With summer heat upon us, many of us are cranking up the A/C or shopping for a new unit.
But picking the wrong one or skipping basic maintenance on the one you have can leave you hot, uncomfortable, and melt money right out of your pocket.
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The experts at Consumer Reports tested air conditioners in extreme conditions and are sharing their advice to keep cool all summer long.
Consumer Reports’ Arianna Coger spent the winter months sweating it out in CR’s air conditioner test lab – designed to mimic a hot, sticky summer day.
“This is where we do our main performance test, where we try to cool off this room,” Coger said.
The best air conditioners cool CR’s test chamber quickly, quietly, and efficiently. And when it’s time to buy a new air conditioner, CR says the first step is matching the AC to the room. A unit that’s too small may never cool the space. One that’s too large can cycle on and off too quickly, leaving the room humid while also wasting energy.
For mid-sized rooms, this LG model scores well.
If you’re tired of installing and removing window units every year, there is another, more expensive option: a ductless mini-split. These systems have an outdoor unit and one or more indoor wall-mounted units.
“Mini-splits are a good option if you lack the ductwork for central air conditioning,” said Yasmeen Khan with Consumer Reports. “Mini-splits can cool large spaces. They’re very efficient, too, sometimes more than central AC. As a bonus, they can also heat rooms.”
In CR’s tests, this Mitsubishi earned top scores for cooling, efficiency, and heating, too. Keep in mind
Finally, CR says three simple steps can help your AC run better: vacuum and wash the filter, gently vacuum the coils, and keep the outside side of the unit free of leaves, dirt, and debris. CR recommends doing this about once a month during heavy use.