This might be tolerable for you, depending on your home setup; you may even decide that rearranging the furniture a little is worth doing if it means retaining full access to your window.

Of course, that also means giving up half of a window 100% of the time, including during those spring and autumn months when you mostly dont need heating or cooling (and might actually want to open a window on occasion).

This cover also makes your AC look much more attractive from the outsideor, if you live in an apartment building, it will at least stand out among the sea of industrial metal sticking out of everyone elses window. For the most part, however, the difference in reaching a target temperature is never more than a few minutes, and the difference in the annual cost to operate is rarely more than a few dollarsagain, unless youre dealing with Energy Starrated inverter models (which, until recently, were hard to find and pricey). With a few rare exceptions, the cooling power and energy efficiency are so very similar for window ACs at a given Btu rating that theyre barely worth worrying about, and most of those exceptions use newer technology like inverter compressors. The GEs capacitive touch-screen controls are easy to figure out, and the LED indicator lights are just bright enough to be visible without illuminating the entire room.

Unfortunately, casement-window ACs dont actually fit into all slider or casement windows. If youre intrigued by the idea of a ductless mini-split AC, we have some advice to help you figure out what will work best for your specific home. That white noise is still busier overall (at least to human ears) than the white noise from the Midea U or the GE PHC08LY. Dont fall into the trap of buying a significantly under- or overpowered air conditioner. We heard none of those awful midrange drones or high-pitched whines that are often associated with window ACs; instead, the compressor just added a slight boost around 13,000 Hz, which is toward the very top of the human hearing range anyway. Central air conditioning systems are complicated, permanent installations that are too unique to each individual house for us to cover comprehensively. Even with the compressor running and the fan on high, it still used only 100 to 300 watts for most of the day (although it crept up to nearly 500 watts at one point). While this might sound like a step backwards, the MAW12HV1CWT makes up for it by offering some limited heating capabilities, which could be a nice perk for people who live in warmer climates and dont have another HVAC heating option for those nights when the temperature dips.

GE updated its app in 2021, creating a much better smart-home experience.

If youre looking for a more traditional window AC, the GE PHC08LY is the quietest one available, and its also better-looking than most.

If the FHWW083WBE is not available, the FFRE083WAE is nearly identical, lacking only Wi-Fi connectivity. The only real downside is that its not quite as energy efficient as the Midea U, even though it is still Energy Star certified with a combined energy-efficiency ratio of 11.4.

With an Energy Star-approved energy efficiency rating of 12.0 and a remarkably quiet compressor, the TOSOT was certainly better than a lot of other window ACs out there. This air conditioner will also cost you more on average than buying a different air conditioner along with one (possibly even two) separate air purifier units, plus the cost of the individual filters. If youre looking for an attractive, relatively quiet, yet traditional air conditioner, we recommend the stylish GE PHC08LY.

After installing this thing nearly a dozen times, I still have no idea what that Open Window Brackets line is referring to (although I assume I must have installed them at one point). May the odds be ever in your favor. *At the time of publishing, the price was $546. Once youve installed it, the standard all-white July looks nicer than most other air conditioners, too (inasmuch as an air conditioner can look nice).

The disc-shaped fan blades on the FHWW083WBE permanently blow at least some air toward the right side of the unit, even if you direct most of it to the left. It appears to be a modified version of our previous LG window-unit pick, and its more affordable than its chief competitor, a Frigidaire model that costs anywhere from $70 to $120 more but offers no obvious advantages (at least on paper).

Despite the cracks and dents on the outside of the unit, this blemished air conditioner still works like new.

(In 2022, the company released a larger, 10,000 Btu version with an inverter compressor and an impressive efficiency rating of 15.7; this unit is larger than most people need, but the option is available.). They also require renovations to your home, but theyre much easier (and cheaper) to retrofit into existing construction than a fully ducted central air system. As far as we can tell, this sound comes from the pressure or vibrations of the unit rubbing up against the glass of the window. It usually slides out from the front of the unit. If you dont want to keep paying to replace that filter every few months, you can instead use the standard washable filter that is also included with the Windmill Air. The Windmill Air might not be as quiet or efficient as our top pick, but its much, much simpler to install, and it offers plenty of other thoughtful features that make it easy to live with. Most window air conditioners are loud and annoying, and weve even considered some of our previous top picks to be merely the least worst when it comes to volume and grating sound. We independently review everything we recommend. Thom Dunn is an associate staff writer at Wirecutter reporting on HVAC and other home improvement topics. But in spite of the flaws, this Frigidaire model ranks right up there among the best ACs available. The GHWQ083WC1 also lacks an auto mode like that of the Midea U or this models portable Frigidaire Gallery counterpart. By comparison, our traditional-AC pick from GE uses about 5% less energy than the federal standard, and our basic pick from Frigidaire uses about 10% less (and those models still rank among the best available). Cooling power and energy efficiency are so very similar for window ACs at a given Btu rating that theyre barely worth worrying about.

