The 18 best air conditioners for summer 2023, per an expert

May 26, 2023

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If there's anything we don't like, it's being subject to sticky, sweltering temps in the summer. So, we turn to (and quite literally, turn on) a trusty air conditioner.

It's one of those practical luxuries you can't seem to neglect as your weather app is circulating with sun emojis, right? They’re a worthwhile investment and one worth picking up ASAP (along with the best humidifiers and dehumidifiers we rounded up — yep, there's a difference).

After all, now's the perfect time to snatch one for yourself for all-day, cool comfort. (Related: Best cooling fans).

"Air conditioners help maintain a comfortable indoor temperature during the warmer months by keeping the heat out and the cool air in," Brian Shaunfield, store manager at Charlotte area Lowe's, told the New York Post. "Shoppers should consider other features important to them, ranging from aesthetics, smart capabilities, price and more."

Not to mention, now's also the ideal time to pick up new outdoor patio furniture, a less-than-$35 swimsuit on Amazon and a convenient outdoor cooler for your future beach days.

Shaunfield hand-picked the 10 best air conditioners of 2032 to make life easy-breezy for you, while we listed 8 other top-rated options for you to choose from. Plus, Shaunfield details his expertise in our in-depth FAQ section to provide an overview of every type of air conditioner.

Click to jump to a specific type of air conditioner:

"This Frigidaire air conditioner enables more cooling flexibility with three different fan speeds," Shaunfield says. "Plus, the easy-to-clean washable filter captures dust from the air and keeps the air conditioner working efficiently."

Notably, it's Energy Star-certified, meaning it helps save money and protect the environment due to its particular criteria.

"This LG air conditioner is ideal for cooling medium-size rooms up to 550 sq. ft. and has 3 cooling and fan speeds to customize comfort," Shaunfield describes. "The 4-way air deflection directs the flow of air where it's needed most whether cooling, dehumidifying or just circulating air."

What's more, it's a No. 1 Amazon best-seller, mostly for its functional remote control-compatibility and easy-to-use design.

Everything's smart these days: your phone, your TV, your coffee maker, your lights, your toilet. Why not your air conditioner? Want to turn your AC on 10 minutes before you get home to ensure you walk into a cool room? With Windmill, you can.

"This GE air conditioner delivers 5,000 BTU of cooling capacity for small rooms up to 150 square feet," Shaunfield says. "It's energy efficient with two cooling and fan speeds to provide flexible and optimal home comfort."

Plus, it's one of the easiest to install and clean, thanks to its fixed chassis design.

"This LG air conditioner is ideal for cooling a room up to 260 square feet in size," Shaunfield highlights. "It includes three cooling speeds, three fan speeds, a 24-hour on/off timer and an Energy Saver function."

Even better, it boasts more than 16,000 rave reviews on Amazon for its ergonomic and energy-efficient design.

"Evapolar evaSMART cools & humidifies the air using evaporative technology while also catching large dust particles," Shaunfield notes. "It efficiently cools the immediate area by 9-25 degrees and provides a nice breeze."

Even better, it's compatible with our BFF, Alexa.

"This Frigidaire portable air conditioner is easily moved from room-to-room," Shaunfield says. "It features two different fan speeds in addition to a dehumidifying ‘dry mode’ to keep a room cool and comfortable while also removing excess moisture from the air."

There's also a built-in air ionizer and comes with an easy-to-clean washable filter.

"The newly designed 3rd generation Advantage Series, with improved efficiency ratings of 19 SEER, delivers high performance comfort from the moment it's activated." Shaunfield explains. "It's designed to heat and cool a single 500-ft room."

It even comes with a one-year warranty on the compressor an two-year warranty on parts, should anything go awry.

"The AUX mini split is the air comfort system designed to ensure your home stays comfortable, cool and cost effective," Shaunfield says. "This high-quality ductless heat pump is energy efficient, packed with great features and priced to meet most household budgets."

Even better, it comes with everything you’ll need to install like a pro at home.

