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You'll barely hear this AC unit as it quickly and efficiently cools your room. It also features smartphone and smart speaker compatibility. Read More
A unique, N-shaped design allows this smart AC to sit more deeply along a window’s sill. It performs well and works best for small spaces. Read More
This unit cools a room without putting up much of a sweat. Like other newer LG units, it also features smartphone and smart speaker compatibility. Read More
This design focus of this air conditioner doesn't detract from its incredible performance which beats out many of its competitors with higher BTUs. Read More
Midea's AC unit can cool a room quickly. It also has features the big names offer at a higher price, like smartphone and smart speaker compatibility. Read More
While most window air conditioners look the same, their ability to help you survive the summer heat can vary greatly. The best window air conditioners can cool a room quickly and quietly—without skyrocketing your monthly power bill.
We’ve tested dozens of window air conditioners. While most of the window AC units in our latest round of testing are 8,000-BTU air conditioners, that doesn’t mean they’re equally as good at cooling a room.
There’s also more to a good air conditioner than cooling abilities. When testing the best window air conditioners, our rankings factor in ease of installation, noise during operation, energy efficiency, and more.
After evaluating the best window air conditioners in our climate-controlled testing labs and in real-world settings, the GE Profile Series PHC08LY (available at Amazon) is our favorite because it offers an agreeable balance of cooling performance, energy efficiency, modern tech integration, and stylish design.
This reliable, feature-packed air conditioner from GE earned our top honors during testing.
The GE Profile Series PHC08LY window air conditioner blends top-notch cooling capacity and features with a bit of style and elegance.
During testing, this 8,100-BTU window air conditioner reduced our 340-square-foot test area’s temperature by 10°F in only 43 minutes. It lowered the room’s humidity by 14% in the same amount of time.
The GE Profile Series is a whisper-quiet air conditioner. Quiet Mode only puts out 49.3 dBA of sound—less noise than an average household refrigerator makes. On its maximum cool setting, the decibel level ramped up to 59.7 dBA (about as loud as a normal conversation), making it the second quietest window air conditioner we’ve ever tested.
With the GE appliances app, users can remotely control and schedule the GE Profile Series while monitoring its power usage and temperature settings. It can also be controlled and monitored via voice through Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, and IFTTT.
The GE Profile Series air conditioner has an Energy Star energy efficiency rating and offers energy-saving features such as power consumption reports and an automatically dimming LED display.
Smartphone and smart speaker compatible
None that we could find
More than half of this AC unit's height hangs below the window’s sill.
The first thing you’ll notice about the GE Clearview AHTT06BC window air conditioner is its design, which has a lowercase N-shaped trench along its underside, allowing it to sit more deeply along your windowsill.
This design provides more stability during installation, and allows you to close the window more, reducing the noise from outside and the unit’s obstruction of your view. With the AC unit placed below the sill level, you can barely hear the compressor as it kicks on.
Of course, this design also means the GE Clearview AHTT06BC won’t work for all home setups, either because your walls are thicker than 13.75 inches or because there’s furniture or structures below the window.
While installation is straightforward, this window AC unit’s heavy build will likely be a two-person job. The trickiest part of the installation is the adjustable spacers that prop the outside part of the AC unit away from the wall. They’re a little hard to reach if you’re installing purely from inside the window.
In terms of controls, we found both the on-unit panel and its smart companion app intuitive and easy to use.
Read our full GE Clearview AHTT06BC review.
Doesn’t block the window
The LG LW8017ERSM window air conditioner is the updated version of our previous top pick, the LW8016ER. This window AC unit looks virtually indistinguishable from its predecessor and performed strongly during testing, dropping the temperature by 10°F in only 40 minutes.
One major addition to this updated window AC unit is the integrated LG SmartThinQ technology that allows you to connect to and control your LW8017ERSM from anywhere using LG’s app, ensuring that you never have to return to a hot, muggy house again. It’s also compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
The LG LW8017ERSM window AC required more elbow grease on assembly than much of the competition. At 62.7 dBA, it’s also in the middle of the pack in terms of noise level on maximum settings.
While it couldn’t grab our top spot, the LG LW8017ERSM carries the legacy of its predecessor as a simple yet powerful workhorse of a window air conditioner, while adding handy WiFi integration. For the price, it’s one of the best window AC units on the market.
Smartphone and smart speaker compatible
More complicated to assemble and set up
The July Air Conditioner is one of the best all-around air conditioners we’ve tested. The 8,000-BTU version we tested cooled better than other ACs with a similar BTU rating. It is more in competition with a 15,000-BTU model.
In addition to quickly cooling down a room, this air conditioner has an attractive design, straightforward controls, and an easier installation process than other window units.
