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Cheap Air Conditioners: Best Cheap Air Conditioner Reviews

Contents Buying Guide » What to Look For » What to Expect »

Best Cheap Air Conditioners Good Cheap Air Conditioners Frigidaire FAA055P7A (5200 BTU) starting at $133 Kenmore 75051 (5300 BTU) starting at $150 Frigidaire FAA084P7A (8000 BTU) starting at $190 LG LWHD1006R (10,000 BTU) starting at $220 Kenmore 75050 (5150 BTU) starting at $98 Kenmore 75062 (6000 BTU) starting at $250 GE ASM08LK (8000 BTU) starting at $230 Haier HWR12XCA (12,000 BTU) starting at $264 Don't Bother Cheap Air Conditioners  »

Cheap Air Conditioners Buying Guide

If the price of things you want--or need--these days is making you sweat, here's some news that will cool you off: According to air conditioner reviews there are plenty of cheap ACs on the market that should appeal to thrifty shoppers. For less than $300 you can buy a unit that fits in a window or through the wall and is powerful enough to blast frigid air into small to mid-size rooms. Depending on the layout of your living space and its relation to the sun--and perhaps with a boost from a strategically placed fan--you may be able to cool an even larger area with these inexpensive air conditioners (AC).

There are numerous players in the room air conditioners market. Prices start as low as $80 and rise well beyond $2,000, with the mid-range extending from $300 up to $800. GE alone produces dozens of different room air conditioner models, with the cheapest AC going for about $150 and the priciest fetching about $1,500. The upper half of GE's product line is populated mostly by built-in (and some window) models that do double duty chilling or heating large spaces. Like GE, most manufacturers produce a range of cheap air conditioners, mid-price, and high-end models designed to cool (and sometimes heat) one or two rooms. The major producers in the cheap air conditioner arena, in addition to GE, include Frigidaire, Haier, LG, and Kenmore. Sharp, Carrier, and Friedrich are also big names, but the latter two are best known for pricier and larger capacity units.

In the world of air conditioning, capacity is linked to price. That is, the more powerful the unit, the greater the area it can cool and the higher is the price. Air Conditioner capacity is measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs), which is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree. Cooling capacity of room air conditioners in the Cheapism niche (less than $300) ranges from 5,000-12,000 BTUs--ideal for small to mid-size rooms. Large rooms require greater cooling capacity, but the cost of these units is greater than frugal consumers may want to spend. The Kenmore 75051 with 5300 BTUs (starting at $150) and the GE AEV05LM with 5200 BTUs (starting at $150; a replacement for the AST05LK which starts at $98, Amazon, but is not widely available), for example, work best in rooms up to about 200 square feet. The Frigidaire FAA084P7A (starting at $190, Amazon) with 8000 BTUs and the Haier ESA3087 (starting at $196, Amazon) with 7800 BTUs do the job on rooms up to 350 square feet. The Frigidaire FAC106P1 (starting at $213, Amazon) with 10,000 BTUs and LG LWHD1006R (starting at $220) with 10,000 BTUs can handle an area of about 500 square feet. The least expensive Frigidaire models with 12,000 BTUs, the FAC124P1 and FAC126P1, start at about $250 and $259, respectively, and cool up to 640 square feet.

So before you start shopping, the first thing you need to do is measure the size of the room where the air conditioner will be used. (If it's going in the window, don't forget to measure that, as well.) It doesn't pay to buy more or less BTUs than you need; in fact, a unit with excess or insufficient capacity for the space will perform poorly and inefficiently. On the other hand, rooms with high ceilings, lots of south-facing windows, and/or minimal insulation could use the oomph of a few extra BTUs.

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What to Look For: Cheap Air Conditioner Features

There are dozens of cheap AC models to choose from, many with a similar assortment of features. Typical features on the better inexpensive models include remote control, adjustable air-flow louvers, reusable filter, and on/off timer. The most important distinguishing characteristics among budget air conditioners include capacity (i.e., BTUs, as discussed above), energy efficiency, and the number and type of cooling modes and the number of fan speeds. Two notes: 1) Most budget air conditioners are designed for double-hung windows--options are limited if you have casement or slider windows; 2) Models from the same manufacturer will differ slightly in number/letter designation and combination of features, depending on the retailer.