"The scroll compressor in this residential unit compresses the R-410A refrigerant and releases the absorbed heat so it's ready to remove more heat from your home," Shaunfield explains. "This efficient unit is even more cost-effective with the inclusion of a piston flow control device."

What's especially impressive? It even comes with pressure and temperature protection sensors to help prevent damage.

"Included in this bundle is a split system A/C condenser, 80% AFUE gas furnace and an evaporator coil," Shaunfield lists. "This combination unit has a seasonal energy efficiency rating of 15.50 SEER, providing maximum comfort cooling."

Though a splurge, this all-you-can-ask-for-bundle features foil-faced insulation to make cleaning a snap.

With the most overall reviews on Amazon, we’re not at all surprised Black+Decker's Portable Air Conditioner is the star of the show. With a remote control, an adjustable fan and its win-win situation for being easy to clean and easy to install, we’re just about ready to pick this one up.

Sleek and clad with an activated carbon filter, Whynter's Portable Air Conditioner is perfect for those who want to be cool yet also crave a modern aesthetic. This model cools up to 500 square feet of space and comes with advance auto drain technology to use and recylce your room's moisture for producing cool air (pretty amazing, huh)?

If you’re on the market for a wall-mounted air conditioner, Midea's Smart Inverter model deserves all of the acclaim. It's designed to be nine times quieter than traditional units (hallelujah) and is Energy Star-certified to conserve 35% more energy.

Not to mention, its U-shaped design allows your window to open, allowing you to bring fresh air into your home. It's also Wi-Fi-enabled and can be controlled with the paired MideaAir app on iOS or Android.

If we’re being honest, some of us want to be cool as a cucumber but don't have the space for a monstrosity of a unit (we get it, which is why SereneLife's is one of our favorites). The highly rated machine has a lightweight body, comes with three operating modes — cooling, dehumidifier and a fan — and has a remote control for easy-to-use handling.

Midea's fan-favorite window air conditioner is available in a portable option: the Duo Smart Ultra-Quiet model. With a concrete emphasis on ultra-quiet, we swear by this one for its innovative duo-house design, which enables the unit to intake air inside and exhaust it outdoors.

If you’re on a budget and are desperate for anything to keep you cool, Ontel's Arctic Air Pure Chill 2.0 is a pretty nifty buy. It has nearly more than 2,000 pleasant reviews and is fit for your nightstand, dorm room or small space that needs a bit more breeze.

The Sensibo Sky Home Air Conditioner System checks off all our our boxes as far as these units go: it's voice-activated (of course), scans temperature and humidity levels to maintain that comfortable ‘real feel’ temperature and is virtually invisible. Plus, you can automatically turn it off or on from your mobile device.

Stellar for cooling up to 400 square-foot spaces, Shinco's Portable Air Conditioner is a durable option that's easy to install and easy to maneuver. Its lowest speed is ultra-quiet, too, and great for sleeping.

Ahead, Shaunfield gives us the 411 on what you need to know about air conditioners before purchasing one for the season — including an overview of different types.

Before shopping for a newly minted air conditioners, there are a few considerations to keep in mind before adding one to your cart. Above all else, shoppers need to consider what size room or house the air conditioner will be used for.

"An easy way you can determine this is to check the square footage recommended for each appliance," Shaunfield tells The Post. "A ‘small’ square footage will be less than 250 sq ft., while rooms considered medium or large will range from 250-1,000 sq ft."

Another way to measure appropriate size, per Shaunfield, is considering the BTU of each unit – or British Thermal Unit – which measures how much energy your air conditioner is using to cool your room or home within an hour. "As the square footage of your room or home increases, so will the BTU needed to cool," he adds.

Below, Shaunfield explains each type of air conditioner you’ll find on the market so you can find the one that best suits your space. The main types of air conditioners you will find include wall-mounted and window conditioners, portable conditioners, ductless mini-splits and central air conditioners.

Check out the New York Post Shopping section for more content.