Best cheap air conditioner For rooms that are up to about 200 square feet, a window air conditioner that is between 5,000 and 6,000 BTU will give you the best experience. These have enough power to cool your room, while staying on long enough to dehumidify and circulate. They're popular with people who like to keep their bedrooms cool at night -- or a small sitting room or office during the day -- without having to cool the whole house. LG is a leading brand of air conditioners, according to experts, and several of its window units score very well in expert testing. One of their top models for small rooms is the LG LW6016R (Est. $180). It's recommended for up to 250 square feet and, in testing, earns an Excellent rating for comfort, meaning that it quickly and efficiently cooled down a room at the lowest setting. , notes the site's Mary H.J. Farrell in a free article. Since it is new for 2016, there were no user reviews of the LG LW6016R at the time of this report; also puts the LG LW6016R on top -- although there Liam McCabe tested the slightly larger (at 8,000 BTU's) LG LW8016ER (Est. $260).

Still, he goes on to recommend the LW6016R for smaller rooms --- it's just a touch smaller than the one he tests and has a couple of fewer features, otherwise, the units are similar, and the performance of the LW6016R can be expected to be similar as well. Noise is a big factor with most window air conditioning units, but McCabe says that the LG is quieter than most, with a lower pitch that's simply not as annoying. The LW6016R also earns a Very Good rating in professional tests for noise on the low speed, Good on the higher speeds.how much energy do window ac units use In spite of its small size, the LG LW6016R has a pretty decent offering of features, from the three-speed cooling and fan settings, to an included remote control. air conditioning units for small spacesThere's also a 24-hour programmable timer to turn it off and one even when you're not around. how to disconnect central ac unit

And, if you have a power outage, the LW6016R will automatically turn itself back on. Installing the LG LW6016R may be a bit trickier than some other models, but, if you enlist an extra pair of hands to help, it shouldn't be too bad. The instructions are very clear, which is helpful. It comes with a one-year warranty. Although we didn't see it in any expert roundups, the GE AEL06LV (Est. $180) gets terrific feedback from owners. This small air conditioner is rated for rooms of up to 250 square feet rooms, and users say it's quiet and very powerful in the right size room (many use it for a small bedroom or enclosed porch). The GE has some good features, including a delay timer, remote control and three-way fan, but no air direction adjustments. In spite of its description on retail sites and the GE website, this air conditioner is no longer Energy Star Certified, per the EnergyStar.gov website because of its EER rating of 11.2. Some newer, small GE units that are very well-reviewed at one professional testing organizations are Energy Star Certified, but they are not yet available at retail.

Because of that, this is the only category where we were not able to recommend an Energy Star Certified small AC unit. We will continue to monitor this report and modify it if and/or when these GE room air conditioners do come on the market. These include the GE AEM05LV and the GE AEM06LV. For smaller budgets, and smaller rooms, experts and owners say that the Frigidaire FFRA0511R1 (Est. $130) is a very good option. This basic air conditioner doesn't offer many of the convenience features that the air conditioners described above have -- there's no programmable timer or remote, and the controls are old-fashioned analog knobs rather than the digital controls and temperature display of more upscale models. You get one knob to set the motor speed for either the fan or the air conditioner, and another to select the temperature, and that's it. The Frigidaire does include an antibacterial filter that owners say removes odors well and is easy to clean. It's not Energy Star Qualified, however, and with its 5,000 BTU rating it is only suitable for rooms up to 150 square feet.

In professional tests, the Frigidaire FFRA0511R1 earns an Excellent rating for comfort and for power saving during brownouts, Good ratings for noise on all settings, but just a Fair rating for ease of use. However, users disagree, with most saying it's very straightforward and simple -- and easy to install as well.The top performers in our review are the Haier ESAQ406P, the Gold Award winner; the Frigidaire FFRE0633Q1, the Silver Award winner; and the Danby DAC060EUB5GDB, the Bronze Award winner. Here's more on choosing a product to meet your needs, along with detail on how we arrived at our ranking of 10 window air conditioners. A hot and humid room can drain the energy out of anyone on a sunny afternoon. Options for fighting an uncomfortable summertime climate are many, ranging from a dip in the pool to a new central air conditioner for your home. Window air conditioners represent a low level of commitment and low price that is perfect for certain living situations. It makes a decent option for renters because the installation process involves little or no alteration to the home.

Even for home owners, energy-efficient window air conditioners can make sense for times when you don't want to run an outdated, energy-guzzling central air conditioner and can live with just one room that is extra cool and comfortable. Besides a small window AC, you have other energy-efficient and inexpensive options like portable air conditioners, which require no installation and move easily from room to room, though they are universally regarded as less effective at cooling. Through-the-wall air conditioners require a permanent alteration to your home but are still more efficient and less expensive than central air conditioners. A central air system can be the best choice if you own your home and have the budget to invest in a long-term solution. If you don't own your house or don’t want to cool the entire house, window air conditioners are a solid choice. During our evaluations of window air conditioning units, we considered the cooling ability and energy efficiency more heavily than other features on these units.

