The heat wave is coming! Shop these 10 top-rated air conditioners
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The summer heat has already arrived for much of the U.S., and everyone is doing their best to keep cool. Fans are the energy-efficient go-to when it’s under 90°F, but at that temperature and hotter they actually exacerbate the effects of heat stress—at those temperatures, air conditioning is your only option.
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Things are only going to get hotter from here, so if you don’t already have a new A/C it’s a great time to grab one.
Here’s a list of the most popular and trusted air conditioners you can buy on Amazon.
1. Midea MAW12V1QWT Window Air Conditioner
Reviews: 9,933
Rating: 4.5
If you haven’t used a U-shaped air conditioner before, you’re in for a treat. Air conditioners with this design have a slit down their middle, which allows you to close the window much further than you normally would. This better secures the air conditioner in place and significantly lowers the noise from operation.
The Midea MAW12V1QWT is one of the highest-rated air conditioners on Amazon, with a very high 4.5 stars after almost 10,000 reviews. It comes in 8,000, 10,000, and 12,000 BTU versions and features a standard array of smart features you can access from its companion app.
Those who love their Midea MAW12V1QWT praise its quiet operation and how efficiently it cools rooms. The only minor complaints we could find involve the installation being more difficult than expected.
Get the Midea MAW12V1QWT Window Air Conditioner at Amazon starting at $399
2. GE AHEK08AC Window Air Conditioner
Reviews: 3,860
Rating: 4.5
This GE features a traditional window A/C design but incorporates smart features to allow remote control via a smartphone app.
While it’s not the quietest option on the list, users seemed to love it regardless, primarily due to the fast rate at which it was able to cool down a room.
Complaints are few and far between and tend to focus on the difficulty of installation or setting up the smart app, though other user reviews highlight how easy both of those processes are—your mileage may vary.
Get the GE AHEK08AC Window Air Conditioner at Amazon for $365
3. GE AHEC05AC Window Air Conditioner
Reviews: 3,861
Rating: 4.5
Unlike its sister model above, the GE AHEC05AC comes in six different BTU ratings, from 5,000 to 14,000, which should allow it to quickly cool down a room of just about any size. The unit is available in black and white, with either analog or digital controls.
Those who are happy with their purchase find the AHEC05AC to be an effective cooler, and found both the installation and smart app setup to be easy (though a few owners did have some trouble on these last two points).
Get the GE AHEC05AC Window Air Conditioner at Amazon starting at $167
4. Frigidaire FFRE053WAE Window Air Conditioner
Reviews: 1,239
Rating: 4.5
If you’re in the market for a new A/C and would rather save some money than invest in smart features you’re unlikely to use, the Frigidaire FFRE053WAE is a good bet. Despite its lack of app support, this compact window unit should be able to cool down a medium-sized room quickly.
Those who are happy with their FFRE053WAE find it is a good value for its price and able to cool down most rooms quickly and relatively quietly.
Get the Frigidaire FFRE053WAE Window Air Conditioner at Amazon starting at $209
5. Serene Life SLPAC8 Portable Air Conditioner
Reviews: 12,420
Rating: 4.4
If your home isn’t set up for a window A/C unit, this portable air conditioner from Serene Life might be a good alternative. Like all portable units, the SLPAC8 is slightly more expensive than window units of a similar size and power rating, but users claim it definitely delivers the good when it comes to cooling—at least according to over 12,000 reviews!
Those who like their SLPAC8 say its installation is easy and its smaller form factor makes it easy to move around their home. The only real complaints we saw were regarding its noisy operation, but that’s another trait inherent to portable air conditioners: Window units can hang the noisy bits out the window, which helps them operate much more quietly.
Get the SereneLife SLPAC8 Portable Air Conditioner at Amazon starting at $310
6. Midea MAW12R1BWT Window Air Conditioner
Reviews: 11,359
Rating: 4.4
The MAW12R1BWT and its sister models bring all the power of Midea’s higher-end units in a more traditional and budget-friendly package. While it doesn’t feature a U-shaped design to help boost efficiency and reduce noise, these A/Cs pack some power: Models are available anywhere from 5,000 to 12,000 BTUs. No smart features here, though it does come with a remote control.
Owners who left positive reviews cite an easy installation and quick cooling as the top two most frequent points of praise.
Get the Midea MAW12R1BWT Window Air Conditioner at Amazon starting at $160
7. Frigidaire FFRE083WAE Window Air Conditioner
Reviews: 11,034
Rating: 4.4
Regardless of what size room you’re looking to cool, this popular Frigidaire is likely available in a rating that’s perfect for your needs, from 5,000 to 15,100 BTUs. Unlike some other A/Cs on this list, the FFRE053WAE does not have smart features, which could be a boon for those who’d rather eschew the feature to save some money on the purchase.
Those who were happy with their FFRE083WAE purchase think it is a great deal for the price and are impressed by its rate of cooling.
Get the Frigidaire FFRE083WAE Window Air Conditioner at Amazon starting at $163
8. LG LW6017R Window Air Conditioner
Reviews: 3,494
Rating: 4.4
This relatively quiet offering from LG is ideal for smaller or mid-sized rooms and caps out at about 52 dBA—louder than ambient room sounds, but quieter than a conversation. The LW6017R is another A/C that lacks smart features but winds up going easier on your wallet.
Most of the owners who left positive reviews say the LG LW6017R is a good value, has surprising cooling power for its small size, and find it is quieter than their previous A/C.
Get the LG LW6017R Window Air Conditioner at Amazon for $219
9. Home Labs HME030528N Window Air Conditioner
Reviews: 1,143
Rating: 4.4
If you need to get a larger room cooled down fast, the Home Labs HME030528N is one of the more powerful options on this list, available in strengths from 5,000 all the way up to 14,500 BTUs. If you have a WiFi connection, you can set up its smart companion app, which allows remote control of the unit.
Those happy with their HME030528N mostly boast about how quickly their unit is able to cool down a room.
Get the Home Labs HME030528N Window Air Conditioner at Amazon starting at $250
10. Whynter ARC-14S Portable Air Conditioner
Reviews: 7,295
Rating: 4.3
If your home isn’t set up for a window unit, the Whynter ARC-14S portable air conditioner is an excellent alternative—it’s one of the better PACs we tested. During testing, we found this unit very capable when it comes to throwing cold air around a room.
Those who are happy with their purchase are satisfied with the Whynter ARC-14S’s cooling power and the ease with which they are able to reposition it around their home.
Get the Whynter ARC-14S Portable Air Conditioner at Amazon for $524
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
This article originally appeared on Reviewed: Shop these 10 top-rated air conditioners from Midea, GE and Frigidaire
