Staying cool isn’t as costly as you’d imagine

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Published Date 8/2/2023

When the air outside is hot, there are no substitutes for air conditioning. Not a fan. Not the rush of opening the door to your refrigerator. A dip in a swimming pool might be all there is, but you can’t live in it. What if you can’t afford a whole house AC but need something to cool a particular room or part of your house?

If it’s your first time buying an AC (or if you haven’t bought one in a really long time), the bad news is that there are a lot of choices. The good news is that Realtor.com’s Adriana Velez did some research for you, polling dozens of experts and compiling a list of the five best-in-class AC units on the market, whether you want compact, energy-efficient, or just cheap.

The best window unit? Consider the LG window-mounted air conditioner — an excellent choice for smaller homes with one large space to cool down, especially if you’d rather not pay the big bucks for central air or compromise floor space with a large portable unit. An LG 8,000 BTU window-mounted air conditioner costs a cool $268 and can cool an area up to 340 square feet. It offers three cooling and fan speeds, comes with a remote control, a dehumidifier feature, and is very quiet for a window unit.

If it’s portable that interests you, try the HomeLabs portable air conditioner. “When space isn’t a problem or you need something that can cool down an entire floor of your home, you will want to invest in a portable AC unit,” says Velez. “This tends to be a larger, more powerful standalone unit capable of maintaining comfortable temps for larger spaces.” Her experts say this 8600 BTU unit runs just over $500, stands 30 inches tall, and is capable of cooling spaces up to 600 square feet. It comes with a built-in, 100-pint dehumidifier, and built-in wheels make it easy to move.

The Midea window air conditioner has been dubbed among the most affordable. This 5,000 BTU 115V air conditioner (evidently on sale at Walmart for $148) isn’t the most powerful unit on this list, but it will still get the job done and keep a smaller room (like an office or bedroom) icy cold throughout the next heat wave — an excellent option for budget-conscious buyers, cooling up to 150 square feet.

Energy efficiency is important as well. That vote goes to the Friedrich chill premier — an eco-friendly 8000 BTU inverter smart window air conditioner whose energy efficiency ratios are among the best in the industry, providing powerful cooling while minimizing energy costs.

Does a heat pump sound like old technology? Well, old is new again, and the Mitsubishi heat pump takes the cake. Heat pump appliances (sometimes called minisplits) have been gaining in popularity over the past few years because they can both cool and heat your home and function independently of any other HVAC systems you might have. They also tend to be cheaper and more energy-efficient than central air. These ductless units are efficient, whisper-quiet, and offer a variety of features like humidity control and smart capabilities. They start at $1,069—but buying one might qualify you for a tax credit.

Realtor, TBWS

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