The first and most important thing these units should do is regulate the temperature and keep you comfortable. If an air conditioner can’t perform this function, then it does not serve its purpose. Therefore, we considered each unit's ability to move air through a room, operate in different modes and operate effectively more heavily than other features. We also considered each unit's energy efficiency and determined the estimated annual cost to operate each unit. This particular criterion is vital if energy efficiency is something you find important and you want to keep your electric bills low each month. Ease of use is also important, and during out evaluation we looked at contributing features like each unit's modes of operation to help keep you comfortable. Nearly every unit in our window air conditioner reviews includes a remote control and a programmable timer. These convenient features allow you to control the air conditioner from across a room and set it to turn on or off at specific times.

Finally, the overall design is another major consideration for window air conditioning units. Although they may not be the most maneuverable AC units available, they shouldn't be too heavy to lift into the windowsill. The unit you choose should be lightweight and easy to install. Also, consider how quiet a unit is during operation. If you want to install a window air conditioner in your bedroom, a loud unit can wake you up at night. The average noise level of window air conditioners is 54 decibels, which is about as loud as a conversation between two people. Look for an air conditioner that is around this average noise level, if not lower, if you plan on using it while you sleep. The first and most important consideration when looking for a window air conditioner is the size of the room you want to cool. It's important to note that a big, powerful unit may not be the right one for you. Each air conditioning unit is rated in British thermal units (Btu), which indicates the size of the room it can cool.

Essentially, you want to find a window AC unit that is just as powerful as it needs to be – not too powerful and not underpowered. Typically, an air conditioner that produces 5,000 Btu can cool a room up to 150 square feet, whereas a unit that produces 7,000 Btu can cool a room up to 300 square feet. The next thing to consider is how much air an air conditioning unit blows through the room. This is indicated by the model's maximum airflow, measured in cubic feet per minute (cfm). The higher the cfm, the more air is pushed through the unit and into the room you want to cool. Energy Costs & Certifications Another thing you have to consider when purchasing any large appliance is how energy efficient it is. This also determines how much you can expect to spend on electricity. Every air conditioner we reviewed has an energy efficiency ratio (EER), which helps you determine the overall energy efficiency. The higher the EER, the more efficient the air conditioner is. The average EER of window air conditioners in our comparison is 11.24, so if you want an efficient unit, look for an EER above that.

Also consider the annual cost of each unit. We determined the annual energy cost of each window air conditioner by calculating the energy requirements of using the unit eight hours a day for three months out of the year, which is an industry-standard formula. Your actual cost completely depends on how often you use the unit and how much you pay for electricity – the national average is 12 cents per kilowatt – so your overall energy cost can vary from our estimate. Finally, we paid attention to units that have certain performance and safety certifications, such as the Energy Star certification, UL Listed mark and AHAM certification. Typically, appliances that are Energy Star certified are 20 to 30 percent more efficient than what is required by law. UL Listed products have been tested by Underwriters Laboratories, which is a safety and consulting company. Finally, a unit that is AHAM certified has passed performance evaluations by the Home Appliance and Manufacturing industry.

These three designations can give you a solid idea of how an air conditioner performs. Portability & Design Considerations What differentiates these models from other air conditioners is that they are designed to be lightweight yet easy to install for long-term use. Setting up one of these units should take a matter of minutes and shouldn't be a headache or a serious workout, so look for models that are lightweight and easy to install. We found that the average weight of window air conditioners is about 60 pounds. Finally, every window air conditioner includes some kind of window kit that seals any open spaces that the unit itself does not cover. These kits tend to be the weak point in these systems, as improper installation allows cool air to escape the room and hot air to enter the house. Therefore, look for window air conditioners that have great window kits that keep the room insulated, and make sure to install them correctly. Regardless of which air conditioner you purchase, you want one that has many mode options so you can customize it to match your level of comfort.

Look for units that provide cooling modes, fan-only modes and so on. Adjustable fan speeds can play a major role in keeping a room comfortable, so look for a window air conditioner that has adjustable fans speeds. If you live in a humid environment, look for units that feature a dehumidifying mode that pulls excess moisture out of the air. This particular element found in many window air conditioners is helpful as you may not need a separate dehumidifier for your home in order to keep cool. If you plan on using an air conditioner while you sleep, consider a model that has a sleep mode, which gradually raises the temperature during the night, helping save energy while still keeping you comfortable. During our evaluation process, we came to the conclusion that the Haier ESAQ406P, Frigidaire FFRE0633Q1 and Danby DAC060EUB5GDB are the three best window air conditioning units on the market. The Haier ESAQ406P stands out first for its quiet operation, but that is really just one small part of its charms.

Impressive energy efficiency, cooling speed and moisture removal rates combine to make this quiet window air conditioner a powerful tool for cooling your targeted room. The Frigidaire FFRE0633Q1 has a little bit less in terms of airflow than the top product but offers a strong set of features overall, especially when you consider all of the operating modes. With fan, sleep, energy saving and other modes, you have a lot of control over your environment and energy usage. Third place finisher Danby DAC060EUB5GDB is very competitive because of its energy efficiency. It has the second highest EER of all the units in our comparison, so it should keep you cool without racking up high energy bills. All three of these units combine great cooling capabilities with energy efficient designs, making them highly functional and relatively inexpensive to operate when compared to other window AC units. They also feature lightweight, easy-to-install designs that make it easy to get them up and running quickly.