Air Conditioners
Size comes first. An air conditioner too small for the room never catches up on a hot afternoon; one too large cools in short bursts and leaves the air clammy. Capacity is given in BTU per hour, and the room's size, its sun and its ceiling height decide how many you need.
A window unit is the more efficient choice where a window allows it; a portable unit goes where one does not, at some cost in efficiency. Inverter models hold a temperature more quietly than units that cycle on and off.
The comparisons below put capacity, efficiency and price side by side for each family.
All 3 comparisons
- Midea Inverter Window and Portable Air Conditioners: Which One to Buy
Best overall: Heat and cool in one 8,000 BTU inverter window unit rated for 350 sq ft, at $379.00 — its 90-day low.
- Midea U-Shaped Window Air Conditioners: Which BTU Size to Buy (8,000 vs 10,000 vs 12,000)
Best overall: 10,000 BTU of cooling for spaces up to 450 sq. ft. at $449.99, splitting the difference between the smaller and larger sizes.
- Windmill Air Conditioners and Purifiers: Which One Fits Your Room
Best overall: Covers 250 sq ft at $289, the only window air conditioner here, and rated 4.8.