Cheap Air Conditioner Energy Efficiency

. All air conditioners these days incorporate energy efficient technology. Many are Energy Star rated, meaning the model is at least 10% more efficient than the minimum standard set by the federal government for its size and design. The critical number to note is the EER (energy efficiency rating), which takes account of the BTUs and the wattage (the amount of electrical power used); the higher the EER, the more efficient the unit. Budget air conditioners generally carry an EER of 9.7 or higher and those with Energy Star rating usually have an EER of at least 10.7. Experts say energy use drops by 1% for each 0.1 increase in the EER.

The Energy Star label has little impact on price. The Frigidaire FAA086P7A, with an EER of 10.8 and an Energy Star rating, sells for about $183 compared to the FAA084P7A, with an EER of 9.8, no Energy Star rating, and a starting price of $190; the constellation of features on these two models differs only slightly. Likewise with equivalent but not identical GE models: the starting price of the GE AEM08FM, with an EER of 10.8 and an Energy Star rating, is $233 compared to $249 for the AEQ08AM, which has a 9.8 EER and lacks an Energy Star label. Strictly from a cost standpoint, it's impossible to say which is the better buy. The amount of money you save on the electric bill with an Energy Star air conditioner depends on several factors, including the unit's capacity as measured in BTUs, the number of hours it's used, its position relative to the sun, and the local price of electricity.

AC Electronic Control

. The electronic guts of today's air conditioners support money-saving and user-friendly features, including digital displays, remote control devices, and thermostats that maintain a precise temperature. The Kenmore 75050 (starting at $98), and the GE AEV05LM (starting at $149) are among the few remaining examples of mechanical air conditioners. These basic models have fewer features and less functionality--no remote, digital display, or programmable thermostat, for example--and are a tad less expensive than electronically-controlled models.

But users appreciate the versatility of the electronic budget s. Thermostats, for example, take the guesswork out of temperature regulation: As noted in air conditioner reviews about the Frigidaire FAA084P7 on retailing site Abt, the unit can be set to a specific temperature (product specs say between 60 and 90 degrees) instead of a meaningless number. A user commenting on the AJ Madison site about the same model says the remote, which has its own thermostat, can be adjusted with your eyes shut.

Remote controllers are increasingly standard issue with cheap air conditioners. Functions on the remote vary by model; in addition to on/off, options may include time delay, temperature sensor and setting, fan speed, and/or cooling mode. One electronically savvy user, who posted an air conditioner review on the Sears website about the Kenmore 75062 (starting at $250), programmed a universal remote to manage the air conditioner and jettisoned this one-appliance gizmo.

Air Conditioner Fan Speeds and Cooling Modes.

Inexpensive air conditioners usually feature two or three fan speeds and two to four cooling modes. On the cheapest ACs with up to 6,000 BTUs, such as the Kenmore 75050, two fan-only speeds and two cooling options are the norm; the new AEV05LM from GE has two fan-only speeds and three cooling options, Thrifty shoppers looking for compact air conditioners with more cooling flexibility will have to pay the price: the Kenmore 75062 (starting at $250) has three fan-only speeds and three cooling modes. Many of GE's cheaper air conditioners, like the AEQ06LM (starting at $170, Amazon) and others in the AEQ and AEM series, have an auto fan setting that automatically adjusts fan speed to maintain the desired temperature. Frigidaire equips many AC models with a variable speed fan that adjusts automatically (or by the user) depending on need. Users like the fan's range: one air conditioner review of the FAA055P7A (starting at $133, Amazon), posted on Amazon, says the higher the fan speed, the farther the cold air travels; another says slower speeds produce less noise.