A wide range of customization options is where the July Air Conditioner stands outs. For starters, July has versions compatible with standard windows, sliding windows, or a through-the-wall installation. It has several matte color options for its front panel, and a wide array of limited-edition premium panels, such as wood or living moss. You can even upgrade its vinyl roller curtains for a solid panel, either matte or translucent to allow more light in.
If you’re looking for something specific, like the highest overall cooling power or smart features, there are better choices. But if you’re looking for one of the best all-around window ACs, the July Air Conditioner is an excellent choice.
Read our full July Air Conditioner review.
Variety of styles and options when ordering
None that we could find
While the Midea brand may not be as well-known as Frigidaire, LG, or GE in the United States, the Midea SmartCool MAW08S1YWT is one of the best window air conditioners we tested.
It comes loaded with features, some of which are typically only found on more expensive window air conditioners, including a dedicated app for controlling and monitoring your window AC unit and voice control through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
When it comes down to performance, the Midea SmartCool more than holds its own against the competition, registering a 10°F and 15% humidity drop in only an hour on a day that was nearly 100°F outside and 82°F in the 340-square-foot test room.
Installation and removal of the window AC unit is a breeze, with Midea including clear instructions for installation and weather-proof sealing. This is easily one of the best window air conditioners we tested and worth considering for your room.
Smartphone and smart speaker compatible
Easy to install and weather-proof
None that we could find
The GE AHEK08AC is just a solid all-around window air conditioner. Its standard box shape has no fancy chassis or design variations. Installation is relatively straightforward.
Its performance is nothing to write home about, but it offers decent cooling power and a high airflow that should chill down any room quickly.
The GE AHEK08AC air conditioner is a smart device that can use your Wi-Fi connection to connect to the GE app on your phone. This allows full control of the device and for integration with Alexa and Google Assistant.
The Friedrich Chill Premier CCF06A10A window air conditioner is a great option if you’re looking to keep a smaller room cool quietly.
While this 6,000-BTU air conditioner doesn’t have as much raw power as the 8,000-BTU units we tested, the Chill Premier still excels in small spaces. In addition, combined with its smaller size and increased isolation, this is one of the quietest window AC units we tested.
It’s a smart device with Wi-Fi connection to the Friedrich app, which allows full control of the AC and integration with Alexa and Google Assistant.
Not the most attractive design
The Midea U Inverter MAW10V1QWT window air conditioner has a different aesthetic than most. Its slick look features rounded corners, a mesh-style air intake, and an air outlet cover that sits smoothly in place.
Additionally, its U-shaped design allows your window to remain more closed than a typical box-shaped window air conditioner, making the installation significantly more secure and helping reduce noise from the back half of the unit.
In terms of performance, the MAW10V1QWT is solid: Its ability to cool air doesn’t blow us away, but it’s no slouch.
The MAW10V1QWT is another smart AC with app control and Alexa and Google Assistant integration. The app is easy to set up and allows full, intuitive control.
The LG Dual Inverter LW1517IVSM window air conditioner is the only 14,000-BTU unit we tested, making it difficult to compare to the other units we tested. Because this air conditioner is designed to cool a much larger room (up to 800 square feet), we evaluated it on its own merits.
With a shipping weight of 102 pounds, this window AC is much more challenging to install than the smaller units we tested. While two people are always recommended for installing something as heavy as a window air conditioner, this unit’s weight requires it.
Once installed, it outpaced smaller window AC units in cooling our 340-square-foot test space. In only half an hour, the LG Dual Inverter 14,000 BTU completed the 10-degree test and dropped the center of the room by 11°F. It also lowered the room’s humidity by 14% in that time.
This unit offers LG's SmartThinQ technology, allowing you to control the unit via LG’s smartphone app, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. The Dual Inverter is designed to reduce consumption by 25%. It also features a more updated and sleeker design than the LG8017ERM near the top of our list.
If you need to cool a larger room, the LG Dual Inverter LW1517IVSM window air conditioner holds cooling power that truly packs a punch.
Smartphone and smart speaker compatible
Requires two people for installation
Hot, muggy weather in the summer may have people without central air searching for ways to cool off. While a portable air conditioner is easier to store and typically less expensive than window ACs, these bigger AC units are more efficient in dealing with hot air.
Here are some things to consider when buying a window air conditioner.
BTU, a measure of an air conditioner's cooling strength, stands for British thermal unit. A BTU is the amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. The higher an air conditioner’s BTU rating, the more heat it can remove from the air.
The square footage of the room you’re trying to cool should be considered when choosing a window air conditioner. The Energy Star website provides a helpful chart that shows how many BTUs per hour are needed to cool rooms of different square footage.
For example, according to Energy Star, an 8,000-BTU window air conditioner would have enough capacity to cool a room between 300 and 350 square feet while a 5,000-BTU unit would be able to cool a room that’s 100 to 150 square feet.
