I test smart air conditioners for a living — here’s my top 3 picks to make it through a heat wave – 1v1 Video Chat & LIve Streaming & Influencer Subscription

By Mike Prospero

Tom’s Guide

Search Tom’s Guide

View Profile

Newsletters

Best Picks

Entertainment

Prime Day Deals
Switch 2 Restock

Galaxy Z Fold 7
Wordle Today

Best Mattress
Best laptops

You may like

Huge summer air conditioner sale — 7 deals worth shopping to beat the heat

My dad is suffering in the heatwave: Here are 5 products I recommend he buys to keep cool

Why is my AC not blowing cold air? — here’s what HVAC experts say

In addition to cooling your home, these ACs can also be controlled via an app on your smart phone, or connected to Alexa or Google Assistant — giving them their “smarts.” This way, you can program them to turn on or adjust their temperature when you’re arriving home, so you’re not cooling your house while you’re not there.

If you’re in the market for a new air conditioner, here are my top three picks.
LG Dual Inverter Window Air Conditioner

(Image credit: LG SmartThinQ (Credit: LG))
I’ve been using the LG Dual Inverter air conditioner now for seven years, and it’s still performing like a champ. The first floor of my house isn’t overly large (around 600-700 square feet, give or take), but is divided into three rooms.
The 10,000 BTU model has been more than up to the task, keeping things cool throughout the summer. And, it’s very quiet, too.

Sign up to get the BEST of Tom’s Guide direct to your inbox.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
The only caveat is that this particular unit weighs around 63 pounds; I bought a bracket (sold separately) to make it easier to install in my window.

LG Dual Inverter Window Air Conditioner: $449 at Amazon
This air conditioner is available in several sizes: 6000, 8,500, 10,000, 12,000, and 14,000 BTUs. Look for the Dual Inverter model. It works with Alexa, Google Home, and has both Android and iOS apps.

Midea U Window Air Conditioner

(Image credit: Midea)
While the Midea U was recently the subject of a massive recall, I’m still recommending this model for its innovative design (the company has issued a fix, as well as a redesigned model).
Instead of those ugly and ineffective baffles, you slide your window between the two halves of the Midea, which not only offers better insulation, but cuts down on noise and lets more outside light in.
The Midea U is also really quiet, and does an amazing job of cooling down my attic office, which is the hottest room in the house.

Midea U Window Air Conditioner: was $379 now $339 at Amazon
The Midea U is available in 8,000, 10,000, and 12,000 BTU sizes, and two of the models can also work as heat pumps, to keep your room warm in the winter.

Windmill AC

(Image credit: Windmill)
While I didn’t test this personally, my colleague Kelly Woo did, and it was perfect for her apartment. Windmill doesn’t offer as many sizes as the competition, but it is one of the nicest-looking air conditioners we’ve tested.
We especially like its wrap-around shroud, which looks a sight better than the traditional accordion-like baffles found on most window AC units. If you want the models with the best energy efficiency — and the ones that run the quietest — look for the models with “WhisperTech.”

Windmill Smart Window Air Conditioner: was $549 now $529 at Best Buy
One of the nicest-looking window air conditioners around. Keep in mind that only the models marked “WhisperTech” use inverter technology.

The one thing to look for when buying a window air conditioner
There’s one thing that my favorite window air conditioners all have in common. They all use what’s called inverter technology, which is far more efficient than compressor technology, which was the traditional method that air conditioners used.
You can determine how efficient an air conditioner is by looking at its SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating). The best models will have ratings between 13 and 15 or higher. Basically, this means they’ll use less energy to cool your home.
A side benefit of inverter technology is that it’s a lot quieter, so you can still sleep comfortably without the racket of an air conditioner keeping you awake at night.
Other tips for staying cool this summer
Having a working AC is just one way to keep your house cool and not spend a fortune on your electric bill during the hottest time of the year. Here are 10 tips to cool your room down in a heatwave.
Did you know, for instance, that you should set your thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit? You should also try the “caveman method” to keep your house cool. And one of our writers beat the heat with a $2 roll of aluminum foil.

Today’s best Midea U Inverter Window Air Conditioner, LG Dual Inverter Window Air Conditioner andWindmill Air Conditioner deals

Midea U Inverter Window Air Conditioner

$349.97View
See all prices

Windmill Air Conditioner

See all prices

We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

See more Smart Home News

Mike Prospero

Social Links Navigation
U.S. Editor-in-Chief, Tom’s Guide

Michael A. Prospero is the U.S. Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide. He oversees all evergreen content and oversees the Homes, Smart Home, and Fitness/Wearables categories for the site. In his spare time, he also tests out the latest drones, electric scooters, and smart home gadgets, such as video doorbells. Before his tenure at Tom’s Guide, he was the Reviews Editor for Laptop Magazine, a reporter at Fast Company, the Times of Trenton, and, many eons back, an intern at George magazine. He received his undergraduate degree from Boston College, where he worked on the campus newspaper The Heights, and then attended the Columbia University school of Journalism. When he’s not testing out the latest running watch, electric scooter, or skiing or training for a marathon, he’s probably using the latest sous vide machine, smoker, or pizza oven, to the delight — or chagrin — of his family.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Huge summer air conditioner sale — 7 deals worth shopping to beat the heat

My dad is suffering in the heatwave: Here are 5 products I recommend he buys to keep cool

Why is my AC not blowing cold air? — here’s what HVAC experts say

I live in a building with no air conditioning — here’s how I get a good night’s sleep in summer

I bought a smart fan to beat the heat — and I never thought I’d have this much fun controlling a fan from my phone

Forget Dyson — I tried this smart fan and it proves you don’t need to spend a fortune

Latest in Smart Home

Google makes it easier to let family members use smart home devices

FeatherSnap Scout Bird Feeder review

Massive Prime Day preview sale on Amazon devices live from $8 — 15 deals I’d shop on Echo, Fire TV Sticks, Blink, Ring and more

Hurry! Get a free Apple AirTag ahead of Prime Day

Ring’s new AI feature summarizes security camera footage for you — those alerts just got less annoying

Eufy E20 review: this quirky robovac/cordless combo is super versatile, but struggles with some jobs

Latest in News

Google makes it easier to let family members use smart home devices

FBI warns scammers are posing as fraud investigators to steal sensitive healthcare info — what you need to know

Spotify just gave Discovery a big upgrade — here’s what’s new for you

New survey reveals exactly how much live TV streaming saves you vs cable

How to watch Gauff vs Yastremska on BBC iPlayer (it’s free) right now

Massive leak reveals Google Pixel 10 Pro specs — plus, Pixel 10 Pro XL updates