Finally, slap some installation padding everywhere you can. And thats pretty good! As of January 2020, HCFCs are also illegal (PDF) to produce within or import to the United States, so if you ever need a refrigerant refill, youre out of luck. In its favor, though, the Frigidaire FHWW083WBE is nearly 10 pounds lighter than the Midea U, with a slightly smaller chassis and a more centered weight distribution, both of which make it easier to install. That can be annoying if you have the unit near your bed, blowing cold air on your neck all night.

We encountered the same Wi-Fi problems when we began to test ACs in 2021but at that point, we reached out to GEs customer support line, and a representative helpfully walked us through the reset process and made sure that everything worked as it was meant to. This Frigidaire unit is easy to install and cools a room about as well as our top pick for a slightly lower price. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing to save people time, energy and money when making buying decisions.

This bracket is similar to our top-pick window bracket, the Top Shelf TSB-2438, as it has some customized grooves that allow the U-shaped AC to rest precisely on it. Its also one of the best-looking ACs around, with a sleek curved control panel, gentle white LED indicator lights, and capacitive (touch-sensitive) buttons that feel delightfully retro-futuristicespecially if you aspire to full-on spaceship-aesthetic living. The company also participates in a carbon-offset program that aims to make up for production emissions by investing in trees.

Plus the company also offers the option of several design upgrades, including covers that come in hues such as rose, sky blue, and forest green, or different materials like ash wood and linen. In theory, this is great, especially for sleeping; in practice, however, it can be a little frustrating, because the AC is so quiet that you sometimes cant tell whether its on unless you fuss with the controls again.

After you turn on the AC for the first time, if you hear any obvious high-pitched whining for more than a few minutes, you might have gotten a dud.

The best window air conditioner is the one that makes you the most comfortable in your home. The perfect air conditioner is one that slides gracefully in and out of your window, cooling you quickly and efficiently with nary a peep, and that is also consistently available at an affordable price. During that time, however, it also suffered from inconsistent stock issues.

It comes with everything you need for installation in a sliding window, though if youre installing it in a crank window, youll probably need to buy (and cut) a piece of plexiglass. We certainly understand the appeal of consolidating all of those functions into a single machine. This article was edited by Harry Sawyers. As a result, it uses nearly 40% less energy than the US federal standard for window air conditioners, according to the EPA. The U-shaped Midea U MAW08V1QWT represents a surprising departure from the standard box-style air conditioner in that its specifically designed with a notch in the center that allows you to open and close your window without uninstalling (or destabilizing) your air conditioner. We hope GE applies this same efficient inverter technology to its smaller Profile ACs. The US Department of Energy passed in 2011 an updated set of AC regulations that established a minimum combined energy-efficiency ratio of 11.0 for most 8,000 Btu air conditioners. Subscribe now for unlimited access. Its the quietest AC weve ever tested besides the Midea Uand thats before we even factor in its dedicated Quiet Mode (which is really just a very low-speed fan).

Installation and maintenance should be (relatively) easy, but those tasks dont vary much from model to model, and you have to deal with them only a couple of times per year. ACs arent supposed to sound like that. Most modern units (including all the models we tested) have a light to remind you to do this after every 250 hours of use. Because of its unique design, the Midea U also comes with its own window bracket to help secure the unit. Friedrich introduced a new MERV-13 filter in 2022 that works with the companys Kuhl smart air conditioner series making them the first window ACs capable of filtering COVID-19 out of your air.

But the installation process isnt fun.

However, this Frigidaire AC is slightly louder than our other picks and tends to emit a low mechanical growl thats less pleasant on the ears than the sounds of the Midea U or the GE PHC08LY.

An air conditioner is the obvious best fix for a hot bedroom. The Midea Us documentation doesnt disappoint only on the installation instructions. Whereas most AC compressors have two settingson or offthe Midea U can essentially rev its compressors engine up and down as necessary to maximize efficiency. Note that the stock tends to be limited; at this writing, theres a two-month waitlist to get one, and theyre available only directly from the company. You should be good to gountil next year, anyway. The LED display on the control panel shuts off automatically after a few seconds so as not to illuminate the room (although this can be occasionally annoying, too, such as when you want to check the settings). The inverter-style Frigidaire Gallery GHWQ083WC1 is as efficient as our top pick, using nearly 40% less energy than the federal standard for air conditioners and offering all the same smart-home features. But if you dont have one, there are some relatively simple and affordable steps you can take to keep your bedroom cool. Its also a good reminder that AC disposal is an environmental issue, and that while climate change means more people need air conditioning, more air conditioning also contributes to climate change. The Frigidaire app offers scheduling opportunities for repeated air conditions, although its less helpful if you want to program a one-time or temporary cooling scenario, such as if you want to set it to run for just two hours on a particularly hot day. Everything else is much less important. Such models are more expensive than typical double-hung-window units, but they cost about as much as a good portable air conditioner and work more efficiently.

