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Cheap Air Conditioners: Best Cheap AC

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If the price of things you want -- or need -- these days is making you sweat, here's some news that might cool you off: There are plenty of cheap air conditioners on the market that should appeal to thrifty shoppers. For less than $300 you can buy a cheap air conditioner 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, you may be able to cool an even large area with a cheap air conditioner, although it may need a boost from a strategically placed fan.

Prices for room air conditioners start at about $100 and rise well beyond $2,000. The higher end of the market is populated mostly by built-in (and some window) models that do double duty chilling and heating large spaces. Most AC manufacturers produce a range of models designed to cool (and sometimes heat) one or two rooms. Major producers of cheap air conditioners include Frigidaire, Haier, LG, Kenmore, GE, and Sharp. Carrier and Friedrich are best known for pricier and larger capacity units, but we did find a few Friedrich models that came in below the $300 ceiling we set.

AC capacity indicates the size of the area a unit can cool. The more powerful the air conditioner, the greater the area -- and the higher the price. AC capacity is measured in BTU, or British thermal units. A BTU is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. The cooling capacity of cheap air conditioners ranges from 5,000 to 12,000 BTU -- ideal for rooms up to about 550 square feet. Larger rooms require greater AC capacity, but the cost of a larger unit is higher than frugal consumers may want to spend.

So, before you start shopping, the first thing to do is measure the room where you want to use a cheap air conditioner. (If you're planning to buy a window unit, be sure to measure the window as well.) Rooms with high ceilings, direct afternoon sun exposure, and/or minimal insulation may need the oomph of a few extra BTUs. Keep in mind that it doesn't pay to buy an AC with excess or insufficient capacity. A unit with an AC capacity that is too high or too low for the space will perform poorly and inefficiently. (Try this online calculator to get a better sense of how much AC capacity you need.)

For small rooms up to 150 or 200 square feet, our favorite cheap air conditioners are the 5,200 BTU Kenmore 70051 (starting at $150) and the 5,000 BTU Frigidaire FRA054XT7 (starting at $159, Amazon). For rooms up to 250 or 300 square feet, we like the 6,500 BTU Frigidaire LRA074AT7 (starting at $159). The 6,000 BTU Haier ESAD4066 (starting at $243, Amazon) falls short on durability and customer service.

With 8,000 BTU, the LG LW8011ER (starting at $199, Amazon) and Frigidaire FRA086AT7 (starting at $200, Amazon) can cool up to about 350 square feet. The 7,800 BTU Friedrich CP08F10 is slightly less powerful yet quite a bit more expensive (starting at $275, Amazon), despite offering comparable features. The 10,000 BTU Frigidaire FRA106BU1 (starting at $237, Amazon) and LG LW1011ER (starting at $250, Amazon) can handle up to about 500 square feet.

A couple of other things to keep in mind: First, most cheap air conditioners are designed for double-hung windows; options are limited if you have casement or slider windows. Also, cheap air conditioners from the same manufacturer often differ slightly in model number and features depending on the retailer. For example, the Frigidaire FRA086AT7 is comparable to the FRA085AT7, available at Best Buy, and the LRA087AT7, which is exclusive to Lowe's. The Frigidaire FRA106BU1 also has a Lowe's equivalent, the LRA107BU1.

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Frigidaire FRA052XT7
Haier ESAD4066
Friedrich CP08F10
Frigidaire FRA054XT7
Frigidaire FRA086AT7
LG LW1011ER
Kenmore 70051
Frigidaire LRA074AT7
LG LW8011ER
Frigidaire FRA106BU1

Frigidaire FAX054P7A (5000 BTU)
Haier HWR05XC7 (5200 BTU)
Haier HWR08XC7 (8,000 BTU)
Haier HWR12XCA (12,000 BTU)

 

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