With summer approaching, you may already be planning to equip your home with air conditioning or upgrade an outdated cooling system. In this guide, NextPit brings you a list of the best air conditioners you can buy, including a buying guide on how to choose the right one for form and function.
Buying an air conditioner can be just as daunting as choosing the smartphone that works best for you. It includes many parameters and specifications that you need to check before you finally make a purchase. Luckily, we’ve done most of the hard work by selecting several different brands of AC units, as well as narrowing them down and categorizing them in the list below.
Before buying an air conditioner, it is important to know the total area of ​​a particular room and the space in which it will be installed. This allows you to correctly estimate the power you will need, especially the device’s BTU rating. At the same time, you also need to decide which shape you want to get, because installation and maintenance will depend on it.
The main criteria for buying an air conditioner depends on how large the room is, as this will determine the power of the air conditioner in Btu or British thermal unit. This means the more space you have, the higher the BTU you should be looking for.
Typically, the basic configuration of an air conditioner has a capacity of 6,000 to 8,000 BTUs, which is enough for a small room of 260 to 350 square feet (about 33 square meters). On the other hand, for sizes 400 square feet (37.16 square meters) and larger, units of 12,000 or larger are recommended.
During the hot months, air conditioners operate for several hours a day, and sometimes all day. After all, using an energy efficient system will save you a lot of money. To save energy, it is recommended to choose a model with variable frequency motor or double frequency conversion technology. It is extremely efficient and produces less noise than non-inverter AC units.
Air conditioners come in many forms, and choosing one depends on the installation process you need and how to properly keep these devices running smoothly. Each of them has its own advantages, so you may have to weigh many factors. In addition, we have only discussed popular designs here, including portable, windowed, and ductless split systems.
LG is one of the few brands that offer affordable and feature-packed air conditioners. This year, the company has updated its portable lineup with budget options and new models with inverters and smart home features.
The LG LP0623WSR (6000 BTU) and LP0723WSR (7000 BTU) are the cheapest portable air conditioners that will be available in 2023. As with more expensive models, they come with a mounting kit that makes it easy to install the hose on the window. In addition, they have washable filters and several modes and timers controlled by a remote control.
While they are cheap, they lack LG’s inverter technology and cannot be controlled via a mobile app. If you don’t need these features at all and if you want to save some money, these shoes are a good choice and currently start at $329.
A more powerful LG portable air conditioner is the LP1022FVSM, which has a capacity of 10,000 BTUs and is suitable for rooms up to 450 square feet. It sells for $689 and has the features of the higher-end model. The inverter makes it quieter than the non-inverter category. In addition, you can install the LG ThinQ mobile app on your Android phone or iPhone to set schedules or enter voice commands over Wi-Fi.
Starting at $399, Midea’s new U-shaped air conditioner is one of the most popular window air conditioners due to its flexible design. They come in 8,000, 10,000 and 12,000 BTUs, all with DC inverter motors, and run at only 42dB, according to Midea.
Mounting the Midea U is just as easy as the floorstanding portable models, and the company includes mounting brackets with each unit. Many will also appreciate the ability to connect the cooling system to a Wi-Fi network and compatibility with mobile applications.
For larger spaces, split air conditioners are better as they have higher BTU output. In addition, since the motor is mounted outdoors, this ensures the quietest possible installation. The Gree Livo+ and Senville ductless range (110/120 volts) are the best choice for combined refrigeration with inverter compressor and heat pump system.
Gree’s Livo+ 12,000 BTU costs $1,120 and is ideal for rooms ranging from 400 square feet (37.16 square meters) to 650 square feet (60.39 square meters). It is equipped with a variable frequency inverter compressor with up to 7 years warranty and an energy efficient heating system. In addition, it can be controlled wirelessly with a remote control or the Gree app using a Wi-Fi connection.
Although the Senville Leto is an outdated system, this model is currently the best selling ductless split air conditioner in the United States. Like the Gree Livo+, the Leto mini splits feature a DC inverter and a heat pump, but with a shorter 5 year warranty. At a retail price of $819 (including shipping and installation), it’s cheaper than most alternatives with the same BTUs, and works with Amazon Alexa for more than basic Wi-Fi cloud management.
If you need an updated model of any brand, Gree and Senville already sell the Vireo+ and Aura lines, respectively. Both new systems are more efficient at a higher cost and operate on 208/230V.
What should I pay attention to before buying an air conditioner? Share your best deals in the comments.
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I live in the desert in the southwest. Air conditioners are designed for heating. I’m planning on doing a mini-split with no ducting in case the current unit fails.
How well is your current split system maintained? Our plumbing only lasted 4 years before it started leaking and needed a major overhaul.
This is not a division. My house was built in 1948. So it is built for forced ventilation. My AC section has an external capacitor. So far I just changed the filter. This year I am repairing the coil for the “heat exchanger” of the air conditioner in a forced air system. After installation, the efficiency exceeds 95% regardless of the measured efficiency of forced ventilation. I suspect that this is about 1/3 of the expected lifespan. Price competition for forced ventilation systems has always existed, so quality suffered. The unit I replaced was the original oven – almost 70 years old, no air conditioning, just a separate evaporative cooler. But when I replaced the roof, I took it off. Ownership is the ongoing cost of maintenance and change. Mini splits are supposed to last longer, but installation quality matters and is rarely the lowest price. The assembly demo (Matt Riser on youtube) shows many mounting, insulation and wall-shoe improvements that can be used on mini splitters and capacitors, but they are often cheap and poorly made.
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