friendly, but also offer 3 modes of comfort : cool, dehumidify and fan. |  |
| The Sharp CV-P10MX Portable Air Conditioner 9,500 BTU is another favorite portable air conditioner and very quiet for an air con. It is well rated and easy to install (check out other reviewers installing tips). |  |
| If you are looking for a window version, the best overall rated is with no doubt the Friedrich Compact Programmable : CP08E10 7,800 BTU Room Air Conditioner. This window air conditionner is energy star rated, so you save on the bills as well and features 3 cooling settings and 3 fan only speeds. |  |
Best portable and window air conditioners for large rooms
| Looking for more square footage? Remember that it is important that you purchase the right BTU for your room/apartment to ensure proper cooling. The Whynter Eco Friendly 13000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner is rated energy star, is nicely designed and will work like a champ for all those really hot summer days. |  |
| If you want a sleek looking model, the rated energy star DeLonghi PAC W130E 13,000-BTU Eco-Friendly Portable Air Conditioner with Water Technology has a eco-friendly refrigerant gas that will keep you cool and help you make your part for the environment. |  |
| Another very popular model is the NewAir AC-12000E 12,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner With R410A Refrigerant. This unit is very affordable (399.00 on Amazon.com) and eco-friendly. |  |
| Again, Frigidaire models are the most popular windows models. The Frigidaire FAH12ER2T 12,000-BTU Through-the-Wall Air Conditioner with 10,000-BTU Heat and Electronic Controls is a great device as it not only can be used in summer as a refrigerant, but also as a heater for slightly cooler days. |  |
| If you need to cool down a very large room or a studio, the Frigidaire FAM156R1A 15,100-BTU Window Air Conditioner with Electronic Controls is an excellent choice. Energy star rated, this model is a real beast and will cool down the biggest areas of your house throughout the warmest days of the year. |  |
You can shop online or through your local retailer. While shopping online will give you much better prices, it will be easier to return a product from your local retailer. This is why it is important to make your homework and research the best product before purchasing online. For more information, visit Consumer Top 10 now.
