Here Are The Top 10 Best Small Window Air Conditioners 2020

Measuring a mere 12 inches long by 16 inches wide, the 4-star hOmeLabs AC-188 is a compact air conditioner with a 5000 BTU rating, which translates to a maximum cooling coverage of up to 150 square feet -- most of its 1792 reviewers have it running in one-bedroom or studio apartments that are within that range, with a couple of others using it to cool their RVs. Given its size, the AC-188 lacks a couple of perks that would otherwise be standard facets for mid-sized AC units, including a digital temperature readout (Its two physical knobs, as one satisfied reviewer puts it, could not be any simpler) and a full-function remote control.

On the other hand, this small window-mounted unit's unobtrusive size has its merits as well, including a relatively quiet ambient noise and, more importantly, for one particular user, the absence of an annoying ratting sound that's somewhat typical of larger ACs.

One pleased reviewer mentions that it's not as flimsy as a few other major-brand small ACs (most of which are also presented here at AlphaChooser), adding that its body does not feel that plastic-y . The same reviewer says that the AC-188 would be a perfect fit for a mid-sized studio apartment under northern climates , but cautioned that it only deflects air from left to right (no up-down deflection), which could be a problem for users who plan to install it onto a relatively low-rise window or AC slot. While some buyers call is a live-saver, though, the AC-188 does not please everyone (no air conditioner does), with several users protesting its operational noise.

At the end of the day, given its assortment of user reviews, our shopping algorithm, which sampled 10126 reviews for AC units under this category, concludes that the hOmeLabs AC-188 is Alphachooser's best small window air conditioner 2020 (Learn how we rank items), with a 87 confidence level to show for it (More on confidence levels).

With its 4.5 stars over 229 reviews, we rank this Frigidaire FFRA051ZA1 model second best small window air conditioner. * These choices are based on a full analysis of hundreds of small window air conditioner reviews from multiple sources.

Designed to cool relatively small bedrooms or home spaces of up to 150 square feet, the 5000-BTU -- an unsurprising BTU rating for a small air conditioner -- Frigidaire FFRE0533S1 measures only roughly 16 inches wide and 12 inches long. It comes with a 4-way air deflection system and a dehumidification rate of up to 1.1 pints per hour.

At the time of writing, this compact window-mounted AC unit averaged a rating of 4 stars from a total of 2749 user reviews. Like several other units in this AC category, efficiency is apparently the name of the game for the FFRE0533S1, seeing that it scores a favorably-high 12.2 EER or energy efficiency ratio (Some of its contemporaries only have around 10-11 EERs) and a 37-dollar energy star annual cost, the latter of which could make it a reasonable choice for the budget-cautious. This small energy-efficient air conditioner also comes with a low-power startup (at least according to Amazon) and has a timer function, in case you don't want it running all night. Some users also loved its full-function remote control, which is obviously a nice touch, coming from a compact AC.

On the flip side, a few reviewers gave it dismal scores of only 1 or 2 stars, cautioning that this Frigidaire model may not be the best fit for light sleepers, with some users noting that it was among the noisiest ACs out there. Having said that, a few other users mentioned that, for its size, it gives off an acceptable amount of noise, so there are two sides of this coin.

With all that said, our comprehensive review crawler, which rummaged through 10126 reviews for small air conditioners, determined that the Frigidaire FFRE0533S1 nevertheless merits a spot in our list of the top 10 compact ACs.