Air Conditioners: Reviews

The small Kenmore 70051 is inexpensive, but the catch is that it's not very attractive and it beeps loudly with any change in the controls. Otherwise, reviews say this unit does a fine job of cooling small rooms and… expandowners say it's quiet enough (aside from the loud beeping when adjusting the temperature or setting). It also keeps up nicely with its more expensive competition in terms of features, and doesn't just meet the requirements to be Energy Star-rated but exceeds them. This means you'll save money both on the purchase and the amount of energy used. But because it's a small unit, it'll cool only a very small area of about 10 feet by 10 feet or less. collapse

Friedrich air conditioners, as a brand, get the best reviews for low noise -- a factor that can be particularly important in a bedroom AC. However, Friedrich units are also more expensive than most brands. The CP06F10 can… expandcool a room of about 10 feet by 12 feet, though some owners say it cooled larger areas with no trouble. Owners also like the Friedrich air conditioner for its low noise and efficient cooling. This quiet AC unit meets Energy Star requirements, and owners say it's attactive. The only consistent complaint we found is that several owners found installation to be tricky. One caveat about the design: In tests, this model blows more straight ahead than to the right or left. collapse

Reviews say this 8,000-BTU LG air conditioner will cool a room of about 350 square feet and has nice features for the price: electronic controls, a 12-hour delay timer, remote control, and an automatic restart function in… expandcase of a power outage or brownout. Experts and owners both say it's very good at cooling. Some owners say this air conditioner could be quieter, but these same owners still highly recommend the LG LW8011ER, which is Energy Star-rated. collapse

For larger rooms, this Frigidaire air conditioner is extremely well-liked by nearly all owners. Features include a sleep mode, which slowly increases room temperature during sleeping hours to save energy. Owners also like… expandthe "clean filter" alert (a chore that's typically easily forgotten), and one owner says the filter actually makes the air smell nicer. Reviews of this AC unit also praise the included remote control. Strangely, a few consumers reported receiving a damaged unit, and it's unclear whether damage was caused by the shipper or the delivery carrier. Note that this AC unit is also sold at Lowe's as the Frigidaire LRA107BU1. collapse

Both the LG LW1211ER and its predecessor (the LG LW1210ER) are favorites among owners and professional reviewers. It's Energy Star-rated and has all the features normally found in air conditioners of this size such as… expandelectronic controls, auto restart (which means it'll restart after a power outage or brownout), a remote control, temperature display, timer, energy-saver mode and slide-out chassis. The most complimentary remarks in user reviews reference the LG's ability to efficiently cool while staying extremely quiet. A 12,000-BTU air conditioner is usually sufficient for a 550- to 600-square-foot room, but two owners report that this model works well enough to cool a much larger area. collapse