In the first few days of noticing this, we kept thinking there were sun showers outside that hit only our patio furniture; eventually, we realized that the fan was flicking the water out of the condensate pan and all over everything else. Whether it's finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we'll help you get it right (the first time). Supposedly, the bracket is designed to have all of this lined up right, but it might not work on every window (like mine). The vents on a typical window unit arent positioned to breathe properly in a standard wall sleeve, so a window unit installed that way cant work as effectively or efficiently and will burn out its compressor much sooner than it should. Sometimes his curiosity gets the best of him, such as when he plugged a space heater and a Marshall guitar amp into the same power strip. For most people, that means picking a quiet ACno jarring whines, whooshes, or whirsthat offers as much control over climate settings and air direction as possible. Most of the frequency spikes that we measured from the fan alone were even higher-pitched than that, so we barely even noticed them.

You might be able to find a cheap wall-sleeve AC made by Midea and sold under various brand names (including Arctic King, Comfort Aire, and Westpointe), but theyre generally not available through major retailers. The GHWQ083WC1 also maintained a slightly more consistent temperature throughout the room during our tests: It typically kept the air within one-half of a degree when measured from 3 feet directly in front of the AC and 6 feet away on a diagonal, compared with a difference of roughly one degree with the Midea. Generally speaking, YouTube is your friend. However, it has some confusing controls, including a remote that failed to sync up with the machine in our tests, and it lacks Wi-Fi support and smart-home featuresall while costing more than our top pick. The only downside to the Midea Us unique setup is that, when the compressor does start up, it initially honks like a sputtering goose. Although this model wouldnt save you that much money in energy costs compared with our top pick, thats still an impressive feat. But Ive personally had awful installation experiences in two very different homes, and anecdotally, I know of plenty of other people who have dealt with similar frustrations. We also tested the Dreo DR-HAC002 Inverter Window AC in 2022, and we were genuinely surprised to see an inverter model coming from a newer company in the AC space. Rather than recommending a specific low-priced new model that we couldnt in good conscience call a strong value, were offering some detailed but flexible advice on how wed shop for whatever used air conditioner is available whenever you can find it. The buttons on the unit are small and tucked away on a ledge so the indicator lights dont bother you. Need to cool multiple rooms? So theres hope for you yet, young Padawan. It's easier to install and remove than any other we looked at.

The standard ACs we tested, however, all went to the maximum wattage rating (typically around 670) whenever the compressor was on. You can get one of our Frigidaire also-greats for about the same price or spend an extra $50 or so on our top pick. We had a similar experience with the TOSOT Tranquility 8,000 BTU Window Air Conditioner. The Midea U comes with fouryes, fourseparate instruction booklets, and none of them provide any useful guidance for how to install the thing. When the Midea U went on sale in the spring of 2020, we initially rolled our eyes at its ambitious promise to reinvent the air conditioner. A ductless mini-split air conditioning system typically consists of one or more wall-mounted indoor units that connect to an outdoor compressor. For example, consider the GE AHEK08AC, which we almost recommended as a budget pick in 2021.

Weve been recommending it (or its nearly identical predecessors) since 2014, and it has consistently proven to be a reliable and affordable option. If you just want an air conditioner that is easy to live with and does the job well while it blends into the background, get the Windmill Air. Case in point: In the main installation guide, Step 2, Secure The Unit on the Bracket, tells you to set the AC down on the bracket and then says that You must install the Open Window Brackets. Its not really clear what that means or how to do that, and the tiny close-up illustration accompanying those words makes them even more confusing.

The model we recommend needs an opening of about 15 inches across, 21 inches tall, and 24 inches deep. We have our portable air conditioner recommendations in a separate guide.

Speaking of the compressor: Unlike most air conditioners, the Midea U has an inverter or variable-speed compressor. Compared with our picks, these ACs tend to be loud, less efficient, less intuitive, and occasionally glitchy (especially if they have Wi-Fi support or other smart features). Unlike the Midea, these ACs straddle the window sill, with the hardware (including the control panels) hanging downward. Our expert sources include a former representative of the Environmental Protection Agency, which administers the Energy Star program; an HVAC/R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration) engineer who formerly worked as a staff senior scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; product managers from Midea and other manufacturers; and several members of the ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force, which was established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers in March 2020 to offer guidance on ventilation and air quality during epidemics. Then all you have to do is extend the side panels so that they fill the width of the window sill. Here are all our product recommendations for keeping cooland our advice on how to make everything work better. But it also had a confusing user interface with no wifi capabilities, and still costs about the same as our top pick. And it impressed us every time. For starters, follow the installation instructionsthe idea is to keep the AC secure in the window frame, with the back of the unit angled slightly toward the ground so that condensed water can drain out.

But after living with it for several summers, we can say with confidence that it is genuinely the best window air conditioner weve ever testedwith the absolute worst AC installation process weve ever suffered through thrice (well get to that). However, our research has found that theres not a lot of reason to be concerned about COVID-19 being transmitted through air conditioning.

This model is not quite as energy efficient as the Midea U (though it is Energy Star certified), nor does it come with its own safety bracket, but its also much, much easier to set up than our top pick, and its just as pleasant to live with. Thanks to the Midea Us unique design, you can keep opening and closing your window without uninstalling the air conditioner. I state this truism because when I describe my multiple installation experiences with the Midea U as mid- to moderately hellish, I want you to understand that they are uniquely sotheyre outliers in a field already known for its frustrations. But at least the UI of the app itself is smooth and clear enough to give you the gist and guide you through the setup process.