The first day of summer might still be a few weeks away, but it is plenty hot outside already. And if you’re unfortunate enough to find yourself without A/C this time of year, chances are you’re already over it. We’re here to help: House Beautiful's shopping team saved you the trouble and tracked down some powerful air conditioners to beat the heat. Best of all, you can buy them on Amazon, so they can be on your doorstep before the next heat wave hits.
Yes, cooling fans are great and all, but when you need something stronger—and faster—an air conditioner is your best bet. What makes a good air conditioner in the first place? Some of the most popular options are window units and portable units. The former is ideal if you want to cool one room at a time, while the latter is a great fit for windowless spaces or those who want to move the unit from room to room.
Plus, even if you have a central A/C system, shopping for one of these can help you save energy during the dog days of summer by running cool air only where you need it most. Whether it’s a temporary fix or a permanent solution, you’ll love these units and wonder why you didn’t grab one sooner. From window units to hose attachments that make for easy setup, these are 10 of the best units money can buy. Give the box fan a break for now.
Designed with large spaces in mind, this Black + Decker A/C can cool up to 700 square feet, has a 24-hour timer, and is programmable so that you can easily schedule cooling sessions. It comes with all the window kit equipment for setup and a long power cord to reach any outlet. Not to mention, it has auto water evaporation, so no drainage required! It also comes with an LED display and a physical remote to control the temperature in a couple of different ways.
With a washable, removable filter and an easy-to-install kit, this couldn't be easier to set up in your home. Plus, it comes with a two-year warranty, so if anything goes wrong, you can get it repaired or replaced in no time. "It cools my room fast and stays consistent," one reviewer wrote. The remote and onboard controls are both easy to use, and I love that I can control it from my phone or with Alexa. The smart features work great, and the setup was quick with the app. Cleaning is easy with the washable filter, and the timer is super handy for setting it to turn on or off when I need it. Overall, it's quiet, powerful, and smart-home ready."
If you've got a small surface area to cover and don't want to drop too much money on it, this is the unit for you. It's great for a temporary fix in between central unit repairs, and it'll be nice and quiet if you run it for a long time. "This air conditioning unit from LG is exactly what I was looking for," one reviewer wrote. "I purchased this for my 'she shed.' The cold air is excellent! It fit the small window perfectly, is not to heavy and the design is clean and simple. The noise level is no louder than a fan running."
Anyone on the hunt for a simple, to-the-point window unit will appreciate this Frigidaire air conditioner. It's mountable to windows and has adjustable side panels that can fit your exact window width—no gaping. The A/C has six preset cooling settings and four fan speeds to regulate the room's temperature. For routine maintenance, simply clean the washable filter to help keep air clean. A reviewer said, "The A/C got delivered fast. Was extremely easy to install. It’s not loud, and the LED temperature display shuts off so it doesn’t glow when you’re trying to sleep. It comes with insulation pieces and everything you need to secure it to the window."
At first glance, a lot of air conditioners can just look like a clunky appliance. That's not the case with this portable Whynter A/C. It has a stylish platinum and black design that can help elevate any modern home's interior. From doubling as a dehumidifier to its ability to cool nearly 600 square feet, this A/C is a clear standout for shoppers. Perfect for humid climates, it specializes in removing up to 101 pints of moisture from the air over a 24-hour period.
If you have tall windows or ones that slide open sideways or out to the side, this PerfectAire casement air conditioner is for you. It has a vertical design to fit in slender windows and comes with a mounting kit to keep it in place. There are three cooling modes and fan speeds to choose from, plus controls like auto restart, sleep, dry, and energy saver to customize cooling to your needs. Another special feature is its "follow me" remote control, which works like a portable thermostat to adjust the A/C's cooling anywhere you are within its 26-foot radius. A reviewer said, "I built a home 20 years ago, it is a two-story. Victorian living room windows are very narrow, just like they were in the old days! Could not find an air conditioner to fit. This was perfect! Love the 'follow me' feature."
Looking for a quality air conditioner that barely makes a peep? Point your attention to this smart Midea model. This A/C uses dual hose-in-hose technology for balanced air circulation inside that also keeps hot air from seeping through gaps. In turn, it claims to cool your home twice as fast. Plus, you can power the Wi-Fi-compatible A/C through an app or Alexa and Google Assistant voice controls. No matter what cooling setting you choose, it's manufactured with a 42dB noise level, which is comparable to the white noise you'd hear in a quiet office. "What's good about this unit is that the vents that blow out the cold air are a wide output, and it has a swivel that blows the air up and down, so it makes the air go in all directions. If you don't like that, you can just set it on one direction," a reviewer said.
Instead of paying thousands of dollars to install ductwork throughout a home, shopping for a split air conditioner can be a worthy investment to cool multiple rooms at a time. It gets stellar ratings for its all-season functionality: air conditioning, heating, dehumidifying, anda fan. And like typical functions you'd get for central A/C, this unit lets you set temperatures for your day-to-day routines, which is designed to boost energy savings by 40 percent. Not to mention, it has an easy-to-use remote control and is compatible with Alexa by voice command or by its connected app for remote use.
Available at an affordable price point and designed with a compact build, this window air conditioner is ideal for those who need to cool off a small space. It comes with two manual cooling modes and two fan speeds, along with 10 setting controls to help cut down a room's temperature. Its included filter is removable and washable for streamlined maintenance. A reviewer said, "I bought this a year ago and it got me through the tail end of summer. This is a smaller A/C unit, which is perfect for my bedroom. It also screws into the baseboard and window frame, which helps guarantee stability."
This portable air conditioner might have a slender design, but it's able to cool up to 730 square feet of living space for up to a day at a time with its 24-hour time setting. You can control the A/C through its remote control (with 25-foot range), its LED display, or through its connected app to control it from anywhere. While it does need to be connected to a window, it comes with an installation kit and has durable 360-degree wheels and handles designed to move it from room to room as needed.