Air Conditioners Features Comparison

1. Cheap Air Conditioners: Best Cheap AC
2. Energy Star Air Conditioners
3. Air Conditioner Controls, AC Filters
4. Air Conditioner Reviews
5. Best AC
6. Discount Air Conditioners Features Comparison Table

When checking out the specs on a cheap air conditioner, the first thing to look at is cooling capacity, which is measured in BTU, or British thermal units. A 5,000 BTU model can cool up to 150 or 200 square feet, while 10,000 BTU should be enough to handle about 600 square feet. Remember, buying more or less capacity than you need will cost you in performance and efficiency. All the models on our list are Energy Star qualified, which means they have a high enough EER, or energy efficiency ratio, to earn that label from the government. Each extra 0.1 increase in EER translates to 1% less energy use, according to Consumer Reports. Most of our picks offer three fan-only speeds and three cooling modes. They are all electronic, with digital displays and remote controls, plus features such as auto restart, which restores the unit to its previous settings after a power outage, and an energy saver mode, where the fan shuts off along with the compressor and cycles on and off until the compressor kicks in again. A timer allows users to set a unit to turn on or off at a certain point within a 12- or 24-hour period, so they don't have to come home to stifling heat or worry about forgetting to turn off the AC when they leave.