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Individual room air conditioners are an affordable alternative to central-air systems for cooling one or two rooms in climates that get hot only a few months a year.
Refined features distinguish many of today’s air conditioners. Warmer or Cooler settings—somewhat vague—are giving way to relatively precise electronic controls and digital temperature readouts.
New models are considerably more energy-efficient than those made a decade ago. Stricter Department of Energy (DOE) standards apply to room air conditioners manufactured after Oct. 1, 2000.
Fedders and Whirlpool are the leading brands of air conditioners, followed by Kenmore and General Electric. Together, they account for more than half the room air conditioners sold. Price range: $170 to more than $800, depending mostly on size.
Room air conditioners come in different sizes, with cooling capacities ranging from 5,000 Btu/hr. (British thermal units per hour) to as high as 33,000 Btu/hr. Thirty-eight percent of room air conditioners found in stores range from 5,000 to 7,999 Btu/hr. The size you need depends on the room to be cooled.
Performance differences. Most models we’ve tested do a very good job at cooling, with the better models keeping the temperature more even than the rest. We’ve also found a wide range of quietness.
After a brownout, most units restart. Some digital models must be restarted and reprogrammed manually after an interruption of power.
Recommendations. Check the unit’s EER on the yellow Energy Guide tag. Also determine the right size air conditioner for the space you’re cooling. An air conditioner with more cooling capacity than you need may not dehumidify properly because its compressor may cycle off too often.
A room air conditioner can weigh anywhere from 40 to 90 pounds, so we think installation is probably a two-person job. Some models have an outer cabinet that you anchor in the window, into which you slide the unit.
To maintain your air conditioner, clean the air filter every few weeks. Look for a model with a washable filter that slides out easily. Some units have an indicator that tells you when it’s time to change the filter.
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