Mid- to large capacity budget air conditioners, ranging up to 12,000 BTUs, are pricier but generally provide even more functionality. Standard fan speeds include low, medium, and high. The cooling modes are high and low and, depending on the manufacturer and model, some combination of dry, fan only, energy saver (the fan shuts down when the compressor does and periodically restarts until the compressor is needed again), or sleep (temperature rises automatically and incrementally to a desired level and holds steady all night). The energy saver setting is found on numerous low-cost AC models, including the Frigidaire FAC106P1A (starting at $227, Amazon), Kenmore 75062, and GE ASM08LL (limited availability, selling for $250); it is the favorite feature of one owner of the LG LWHD1006 (starting at $220) who posted a review on Home Depot. Another user noted on Amazon that the energy saver on the Frigidaire FAC106P1A keeps the lid on his utility bills. The sleep mode, offered on inexpensive Frigidaire models, like the FAA084P7A and FAC106P1A (and on the smaller FAA055P7A,), and on Kenmore models, like the 76100 (starting at $250), also has its champions. One user posting on Buzzillions about the Frigidaire FAA055P7A is particularly pleased with the gradual increase in temperature during the night and the resulting lower energy costs.

AC Timer

. Another useful budget AC feature is the timer, which lets thrifty consumers decide when the unit turns itself on and off. With models like the Kenmore 75062 and the LG LWHD1006, users can set the timer up to 12 hours in advance in one-hour increments. GE models, like the AEM08FM and AEQ05LM (starting at $155, Amazon), as well as the Haier HWR12XCA (starting at $264, Amazon) and HWR05XC7 (starting at $110, Amazon), give users a 24- hour window. With a timer, as one reviewer notes on Abt about the Frigidaire FAA084P7A, the AC doesn't have to run all the time. This money-saving convenience lets frugal users return to a cool home after being gone all day and removes the worry about forgetting to turn off the air conditioner when going out.

Air Conditioner Filter

. Every air conditioner has a filter to sift out the dust, dirt, and smoke found in the environment. These days most cheap air conditioner models, including the Haier HWR05XC7, the LG LWHD1006R, and the GE AEM06LM (starting at $203, Amazon), have a reusable filter that can be quickly and easily removed, rinsed or vacuumed, and then reinserted; the recommended cleaning frequency is every two to four weeks. Several models, like the Frigidaire FAA055P7A and FAC106P1A and the Friedrich SS08L10 (with 8400 BTUs and a price starting at $739, Amazon, this model is far beyond the cheap air conditioner price range) come with a little light that goes on when the filter needs cleaning (on the FAC106P1, after about 250 hours of use). And some low-cost air conditioners, including the Frigidaire FAA086P7A and FAC106P1 and the Haier ESA3057 (starting at $155) and ESA3067 (starting at $160, Amazon), have an electronic or electrostatic filter that is effective against allergens. One user who suffers from allergies says in an air conditioner review of the Frigidaire FAA055P7A on Amazon that he keeps the clean air button on all the time.

AC Adjustable Louvers

. Cold air flows out the top or front of window air conditioners. Most cheap air conditioner models have louvers that can be adjusted to direct the air flow: up and down, and/or left and right. Although some consumers say the effectiveness of these directional maneuvers is not always obvious, one user commenting about the Haier HWR12XC3 on Epinions praised the back-and-forth sweep of the cold air it produced. Another user posting on Epinions about the LG LWHD1006R gives very specific directions about using the louvers, likening them to those on a car, and adds that the vent control will either recycle the room air or bring in air from outside.

Miscellaneous AC Features

. Another convenient feature found on many budget air conditioners is the automatic restart, which revives the AC when electricity is restored following a brownout and reverts to the previous setting. A less helpful feature found on several Frigidaire and GE models is the beeping noise that sounds every time a setting is changed; users commenting on Epinions, for example, find this feature particularly irritating. Consumers who live in climates that are humid in spring and fall will appreciate the kind of built-in dehumidifier found in some inexpensive Haier air conditioners, like the ESA 3105; although all air conditioners draw moisture out of the air, this feature on the Haier works without cooling the air.

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What to Expect: Inexpensive Air Conditioner Performance

AC Cooling

. Frugal consumers are generally satisfied with the cooling performance of their inexpensive air conditioners, regardless of size (i.e., BTUs). Smaller models like the Kenmore 75051, Kenmore 75050, Frigidaire FAA065P7A (starting at $144), and GE ASD06LK (starting at $178) and mid-size models like the Frigidaire FAC106P1, Haier ESA3087 (starting at $196, Amazon), and LG LWHD1006R, are frequently praised on user review sites for their ability to cool a room quickly and keep the air nicely chilled. Several users commenting about the LG LWHD1006 on the Home Depot site, for example, exclaimed over the power of the unit's 10,000 BTUs, the cold air blowing out, and its ability to significantly lower the temperature in large spaces with lots of big windows.