Most of the AC units included in this roundup are Energy Star certified. A more prestigious honor is Energy Star’s Most Efficient list.
Another thing to consider is CEER, or Combined Energy Efficiency Ratio. The higher the CEER, the more efficient a window air conditioner is. An efficient window air conditioner will save you more money on your electric bill than an inefficient model, it will also pollute less.
Based on the units we tested, the average window air conditioner puts out around 52 decibels. At this level, most air conditioners emit a low hum similar to a running refrigerator, which isn’t too noticeable. However, you may prefer something quieter if you are sensitive to sound or will be sitting close to the AC unit when it’s in use.
As the name implies, window air conditioners are designed to fit most windows. However, measuring the size of your window opening will ensure it. Also, if you have casement windows or sliders, consider an AC unit designed for those openings.
Also, consider the weight of the window air conditioners. These heavy, boxy appliances have to be installed by hand. In general, you install a window AC unit by first opening the window, resting the unit on the window sill, and lowering the window down to trap the unit in place. You can then secure the unit with an included kit or a spare L-bracket.
As air conditioners have evolved, many are Wi-Fi enabled so you can control the AC with an app, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or some other smart technology. Other features include quiet and sleep modes, timers, and a remote control.
BTU stands for British thermal unit. Technically speaking, one BTU is the amount of energy it takes to raise one pound of water one degree at sea level. In practical terms, though, BTU measures an air conditioner’s ability to remove heat from the air.
While an air conditioner with a higher BTU rating cools more air, it doesn’t make the AC unit “better.” When evaluating what AC to purchase, there are other factors that should be considered, such as energy efficiency, noise of operation, and installation. That’s why we included these factors in our rankings.
How an air conditioner works is a frequently asked question about these devices.
An air conditioner is a machine for moving heat around. It takes heat from the air in your home and dumps it outdoors.
The window air conditioner has four major components—a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. These have refrigerant circulating through them. The air conditioner uses these components and some fairly simple physics to move heat out of your home.
A series of basic steps keep the heat moving in the right direction. First, the compressor pressurizes the refrigerant. Raising the pressure heats up the refrigerant and pushes it through the condenser coil. The hot condenser sits outside the window, where it sheds heat outdoors, cooling the refrigerant.
Once the cooled high-pressure refrigerant hits the expansion valve, its pressure drops. The refrigerant quickly expands and changes from liquid to gas, making it even colder. The cold refrigerant moves through the expansion coils housed in the indoor part of the window AC unit. A fan pushes warm room air across these cold expansion coils, transferring heat from the air to the refrigerant. The cooled air circulates back indoors, while the warmer refrigerant returns to the compressor and condenser, where the heat is dumped outdoors.
This refrigeration cycle continues until the room air is cool enough for the thermostat to switch off the compressor.
We have a detailed breakdown on how to clean your AC, but it starts with unplugging the AC unit to avoid getting shocked.
Additionally, you will need to remove and clean the filter, remove the outer casing to mop up any moisture, dust off the fans, and wipe down the condenser coils. Cleaning the unit once doesn’t mean it’s fine to leave indefinitely, make sure to keep your air conditioner well-maintained throughout its life cycle.
We used a variety of temperature, humidity, and electrical usage sensors to test the air conditioners in this guide.
To ensure we were fair in our evaluation, we put the window air conditioners (ranging from 5,000 to 14,500 BTU) through their paces in the same testing chamber—a custom-built, airtight room with its own window brace. We also take into account the expected rate of cooling for each unit.
We install each window air conditioner in the climate-controlled room with the temperature as close to 80°F as possible, before turning the AC unit on at full max. Using temperature and humidity sensors we hang throughout the room, we see how long it takes the room to cool down to 70°F—both while empty and with someone in the room.
A noisy unit can be a deal-breaker for bedroom use, so we measure the noise level at the center of the room using a decibel meter while the window units are running.
The decibel meter is set to the dBA weighting, a corrected form of decibel measurement in which low, often imperceivable frequencies are reduced, making it a more accurate measurement of what the human ear perceives as loudness.
In addition to collecting hard data, we evaluate the window air conditioners subjectively, including how easy it is to install, replace air filters, and understand the manual. We also account for heft, general awkwardness, ease of storage, and portability of each unit. Since no one wants an AC unit that excessively ratchets up their power bill, we also measure power consumption.
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time. The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews, and more.
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews, and more.
Kevin Oliver is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.
Lindsey writes about sleep, lifestyle, and more for Reviewed. In her waking hours, she likes to spend time outside, read, cook, and bake. She holds a master’s in journalism from Boston University and bachelors' degrees in English Literature and Anthropology from the University of Utah.
Dave Ellerby has a Ph.D. from the University of Leeds and a B.Sc. from the University of Manchester. He has 25+ years of experience designing tests and analyzing data.
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