Best Window Air Conditioner
The main factors to consider when shopping for the best window air conditioner is the size or area of the room you are trying to cool down and the cooling capacity of the air conditioner which is measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs) per hour. See the table below to see how much cooling capability is needed for each size of room.
Area To Cool (square feet) |
Capacity Needed (BTUs per hour) |
---|---|
100 up to 150 | 5,000 |
150 up to 250 | 6,000 |
250 up to 300 | 7,000 |
300 up to 350 | 8,000 |
350 up to 400 | 9,000 |
400 up to 450 | 10,000 |
450 up to 550 | 12,000 |
550 up to 700 | 14,000 |
700 up to 1,000 | 18,000 |
1,000 up to 1,200 | 21,000 |
1,200 up to 1,400 | 23,000 |
1,400 up to 1,500 | 24,000 |
1,500 up to 2,000 | 30,000 |
2,000 up to 2,500 | 34,000 |
Another important attribute to look for is Energy Efficiency Rating, or EER, which measures how energy efficient a unit is (the higher the number the better).
No window air conditioner operates silently, but there are differences in how loud some of them are. If you are installing one in your bedroom are other space where you need some peace and quiet then you should strongly consider finding the quietest model you can. We found differences in the noise levels from manufacturer provided decibels and independent testing and differences between tests done by different websites. So in general we try to describe the noise levels in relative terms to compare individual models based on testing done at one time in a controlled environment and not compare the actual decibel numbers from different sources which may be flawed.
Below we review our choices for the top 10 best window air conditioners. At the bottom of this article we also have a spec comparison chart for all the models on our list.
9.2
Friedrich Chill CP10G10B
Some nice features of the CP10G10B include an easy to use electronic control panel, 24 hour timer, fan-only option, removal of up to 3 pints of moisture per hour, washable filter, and remote control.
The biggest drawback of the Friedrich Chill CP10G10B is the price since it is more expensive than some models that have even more BTUs. There are cheaper units available, but if performance and being quiet are the top requirements for you then we recommend the Friedrich CP10G10B.
9.1
LG LW1216ER
The LW1216ER has a digital electronic touch control panel with three cooling and fan speeds, a 24 hour programmable timer, washable air filter, remote control, and it can remove up to 3.3 pints of moisture per hour to help control humidity.
The LG LW1216ER is pretty quiet, but a little bit louder than the Friedrich Chill models. At 85 pounds it is heavy which might make it a bit difficult to install without some professional help.
We highly recommend the LG LW1216ER for large spaces, but it might not be the best choice for a bedroom due to the noise level and amount of BTUs.
9.1
Friedrich Chill CP08G10B
Other features include a digital thermostat, 24-hour programmable timer, washable air filter, and 3 fan-only speeds.
The main drawback of the CP08G10B is the price – it is more expensive than similar 8,000 BTU window air conditioners.
Overall we highly recommend the Friedrich CP08G10B for large bedrooms thanks to the quiet operation.
It is also available at Amazon.
9.1
GE AEZ08LV
Other features of the GE AEZ08LV include electronic digital thermostat with remote, three cooling and fan speeds, EZ mount window kit with fixed chassis, and Energy Saver feature.
One negative is that while it is not terribly loud, this unit does seem to be a bit louder than other similar ACs.
9
LG LW8016ER
The LG LW8016ER comes with a easy installation kit, digital touch controls, 3 cooling/fan speeds plus Auto Cool, 24-hour on/off timer, washable filter, and it can remove up to 2.2 pints of moisture per hour to control humidity.
Noise-wise the LW8016ER is about on par with the GE AEZ08LV and definitely louder than the Friedrich Chill CP08G10B. So if you want a window AC unit for your bedroom you might want to consider a different model, but for any other room it probably will not be a big deal.
8.9
Frigidaire FFRE0533Q1
The FFRE0533Q1 has all the features you would hope for including dehumidification of up to 1.1 pints per hour, simple controls with digital temperature readout, timer and energy saver mode, and remote control.
If you only have a small space to cool then the Frigidaire FFRE0533Q1 is a good choice, but for spaces larger than about 150 square feet you should buy an air conditioner with more BTUs.
8.9
Frigidaire FFRA1222R1
Overall the performance is good with features including multi-speed electronic controls, 24-hour on/off timer, energy saver mode, washable filter, and dehumidification of up to 3.8 pints per hour.
The Frigidaire FFRA1222R1 is a bit noisy, but you still should consider this unit for large areas.
8.9
Frigidaire FFRA0511R1
The FFRA0511R1 costs less because it has less controls. It does not let you specify a desired temperature and instead uses mechanical rotary controls to set the temperature (7 settings) and mode (4 settings). There is no timer or remote control.
So the Frigidaire FFRA0511R1 is cheap, but it only works for a small room and has limited controls. Thus we only recommend it if price is your biggest concern.
8.9
LG LW6016R
The LW6016R has the same features as the other LG models in this series like digital electronic touch controls, timer, remote control, and washable filter, It also can remove 1.8 pints of moisture per hour.
If a 6,000 BTU unit is what you need, then we seriously recommend that you buy the LG LW6016R.
8.8
LG LW2516ER
The negatives are that it is the least efficient AC unit on our list with an EER of 10.3. It also is really heavy at 136 pounds which makes it difficult to install.
For large areas or extremely large rooms then we recommend the LG LW2516ER, but you will pay a premium and you if possible you might even want to consider buying multiple AC units instead.
It is also available at Amazon.
Window Air Conditioner Comparison Chart
Window Air Conditioner Model |
Rating | Best Price | BTU/HR | AC Coverage Area (Sq Ft) |
EER | HxWxD (inches) | Min Window Width (in) |
Max Window Width (in) |
Weight (lbs) |
Remote Control | Timer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Friedrich Chill CP10G10B | 9.2 | $439 | 10000 | 450 | 12.2 | 15 x 23.625 x 21.75 | 25.25 | 39 | 81 | Yes | Yes |
LG LW1216ER | 9.1 | $349 | 12000 | 550 | 12.1 | 15 x 23.63 x 22.19 | 27 | 39 | 85 | Yes | Yes |
Friedrich Chill CP08G10B | 9.1 | $369 | 8000 | 325 | 11.2 | 14 x 18.375 x 20.875 | 20.125 | 36 | 64 | Yes | Yes |
GE AEZ08LV | 9.1 | $239 | 8000 | 350 | 12 | 12.75 x 20.94 x 15.72 | 24 | 38 | 60 | Yes | No |
LG LW8016ER | 9 | $239 | 8000 | 340 | 12 | 12.38 x 19.56 x 19.39 | 22 | 36 | 58 | Yes | Yes |
Frigidaire FFRE0533Q1 | 8.9 | $199 | 5000 | 150 | 11.2 | 12 x 16 x 15.25 | 23 | 36 | 42 | Yes | Yes |
Frigidaire FFRA1222R1 | 8.9 | $339.99 | 12000 | 550 | 10.9 | 14.5 x 19 x 21.5 | 23 | 36 | 67 | Yes | Yes |
Frigidaire FFRA0511R1 | 8.9 | $139 | 5000 | 150 | 11.1 | 12 x 16 x 13.25 | 24 | 37 | 42 | No | No |
LG LW6016R | 8.9 | $179 | 6000 | 260 | 11.3 | 12.28 x 18.56 x 15.13 | 22 | 36 | 50 | Yes | Yes |
LG LW2516ER | 8.8 | $649.99 | 24500 | 1560 | 10.3 | 17.69 x 26 x 28.13 | 29 | 41 | 136 | Yes | Yes |