But such assessments are not universal, and some users pan the models others recommend. About the Haier HWR06XC6, one consumer noted on the Best Buy site that the temperature in the room actually increased after he let the AC run for a while and that he had packed it up for return. On the other hand, another user was so satisfied with the way the unit cooled the living room that he planned to buy at least two more. Positive and negative experiences likewise have been reported on Amazon by users of the Frigidaire FAA065P7A, and on Best Buy by users of the Haier HWR06XC6 (starting at $110, Amazon).

Hoping to get more bang for their buck, consumer air conditioner reviewers have found ways to maximize the utility of these inexpensive air conditioners. One user noted on Amazon that he needed a ceiling fan to circulate the cold air coming from his Frigidaire FAA065P7A and suggested that a small floor fan aimed at the ceiling would work just as well. Posting on the Sears site, someone who bought a Kenmore 75101 (starting at $270, Amazon) put the 10,000 BTU-unit in the bedroom and runs it at night instead of cooling the entire house with the central AC system.

Air Conditioner Noise

. The one air conditioner performance variable that generates the most negative comments from users is noise. Despite explanations of frequently heard noises in owners' manuals by Frigidaire and Haier, for example, consumers still complain about the whir of the fan and the rushing air, the thwack of the fan splashing against water in the drip pan, or the thunk and click of the compressor cycling on and off.

One user commented on the AJ Madison site that the GE ASM08LK sounds like a freight train and another says the compressor is earth shaking when starting up. One unhappy purchaser of the Sharp AF-S100MX (starting at $237, Amazon) complained on Buzzillions that the noise of this 10,000 BTU model far exceeded that of a 12,000 BTU unit from a different manufacturer.

Again, user perceptions about bothersome noise from budget air conditioners vary widely. Posting on Epinions, one user commented about the gentle rotating fan sounds on the Kenmore 75051 while another said the unit's unbearable noise prevented people from sleeping. Expert air conditioner reviews of the Haier ESA3105 on Howstuffworks.com talk about quiet white noise but a user writing on Yahoo complained about the loud noise. Reviews and owners' manuals caution consumers that improper installation may cause vibrations, rattles, and other annoying sounds; the design and engineering of any given model and new energy efficient technology also play a role.

AC Installation

. Cost-conscious consumers often install room air conditioners themselves. (An important note to the do-it-yourself crowd: the higher the BTU, the heavier the unit.) All models come with instructions, which are more or less helpful. User air conditioner reviews often say installation is a snap, although users' experience with many Haier models, according to postings on sites like Epinions or air-conditioner-review.com, say the drawings and text are vague and inaccurate, screws and holes don't match up, and customer service is abysmal. Similar grumbling about tricky installation and unhelpful manuals and website plague many LG models, including the LWHD1006R. On the other hand, not all windows are alike and even the clearest instructions may not suit every window frame. The bottom line: be prepared to improvise. If you're planning to install the AC yourself, make sure to keep some plywood, two-by-fours, foam insulation, and weather stripping at the ready.

Air Conditioner Warranty

. The National Association of Home Builders figures that air conditioners last an average of 10 years. The most common warranty for room air conditioners is one year/parts and labor and five years/sealed system.

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Products Mentioned in This Review

Frigidaire FAX054P7A (5000 BTU)
Haier HWR05XC7 (5200 BTU)
Haier HWR08XC7 (8,000 BTU)
Kenmore 75050 (5150 BTU)
Kenmore 75062 (6000 BTU)
GE ASM08LK (8000 BTU)
Haier HWR12XCA (12,000 BTU)
Frigidaire FAA055P7A (5200 BTU)
Kenmore 75051 (5300 BTU)
Frigidaire FAA084P7A (8000 BTU)
LG LWHD1006R (10,000 BTU)

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